INSTITUTE OF INTEGRATED ELECTRICAL ENGINEERS OF THE PHILIPPINES,

INC. C O U N C I L O F S T U D E N T C H A P T E R S

COLEGIO DE MUNTINLUPA

ELEN2101 | Electrical Circuits (Lab)

Laboratory Report

Experiment No. 2

Resistor Color Coding, Characteristics and

Ratings

Submitted by:

SAFRAN, REESE ALEXIS C. |

20221040154 EE-2
Student

Submitted to:

ENGR. Andrew G. Bitancor

Professor
 INSTITUTE OF INTEGRATED ELECTRICAL ENGINEERS OF THE PHILIPPINES,
INC. C O U N C I L O F S T U D E N T C H A P T E R S

COLEGIO DE MUNTINLUPA

I. EXPT. NO.2: RESISTOR COLOR CODING, CHARACTERISTICS, ANO RATINGS

II. OBJECTIVES:
1. To be familiar with the color coding used on resistors.
2. To be familiar with the different sizes and ratings of resistors
3. To verify by experiments, the characteristics of resistors.

III. SUGGESTED READINGS:

 Topic on resistor characteristics and color coding

IV. REQUIRED SKILLS:

 Knowledge in the proper use of ohmmeter and the analog trainer.

V. MATERIALS REQUIRED:
Description Qty.
 360TR-modeI analog multitester 1
 Analog Trainer (ATL-0l or equiv.) 1
 Color coded resistors: Assorted and 10
wattage
 Resistor ¼ watt:
200 Ω 1
270 Ω 1
1.2k Ω 1
10k Ω 1
56k Ω 1
 Resistor ½ watt:
1.2k Ω 1
 Connecting Wire 1 meter
 Breadboard 1

VI. PROCEDURE:
1. Get for 10 pieces of resistors of assorted values from your previous activity instructor and
write their respective color codes in Table-3.1 under the column "Color code".
2. Determine their respective resistances and tolerances by reading their respective color
codes. Record the results in Table-3.1 under the column "Coded value" and "Tolerance"
respectively.
 INSTITUTE OF INTEGRATED ELECTRICAL ENGINEERS OF THE PHILIPPINES,
INC. C O U N C I L O F S T U D E N T C H A P T E R S

COLEGIO DE MUNTINLUPA

3. Verify your results in step #2 by measuring the actual resistance of the given resistors by
the use of an ohmmeter. Record the results in Table-3.1 under the column "Measured value".

Resistor # Color Code Tolerance Measured Power

Coded (Value) Value Rating
Value

1st 2n 3rd 4th

d

4. Determine the power rating of each resistor given above by examining its physical size and
record the results in Table-3.1 under the column "Power Rating".
5. Verify the effect of resistance variation to current flow in the circuit by setting the resistor
R1 of Fig3.I to different resistance values given in Table-3.2 and record the corresponding
current measured on its value under the column "Measured current".
Fig-3.1: Experimental circuit for determining the effect of resistance variation to current

6. Compute the resistor's power dissipation for each setting in step #6 by using the formula
given below and record the results in Table-3.2 under the column "Resistor's Power
Dissipation"

Table-3.2: Table for step #6 and #7

 INSTITUTE OF INTEGRATED ELECTRICAL ENGINEERS OF THE PHILIPPINES,
INC. C O U N C I L O F S T U D E N T C H A P T E R S

COLEGIO DE MUNTINLUPA

Resistance Measured Current (mA) Resistor's Power

Dissipation (Measured
current x 5V) mw

7. Set the range selector knob of the analog multitester (milli-ammeter) to 25 mA and the +
variable voltage supply of the analog trainer ATL-0l to minimum and construct the circuit
shown in Fig.-
Fig.-3.2: Experimental circuit for demonstrating the significance of resistor's power rating.

