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About Zener Diode Color Code
By Jestine Yong on December 30, 2009
Yesterday i got an email about identifying the zener diode color code. So far there is very little information about zener diode color code. If you come across one, say the color is blue red green then the value is 6.2 volt and the last band green could be a tolerance or just some suffix. The first two color band calculation is similar to the resistor color code. If you come across any zener diode color code information please do comment and I’m sure many of the readers will appreciate it-thanks!
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126 Comments
ravendra
December 30, 2009 at 9:45 pm
Boss
how do you identify a zener diodes reverse voltage just by looking at it. (those which have a single band only). i have used 1 having reverse voltage of about 5.1 v, it had only 1 blue band). i had to reverse bias it using a dc supply via 1k resistor and measure diodes reverse voltage.
Juma zubeir said
August 22, 2018 at 7:26 am
I have the same problem,l don't know what can l identify the exactly value of zener voltage on the one having blue band?
Steve Hearns
December 31, 2009 at 2:42 am
Hi Jestine: I have seen color codes on regular general purpose diodes, colors like: yellow, brown , yellow , grey would mean: 1N4148. Usually it was in stuff built for the military, and they were glass and may have been germanium, not silicon, its been so long , I dont remember exactly. Thanks for your blog, I check it whenever I can ! Steve
admin
December 31, 2009 at 6:51 am
HI Ravendra,
That's the problem with it. Many zener diode manufacturers did not really helpful in providing data such as this. They could just put in a color band and only them could know what voltage is the zener diode. Sorry, i could not identify the zener diode just by looking at it. I will use your method too.
jestine
admin
December 31, 2009 at 6:52 am
Hi Steve,
Thanks for your contribution!
Jestine
ab ghaffar
January 2, 2010 at 8:36 am
i don,t face any zenor that kind,if i got like above mention then i will consult with u,kindly send me how i can get access to ur other techinque.
thanks
ab,jastine
admin
January 4, 2010 at 10:20 am
Hi Ab,
My other repair technique is in the ebook testing electronic components.
Jestine
Shahmin
January 10, 2010 at 10:08 am
Hi, I'm quite good with the zener color code since my job is to midify and repairing automation machine. There are 2 type of color code. 1st type is like resistor tpye color code. The last band is not tolerance only tolerance but also multiplier. that mean is 6.2 volt it will be blue green gold. There is also 1 more type of zener diode color code that did not tell the voltage like BYVXXX. U can get the table of part no of the zener diode thru the net. The 2nd tpye can be so tricky since u need to know the diode packaging 1st because there is a lot of diode with same color so u need to match the color code and the packaging to know the part no.
admin
January 10, 2010 at 11:10 am
HI Shahmin,
Thanks for your wonderful sharing!
Jestine
suharma
January 12, 2010 at 12:56 am
Tank you Mr.Jestine Yong,your news is very useful for me.Now I am understand,so if color code of zener diode is white, then brown and brown,its means 9,1 V ,it is not ?
admin
January 12, 2010 at 8:31 am
Hi Suharma,
Yes, it is 9.1 volt.
Jestine
John Keays
January 13, 2010 at 7:09 pm
Re: Zener Diode Colour Codes.
Check this website:
http://www.marsport.org.uk/smd/sod80.htm
Most colour codes on smt zener diodes are proprietary and do not follow the resistor colour codes.
admin
January 14, 2010 at 12:08 am
Hi John,
Thanks! That was a really good info about the zener diode color code!
Jestine
charles heeps
February 25, 2010 at 4:08 am
i have some with yellow on the +side or could be the direction but including that one there are 4 colors yellow wide band possible + next brown next yellow and last grey and i can not find any thing about color code rings on diodes i was told it could be a zener hope yo find out
thanks
charlie
admin
February 25, 2010 at 6:17 am
HI Charles,
You mean the color bands are yellow, brown, yellow and grey?
Jestine
Camar M. Gandawali
April 18, 2010 at 10:01 pm
Dear sir,
Please help me to how learn the CRT Monitor.
Thnks
B/R
Camar M. Gandawali
admin
April 19, 2010 at 4:21 am
HI Camar,
Please visit this link:
http://www.repairfaq.org/sam/monfaq.htm
Jestine
Aleks
May 23, 2010 at 4:09 pm
Following John Keays contribution comment, I google-d litle bit and here is the data sheet for one of them...
http://www.digchip.com/datasheets/download_datasheet.php?id=180713&part-number=BAV105
as you can see this is from Philips dated April 1996.
There is probably more around you just need to research a little bit.
Here...to sweet the pot...
Small Signal Fast Switching Diodes, LL4148, LL4448
http://www.vishay.com/docs/85557/85557.pdf
Aleks
May 23, 2010 at 5:07 pm
and here is one more...sorry
its a BA423L (Red Green one)
http://pdf.chinaicmart.com/200873/200807030934013874.pdf
and this one is I was looking for, pulled out of burned PC Power Supply Unit
Zener diode RLZ20B
http://www.rohm.com/products/databook/di/pdf/rlz20b.pdf
Thanks to John Keays and his web link.
vilas
May 31, 2010 at 2:58 am
sir, i canot known the only one colour band on glass smd diode. justlike only yellow colur ring, or blue ring,black ring.so pl help me
thanks vilas
admin
May 31, 2010 at 7:53 pm
Hi Vilas,
It be could be 4.6 volts!
Jestine
sanjay
August 11, 2010 at 1:47 am
yellow - pink
green - pink
i have two various zener diode
pls. inform me a rating of above zener value
from gain controls
admin
August 11, 2010 at 7:34 pm
Hi Sanjay,
Sorry no info on this because i have not seen any pink stripe colour before.
