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The title says it.

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please google before posting – Rick_2047 Nov 4 '10 at 8:12
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@Rick_2047, I think that we'd answer here. See the Stackexchange FAQ: meta.stackoverflow.com/questions/8724/… – Daniel Grillo Nov 4 '10 at 11:03
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SE sites were meant to be the source for Google and similar search providers, just as agreed in @O Engenheiro♦'s link. – AndrejaKo Nov 4 '10 at 11:20
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@Rick_2047, @Andrew Kohlsmith - Google won't give me the answers but it gives the links where I can get the answers. I am getting extremely very good answers in this stackoverflow.com site. I know you people are all experts in different technologies and domains. I am sure I will get a very good response here itself. Of course I am not sure whether I will get the good answer in any other site by googling. – iRobot Nov 8 '10 at 5:07
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@Rick_2047 - Of course I can get the answer in other sites also. I think I can get the answer in a text book also. I am a student learning about all these things. And I don't know if there is a rule which says you should post a question after googling and if you don't get any answer elsewhere. if there is such kind of rule then I am sorry. – iRobot Nov 8 '10 at 7:40
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5 Answers

up vote 7 down vote accepted

alt text

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@csadmin - It would be helpful if you take and explain wit an example. – iRobot Nov 10 '10 at 3:18
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I think the picture speaks for itself :) There are already two examples on it. – csadam Nov 10 '10 at 21:48
up vote 7 down vote

There are a zillion websites that cover this. Some have online interactive tools you can use to read one resistor or learn the art of doing so. Google "resistor color code" and maybe add -"free software" to avoid spammy sites.

Here's a basic chart: http://www.azega.com/how-to-read-a-resistor-color-code/

Here's an online tool for practicing, once you think you've got the basics. Comes with sound effects to keep you awake and/or remind you of 1980s style arcade games:

http://www.wisc-online.com/Objects/ViewObject.aspx?ID=DCE1002

These sites could vanish, but others appear. Quality varies wildly but seek and after perusing several, you'll know what you need to know.

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up vote 3 down vote

I learned 'em the old-fashioned way: By having a stack of assorted resistors on my desk and having to look up the code each time I needed one. Pretty soon, I could recognize a 470 or 10K by sight. (This is what you want, rather than reading digits individually. Or do you read words one letter at a time?)

Now it is 2010, and color codes are obsolete. Do not spend time learning them.

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Why are color codes obsoletes? – Daniel Grillo Nov 8 '10 at 16:21
They are only used on small, leaded resistors. Small, leaded resistors are not used in new designs. – markrages♦ Nov 8 '10 at 16:26
He is correct here, SMD is standard now. – Kortuk♦ Nov 9 '10 at 2:30
up vote 0 down vote

There is an answer to another question that answers this also: http://electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/2869/resistors-with-ends-of-the-same-colour/2871#2871

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I like this site because it converts 4, 5 and 6 band resistors.

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Why the downvote? – Dean Mar 26 at 9:45

protected by stevenvh Oct 13 '12 at 11:37

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