The standard resistor values chart is governed by the IEC 60063 standard, which defines the E-series (E6, E12, E24, E48, E96, E192) of preferred numbers. If you are designing a circuit or replacing a burned component, you are almost certainly looking for the E24 series (5% tolerance, gold band) or the E96 series (1% tolerance, brown band). The chart below provides the complete E24 base values, their corresponding color codes, and surface-mount device (SMD) markings, serving as a permanent bench reference.
How to Read the Standard Resistor Values Chart
Before scrolling to the data, you need to know which column applies to your specific installation. The base value column provides the normalized significant digits. To get your final resistance, multiply the base value by a power of 10 (e.g., base 4.7 × 10^2 = 470Ω).
If you are building a precision analog front-end, an ADC voltage divider, or a feedback loop for a switching regulator, use the E96 (1%) column. The 1% tolerance ensures your calculated cutoff frequencies and gain ratios hold true across the entire batch. If you are building a simple LED current limiter, a pull-up/pull-down network for an ESP32 GPIO, or a base-bias network where exact ratios don't matter, the E24 (5%) column is cheaper, more widely available in bulk kits, and perfectly adequate.
The color code column maps to the first two significant digits of a standard 4-band through-hole resistor. The SMD column maps to the 3-digit EIA marking system used on 0805 and 0603 thick-film chip resistors.
The Complete IEC 60063 E24 Resistor Values Chart
Below is the complete E24 series. For quick navigation on a long bench build, use these bookmark-friendly quick-jump links for the most queried base values in DIY electronics: 1.0 (10Ω/100Ω/1k) | 2.2 (22Ω/220Ω/2.2k) | 3.3 (33Ω/330Ω/3.3k) | 4.7 (47Ω/470Ω/4.7k).
| Base Value | E24 (5% Tol) | 4-Band Colors (1st/2nd) | 3-Digit SMD Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 | 1.0 | Brown, Black | 100 |
| 1.1 | 1.1 | Brown, Brown | 110 |
| 1.2 | 1.2 | Brown, Red | 120 |
| 1.3 | 1.3 | Brown, Orange | 130 |
| 1.5 | 1.5 | Brown, Green | 150 |
| 1.6 | 1.6 | Brown, Blue | 160 |
| 1.8 | 1.8 | Brown, Grey | 180 |
| 2.0 | 2.0 | Red, Black | 200 |
| 2.2 | 2.2 | Red, Red | 220 |
| 2.4 | 2.4 | Red, Yellow | 240 |
| 2.7 | 2.7 | Red, Violet | 270 |
| 3.0 | 3.0 | Orange, Black | 300 |
| 3.3 | 3.3 | Orange, Orange | 330 |
| 3.6 | 3.6 | Orange, Blue | 360 |
| 3.9 | 3.9 | Orange, White | 390 |
| 4.3 | 4.3 | Yellow, Orange | 430 |
| 4.7 | 4.7 | Yellow, Violet | 470 |
| 5.1 | 5.1 | Green, Brown | 510 |
| 5.6 | 5.6 | Green, Blue | 560 |
| 6.2 | 6.2 | Blue, Red | 620 |
| 6.8 | 6.8 | Blue, Grey | 680 |
| 7.5 | 7.5 | Violet, Green | 750 |
| 8.2 | 8.2 | Grey, Red | 820 |
| 9.1 | 9.1 | White, Brown | 910 |
Temperature and Power Derating: Modifying the Base Value
A common mistake on the bench is selecting a resistor based purely on its room-temperature power rating (e.g., 1/4W or 250mW) without checking the derating curve. Derating rows in a component datasheet modify the base power value based on ambient temperature. According to standard commercial thick-film specifications like the Vishay CRCW e3 series, a resistor operates at 100% of its rated power up to 70°C ambient. Beyond 70°C, the maximum allowable power drops linearly, reaching 0W at 155°C.