8. Increase the supply voltage very slowly and monitor the heat radiated by the resistor as the
current reading from the multitester increases simultaneously with the supply voltage until
the resistor blowout. The blow-out of resistor can be determined by the smoke emitted from
its body and the sudden fall of current to zero reading.
9. In the space provided below, record the maximum current meter reading before the resistor
blowout.
10. Return the supply voltage to its maximum setting and then replace the 1.2k Ω resistor of
Fig.-3.2 by the other resistor of the same resistance but with a power rating equal to 1/2 W.
11. Increase the supply voltage very slowly and monitor the heat radiated by the resistor until
the current reading from the multitester reaches the same maximum current reading obtained
in step #9.
 INSTITUTE OF INTEGRATED ELECTRICAL ENGINEERS OF THE PHILIPPINES,
INC. C O U N C I L O F S T U D E N T C H A P T E R S

COLEGIO DE MUNTINLUPA

VII.OBSERVATION AND ANALYSIS

A. Resistor Color Coding

Color Code Coded Tolerance Measured Power

Resistor # Value (Value) Value Rating
1st 2nd 3rd 4th
1 100 5% 100.00 1/4 W
2 100,000 5% 105k 1/4 W
3 22 5% 22.10 1/4 W
4 20,000 5% 19.48k 1/4 W
5 220,000 5% 210k 1/4 W
6 330 5% 320.00 1/4 W
7 3,300 5% 3.1k 1/4 W
8 47 5% 49.00 1/4 W
9 470 5% 460.00 1/4 W
10 47000 5% 46k 1/4 W

The table 1 highlights the resistor color coding system which efficiently communicates
crucial details about each resistor. This is achieved through colored bands, each representing
specific information. The experiment used a 4 band resistor. The initial and second color
bands represent the initial and second digits of the resistance value respectively. For instance,
in the provided dataset, the brown band translates to a digit of 1, while the black corresponds
to 0. The third color band, known as the multiplier, functions to scale the initial two digits
and determine the final resistance value. This multiplier, such as x101, signifies a factor of 10
raised to the power of 1, resulting in a multiplier of 10. The fourth band conveys the tolerance
level, denoting the acceptable divergence from the nominal value. It's notable that all the
resistors exhibit a common tolerance of 5%.

B. Resistor Characteristic

Resistance Measured Current (mA) Resistor's Power

Dissipation (Measured
current x 5V) mw

200 Ω 25 mA 125 mW
270 Ω 18.519 mA 92.6 mW
1k Ω 5 mA 25 mW
10k Ω 0.5 mA 2.5 mW
56k Ω 0.089286 mA 0.446 mW
 INSTITUTE OF INTEGRATED ELECTRICAL ENGINEERS OF THE PHILIPPINES,
INC. C O U N C I L O F S T U D E N T C H A P T E R S

COLEGIO DE MUNTINLUPA

The table presents data regarding resistance, measured current, and power dissipation for
various resistors subjected to a 5V voltage. A 200 Ω resistor exhibits a measured current of
25 mA, resulting in a power dissipation of 125 mW. Similarly, a 270 Ω resistor experiences a
measured current of approximately 18.519 mA, leading to power dissipation of 92.6 mW. For
a 1k Ω resistor, the measured current is 5 mA, yielding power dissipation of 25 mW. A 10k Ω
resistor carries a measured current of 0.5 mA, resulting in a power dissipation of 2.5 mW.
Lastly, a 56k Ω resistor demonstrates a measured current of roughly 0.089286 mA,
culminating in power dissipation of 0.446 mW. As resistance increases, the measured current
proportionally decreases, adhering to Ohm's law. While, lower resistance values allow higher
currents to flow. This relationship between resistance and current directly impacts power
dissipation, with higher resistance values resulting in lower power dissipation due to reduced
current flow. On the other hand, lower resistance values lead to increased power dissipation
as a result of higher current passing through the resistor. Thus, the data above outlines the
relationship between resistance, current, and power dissipation across these resistor values.

