Electronics Calculations Data Handbook

Appendix 2

Colour codes

The following colour codes are used on resistors, and sometimes on capacitors

and inductors, to indicate value:

Number bands

Black 0

Brown 1

Red 2

Orange 3

Yellow 4

Green 5

Blue 6

Violet 7

Grey 8

White 9

Tolerance bands

Brown 1 %

Red 2%

Gold 5%

Silver 10%

Figure A2 shows the significance of the bands for a resistor.

For example; a four band resistor with colours yellow-violet-red-red (the last one thick) is 47 × 10² = 4k7, 2%. A five band with brown-grey-black-brown-brown (again the last thick) is 180 × 10 = 1k8, 1 %.

Figure A2 Resistor colour codes