Jestine
Earl Levers
September 25, 2010 at 11:17 am
Hello Jestine,
I received your Ebooks and they very helpful.
I do have a question about a glass diode with only one green band.
Can you help me to tell what type it is?
Thanks
Earl Levers
admin
September 26, 2010 at 2:31 am
HI Earl,
What is the board marking? If it is "D" then it is definitely a diode. Could you find similar green band diode in other circuit in the board? If yes then it could be a 1N4148 signal diode.
Jestine
Shanu
October 2, 2010 at 4:20 am
Wow i think more useful hints here...jst look up...thanks all..
Dinesh Sharma
October 30, 2010 at 8:40 am
Hi..... Please send reactifier reading diods table
admin
October 31, 2010 at 4:06 am
HI Dinesh,
Sorry i do not have such table.
Jestine
K.Rohit
December 1, 2010 at 6:05 am
Hi.I have a zener diode with a glass outer covering red in colour with a yellow band.It is found in tonebank MA120 casio(musical instument).Can you please tell me its voltage value and other things about it that i may describe it to the shop keeper?
admin
December 1, 2010 at 10:29 am
HI Rohit,
Actually there is not much info about zener diode coding because zener diode manufacturers don't really provide a good info on this. One of the best reference still on this link:
http://www.marsport.org.uk/smd/sod80.htm
If the board that you are repairing have another similar zener diode you can remove it and test the ohm value. From there you can compare with the good zener diode and roughly you can find the exact voltage.
Jestine
maawma
December 24, 2010 at 8:26 am
Thank you for your explanation. I have a shorted zener diode marking only green and blue. With you explanation i think it is 5.6 volt.
admin
December 24, 2010 at 10:06 am
Hi MAAWMA,
Yes you are right!
Jestine
AJITKUMAR
January 5, 2011 at 7:46 am
I NEED A VOLTAGE (VALUE ) FOR GLASS TYPE DIODE ONLY BLACK COLOR CODED
PLEASE HELP ME FIND OUT THAT
THANKS
admin
January 5, 2011 at 8:38 am
Hi Ajitkumar,
If the board location is "D" then it can be a 1n4148 diode.
Jestine
Genady
January 28, 2011 at 1:18 pm
I have diode marked red & brown. Have not idea what is it.
admin
January 29, 2011 at 11:09 pm
HI GENADY,
What is the component marking on board "ZD" or "D" ?
Jestine
jocel tangdol
March 8, 2011 at 8:46 pm
im so intersted in learning electronics...
admin
March 8, 2011 at 10:50 pm
HI Jocel,
Good to hear that.
Jestine
Groove
March 12, 2011 at 2:20 pm
Hey Justine! I have a blown Diode with no markings except one half of it is black. Maybe it's the same device as AJITKUMAR asked about on January 5 2011, but I'm not sure so here's a webpage with a very similar picture. Out of the 5 components on the picture, it's the one on the top left. I REALLY need to know what to go shopping for. Thanks dude...
http://www.amazon.com/Vishay-Power-Diode-Div-Continuous/dp/B00171IXY6/ref=sr_1_93?ie=UTF8&m=A6Q8GCHJGURD6&s=industrial&qid=1299851270&sr=1-93
admin
March 12, 2011 at 11:05 pm
HI Groove,
It can be a signal diode 1N4148. IF the board that you are repairing have the similar diode you can solder it out and test and make sure it has only one reading at x 10 k. If you got two readings that means it is a zener diode. Most likely is the 1n4148 if the board marking marked as "D".
Jestine
joffer
April 14, 2011 at 3:42 pm
Hello sir!
Just wanna ask if what kind of diode that has an orange glass and a green band on its cathode...thanks...
admin
April 15, 2011 at 7:14 pm
HI Joffer,
If the board marking is ZD then it is a zener diode. If the board marking is "D" then it is a silicon/glass type diode.
Jestine
tony
May 5, 2011 at 1:49 am
Sir, I woul like to Ask you regarding ,for the color codes for the diode. I can,t get the exact reading. I encounter one diode the color is Red,Violet,Violet.Is this 27volts zener Diode? Hope you can help me And thanks.
admin
May 5, 2011 at 4:42 am
HI Tony,
If the board marking is ZD then it is a zener diode and from the color code it seems to be either 2.7 or 27 volt. If it is located in the power section then try 27 volt.
Jestine
muhammad iqbal
July 1, 2011 at 1:11 am
dear sir
i need a diode voltage values sheet
Amir Mukhtar
August 7, 2011 at 2:30 am
Sir,
Thanks you for share a stunning another more information about Zener Diode and its color coding.
you are a super califeriza listicox precious personality in electronics world.
thanks you
amir mukhtar
alex
September 5, 2011 at 9:33 pm
disculpa me podrian ayudar con un diodo superficial que tiene en el catodo amarillo y despues azul y verde es que necesito comprarlo pero no se cual sea su valor
admin
September 6, 2011 at 7:14 am
HI Alex,
It could be a 4.6 or 46 volt zener diode with 5 % tolerance. Try 4.6 volt first
Jestine
umesh kumar yadav
September 13, 2011 at 10:04 am
what is the value of red yellow yellow chip zinor diode
umesh kumar yadav
September 13, 2011 at 10:09 am
what is the value of black red colored zinor diode
anamul haq
September 14, 2011 at 10:33 am
I have a zinordiod it has color green green and red but I can't maser it. Pls help me.