DECODER · TOOL

Capacitor Code Calculator

No. This code only indicates capacitance (and tolerance); the voltage rating is printed separately (such as 50V / 1kV) or read from the package spec.

Ceramic capacitor 3-digit code → pF / nF / µF, clear at a glance.

Basic No backend · 100% client-side

What it does: Translates the 3-digit code on a ceramic capacitor into a capacitance.

When to use it: When the marking is hard to read, cross-checking the BOM, or finding a substitute part.

Capacitor code^?

→ 0.1 µF

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How to

How to use the capacitor code calculator

Enter the code and get all three notations.

01

Read the code on the capacitor

Ceramic capacitors are often marked with 3 digits, such as 104 or 473, sometimes with a tolerance letter like 104K.
02

Enter it directly

The tool decodes by the "picofarad (pF)" rule: the first two are significant digits and the third is the multiplier.
03

Read the capacitance

Gives pF / nF / µF notations at once, handy for cross-checking the datasheet and the BOM.

Reference

A 3-digit code is in picofarads (pF), and the third digit is the power of 10.

3-digit code = first two digits × 10^third digit pF; third digit 8=×0.01, 9=×0.1.

FAQ

Why is "104" 0.1µF and not 104pF?

The third digit of a 3-digit code is the multiplier (a power of 10), not a direct value. 104 = 10 × 10⁴ pF = 100,000 pF = 100 nF = 0.1 µF.

What are the trailing letters K, J, M?

Tolerance: J=±5%, K=±10%, M=±20%; small capacitances use pF tolerances B/C/D. It does not affect the capacitance itself.

How do you read a two-digit code (such as 22)?

It is directly in picofarads: 22 = 22 pF. Small values, usually <10, are marked this way.

Does the capacitor code indicate voltage rating?

No. This code only indicates capacitance (and tolerance); the voltage rating is printed separately (such as 50V / 1kV) or read from the package spec.

Data Provenance

Item	Value / Formula	Source
3-digit capacitor code	`first two digits × 10^third digit (pF)`	EIA ceramic capacitor marking
Tolerance letter	`J=±5% K=±10% M=±20%`	EIA tolerance codes

Coding rules from the EIA ceramic capacitor marking, no external API.