How to find out the Resistance Value using Resistor Color Code Calculator?

The discovery of electric current during the early 1600 year made to study other electrical properties of conducting substances or materials. The property of conducting materials to oppose the flow of electric current was discovered in the year 1827 by Georg Simon Ohm. He noticed that different electrical conducting materials exhibit different nature in allowing an electric current to flow through them and he found that it is also dependent on external factors such as temperature, humidity of the atmosphere. Here, in this article we discuss about how to find out the resistance value using resistor color code calculator. But primarily, we must what is resistor, working principle of resistor, resistance calculation using color code, and different types of resistors.

What is a Resistor?

The nature of electrically conducting materials to oppose the flow of electric current through them was found and named as resistance by Georg Simon Ohm. Primarily, resistance was found only in the conducting materials, but later on, the resistance of a material was used for maintaining exact currents and voltages in a circuit. A few conducting materials which are having high resistance are used for maintaining required current and voltage in the electrical and electronics circuits are called as resistors. It is a passive two terminal basic electrical and electronic component frequently used in designing circuits. Resistors can be used to oppose the flow electric direct either it is direct current or alternating current. Such that, resistors can be used for protection, operation, and controlling the circuit.

Resistor Working Principle

Ohm’s law was also named after Georg Ohm, states that “at constant temperature the current through a conductor is directly proportional to the voltage across the terminals of the conductor.” Resistor behaves according to the ohm’s law. Ohm’s law triangle (as shown in the figure) can be used for describing the relation between voltage, current, and resistance.

Resistors dissipate energy in the form of heat; every resistor is having certain fixed resistance or can be designed to have variable resistance. Thus, based on the amount of the resistance of a resistor, it can be used up to certain power ratings. Resistor gets damaged or burnt due to overheat if it used for high electric power greater than its ratings. Thus, it is necessary to calculate the resistance of a resistor. Ohm’s law equation can be used to calculate resistance value of a conductor. Resistor color code is simple and easy way to calculate resistance value of a resistor.

Types of Resistors

Different types of resistors are used in practical electrical and electronic circuits. Resistors can be classified as follows:

• Wire wound resistors
• Pencil resistors
• Metal film resistors
• Variable resistors
• Thick and thin film resistors
• Network and surface mount resistors
• Special resistors (Light Dependent Resistor)

Resistance Calculation

In the early days, a ceramic tube which was soldered like a sub-miniature rheostat in shape and for identifying the resistance value using dots, spots, and numbers, this resistor was dipped in turquoise colored paint. Later, the resistors were designed using carbon film and carbon compositions. These resistors became more popular and the resistance of these resistors was easily calculated using colored bands or colored rings on resistors. The color code of resistors is used as the norm for identification of resistor value. The units of resistance are Ohms which was named after German Physicist Georg Simon Ohm. The resistor color code calculator can also be used for identifying the resistor value or resistance value of different types of resistors.

First and foremost, we must know what is resistor color code?

Resistor Color Code

As the carbon film and carbon composition resistors are very small in size to print the value of resistance. Hence, color bands are printed to calculate the resistor value using color code on resistors. Even though advancement in printing technology has now made possible to print numbers on tiny electronic components. But, still the conventional color code resistors are being used. The resistor color code consists of different bands on the resistor with different colors (colors from resistor color code chart).

The resistor color code chart is shown in the figure below that consists of different colors, significant figures, multiplier values, tolerance values, and temperature coefficients that are used in resistor colour code calculator.

Calculation of Resistor Value using Resistor Color Code Calculator

Resistance color code calculators are simple and easy tools to find out the resistance value very quickly and accurately.

Elprocus facilitates free, simple, and easy to use resistance calculator tool: Elprocus Resistance Color Code Calculation

While calculating the resistor value using resistor color code calculators, the resistors are considered as n-band resistor where “n” represents number of color bands printed on the resistor (n<=6). If it is 6-band resistor, the bands can be named as band 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6.

Where,

• Band 1 represents the first significant number of resistor values
• Band 2 represents the second significant number
• Band 3 represents the third significant number can be observed in five band resistors and six band resistors
• Band 4 represents multiplier value (decimal)
• Band 5 represents the percentage of tolerance value
• Band 6 represents temperature coefficient value

4-Band Resistor

5-Band Resistor

6-Band Resistor

Hope, this article gives brief information about resistor, resistor color code, types of resistors, resistor color code calculator. Do you know how to find out the value of resistor using resistor color code? Then, calculate the following resistor shown in the figures above. Post your answers or queries regarding resistor and its color coding and innovative electronics project ideas on resistor such as pencil resistors by posting your comments in the comments section below.

You can use our free Elprocus tool: Resistor color code calculator to find the resistance value of 4-band, 5-band, and 6-band resistors shown above.