How to Read a Capacitor

Unlike resistors, capacitors use a wide variety of codes to describe their

characteristics. Physically small capacitors are especially difficult to read,
due to the limited space available for printing. The information in this
article should help you read almost all modern consumer capacitors. Don't
be surprised if your information is printed in a different order than the one
described here, or if voltage and tolerance info is missing from your
capacitor. For many low-voltage DIY circuits, the only information you
need is the capacitance.
Method 1
Reading Large Capacitors
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1.

1
Know the units of measurement. The base unit of capacitance
is the farad (F). This value is much too large for ordinary circuits,
so household capacitors are labeled with one of the following units:
[1]
 1 µF, uF, or mF = 1 microfarad = 10-6 farads. (Careful
— in other contexts, mF is the official abbreviation for
millifarads, or 10-3 farads.)
 1 nF = 1 nanofarad = 10-9 farads.
 1 pF, mmF, or uuF = 1 picofarad = 1
micromicrofarad = 10-12 farads.
 2.

2
Read the capacitance value. Most large capacitors have a
capacitance value written on the side. Slight variations are
common, so look for the value that most closely matches the units
above. You may need to adjust for the following:
 Ignore capital letters in the units. For example, "MF" is
just a variation on "mf." (It is definitely not a
megafarad, even though this is the official SI
abbreviation.)
 Don't get thrown by "fd." This is just another
abbreviation for farad. For example, "mmfd" is the
same as "mmf."
 Beware single-letter markings such as "475m," usually
found on smaller capacitors.[2] See below for
instructions.

3.
3
Look for a tolerance value. Some capacitors list a tolerance, or
the maximum expected range in capacitance compared to its
listed value. This isn't important in all circuits, but you may need to
pay attention to this if you require a precise capacitor value. For
example, a capacitor labeled "6000uF +50%/-70%" could actually
have a capacitance as high as 6000uF + (6000 * 0.5) = 9000uF, or
as low as 6000 uF - (6000uF * 0.7) = 1800uF.
 If there is no percentage listed, look for a single letter
after the capacitance value or on its own line. This
may be code for a tolerance value, described below.

4.
4
Check the voltage rating. If there is room on the body of the
capacitor, the manufacturer usually lists voltage as a number
followed by a V, VDC, VDCW, or WV (for "Working Voltage"). [3] This
is the maximum voltage the capacitor is designed to handle.
 1 kV = 1,000 volts.
 See below if you suspect your capacitor uses a code
for voltage (a single letter or one digit and one letter).
If there is no symbol at all, reserve the cap for low-
voltage circuits only.
 If you are building an AC circuit, look for a capacitor
rated specifically for VAC. Do not use a DC capacitor
unless you have an in-depth knowledge of how to
convert the voltage rating, and how to use that type
of capacitor safely in AC applications.

5.
 5
Look for a + or - sign. If you see one of these next to a terminal,
the capacitor is polarized. Make sure to connect the capacitor's +
end to the positive side of the circuit, or the capacitor could
eventually cause a short or even explode.[4] If there is no + or -,
you can orient the capacitor either way.
 Some capacitors use a colored bar or a ring-shaped
depression to show polarity. Traditionally, this mark
designates the - end on an aluminum electrolytic
capacitor (which are usually shaped like tin cans). On
tantalum electrolytic capacitors (which are very
small), this mark designates the + end.[5] (Disregard
the bar if it contradicts a + or - sign, or if it is on a
non-electrolytic capacitor.)
Method 2
Reading Compact Capacitor Codes

1.
1
Write down the first two digits of the capacitance. Older
capacitors are less predictable, but almost all modern examples
use the EIA standard code when the capacitor is too small to write
out the capacitance in full. To start, write down the first two digits,
then decide what to do next based on your code: [6]
 If your code starts with exactly two digits followed by
a letter (e.g. 44M), the first two digits are the full
capacitance code. Skip down to finding units.
 If one of the first two characters is a letter, skip down
to letter systems.
 If the first three characters are all numbers, continue
to the next step.

2.
2
Use the third digit as a zero multiplier. The three-digit
capacitance code works as follows:
 If the third digit is 0 through 6, add that many zeroes
to the end of the number. (For example, 453 → 45 x
103 → 45,000.)
 If the third digit is 8, multiply by 0.01. (e.g. 278 → 27 x
0.01 → 0.27)
 If the third digit is 9, multiply by 0.1. (e.g. 309 → 30 x
0.1 → 3.0)

3.
3
Work out the capacitance units from context. The smallest
capacitors (made from ceramic, film, or tantalum) use units of
picofarads (pF), equal to 10-12 farads. Larger capacitors (the
cylindrical aluminum electrolyte type or the double-layer type) use
units of microfarads (uF or µF), equal to 10-6 farads.[7]
 A capacitor may overrule this by adding a unit after it
(p for picofarad, n for nanofarad, or u for microfarad).
However, if there is only one letter after the code, this
is usually the tolerance code, not the unit. (P and N
are uncommon tolerance codes, but they do exist.)

4.

