Resistor Colour Code Calculator

This calculator converts the colour bands found on resistors into their values. It supports 4, 5 and 6 band resistors.

resistor colour codes

1st Digit 2nd Digit 3rd Digit Multiplier Tolerance Temperature Coefficient

Resistance = n/a

Tolerance = n/a

Temperature Coefficient = n/a

Preferred resistor values

Resistors aren't made in every possible value. They come in standard ranges, or series: E3, E6, E12, E24, E48 and E96. The E number tells you how many values the series holds in each decade. That is, in each ten-fold step such as 10–100 Ω or 1–10 kΩ. The more values a series contains, the tighter its tolerance, because the steps between neighbouring values are smaller.

So when a calculation gives you an odd figure, you pick the nearest value in whichever series you are buying from. The values below are the base figures for each series; multiply them by the appropriate power of ten for the decade you need.