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Resisitor colors

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  • Member since
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  • From: Western, MA
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Posted by richg1998 on Wednesday, October 3, 2018 8:56 PM

When these style came out, I started using my Harbor Freight meter. Saved a lot of guessing. At one time when I made a lot of circuits I had a meter set up at the work bench just for this purpose. The meters are cheap enough. I still have four of these meters.

Rich

If you ever fall over in public, pick yourself up and say “sorry it’s been a while since I inhabited a body.” And just walk away.

  • Member since
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  • From: Reading, PA
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Posted by rrinker on Wednesday, October 3, 2018 5:01 PM

 Well, it can't be 1700, that's not a value in ANY standard tolerance group. 1100 is dead on for a 5% or 2%. Even though they look different, I think the first two bands are both brown. So it's brown-brown-red-gold, 1100 ohm, 5%. 

                            --Randy

 


Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's

 

Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.

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  • From: Ontario Canada
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Posted by Mark R. on Wednesday, October 3, 2018 4:45 PM

BigDaddy

 

 
Mark R.
When in doubt, stick your meter across the leads and measure the restance.

 

You're giving me a Homer Simpson moment   doh!

It measures 1100,  light brown, dark brown? 

 

1100 ohms would be brown / brown / red. Your resistor colors don't look to be the same brown on the first two bands.  The meter don't lie though.

Mark.

¡ uʍop ǝpısdn sı ǝɹnʇɐuƃıs ʎɯ 'dlǝɥ

  • Member since
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  • From: Bakersfield, CA 93308
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Posted by RR_Mel on Wednesday, October 3, 2018 8:22 AM

I lucked out on my last resistor purchase, I bought a 2600pcs 130 Value Each 1% 1/4W Metal Film Resistor Assortment Kit (US Seller) off eBay and the resistor values were marked on the paper tape.  I still checked each value before storing them.
 
I store bulk resistors in small parts envelopes and keep them in a cardboard bin box, easy to label.
 
I store small parts that I use a lot in Stack-On storage cabinets including most used resistors.
 
 
Like Randy I gave up many years ago trying to read the color code on resistors when the good old Ohmite resistors were easily available.
 
 
Now I keep a cheapo A830L multimeter readily available (stuck to my workstation with Velcro) to read each resistor before use, I don’t trust my filing eyesight either.
 
 
 
 
Mel
 
 
My Model Railroad   
 
Bakersfield, California
 
I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
 
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  • From: Reading, PA
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Posted by rrinker on Wednesday, October 3, 2018 6:56 AM

 Most of the leaded resistors coming from China use colors so pale it's next to impossible to distinguish some colors from others, so I don't even try any more. When strips of them are taped together, it's easy enough to write on the tape, but once they've been pulled off, all hope is lost. I just use my meter.

                             --Randy

 


Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's

 

Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.

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  • From: Collinwood, Ohio, USA
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Posted by gmpullman on Tuesday, October 2, 2018 11:20 PM

BigDaddy
Decade box, new to me, does that decade box have resistance built into it?

Old school decade box, with all the dials across it:

 DC_test by Edmund, on Flickr

Dial in the resistance you want. There are newer, smaller ones (cheaper) like the one that uses the jumpers I linked to. It is a half-watt, there are quarter watt ones even cheaper.

I have a lab power supply and dial up 12 volts (my lighting buss) or 13 volts, most of my DCC lighting decoder outputs. I select the LED I want to use, start with the highest resistance and gow down until I get the brightness I'm looking for then match a resistor to those results.

I probably wouldn't have known about them either but since they were tossing one out at work, I grabbed it and immediately saw how handy it would be for the model railroad electronics "lab".

Cheers, Ed

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  • From: Shenandoah Valley
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Posted by BigDaddy on Tuesday, October 2, 2018 10:49 PM

I ran downstairs with a resistor in my hand looking for a meter that worked.  After I found one, tested the resisitor, I went to put it back in the package and the package is gone.  Retraced my steps 3 times and still no package.  :banghead:

Decade box, new to me, does that decade box have resistance built into it?

 

Henry

COB Potomac & Northern

Shenandoah Valley

  • Member since
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  • From: Collinwood, Ohio, USA
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Posted by gmpullman on Tuesday, October 2, 2018 9:26 PM

The metal-film resistors are the ones that get me Angry

Against a deep blue background it is anybosy's guess what color the bands are.

An auto-range ohm meter is the way to go. Another handy tool I have is a decade box. I have a huge one I dragged home from work but recently got a handy one that uses jumpers to set the resistance.

I can "fine-tune" the resistance I want, or the brightness of an LED I'm looking for.

https://tinyurl.com/ycsjyqv6

Good Luck, Ed

  • Member since
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Posted by BigDaddy on Tuesday, October 2, 2018 9:18 PM

Mark R.
When in doubt, stick your meter across the leads and measure the restance.

You're giving me a Homer Simpson moment   doh!

It measures 1100,  light brown, dark brown? 

Henry

COB Potomac & Northern

Shenandoah Valley

  • Member since
    April 2004
  • From: Ontario Canada
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Posted by Mark R. on Tuesday, October 2, 2018 8:55 PM

Look like brown / violet / red to me .... 1700 ohms. The gold indicates a 5% tolerance.

When in doubt, stick your meter across the leads and measure the restance.

Mark.

¡ uʍop ǝpısdn sı ǝɹnʇɐuƃıs ʎɯ 'dlǝɥ

  • Member since
    December 2015
  • From: Shenandoah Valley
  • 9,094 posts
Resisitor colors
Posted by BigDaddy on Tuesday, October 2, 2018 8:43 PM

Resistors have bands, that indicate their ratings.  I can find the charts, my problem is I can't tell what colors I am seeing.

From right to left I see gold, red, maroon and brown, except maroon isn't a real choice.  Maybe it's brown and orange?

Help me out, thanks

Henry

COB Potomac & Northern

Shenandoah Valley

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