220 Ohm Resistor Color Code — LED Brightness vs 330 Ω & 470 Ω

Why 220 Ω shows up in almost every parts kit

Before the color bands: 220 Ω is chosen when you want a visible LED on 5 V without running at the LED's absolute maximum current. The bands Red · Red · Brown · Gold encode $22 × 10$.

4-band: Red · Red · Brown · Gold → 22 × 10 = 220 Ω (±5%) · 5-band (±1%): Red · Red · Black · Black · Brown → 220 × 1 = 220 Ω (±1%)

Full band-reading method: beginner's guide · Reverse lookup: calculator

LED brightness: 220 Ω vs 330 Ω vs 470 Ω (same red LED, same 5 V)

This table is unique to the 220 Ω guide — other value pages cover different topics.

Series resistor	Approx. current (Vf ≈ 2 V)	Brightness	GPIO stress @ 5 V
220 Ω	~13–15 mA	Bright, typical maker default	OK on 3.3 V & 5 V MCUs
330 Ω	~9 mA	Moderate	Lower power
470 Ω	~6 mA	Dim but safe	Lowest current of the three

On 3.3 V with the same LED, 220 Ω drops to ~6 mA — still usable; 330 Ω can look faint. See the 330 Ω guide for the supply-voltage matrix.

Bench calculation (5 V → red LED)

Step	Value
Supply	5 V
LED $V_f$	~2.0 V
Target $I$	~15 mA
$R = (5 − 2) / 0.015$	≈ 200 Ω → stock 220 Ω
Resistor power	$3 V × 15 mA ≈ 45 mW$ (1/4 W fine)

Use our LED series resistor calculator for other colors — blue/white $V_f$ is higher.

When not to use 220 Ω

• High-speed data lines — series R depends on impedance spec, not LED math.
• Audio/load boxes — power rating may exceed 1/4 W; calculate $I^2 R$.
• Always-on indicators on battery — consider 1 kΩ–10 kΩ to save energy (10 kΩ pull-up guide).

Confusing 220 Ω with 22 Ω (the #1 kit mistake)

Value	Bands (4-band)	Multiplier band
220 Ω	Red · Red · Brown	×10
22 Ω	Red · Red · Black	×1

If your multimeter reads ~22 Ω but you expected 220 Ω, the middle band is almost always the multiplier — re-check band order (tolerance on the right).

FAQ

What is the 220 ohm resistor color code?

Red, Red, Brown, Gold (4-band ±5%). Precision: Red, Red, Black, Black, Brown (5-band ±1%).

Is 220 Ω correct for every LED?

No — high-power or low-$V_f$ LEDs need recalculation. Always use $(V_{supply} − V_f) / R$.

Related guides (different topics)

• 330 Ω color code — 5 V vs 3.3 V supply matrix

• 470 Ω color code — textbook LED history & Y-V family

• 1 kΩ color code — divider math & strong pull-ups

• Values hub — pick by application

• How to read any resistor (method)

• Decode bands online