Resistance colour codes
Below is the table containing resistance colour codes. Each color band represents a number and the order of the color band will represent a number value. The first 2 color bands indicate a number. The 3rd color band indicates the multiplier or in other words the number of zeros. The fourth band indicates the tolerance of the resistor +/- 20%, 10% or 5%.
| Band Colour | Band #1 | Band #2 | Band #3 | Multiplier value for Band #3 | Band #4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| Brown | 1 | 1 | 1 | 10 | |
| Red | 2 | 2 | 2 | 100 | |
| Orange | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1000 | |
| Yellow | 4 | 4 | 4 | 10000 | |
| Green | 5 | 5 | 5 | 100000 | |
| Blue | 6 | 6 | 6 | 1000000 | |
| Violet | 7 | 7 | 7 | 10000000 | |
| Gray | 8 | 8 | 8 | 100000000 | |
| White | 9 | 9 | 9 | 1000000000 | |
| None | 20% | ||||
| Silver | 10% | ||||
| Gold | 5% |
In most cases, there are 4 color bands. However, certain precision resistors have 5 bands or have the values written on them, refining the tolerance value even more. There is no standard however, for the 5th band. From one manufacturing company to another, the 5th band may indicate 2%, 1%, 1/2% or even closer, according to their own standards.
There are also some capacitors that are color coded. Click here for Capacitor Color Code details.
Capacitor Codes
Some capacitors, especially polarized electrolytic ones have value printed on it. E.g. 100 µF 25 volt.
But some especially non polarized smaller capacitors have number code printed on it. If a capacitor is marked 105 it means 10+5 zeros= 10 + 00000=1000000 pF=1000 nF = 1 µF. Values are always in PicoFarads(pF). The letters added to the value is the tolerance and in some cases a second letter is the temperature coefficient mostly only used in military applications, or industrial components.
Capacitor value codes
| 3rd Digit | Multiplier | Letter | Tolerance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 1 | D | 0.5 pF |
| 1 | 10 | F | 1% |
| 2 | 100 | G | 2% |
| 3 | 1000 | H | 3% |
| 4 | 10000 | J | 5% |
| 5 | 100000 | K | 10% |
| 6,7 | Not Used | M | 20% |
| 8 | 0.01 | P | +100, -0% |
| 9 | 0.1 | Z | +80, - 20% |
Examples
102 = 10+00 =100 pF=1nf=0.001 µF
472=47+00=4700 pF=4.7nF=0.0047 µF
Conversion from µF to nF to pF
1 µF = 1000 nF = 1000000 pF