C. Resistor Rating

Power Rating Maximum Voltage Supply Maximum

current meter current meter
reading reading
(Experimental) (Theoretical)
¼ watts (1.2k 14 mA 17.33 mA 1
= 𝐼2 ∗ 1200
ohms) 4
I=14.43 mA
½ watts (1.2k 20 mA 24.5 mA 1
= 𝐼2 ∗ 1200
ohms) 2
I= 20.41 mA
 INSTITUTE OF INTEGRATED ELECTRICAL ENGINEERS OF THE PHILIPPINES,
INC. C O U N C I L O F S T U D E N T C H A P T E R S

COLEGIO DE MUNTINLUPA

The experimental data obtained during the lab experiment aimed to demonstrate the
significance of a resistor's power rating in relation to its maximum current handling capacity.
The two resistors used for this analysis were a ¼ and ½ 1.2 kΩ . The maximum current meter
readings for these resistors were 14mA and 20 respectively. As anticipated, the ½ resistor,
with its higher power rating, exhibited the ability to withstand significantly greater current
flow compared to the ¼ Watts resistor. This outcome reaffirms the critical role of the power
rating in determining a resistor's ability to handle current without exceeding its temperature
limits. The experiment further emphasized that exceeding a resistor's power rating can lead to
overheating, smoke emission, and eventual blowout, as indicated by the sudden drop in
current to zero.

VIII. CONCLUSION:

Overall, the experiment achieved its objectives by familiarizing us with the color coding
system used for resistors, their various sizes and ratings, and verifying their characteristics
through hands-on experimentation. The color bands on resistors effectively communicate
essential information, with each band representing specific values such as resistance digits,
multipliers, and tolerance levels. Through practical measurements, we observed the direct
relationship between resistance, current, and power dissipation. Furthermore, the experiment
highlighted the critical importance of a resistor's power rating in determining its maximum
current handling capacity. It is confirmed that exceeding a resistor's power rating can lead to
overheating of the resistor. Thus, the experiment indicates the importance of selecting
resistors with suitable power ratings to ensure safe and reliable circuit operation. The
experiment’s outcomes underscore the practical relevance of these concepts in real-world
circuit applications.

IX. QUESTIONS:
1. What is the color code of the available resistor that can be used if the required
resistance is 5,780 ohms?
 Assuming this is a 5 bands resistor that color code would be Green, Violet, Grey,
Brown, and the fifth color could be Brown for +−1%, red for +−2%, green for +−0.5%,
blue for +−0.25%, violet for +−0.1%, grey for +−0.05%, gold for +−5%, and silver for
+
−10%.

2. Give the resistance range of a resistor which has a color code of brown,
red, orange. red. —

The color brown has coded value of 1, red has 2, orange as the multiplier has x103.
Making its decoded value equal to 12,000. For the tolerance we have the forth color
which is red for − resistance range.
 INSTITUTE OF INTEGRATED ELECTRICAL ENGINEERS OF THE PHILIPPINES,
INC. C O U N C I L O F S T U D E N T C H A P T E R S

COLEGIO DE MUNTINLUPA

+
2%. We need to get
first the tolerance
value to determine the
 INSTITUTE OF INTEGRATED ELECTRICAL ENGINEERS OF THE PHILIPPINES,
INC. C O U N C I L O F S T U D E N T C H A P T E R S

COLEGIO DE MUNTINLUPA

 12,000 * 0.02 = 240

 12,000 – 240 = 11, 760 (min)
 12,000 + 240 = 12, 240 (max)
Thus, the resistance range of the given resistor is from 11, 760 to 12, 240.
3. Can we use a 200Ω, ¼ W resistor as a replacement for 200Ω, 1/2 resistor? Why?

 Power rating indicates the resistor’s ability to handle heat generated by the flow of
current through it. Comparing a ¼ W to a ½ W, it can be concluded that ½ W has
greater power rating than ¼ watts. Thus, we could not use a 200Ω, ¼ W resistor as
a replacement for 200Ω, 1/2 resistor. The experiment shows that using a resistor
that has a power rating lower than what's needed could overheat and damage the
resistor itself.

4. What is the third color of resistors within a resistance range of 1000Ω to 9,999Ω
 Assuming the resistors are in 4 bands, the third color of these within a resistance
range of 1000Ω to 9,999Ω would be red. That is because the 3 rd color of resistor is the
multiplier, setting it as red that would be x100. Making the final value within a
resistance range of 1000Ω to 9,999Ω.