inductor vs resistor ID

Thread Starter

electronis whiz

Joined Jul 29, 2010
512
i have taken alot of what apeared to be resistors out of things. then somwhere i figured out some inductors look like resistors too. is there any way to tell other than by using an ohm meter wether it's an inductor or resistor. if under a few ohm then it's probly an inductor? most things i beleve to be inductors are gree with coding stripes like resistors however have seen green used on resistors also. if i run across somthing an a PCB that has something other than R by it should i asume it's an inductor?
 

praondevou

Joined Jul 9, 2011
2,942
You could look at the designator on the PCB where you are taking the component from. R resistor, L inductor, C capacitor and so on.

But in general it's quite clear if it's an inductor or a resistor. size, color bands etc.
 

Thread Starter

electronis whiz

Joined Jul 29, 2010
512
all of them i have seen look just like 1/4 watt resistors but the bulges on the ends are smaller or gone. the problem is i have a small orginizer draw full of resistors and these things i have pulled from PCBs. acidently thinking L was some proprietary leter for resistor.
 

ErnieM

Joined Apr 24, 2011
8,377
Read the code off the item, compute resistance, and then measure it's resistance.

If it is a resistor the two reading will agree. An inductor will have a much lower resistance. You could even just put the "low reading resistance" resistors in a drawer labeled "inductors" and get it pretty close.
 

Thread Starter

electronis whiz

Joined Jul 29, 2010
512
thats kind of what i was thinking. i just used a DMM and if 1-2 ohm i [put it in inductors. i have been just putting all the inductors in a bin to recycle as i have no use for them.
 
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