When you are digging through your component drawers or placing a bulk order on DigiKey, you need to know exactly which resistance values are actually manufactured. The E24 resistor table defines the 24 standard base resistance values per decade for 5% tolerance resistors, governed by the IEC 60063 standard. While the E12 series covers 10% and 20% tolerances, and the E96/E192 series cover 1% and tighter, the E24 series remains the undisputed workhorse for general-purpose circuit design, pull-up/pull-down networks, and basic current limiting.
This reference provides the complete IEC 60063 E24 data table, decade multiplier rules, and a concrete decision path to select the exact component series for your next build.
How to Read the E24 Resistor Table
The E24 series is based on a logarithmic scale. The base values are calculated using the formula $10^{(n/24)}$, rounded to two significant digits. This ensures that the maximum deviation from any arbitrary calculated resistance to the nearest standard E24 value never exceeds the 5% tolerance band.
Even though E24 is technically the standard for 5% carbon or thick-film resistors, modern manufacturing has made 1% metal film resistors so cheap that suppliers like Vishay and Yageo produce their 1% lines (like the Vishay MRS25 series) using the E24 base values. You get 1% precision without having to stock the 96 values of the E96 series. If you need 1% tolerance, default to E24-value metal film unless your design demands a specific non-standard value.
Columns Explained:
- Base Value: The two significant digits defined by IEC 60063.
- E12 Subset: Indicates if the value also exists in the older 10% tolerance E12 series. If you run out of an E24 5% resistor in a pinch, you can sometimes substitute an E12 10% part if the circuit's error budget allows it.
- Decade Multiplier Example: Shows how the base value scales across ohms, kilohms, and megohms.
The Complete IEC 60063 E24 Base Values
The table below contains all 24 standard values. Source standard: IEC 60063 (also adopted regionally as ANSI/EIA standard equivalents for preferred numbers).
| Base Value | E12 Subset? | Typical 1/4W Tolerance | Decade Multiplier Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 | Yes | 5% (Carbon) / 1% (Metal) | 1.0Ω, 10Ω, 100Ω, 1.0kΩ, 10kΩ, 100kΩ, 1.0MΩ |
| 1.1 | No | 5% / 1% | 1.1Ω, 11Ω, 110Ω, 1.1kΩ, 11kΩ, 110kΩ, 1.1MΩ |
| 1.2 | Yes | 5% / 1% | 1.2Ω, 12Ω, 120Ω, 1.2kΩ, 12kΩ, 120kΩ, 1.2MΩ |
| 1.3 | No | 5% / 1% | 1.3Ω, 13Ω, 130Ω, 1.3kΩ, 13kΩ, 130kΩ, 1.3MΩ |
| 1.5 | Yes | 5% / 1% | 1.5Ω, 15Ω, 150Ω, 1.5kΩ, 15kΩ, 150kΩ, 1.5MΩ |
| 1.6 | No | 5% / 1% | 1.6Ω, 16Ω, 160Ω, 1.6kΩ, 16kΩ, 160kΩ, 1.6MΩ |
| 1.8 | Yes | 5% / 1% | 1.8Ω, 18Ω, 180Ω, 1.8kΩ, 18kΩ, 180kΩ, 1.8MΩ |
| 2.0 | No | 5% / 1% | 2.0Ω, 20Ω, 200Ω, 2.0kΩ, 20kΩ, 200kΩ, 2.0MΩ |
| 2.2 | Yes | 5% / 1% | 2.2Ω, 22Ω, 220Ω, 2.2kΩ, 22kΩ, 220kΩ, 2.2MΩ |
| 2.4 | No | 5% / 1% | 2.4Ω, 24Ω, 240Ω, 2.4kΩ, 24kΩ, 240kΩ, 2.4MΩ |
| 2.7 | Yes | 5% / 1% | 2.7Ω, 27Ω, 270Ω, 2.7kΩ, 27kΩ, 270kΩ, 2.7MΩ |
| 3.0 | No | 5% / 1% | 3.0Ω, 30Ω, 300Ω, 3.0kΩ, 30kΩ, 300kΩ, 3.0MΩ |
| 3.3 | Yes | 5% / 1% | 3.3Ω, 33Ω, 330Ω, 3.3kΩ, 33kΩ, 330kΩ, 3.3MΩ |
| 3.6 | No | 5% / 1% | 3.6Ω, 36Ω, 360Ω, 3.6kΩ, 36kΩ, 360kΩ, 3.6MΩ |
| 3.9 | Yes | 5% / 1% | 3.9Ω, 39Ω, 390Ω, 3.9kΩ, 39kΩ, 390kΩ, 3.9MΩ |
| 4.3 | No | 5% / 1% | 4.3Ω, 43Ω, 430Ω, 4.3kΩ, 43kΩ, 430kΩ, 4.3MΩ |
| 4.7 | Yes | 5% / 1% | 4.7Ω, 47Ω, 470Ω, 4.7kΩ, 47kΩ, 470kΩ, 4.7MΩ |
| 5.1 | No | 5% / 1% | 5.1Ω, 51Ω, 510Ω, 5.1kΩ, 51kΩ, 510kΩ, 5.1MΩ |
| 5.6 | Yes | 5% / 1% | 5.6Ω, 56Ω, 560Ω, 5.6kΩ, 56kΩ, 560kΩ, 5.6MΩ |
| 6.2 | No | 5% / 1% | 6.2Ω, 62Ω, 620Ω, 6.2kΩ, 62kΩ, 620kΩ, 6.2MΩ |
| 6.8 | Yes | 5% / 1% | 6.8Ω, 68Ω, 680Ω, 6.8kΩ, 68kΩ, 680kΩ, 6.8MΩ |
| 7.5 | No | 5% / 1% | 7.5Ω, 75Ω, 750Ω, 7.5kΩ, 75kΩ, 750kΩ, 7.5MΩ |
| 8.2 | Yes | 5% / 1% | 8.2Ω, 82Ω, 820Ω, 8.2kΩ, 82kΩ, 820kΩ, 8.2MΩ |
| 9.1 | No | 5% / 1% | 9.1Ω, 91Ω, 910Ω, 9.1kΩ, 91kΩ, 910kΩ, 9.1MΩ |
Quick-Jump: Most Queried Bench Values
