330 kΩ resistor color code
A 330 kΩ resistor is Orange, Orange, Yellow, Gold: 33 × 10,000 = 330,000 Ω, ±5%, so anything from 313.5 to 346.5 kΩ is in spec.
33 × 10,000 = 330,000 Ω = 330 kΩ
5-band version
Orange · Orange · Black · Orange · Brown = 330 kΩ ±1%
330 × 1,000 = 330,000 Ω = 330 kΩ. Range 326.7–333.3 kΩ (±1%).
Open the 5-band version
Where you'll meet it
Watching a 12 V battery with an Arduino
An Arduino Uno's A0 pin measures 0 to 5 V, so a 12 V battery needs a divider in front of it. 330 kΩ from the battery's plus to A0 and 100 kΩ from A0 to ground let A0 read a battery of up to 21.5 V, while drawing almost nothing from it.
V_out = 21.5 V × 100 kΩ / (330 kΩ + 100 kΩ) = 5.0 V
So 21.5 V at the battery is the most A0 can read: it becomes 5.0 V at the pin.
A 12 V battery gives 12 V × 100 kΩ / 430 kΩ ≈ 2.79 V at the pin, and 14.4 V while it charges gives about 3.35 V: both well inside the range.
The pair draws at most 21.5 V / 430 kΩ = 0.05 mA, so it can stay connected without draining the battery.
In code, multiply the voltage at A0 by 4.3 (that is 430 kΩ / 100 kΩ) to get the battery voltage.
Keep the battery under 21.5 V so A0 never sees more than 5 V, and connect the battery's minus to the Arduino's GND. The Uno's ADC is designed to be fed from 10 kΩ or less, far below this pair, so add a 100 nF capacitor from A0 to GND: it holds the voltage steady while the ADC takes its sample. Resistor tolerances shift the result by a few percent, so calibrate against a meter if the reading matters.
On SMD parts
Look for 334 or 3303
- 334334 = 33 × 10⁴ = 330,000 Ω (3-digit code).
- 33033303 = 330 × 10³ = 330,000 Ω (4-digit code, usually ±1% parts).
There is no EIA-96 code, because 330 kΩ is not an E96 value (the nearest E96 values are 324 kΩ and 332 kΩ).
Don't mix it up
Only band 3 changes
These four share Orange, Orange and Gold. Yellow (×10,000) is 330 kΩ; orange is ten times less and green ten times more.
33 kΩband 3 orange- 330 kΩband 3 yellowThis page
3.3 MΩband 3 green
33 MΩband 3 blue
Check it with a meter
Read 313.5–346.5 kΩ
- Take the resistor out of the circuit.
- Set the meter to Ω, range 2 MΩ (or auto).
- Touch one probe to each lead. Keep your fingers off the metal: your body is a resistor too. At 330 kΩ this matters a lot: with a finger on each lead the meter measures you as well, and the reading drops.
- Anything from 313.5 to 346.5 kΩ is a good ±5% part. A 5-band ±1% part should read 326.7 to 333.3 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 330 kΩ in a pile?
Practise reading it, and its look-alikes, in the resistor challenge.
Try the resistor challenge330 kΩ resistor FAQ
How do I measure a 12 V battery with an Arduino?
Put a divider in front of an analog pin: 330 kΩ from the battery's plus to A0 and 100 kΩ from A0 to GND, with the battery's minus on GND. Full scale is then 21.5 V × 100 kΩ / 430 kΩ = 5.0 V, and a 12 V battery shows about 2.79 V at the pin. Multiply the pin voltage by 4.3 to get the battery voltage.
What is the SMD code for a 330 kΩ resistor?
334 on 3-digit parts (33 × 10⁴) and 3303 on 4-digit parts (330 × 10³). There is no EIA-96 code, because 330 kΩ is not an E96 value.
What are the 5-band colors for 330 kΩ?
Orange, Orange, Black, Orange, Brown: 330 × 1,000 = 330 kΩ with ±1% tolerance, so 326.7 to 333.3 kΩ.
How do I tell 330 kΩ from 33 kΩ?
Only the third band differs: yellow (×10,000) on 330 kΩ, orange (×1,000) on 33 kΩ. Yellow and orange can look alike on old or heat-darkened parts, so measure if you are unsure: 330 kΩ reads 313.5 to 346.5 kΩ, 33 kΩ reads 31.35 to 34.65 kΩ.
Bands, ranges and codes come from the same engine as the calculator. Last reviewed .