Color coding of resistors: decoding of color coding according to the table and online calculator

With the advent of electronic and microprocessor technology, not a single complex circuit can do without the participation of resistors. The resistor allows not only converting voltage to amperage and vice versa, but also to limit or absorb the latter. In most cases, they are extremely miniature. That is why it is customary to put colored stripes on them as a marker, which can be deciphered by the color-coded resistor calculator.

Resistor Marking Functions

Since most of the resistors are quite small, it is impractical to put a digital designation on them, because the user will not be able to see it corny. It is much easier to mark such mini-parts with color stripes, which were adopted as the standard.

However, it is extremely difficult to remember all the conventions and variations of such marking. That is why there are tables and calculators of resistor resistances that save the electronics engineer from the need to memorize a lot of unnecessary information. Yes, and the human factor has not been canceled, which as a result can lead to incorrect decryption, and as a consequence - you can get a non-working or incorrectly working scheme.

Thus, it was decided to add colored stripes to indicate the marking of resistors in the standards, implying the application of three to six stripes. of a certain color, each of which carries pre-laid information, making it easy to select the necessary part with the required parameters.

Standard color coding

The stripes or color rings applied to the resistance may not only have different colors, but also differ in thickness and quantity. The accepted marking of resistors looks like this:

• 3-way: the first and second stripes have a digital value, and the third is a multiplier by which the number specified in the first two strips is multiplied or divided, which allows you to find out the denomination of the part. The absence of the fourth band indicates that the error of such a detail will be within 20%.
• 4-way: has the same meaning as for three stripes. But the fourth indicates the percentage error, which is determined from the table.
• 5-way: such color marking of resistors says that the error of this semiconductor will be within 0.005%. The first three stripes have numerical values, and the fourth denotes a multiplier, which can also be found from the table.
• 6-way: no different from decoding 5-way options, except for the sixth line, which shows temperature coefficient, that is, how the resistance of a semiconductor will change with a change in temperature in the process work.

From this we can conclude that the more rings there are on the resistor, the more you can learn about its characteristics. But the complexity of decoding is not reflected in any way by the number of color symbols.

General universal table of values

Of course, it is extremely difficult to keep all the designations and color ratios in your head. And there is no particular need for this. But there is a universal table of color values, thanks to which the color marking of resistors is deciphered without much difficulty.

Such designations are accepted by most manufacturers in the world, which makes it universal for any country.

For example, consider the 6-band option with color rings: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, brown.

1. Red - the numerical value "2".
2. Orange - the numerical value "3".
3. Yellow - the numerical value "4".
4. Green - the fourth bar denotes a multiplier, for green (according to the table) this value is 1 * 10⁵. Based on the table, the first three colors give the value "234" After calculating 234 * 10⁵, 2.34 MOhm is obtained.
5. Blue - determines the accuracy, which for this color is 0.25%, i.e. this is the possible deviation from the initial value in either direction during the operation of the resistor.
6. Brown - indicates the temperature coefficient, in this case the value is 100 ppm / ° C.

Thus, from the given example, it can be seen that there are no special difficulties in decoding, even if there is a resistance with six color designations.

Online calculators

To determine and decipher the resistor by color stripes, you can go another way. Sometimes it is not always convenient to use the table. Moreover, you will also have to carry out (albeit minimal) calculations, and this is a modern person does not really like. This is where the internet can come to the rescue. After all, the online color calculator will decipher the color marking of resistors much more accurately and quickly. And given that almost everyone now has smartphones, such an action can be implemented even “in the field”.

Online calculators today can be found easily through any search engine. Despite the fact that they may all differ in appearance, the principle of operation will always be the same. Well, in the functionality, some differences are also possible. However, it is possible to obtain information of interest on resistors on any of these services.

As a rule, the program is based on all the same data that can be found in the table. But all calculations are performed automatically. To do this, depending on the calculator offered by the services, it is necessary to enter, mark, mark or otherwise inform the program of the number and color of the stripes. As a result, the calculator will give out all the information available on this semiconductor in a matter of fractions of seconds - conveniently, quickly and accurately. Thus, online resistor color coding is much more efficient.

Custom markers

Although the color coding of resistors is recognized around the world, some well-known manufacturers may apply different designations according to their personal standards. So, the color coding of resistors from Philips, in addition to the main characteristics, can carry information about the production technology and the components used.

The well-known Panasonic company also prefers to follow personal standards. In their designations, they enter information about any special properties of the resistor.

The CGW company also went the same way, which also displays information on its additional features on the semiconductor case.

But despite this, any of such details can not only be deciphered and get comprehensive information about it, but also resort to replacing it with an analogue, and this suggests that the properties of the device themselves remain practically unchanged.