© Jeds Peds
EOTS
Pag
e
7
A Detailed Overview of the Components in this Kit
Resistors
If we use the analogy of water rather than electricity, then resistors would be called restrictors. They
restrict the flow. Resistors are non-polarised (they can be inserted either way round). The body of a
resistor can be one of many colours. Most commonly seen in our kits are blue or buff.
What really matters is the colour of the bands around the body. There may be 4 or 5 of these. on a
4 band resistor the first two colours give you the value for the resistor and the 3rd gives you the
number of zeros to add (aka the multiplier). With a 5 band resistor the first three give you the value
and the 4th gives you the zeros. See the table below.
So the 4 band resistor above that has rings of green, blue, yellow and gold is a
560000Ω
(or
560kΩ).
You will see this
‘value
plus
zeros’
reappear when we get to capacitors. Note that a
4.7kΩ
resistor
would normally be written by me as 4k7.
Note that if the multiplier is gold or silver you divide the leading figures by 10 or 100.
You can either decode them yourself following the above table, alternatively this
or
you can use a multi meter. If you want any further explanation about how to decode
resistor values,
may
help.
There’s
also a lovely table below to use as a starting point.
NB, whilst most values I use are shown
there is a chance not all will be.
