What are the resistor color codes?

Each resistor is provided with 3 color codes to indicate the value and one additional final color code for the tolerance (deviation). This tolerance indicator is usually gold or silver colored.

You read the value of the resistor as follows:
-First look where the tolerance indicator is. This is always a gold (5% tolerance) or silver (10% tolerance) color band. This is to determine the correct reading direction.
-Then read from the other side the color of the first color band (number 1) and write down the number that corresponds to this color. In the example, number 1 is yellow and that stands for 4 (see color code table).
-Now read the second color (number 2). In the example it is green and this color stands for the number 5. You now have 45.
-Finally, you read the third color band. This is the multiplication factor. Write this down as a number of zeros. In the example, this color band is red and that stands for the number 2. So you write down 00.
-So now you have written down the number 4500. This resistor is therefore 4500 ohms also written as 4k5 ohms.
-If the third color band is black then you do NOT write any zeros.
-If the third color band is gold, then shift the decimal point one place to the left.
-If the third band is silver, move the decimal point two places to the left.

However, you will rarely encounter these colors for the third band. If the resistor also has an extra color band after the tolerance color band, this indicates the quality. You will also very rarely encounter this. It is mentioned here for the sake of completeness. If there is a quality band (rare), this number indicates the percentage of defects per 1000 hours of use. This assumes that the resistor is loaded for the full wattage for which it was made.

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