4-Band Resistor Color Code Calculator
4-Band Free resistor color code calculator: read the resistance and tolerance of 4, 5 and 6-band resistors from their color bands, with charts to decode any value fast.
Resistor Color Code Calculator
Example Resistor Color Code Calculations
4 Band: E24, 5% tolerance
Similar Resistor Color Code Calculations
4 Band: , , X,
| , , black, | , , brown, |
| , , red, | , , orange, |
| , , yellow, | , , green, |
| , , blue, | , , violet, |
| , , grey, | , , white, |
| , , gold, | , , silver, |
How to use the Resistor Color Code Calculator?
The Resistor Color Code Calculator is capable of reading 4-band, 5-band, and 6-band resistors. First, choose the correct number of bands then setup the band colours by clicking on the virtual resistor bands. The Resistor Color Code Calculator immediately shows the resistor values.
If you one to know more about resistor color codes, resistor e-series standards, etc, you can find detailed information below. You also can download our Resistor Color Code Reading Guide.
How to read a 4-band resistor color code?
Start reading the 4-band resistor from left to right, the first two color bands represent significant digits, the third band represents the decimal multiplier, and the fourth band represents the tolerance. The exact meaning of each color code for the 4-band resistors is given in the chart below.
4-band resistor color code chart
| COLOR CODE | BAND 1 | BAND 2 | BAND 3 | BAND 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| COLOR | DIGIT 1 | DIGIT 2 | MULTIPLY | TOLERANCE |
| Black | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| Brown | 1 | 1 | 10 | ± 1% |
| Red | 2 | 2 | 100 | ± 2% |
| Orange | 3 | 3 | 1,000 | |
| Yellow | 4 | 4 | 10,000 | |
| Green | 5 | 5 | 100,000 | ± 0.5% |
| Blue | 6 | 6 | 1,000,000 | ± 0.25% |
| Violet | 7 | 7 | 10,000,000 | ± 0.1% |
| Grey | 8 | 8 | ± 0.05% | |
| White | 9 | 9 | ||
| Gold | 0.1 | ± 5% | ||
| Silver | 0.01 | ± 10% | ||
| None | ± 20% |
Let’s say we have a 4-band resistor with the following color codes: brown, black, brown, black. This can be decoded like this:
- 1. band = brown = 1 digit
- 2. band = black = 0 digit
- 3. band = brown = x10 multiplier
- 4. band = +/- 1% tolerance
So this is a 10×10=100-ohm resistor with a 1% tolerance. Try this out by using our Resistor Color Code Calculator or you can check it with the 4-band resistor color code chart below.
How to read a 4-band resistor color code?
Start reading the 4-band resistor from left to right, the first two color bands represent significant digits, the third band represents the decimal multiplier, and the fourth band represents the tolerance. The exact meaning of each color code for the 4-band resistors is given in the chart below.
4-band resistor color code chart
| COLOR CODE | BAND 1 | BAND 2 | BAND 3 | BAND 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| COLOR | DIGIT 1 | DIGIT 2 | MULTIPLY | TOLERANCE |
| Black | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| Brown | 1 | 1 | 10 | ± 1% |
| Red | 2 | 2 | 100 | ± 2% |
| Orange | 3 | 3 | 1,000 | |
| Yellow | 4 | 4 | 10,000 | |
| Green | 5 | 5 | 100,000 | ± 0.5% |
| Blue | 6 | 6 | 1,000,000 | ± 0.25% |
| Violet | 7 | 7 | 10,000,000 | ± 0.1% |
| Grey | 8 | 8 | ± 0.05% | |
| White | 9 | 9 | ||
| Gold | 0.1 | ± 5% | ||
| Silver | 0.01 | ± 10% | ||
| None | ± 20% |
Let’s say we have a 4-band resistor with the following color codes: brown, black, brown, black. This can be decoded like this:
- 1. band = brown = 1 digit
- 2. band = black = 0 digit
- 3. band = brown = x10 multiplier
- 4. band = +/- 1% tolerance
So this is a 10×10=100-ohm resistor with a 1% tolerance. Try this out by using our Resistor Color Code Calculator or you can check it with the 4-band resistor color code chart below.
What are the resistor E-series stands for?
Resistor E-series are standard resistor values designed for inventory simplification. This means that although it is theoretically possible to produce resistors of any value only certain resistor values are available. Resistor E-series consists of the E3, E6, E12, E24, E48, E96, and E192 series, where the number after the ‘E’ designates the quantity of value “steps” in each series. The E-series of preferred numbers were chosen such that when a resistor is manufactured it will end up in a range of roughly equally spaced ohm values on a logarithmic scale.
Each resistor E-series subdivides each decade magnitude into steps of 3, 6, 12, 24, 48, 96, 192 values. Subdivisions of E3 to E96 ensure the maximum error will be divided in the order of 40%, 20%, 10%, 5%, 2%, 1%. Finally the E192 series contains 0.5%, 0.25% and 0.1% tolerance resistors.
As a result of this in real life, many combinations of the Resistor Color Code Calculator are not possible because of this resistor value standardization.
