Capacitor Code Decoder

Understanding Capacitor Codes

Capacitor codes provide vital information about the capacitor’s capacitance, tolerance, and voltage rating. This guide will help you decode the information printed on capacitors.

Capacitance Value

The capacitance value of a capacitor is typically printed directly on its body in microfarads (µF), nanofarads (nF), or picofarads (pF). When space is limited, a numerical code is used.

The first two digits represent significant figures, and the third digit is the multiplier. For example:

For capacitance values below 10 pF, a different format using the letter "R" to denote the decimal point is sometimes used. For example:

Small numbers without unit notation can indicate microfarad (µF) values. For example:

Voltage Rating

The voltage rating, often indicated in volts (V), signifies the maximum voltage the capacitor can handle. This is sometimes directly printed on the capacitor. For example, '25V' indicates that the capacitor can safely operate up to 25 volts.

EIA Capacitor Voltage Codes

The Electronic Industries Alliance (EIA) uses a specific coding system to indicate the voltage rating of capacitors. For example:

Tolerance

Tolerance indicates how much the actual capacitance can vary from the stated value. It is usually denoted by a letter code. For example:

Practical Examples