Worked Example: You are designing an LED driver that will sit inside an enclosure where the ambient PCB temperature reaches 100°C. You need to dissipate 150mW across a current-sense resistor. A standard 1/4W (250mW) 1206 SMD resistor seems sufficient at room temperature. However, applying the linear derating formula:
P_max = P_rated × [(T_max - T_ambient) / (T_max - T_rated)]
P_max = 250mW × [(155 - 100) / (155 - 70)]
P_max = 250mW × (55 / 85) = 161.7mW
Your 250mW resistor is now only rated for 161.7mW. While 150mW technically fits, you have less than an 8% safety margin. In practice, you must step up to a 1/2W resistor or use a larger package (like 2512) to ensure long-term reliability and prevent thermal drift from shifting your resistance value out of spec.
What This Chart Cannot Tell You
The E-series chart is strictly a geometric progression of nominal DC resistance values. It cannot tell you how the component will behave under real-world dynamic conditions. Keep these three blind spots in mind:
- Parasitic Inductance and Capacitance: A 10kΩ wirewound resistor might read perfectly on your DC multimeter, but its coiled internal structure acts as an inductor. At 10MHz, its impedance will skyrocket. For RF or high-speed digital snubber networks, you must specify metal film or thick-film SMD resistors, which have near-zero parasitic inductance.
- Voltage Coefficient of Resistance (VCR): High-value resistors (e.g., 1MΩ to 50MΩ) exhibit VCR, meaning their actual resistance changes depending on the voltage applied across them. A 10MΩ resistor measured at 5V might drop to 9.8MΩ when 500V is applied. For high-voltage divider networks, check the datasheet's VCR spec (measured in ppm/V).
- Maximum Working Voltage vs. Power Rating: Ohm's law states that a 10MΩ, 1/4W resistor can theoretically handle 1,581V (since V = √(P×R)). In reality, the maximum working voltage for a standard 1/4W through-hole resistor is typically capped at 250V due to internal arcing, creepage distances, and the dielectric breakdown of the epoxy coating. Always check the 'Max Working Voltage' row in the datasheet, not just the power rating.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between E24 and E96 resistor values?
The E24 series provides 24 base values per decade (e.g., 1.0 to 9.1) and is tied to 5% tolerance components. The E96 series provides 96 base values per decade and is tied to 1% tolerance components. The E24 values are actually a subset of the E96 series. If you design a circuit using E24 values, you can always substitute an E96 1% resistor, but you cannot always substitute an E24 5% resistor if the design specifically calls for an E96 intermediate value like 1.78kΩ.
How do I read a 5-band resistor color code using this chart?
A 5-band resistor is used for high-precision (1% or better) components. The first three bands represent the significant digits, the fourth band is the multiplier, and the fifth band is the tolerance. To use the E-series chart for a 5-band resistor, look at the first three bands to find your exact base value (e.g., Brown, Black, Black = 100). You will then map this to the E96 series rather than the E24 series, as 3-digit precision is required to capture values like 10.2Ω or 47.5Ω.
Why isn't my exact calculated resistance on the resistor values chart?
If your SPICE simulation or hand calculation demands a highly specific value like 3,456Ω, you won't find it on the chart because manufacturers only produce components based on the IEC 60063 geometric progression. This standardizes inventory and manufacturing. To achieve 3,456Ω in practice, you must either select the closest E96 standard value (3.48kΩ), place two standard resistors in series/parallel, or use a trimmer potentiometer for final bench calibration.
Do SMD resistor codes match the E-series chart values?
Yes, but the marking system requires translation. For standard 5% SMD resistors, the 3-digit code uses the first two digits as the significant figures (matching the E24 chart) and the third digit as the multiplier (e.g., 472 = 47 × 10^2 = 4.7kΩ). For 1% SMD resistors, manufacturers often use the EIA-96 coding system, which uses two numbers and a letter (e.g., 01C). In the EIA-96 system, '01' refers to a lookup table value of 100, and 'C' is the multiplier for 10^2, yielding 10.0kΩ.
