Resistor Color Code Calculator

Resistors are fundamental components in electronic circuits, and their values are typically indicated by a series of colored bands. Our Resistor Color Code Calculator helps you quickly and accurately decode these bands to determine the resistance value and tolerance of a resistor.

This tool supports standard 4-band and 5-band resistors. For 6-band resistors, the sixth band usually indicates the temperature coefficient, which is a more advanced parameter not covered by this basic calculator but may be added in the future.

Understanding the Bands:

• 4-Band Resistors:
  • Band 1: First significant digit.
  • Band 2: Second significant digit.
  • Band 3: Multiplier (power of 10).
  • Band 4: Tolerance (accuracy, e.g., ±5%).
• 5-Band Resistors (Precision Resistors):
  • Band 1: First significant digit.
  • Band 2: Second significant digit.
  • Band 3: Third significant digit.
  • Band 4: Multiplier (power of 10).
  • Band 5: Tolerance.

The color codes follow a standard mnemonic, often remembered as "Big Boys Race Our Young Girls But Violet Generally Wins" (Black, Brown, Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Violet, Gray, White) for digits 0-9.

1. Select Resistor Type: Choose whether your resistor has 4 or 5 bands using the dropdown menu at the top. The calculator interface will adjust accordingly.
2. Select Colors for Each Band: For each band on your resistor (starting from the band closest to one end), select the corresponding color from the dropdown menus. The resistor image will update to reflect your selections.
   • The bands are typically read from left to right, with the tolerance band (often gold or silver) being on the right. If there's a larger gap before the last band, that last band is usually the tolerance band.
3. View Results: The calculated resistance value (in Ohms, kOhms, or MOhms) and the tolerance percentage will be displayed automatically. The possible range (minimum and maximum resistance based on tolerance) will also be shown.
4. Interpret the Value: For example, a result of "Value: 4.7 kΩ    Tolerance: ±5%" means the resistor has a nominal value of 4700 Ohms, with an acceptable range of ±5% of that value.