For quick reference when prototyping or verifying resistor color codes with a multimeter, these are the most frequently pulled E24 values from the bench drawers, along with their standard 4-band color code mappings:
- 220Ω (Current Limiting for standard LEDs): Red, Red, Brown, Gold
- 330Ω (Current Limiting for high-brightness LEDs): Orange, Orange, Brown, Gold
- 1.0kΩ (General pull-down/base resistor): Brown, Black, Red, Gold
- 4.7kΩ (I2C pull-up for 100kHz/400kHz): Yellow, Violet, Red, Gold
- 10kΩ (Default microcontroller pull-up/pull-down): Brown, Black, Orange, Gold
- 100kΩ (High-impedance voltage divider bleeding): Brown, Black, Yellow, Gold
What the E24 Table Cannot Tell You
The IEC 60063 standard strictly defines nominal base values. It does not specify physical construction, power handling, or high-frequency behavior. When selecting a specific part number from a manufacturer like Yageo or Vishay, you must check the datasheet for the following parameters that the E24 table omits:
- Power Rating & Derating: An E24 10kΩ resistor could be a 1/8W 0805 SMD chip or a 5W ceramic wirewound cylinder. You must calculate $I^2R$ losses and apply ambient temperature derating curves. A 1/4W resistor at 70°C ambient might only safely dissipate 0.15W.
- Temperature Coefficient of Resistance (TCR): Standard 5% carbon film E24 resistors have a terrible TCR (often ±200 to ±500 ppm/°C). If your circuit operates in an unheated garage or a hot enclosure, a 10kΩ nominal resistor could drift to 10.2kΩ purely from thermal shift. 1% metal film E24 resistors typically offer ±50 ppm/°C.
- Voltage Coefficient of Resistance (VCR): In high-voltage applications (e.g., >250V across a single resistor), the resistance value itself changes based on the applied electric field. Thick film E24 resistors exhibit high VCR; metal film or bulk metal foil exhibit near-zero VCR.
- Parasitic Inductance and Capacitance: At RF frequencies or fast digital edges (e.g., SPI/I2C buses running >10MHz), the physical helical cut in a carbon/metal film resistor acts as an inductor. For high-frequency E24 applications, you must specify 'thin film' or 'metal foil' chip resistors which have negligible parasitic inductance.
Component Selection Decision Tree
Use this decision matrix to terminate your search and pick a concrete component series based on your circuit requirements. Do not default to 'it depends'—match your primary constraint to the row below and order the recommended part type.
| Circuit Requirement | Tolerance Needed | Recommended Series / Technology | Concrete Part Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic LED current limiting, non-critical pull-ups, hobbyist audio | 5% | Standard Carbon Film (Axial) or Thick Film (SMD) | Yageo CFR-25 (Axial) / Yageo RC0805 (SMD) |
| Op-amp feedback networks, ADC voltage dividers, precision timing | 1% | Metal Film (Axial) or standard Thick Film (SMD) | Vishay MRS25 (Axial) / Panasonic ERJ-6EN (SMD) |
| High-precision instrumentation, RTD sensing, medical bench tools | 0.1% to 0.5% | Thin Film (SMD) - Note: Uses E96/E192 values, but E24 values are available | Susumu RG1608P (SMD) / Vishay PTF56 (Axial) |
| Power supplies, dummy loads, high-current shunt paths (>0.5W) | 1% to 5% | Wirewound or Metal Oxide - Note: Often skips E24 for round numbers (e.g., 5.0Ω instead of 5.1Ω) | Vishay RS02B (Wirewound) / Tyco TE ROX (Metal Oxide) |
| RF matching networks, high-speed digital termination (>50MHz) | 1% | Thin Film SMD (Low parasitic inductance) | TT Electronics PCF-W0805 |
If you are stocking a bench for general Arduino, ESP32, and analog prototyping, buy a bulk kit of 1/4W 1% Metal Film resistors in the E24 series (like the Vishay MRS25 or equivalent generic kits on Amazon/DigiKey). You get the tight 1% tolerance required for analog sensor dividers, while restricting your inventory to just 24 values per decade instead of managing 96 or 192 individual drawers. Skip 5% carbon film entirely; the price difference is fractions of a cent, and the thermal drift of carbon film will ruin your precision ADC readings.
