Capacitor Code Calculator
Type a printed capacitor code such as 104 to read its capacitance in picofarads, nanofarads and microfarads, including the tolerance from a trailing letter.
How to read a capacitor code
- Enter the code printed on the capacitor, for example 104 or 104K.
- The first two digits are significant figures and the third is a power-of-ten multiplier.
- Read the value in pF, nF and uF, plus the tolerance if a letter is present.
Examples
Common 104 code
code = 104
100000 pF = 100 nF = 0.1 uF
Small value 479
code = 479
4.7 pF (47 x 0.1)
Frequently asked questions
How do I read a 3-digit capacitor code?
The first two digits are significant figures and the third is the number of zeros to add, giving the value in picofarads. So 104 is 10 followed by four zeros, 100000 pF.
What does the 104 capacitor code mean?
104 means 10 x 10^4 picofarads, which is 100000 pF, or 100 nF, or 0.1 uF. It is one of the most common ceramic capacitor values.
What about 2-digit codes?
Codes with one or two digits are the value in picofarads directly. For example 10 means 10 pF and 47 means 47 pF.
Why do some codes end in 8 or 9?
The multipliers 8 and 9 are special: 8 means x0.01 and 9 means x0.1. So 479 is 47 x 0.1 = 4.7 pF, used for very small capacitors.
What does the letter after the code mean?
A trailing letter is the tolerance. Common ones are J for +/-5%, K for +/-10% and M for +/-20%. The tool shows the matching tolerance.
Related tools
Resistor Color Code Calculator
Decode 4-band and 5-band resistor color codes to ohms and tolerance, or encode a resistance into color bands. Free, with the values formatted clearly.
Ohm's Law Calculator
Solve Ohm's law online. Enter any two of voltage, current, resistance or power and get the other two, with the V, I, R and P formulas shown.
Voltage Divider Calculator
Calculate the output of a resistive voltage divider. Enter the input voltage and two resistors to get Vout, the current and the divider ratio instantly.
555 Timer Calculator
Calculate 555 timer astable frequency, period, high and low times and duty cycle from R1, R2 and the timing capacitor. Free oscillator design helper.
Battery Life Calculator
Estimate how long a device runs on a battery from its capacity in mAh and current draw in mA. Includes a real-world efficiency factor for an honest figure.
Bernoulli Equation Calculator
Solve Bernoulli's equation for the downstream pressure from density, upstream pressure, two velocities and two elevations for steady incompressible flow.