Capacitor Calculator & Electronics Guide

How to Read Capacitor Codes

Ceramic, mylar, and other film capacitors often use a 3-digit or 4-digit numeric code. Here's how to interpret it:

• First two digits: These are the first two significant figures of the capacitance value.
• Third digit: This is the multiplier, representing the number of zeros to add to the first two digits. The value is in picofarads (pF).
• Example (104): The '10' are the significant figures. The '4' means add four zeros. So, 100,000 pF.
• "R" for decimal: If an "R" is present, it indicates a decimal point. For example, '2R2' means 2.2 pF.

Unit Conversions

Frequently Asked Questions