4
Read codes that contain letters instead. If your code includes
a letter as one of the first two characters, there are three
possibilities:
 If the letter is an R, replace it with a decimal point to
get the capacitance in pF. For example, 4R1 means a
capacitance of 4.1pF.[8]
 If the letter is p, n, or u, this tells you the units (pico-,
nano-, or microfarad). Replace this letter with a
 decimal point. For example, n61 means 0.61 nF, and
5u2 means 5.2 uF.[9]
 A code like "1A253" is actually two codes. 1A tells you
the voltage, and 253 tells you the capacitance as
described above.[10]

5. 5
Read the tolerance code on ceramic capacitors. Ceramic
capacitors, which are usually tiny "pancakes" with two pins,
typically list the tolerance value as one letter immediately after the
three-digit capacitance value. This letter represents the tolerance
of the capacitor, meaning how close the actual value of the
capacitor can be expected to be to the indicated value of the
capacitor. If precision is important in your circuit, translate this
code as follows:[11]

 B = ± 0.1 pF.
 C = ± 0.25 pF.
 D = ± 0.5 pF for capacitors rated below 10 pF, or ±
0.5% for capacitors above 10 pF.
 F = ± 1 pF or ± 1% (same system as D above).
 G = ± 2 pF or ± 2% (see above).
 J = ± 5%.
  K = ± 10%.
 M = ± 20%.
 Z = +80% / -20% (If you see no tolerance listed,
assume this as the worst case scenario.[12] )

6.

6
Read letter-number-letter tolerance values. Many types of
capacitors represent the tolerance with a more detailed three-
symbol system. Interpret this as follows:[13]
 The first symbol shows minimum temperature. Z =
10ºC, Y = -30ºC, X = -55ºC.
 The second symbol shows maximum
temperature. 2 = 45ºC, 4 = 65ºC, 5 = 85ºC, 6 =
105ºC, 7 = 125ºC.
 The third symbol shows variation in capacitance
across this temperature range. This ranges from the
most precise, A = ±1.0%, to the least precise, V =
+22.0%/-82%. R, one of the most common symbols,
represents a variation of ±15%.
7.
7
Interpret voltage codes. You can look up the EIA voltage chart
for a full list, but most capacitors use one of the following common
codes for maximum voltage (values given for DC capacitors only):
[14]
 0J = 6.3V
 1A = 10V
 1C = 16V
 1E = 25V
 1H = 50V
 2A = 100V
 2D = 200V
 2E = 250V
 One letter codes are abbreviations of one of the
common values above. If multiple values could apply
(such as 1A or 2A), you'll need to work it out from
context.
 For an estimate of other, less common codes, look at
the first digit. 0 covers values less than ten; 1 goes
from ten to 99; 2 goes from 100 to 999; and so on.
 Restore electronics by replacing worn capacitors. "I
have this old DVD player that randomly stopped working one day.
After some research, I learned that Panasonic used low-quality
capacitors in that model that tend to fail over time. This guide
walked me through how to ID and replace those bad capacitors.
Now my DVD player is working again! It saved me from having to
buy a new one." - Barry B.

Build a custom laser with salvaged parts. "I was trying to

build my first ever 650 nm burning laser as a hobby project. I had
gathered a mishmash of spare parts, including a bunch of unlabeled
disc capacitors dug out of an old electronics repair kit. This article
explained how to make sense of all the tiny capacitor codes so I
could finally figure out which ones would work." - Mike B.

Maintain railroad signal systems. "I used to work on

voltage circuits for railroad signals and crossings. Even though I'm
retired now, I still like to tinker and refresh my understanding. I
often reference this guide when I come across older capacitors with
odd markings I've forgotten how to decipher. It helps me double-
check my work." - Sal D.

Mod vintage guitars with found components. "My father-

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been using them to restore and mod vintage guitars as a hobby.
 With so many tiny unmarked components, I was totally lost at first.
But this article has been my trusty guide for identifying capacitor
codes and values. Now, I can finally experiment with custom tone
controls." - Andy M.
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8.

8
Look up other systems. Old capacitors or capacitors made for
specialist use may use different systems. These are not included in
this article, but you can use this hints to guide your further
research:
 If the capacitor has one long code beginning with
"CM" or "DM," look up the U.S. military capacitor
chart.
 If there is no code but a series of colored bands or
dots, look up the capacitor color code.[15]
Tips
 Although you can't determine capacitance by the shape and size
alone, you can guess at a rough range based on how the capacitor
is being used:

 The largest capacitors in a television monitor are in the power

supply. Each one can have a capacitance as high as 400 to
1,000 µF, which can be lethal if handled incorrectly. [16] [17]
 The large capacitors in an antique radio typically range from
1-200 µF.[18]
 Ceramic capacitors are usually smaller than your thumb and
attach to the circuit with two pins. Used in many
applications, they typically range from 1 nF to 1 µF, and
occasionally up to 100 µF.[19]
 The capacitor can also list information on operating voltages. The
capacitor should support a higher voltage than the circuit you use it
in; otherwise, it may break down (possibly explode) under operation
 Always measure the capacitance if you aren’t able to read the
information on the capacitor.
 Be very careful when handling large capacitors, which can hold a
lethal amount of energy when charged. Always make sure to
discharge them first by using an appropriate resistor. Never short
circuit them, as this could cause an explosion.