So here are the standard E-series resistor values:
E3 resistor values (40% tolerance)
- 1.0, 2.2, 4.7
E6 values (20% tolerance)
- 1.0, 1.5, 2.2, 3.3, 4.7, 6.8
E12 values (10% tolerance)
- 1.0, 1.2, 1.5, 1.8, 2.2, 2.7, 3.3, 3.9, 4.7, 5.6, 6.8, 8.2
E24 values (5% tolerance)
- 1.0, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.5, 1.6, 1.8, 2.0, 2.2, 2.4, 2.7, 3.0, 3.3, 3.6, 3.9, 4.3, 4.7, 5.1, 5.6, 6.2, 6.8, 7.5, 8.2, 9.1
E48 values (2% tolerance)
- 1.00, 1.05, 1.10, 1.15, 1.21, 1.27, 1.33, 1.40, 1.47, 1.54, 1.62, 1.69, 1.78, 1.87, 1.96, 2.05, 2.15, 2.26, 2.37, 2.49, 2.61, 2.74, 2.87, 3.01, 3.16, 3.32, 3.48, 3.65, 3.83, 4.02, 4.22, 4.42, 4.64, 4.87, 5.11, 5.36, 5.62, 5.90, 6.19, 6.49, 6.81, 7.15, 7.50, 7.87, 8.25, 8.66, 9.09, 9.53
E96 values (1% tolerance)
- 1.00, 1.02, 1.05, 1.07, 1.10, 1.13, 1.15, 1.18, 1.21, 1.24, 1.27, 1.30, 1.33, 1.37, 1.40, 1.43, 1.47, 1.50, 1.54, 1.58, 1.62, 1.65, 1.69, 1.74, 1.78, 1.82, 1.87, 1.91, 1.96, 2.00, 2.05, 2.10, 2.15, 2.21, 2.26, 2.32, 2.37, 2.43, 2.49, 2.55, 2.61, 2.67, 2.74, 2.80, 2.87, 2.94, 3.01, 3.09, 3.16, 3.24, 3.32, 3.40, 3.48, 3.57, 3.65, 3.74, 3.83, 3.92, 4.02, 4.12, 4.22, 4.32, 4.42, 4.53, 4.64, 4.75, 4.87, 4.99, 5.11, 5.23, 5.36, 5.49, 5.62, 5.76, 5.90, 6.04, 6.19, 6.34, 6.49, 6.65, 6.81, 6.98, 7.15, 7.32, 7.50, 7.68, 7.87, 8.06, 8.25, 8.45, 8.66, 8.87, 9.09, 9.31, 9.53, 9.76
E192 values (0.5% and lower tolerance)
- 1.00, 1.01, 1.02, 1.04, 1.05, 1.06, 1.07, 1.09, 1.10, 1.11, 1.13, 1.14, 1.15, 1.17, 1.18, 1.20, 1.21, 1.23, 1.24, 1.26, 1.27, 1.29, 1.30, 1.32, 1.33, 1.35, 1.37, 1.38, 1.40, 1.42, 1.43, 1.45, 1.47, 1.49, 1.50, 1.52, 1.54, 1.56, 1.58, 1.60, 1.62, 1.64, 1.65, 1.67, 1.69, 1.72, 1.74, 1.76, 1.78, 1.80, 1.82, 1.84, 1.87, 1.89, 1.91, 1.93, 1.96, 1.98, 2.00, 2.03, 2.05, 2.08, 2.10, 2.13, 2.15, 2.18, 2.21, 2.23, 2.26, 2.29, 2.32, 2.34, 2.37, 2.40, 2.43, 2.46, 2.49, 2.52, 2.55, 2.58, 2.61, 2.64, 2.67, 2.71, 2.74, 2.77, 2.80, 2.84, 2.87, 2.91, 2.94, 2.98, 3.01, 3.05, 3.09, 3.12, 3.16, 3.20, 3.24, 3.28, 3.32, 3.36, 3.40, 3.44, 3.48, 3.52, 3.57, 3.61, 3.65, 3.70, 3.74, 3.79, 3.83, 3.88, 3.92, 3.97, 4.02, 4.07, 4.12, 4.17, 4.22, 4.27, 4.32, 4.37, 4.42, 4.48, 4.53, 4.59, 4.64, 4.70, 4.75, 4.81, 4.87, 4.93, 4.99, 5.05, 5.11, 5.17, 5.23, 5.30, 5.36, 5.42, 5.49, 5.56, 5.62, 5.69, 5.76, 5.83, 5.90, 5.97, 6.04, 6.12, 6.19, 6.26, 6.34, 6.42, 6.49, 6.57, 6.65, 6.73, 6.81, 6.90, 6.98, 7.06, 7.15, 7.23, 7.32, 7.41, 7.50, 7.59, 7.68, 7.77, 7.87, 7.96, 8.06, 8.16, 8.25, 8.35, 8.45, 8.56, 8.66, 8.76, 8.87, 8.98, 9.09, 9.20, 9.31, 9.42, 9.53, 9.65, 9.76, 9.88
Frequently asked questions
How do I read a resistor color code?
Read the bands from the end where they are grouped together. The first bands give the significant digits, the next is the multiplier, and the last band shows the tolerance.
What do the resistor color bands mean?
Each color maps to a number: black 0, brown 1, red 2, orange 3, yellow 4, green 5, blue 6, violet 7, grey 8, white 9. Gold and silver are used for the multiplier and tolerance.
What is the difference between 4, 5 and 6-band resistors?
A 4-band resistor has two digit bands; 5 and 6-band resistors have three, giving higher precision. The sixth band on a 6-band resistor shows the temperature coefficient.
What does the tolerance band tell you?
Tolerance shows how much the real resistance may differ from the marked value. Gold is ±5%, silver ±10%, and brown or red bands indicate tighter tolerances.
Which side do I start reading from?
Start from the end where the bands are grouped together. The tolerance band, often gold or silver, sits on the opposite end with a wider gap.