An electronic tool designed to decode the color bands present on inductors to determine their inductance value, tolerance, and sometimes, reliability factor. Similar to resistor color code calculators, this instrument interprets a series of colored bands printed on the inductor body. For example, if an inductor has bands of Brown, Black, Red, and Gold, the tool would identify it as a 1000 H inductor with a 5% tolerance.
The use of such a decoding aid streamlines the process of identifying inductor specifications, saving time and reducing the likelihood of errors compared to manual interpretation charts. It is particularly useful in electronics repair, circuit prototyping, and component selection. Historically, color codes were adopted as a standardized, visually accessible method for marking component values before more sophisticated labeling techniques became widespread.
