reading surface mount resistors question

I know this is a bit of a stupid question, but how exactly do you read surface mount resistors?

If you mean read as in interpret the markings, then you can't. Manufacturers have different marking systems, none of which seem to make sense so the only way you are going to find out the resistance is by measuring it.

L337 M33P said:

If you mean read as in interpret the markings, then you can't. Manufacturers have different marking systems, none of which seem to make sense so the only way you are going to find out the resistance is by measuring it.

Click to expand...

You're wrong (**EDIT** To my knowledge), as with many other parts they use the same coding, resistors arn't all that important so they (The manuf.) have no reason to hide the values, if they would use common chips they would have a better reason to hide (sand off, put some lacquer on them...etc.) the code (usually consisting of letters and numbers), but as resistors and capacitors can easily be measured it'd be a waste of time and money for manuf's.

Here's a pretty good site.

BTW: jAY you should know by now that there are no stupid questions, not even 'a bit' of stupid questions, the only (bit of) stupid questions are the questions not asked

You can't measure the resistance when it is soldered into a circut anyway. You will be measuring the resistance of the entire circut, not just the resistor itself.

its basic electronics, i didnt know..
so i still think its a bit of a dumb question....

so from what i have gathered...
Remove the resistor from the circut and mesure...

Only thing is that doesnt help me much if its a dammaged resistor...
Not that i have any broken right now, but its still good stuff to know