560 Ohm Resistor Colour Code: 4-Band, 5-Band, and Faded Marking Guide

The 560 ohm resistor colour code is Green, Blue, Brown, Gold for standard 4-band (5% tolerance) components, and Green, Blue, Black, Black, Gold (or Brown for 1% tolerance) for precision 5-band components. Because 560Ω is a standard E24 series value, you will frequently encounter it in LED current-limiting circuits and voltage divider networks. Below is the exact breakdown, standard variants, and a decision path for sourcing replacements when original markings are compromised.

The 560 Ohm Resistor Colour Code Reference Table

Resistor bands are read from left to right, with the tolerance band (usually gold or silver) spaced slightly apart on the far right. Here is the exact translation for 560Ω across the two most common through-hole formats.

Standard Variants: IEC 60062 vs. MIL-SPEC and SMD

A common point of confusion for DIYers transitioning from home wiring to electronics is assuming resistor bands have regional variants like wire colors do. They do not. While wire color codes clash between NEC (US), IEC 60446 (EU), and old UK standards, through-hole resistor color bands are universally governed by the IEC 60062 standard globally. A 560Ω resistor bought in Tokyo, Berlin, or Texas will always use the same Green-Blue-Brown-Gold sequence.

However, standard variants do exist across different form factors and military specifications:

• SMD (Surface Mount) Variants: If you are working with SMD components, color bands are replaced by printed alphanumeric codes. A 560Ω SMD resistor in the standard 3-digit EIA system is marked 561 (56 × 10¹). In the high-precision EIA-96 system, it uses a two-digit code plus a letter (e.g., 78B).
• MIL-PRF-55342 (Military Spec): While the value bands remain IEC-compliant, MIL-SPEC thick-film chip resistors often feature a distinct reliability indicator. For example, an 'M' level reliability part might include an extra band or a specific body color (like a red band) to indicate failure rate characteristics, which should not be confused with the value multiplier.
• High-Power Wirewound: For 5W+ cement resistors, the color code is often abandoned entirely in favor of direct text printing (e.g., '560ΩJ' or '560RK'), though the IEC color standard technically still applies if bands are used.

The 'Rows People Get Wrong' Field Notes

On the bench, misreading a 560Ω resistor as a 56Ω or 5.6kΩ component can destroy an LED string or cause a microcontroller brownout. Watch out for these specific failure modes:

• Reading Backwards: If you read the 4-band code from right to left (Gold, Brown, Blue, Green), you are attempting to calculate a 'Gold multiplier', which doesn't exist in standard reading. The tolerance band (Gold/Silver) is always the last band. If you see Gold on the far left, flip the component.
• The 5-Band Multiplier Trap: In the 5-band version (Green, Blue, Black, Black, Brown), beginners often read the third Black band as a multiplier (×1) and stop, missing the fourth Black band (which is the actual ×1 multiplier). Remember: 5-band resistors always have three digit bands before the multiplier.
• Body Color Confusion: Older carbon composition resistors used the body color as the first digit. A 560Ω resistor might have a green body, blue end cap, and brown dot. This is obsolete (MIL-R-11), but if you are restoring vintage audio gear, be aware that the IEC 60062 band system replaced this in the 1960s.

Decision Path: Sourcing and Replacing a 560Ω Resistor

When you need to replace a 560Ω resistor, do not just grab any component with the right color bands. Use this decision tree to select the correct wattage and material for your specific circuit.

Default Pick: If you are unsure of the exact power dissipation but know it is a standard low-voltage hobbyist circuit (Arduino, 12V automotive, 5V logic), buy the Yageo CFR-25JR-52-560R. It is the industry-standard 1/4W 5% carbon film workhorse, costs roughly $0.02 per unit in bulk, and handles the vast majority of 560Ω applications safely.

Safe Interpretation When Markings are Faded or Burnt

When a resistor has overheated, the epoxy coating blisters and the color bands turn uniformly black or brown. Never guess the value of a burnt resistor based on degraded colors. Follow this verification protocol:

1. Isolate the Component: You must measure the resistor out-of-circuit. If you measure a 560Ω resistor while it is still soldered to the board, parallel current paths through ICs or other resistors will yield a falsely low reading. (For example, a 560Ω resistor in parallel with a 1kΩ load will measure approximately 359Ω on your multimeter).
2. Desolder One Leg: Use a soldering iron and desoldering wick to lift one leg of the resistor off the PCB pad. This breaks the parallel circuit while keeping the part physically anchored for probing.
3. Measure and Compare: Probe the leads with a digital multimeter. If the reading is within ±5% of 560Ω (532Ω to 588Ω), the color code was likely Green-Blue-Brown-Gold. If the reading is significantly higher (e.g., 1.2kΩ) or reads open (OL), the resistive element has fractured internally due to thermal stress.
4. Reverse-Engineer if Destroyed: If the resistor is completely burnt open (reads OL) and the bands are illegible, look at the circuit topology. If it is in series with a standard 5mm LED connected to a 5V VCC line, a 560Ω value is mathematically sound (yielding ~5.3mA, a safe conservative current). If it connects to a 24V rail, recalculate the required wattage; a standard 1/4W resistor would have dissipated over 1W and burned up, necessitating an upgrade to the 2W Vishay PR02 series mentioned in the decision table above.

For comprehensive cross-referencing of degraded components, the All About Circuits resistor guide provides excellent visual calibration charts for faded pigments. Always verify your replacement part's physical dimensions (lead spacing is typically 0.4 inches or 10mm for standard 1/4W axial resistors) before trimming the leads for installation.