FIXED RESISTOR COLOR CODES

Fixed Resistor Color Codes

Marking system of Tokenchina - resistor color codes are applied to fixed resistors such as carbon film, metal oxide film, fusible, precision, anti-surge, current sense, power, high voltage, and wirewound resistors of axial lead type.

In the past, this resistor codes are employed when the surface area is not sufficient to print the resistance value in digital.
At present, Tokenchina resistor coding system is applying for automatization.


  • The first three bands closest to one end of the resistor are used to determine the resistance.
  • The fourth band represents the tolerance of the resistor.
  • Additional information can be applied on the fifth band.
  • Generally, If an additional fifth band is black, the resistor is wirewound resistor.
  • If an additional fifth band is white, the resistor is fusible resistor.
  • If only one black band in the center, the resistor is called zero ohm resistor.
  • The colors of the first two bands represent the numerical value of the resistor.
  • The third band represents the power-of-10 multiplier.

The marking material of Tokenchina's color codes meets RoHS compliant with Pb-free.

  • Marking are resistant to all normal industrial cleaning solvents suitable for printed circuits.
  • Marking will not burn or emit incandescent particles under any condition of applied temperature or power overload.

Fixed Resistor Color Code Marking

How to read
the resistor codes
  1. First find the tolerance band, it will typically be gold (5%) and sometimes silver (10%).
  2. Starting from the other end, identify the first band - write down the number associated with that color; in this case Red is 2.
  3. Now 'read' the next color, here it is red so write down a 2 next to the two. (you should have '22' so far.)
  4. Now read the third or 'multiplier' band and write down that number of 1.
  5. In this example, the 'multiplier' band is Black so we get 22 Ω.
  6. If the 'multiplier' band is Gold move the decimal point one to the left.
  7. If the 'multiplier' band is Silver move the decimal point two places to the left.

Fixed Resistor Tolerance Symbol

Symbol A B C D F G J K M
Resistance tolerance ±0.05% ±0.1% ±0.25% ±0.5% ±1% ±2% ±5% ±10% ±20%

Nomial Resistance Table

E-6 RESISTANCE TOLERANCE (±20%)

10 15 22 33 47 68            

E-12 RESISTANCE TOLERANCE (±10%)

10 12 15 18 22 27 33 39 47 56 68 82

E-24 RESISTANCE TOLERANCE (±2%; ±5%; ±10%)

10 11 12 13 15 16 18 20 22 24 27 30
33 36 39 43 47 51 56 62 68 75 82 91

E-96 RESISTANCE TOLERANCE (±1%)

10.0 10.2 10.5 10.7 11.0 11.3 11.5 11.8 12.1 12.4 12.7 13.0
13.3 13.7 14.0 14.3 14.7 15.0 15.4 15.8 16.2 16.5 16.9 17.4
17.8 18.2 18.7 19.1 19.6 20.0 20.5 21.0 21.5 22.1 22.6 23.2
23.7 24.3 24.9 25.5 26.1 26.7 27.4 28.0 28.7 29.4 30.1 30.9
31.6 32.4 33.2 34.0 34.8 35.7 36.5 37.4 38.3 39.2 40.2 41.2
42.2 43.2 44.2 45.3 46.4 47.5 48.7 49.9 51.1 52.3 53.6 54.9
56.2 57.6 59.0 60.4 61.9 63.4 64.9 66.5 68.1 69.8 71.5 73.2
75.0 76.8 78.7 80.6 82.5 84.5 86.6 88.7 90.9 93.1 95.3 97.6

E-192 RESISTANCE TOLERANCE (±0.1%; ±0.25%; ±0.5%)

10.0 10.1 10.2 10.4 10.5 10.6 10.7 10.9 11.0 11.1 11.3 11.4
11.5 11.7 11.8 12.0 12.1 12.3 12.4 12.6 12.7 12.9 13.0 13.2
13.3 13.5 13.7 13.8 14.0 14.2 14.3 14.5 14.7 14.9 15.0 15.2
15.4 15.6 15.8 16.0 16.2 16.4 16.5 16.7 16.9 17.2 17.4 17.6
17.8 18.0 18.2 18.4 18.7 18.9 19.1 19.3 19.6 19.8 20.0 20.3
20.5 20.8 21.0 21.3 21.5 21.8 22.1 22.3 22.6 22.9 23.2 23.4
23.7 24.0 24.3 24.6 24.9 25.2 25.5 25.8 26.1 26.4 26.7 27.1
27.4 27.7 28.0 28.4 28.7 29.1 29.4 29.8 30.1 30.5 30.9 31.2
31.6 32.0 32.4 32.8 33.2 33.6 34.0 34.4 34.8 35.2 35.7 36.1
36.5 37.0 37.4 37.9 38.3 38.8 39.2 39.7 40.2 40.7 41.2 41.7
42.2 42.7 43.2 43.7 44.2 44.8 45.3 45.9 46.4 47.0 47.5 48.1
48.7 49.3 49.9 50.5 51.1 51.7 52.3 53.0 53.6 54.2 54.9 55.6
56.2 56.9 57.6 58.3 59.0 59.7 60.4 61.2 61.9 62.6 63.4 64.2
64.9 65.7 66.5 67.3 68.1 69.0 69.8 70.6 71.5 72.3 73.2 74.1
75.0 75.9 76.8 77.7 78.7 79.6 80.6 81.6 82.5 83.5 84.5 85.6
86.6 87.6 88.7 89.8 90.9 92.0 93.1 94.2 95.3 96.5 97.6 98.8

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