3.3 kΩ resistor color code
A 3.3 kΩ resistor is Orange, Orange, Red, Gold: 33 × 100 = 3,300 Ω, ±5%, so anything from 3.135 to 3.465 kΩ is in spec.
33 × 100 = 3,300 Ω = 3.3 kΩ
5-band version
Orange · Orange · Black · Brown · Brown = 3.3 kΩ ±1%
330 × 10 = 3,300 Ω = 3.3 kΩ. Range 3.267–3.333 kΩ (±1%).
Open the 5-band version
Where you'll meet it
Dropping a 5 V signal to 3 V
A 5 V output, such as the Echo pin of an HC-SR04 distance sensor, is too high for the 3.3 V input of an ESP32 or a Raspberry Pi. Two resistors split it: 2.2 kΩ from the signal to the input pin, then 3.3 kΩ from the input pin to ground.
V_out = 5 V × 3.3 kΩ / (2.2 kΩ + 3.3 kΩ) = 3.0 V
3.0 V is under the pin's 3.3 V limit and still reads as HIGH.
The two resistors draw 5 V / 5.5 kΩ ≈ 0.91 mA from the signal, which a sensor output supplies easily.
The 3.3 kΩ resistor turns 3.0 V × 0.91 mA ≈ 0.003 W into heat, so any size will do.
A divider works in one direction only, from the 5 V part to the 3.3 V part, and suits slow signals like this one. The sensor and the board must share ground. For fast lines, or lines that talk both ways such as I2C, use a level-shifter board.
On SMD parts
Look for 332 or 3301
- 332332 = 33 × 10² = 3,300 Ω (3-digit code).
- 33013301 = 330 × 10¹ = 3,300 Ω (4-digit code, usually ±1% parts).
There is no EIA-96 code, because 3.3 kΩ is not an E96 value (the nearest E96 values are 3.24 kΩ and 3.32 kΩ).
Don't mix it up
Only band 3 changes
These four share Orange, Orange and Gold. Red (×100) is 3.3 kΩ; brown is ten times less and orange ten times more.
330 Ωband 3 brown- 3.3 kΩband 3 redThis page
33 kΩband 3 orange
330 kΩband 3 yellow
Check it with a meter
Read 3.135–3.465 kΩ
- Take the resistor out of the circuit.
- Set the meter to Ω, range 20 kΩ (or auto).
- Touch one probe to each lead. Keep your fingers off the metal: your body is a resistor too.
- Anything from 3.135 to 3.465 kΩ is a good ±5% part. A 5-band ±1% part should read 3.267 to 3.333 kΩ.
A meter has a small error of its own, so a reading a hair outside the range does not prove the part is bad. Measure again with firm contact before you swap it.
Spot it
Can you find 3.3 kΩ in a pile?
Practise reading it, and its look-alikes, in the resistor challenge.
Try the resistor challenge3.3 kΩ resistor FAQ
How do I connect a 5 V sensor to a 3.3 V board?
For a one-way signal, use two resistors as a divider: 2.2 kΩ from the 5 V signal to the input pin, and 3.3 kΩ from the input pin to ground. The pin then sees 5 V × 3.3 kΩ / 5.5 kΩ = 3.0 V. Never wire a 5 V output straight to a 3.3 V pin unless the board says the pin is 5 V tolerant.
What is the SMD code for a 3.3 kΩ resistor?
332 on 3-digit parts (33 × 10²) and 3301 on 4-digit parts (330 × 10¹). There is no EIA-96 code, because 3.3 kΩ is not an E96 value.
What are the 5-band colors for 3.3 kΩ?
Orange, Orange, Black, Brown, Brown: 330 × 10 = 3.3 kΩ with ±1% tolerance, so 3.267 to 3.333 kΩ.
What does 3k3 mean?
3k3 is another way to write 3.3 kΩ. The k sits where the decimal point would be, so the point cannot get lost in small print or on a schematic. You will also see it written as 3.3k or 3K3.
Bands, ranges and codes come from the same engine as the calculator. Last reviewed .