Does this mean that the resistor is bad?

[RjM]

I have a resistor that was described as being a 2.4M resistor on the package and by the color codes, but when I measure its resistance, it is only 1.3M. Does this mean that it is a bad resistor?

[Mike Burgundy]

unless it has a 50%band on it (and assuming your meter's right which it should be) yes, thats wrong.
Usual tolerances are 5%. If you trust your meter, this one's definitely off. I've never seen a resistor that's too low though, but hey, strange things happen. Guess this one was labelled wrong. What are all the bands?

[MartyB]

brown-orange-green   vs  red-yellow-green  hmmmmm?  Is the fourth band gold or silver, is there a fourth band?

[RjM]

red-yellow-greed-red is the color code for both of the 2.4M resistors (there are two in the circuit). I had the power off on the circuit when I tested the resistance. The other one reads 2.4M. In the sparkleboost, I replaced the 1M with the 2.4M, since I didn't have any 1Ms. Is it that the value is too high, or is it just a bad resistor that is screwing up the bias of the transistor so much?

Q1
D-4.57
G-4.52
S-4.55

Screwy transistor voltages... Also, when I was measuring the gate, while I just held the probes there, black on ground, red on gate, and that 4.52 slowly went down to about 2.05-1.70.

[MartyB]

If you have two of those 1.3M resistors, then you're closer to the orig spec of 1M.  If you have plenty of 2.4M  just put two in parallel - gives you 1.2M - pretty close.

MartyB

[bryantabuteau]

just a quick thought, you say you tested the resistors in circuit? from my small understanding, this could give you false readings, cause theres more than one way for the current from your ohmeter to be travelling round the circuit, and not just across the resistor that happens to be 'between' your two probes.  Some one correct me if I'm wrong, but I would imagine the only way to correctly test resistors would be out of circuit....

[the_badcliff]

yes, generally you wouldn't test resistors in circuit.  If you want an accurate reading you would disconnect one leg of the resistor and then measure.

One  other comment, alot of times when you test resistors that are in the 1M to 10M range, if you hold the legs in your fingers than it will throw off the reading.  This is because your body offers a parallel path for current to travel, and two parallel resistors decrease the total resistance.  Try holding the resistor in the middle rather than holding each leg.  I don't know if this is whats been going on, but its a thought.

[RjM]

I wasn't holding either of the legs, but I didn't disconnect a leg. I didn't disconnect the leg for the other resistor, and its reading was fine...

[niftydog]

I didn't disconnect the leg for the other resistor, and its reading was fine...

that's circumstantial.

The ONLY way to get an accurate reading is to disconnect the part from the circuit, usually by desoldering and lifting one leg.