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Common codes
| Code | pF | nF | µF |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 | 10 | 0.01 | 0.00001 |
| 101 | 100 | 0.1 | 0.0001 |
| 102 | 1,000 | 1 | 0.001 |
| 103 | 10,000 | 10 | 0.01 |
| 104 | 100,000 | 100 | 0.1 |
| 105 | 1,000,000 | 1,000 | 1 |
| 220 | 22 | 0.022 | 0.000022 |
| 221 | 220 | 0.22 | 0.00022 |
| 222 | 2,200 | 2.2 | 0.0022 |
| 223 | 22,000 | 22 | 0.022 |
| 224 | 220,000 | 220 | 0.22 |
| 471 | 470 | 0.47 | 0.00047 |
| 472 | 4,700 | 4.7 | 0.0047 |
| 473 | 47,000 | 47 | 0.047 |
| 474 | 470,000 | 470 | 0.47 |
| 683 | 68,000 | 68 | 0.068 |
Tolerance letters
| Letter | Tolerance |
|---|---|
| B | ±0.1 pF |
| C | ±0.25 pF |
| D | ±0.5 pF |
| F | ±1% |
| G | ±2% |
| J | ±5% |
| K | ±10% |
| M | ±20% |
| Z | +80% / −20% |
How the code works
Three digits: the first two are the value,
the third is the number of zeros, and the result is in picofarads.
104 = 10 with 4 zeros = 100,000 pF = 100 nF = 0.1 µF. Letter-as-point
notation: 4n7 = 4.7 nF, 2u2 = 2.2 µF,
470p = 470 pF. A plain two-digit number is just picofarads:
47 = 47 pF.
Electrolytic
capacitors are labelled directly: capacitance in µF and working voltage (e.g. 470 µF 25 V). Polarity matters - the negative lead is marked with a stripe on the body.
See also