Capacitor codes

It's essential to be able to read capacitor codes in order to correctly recognise the correct part and as the schematic, BOM and component supplier might use pF, nF or µF interchangeably to be able to convert between these.

EIA scheme

The Electronic Industry Alliance (EIA) has standardised some of the marking schemes.

Leaded

On larger capacitors their value is printed on the case or encapsulation. The values of small capacitors are indicated in an alphanumeric code. With older capacitor values were sometimes indicated by a colour code.

With small general purpose capacitors where values range from a few pF to less than 1 µF the convention arose that whole numbers designate values in picofarads while decimal fractions designates values in microfarads.

Often p, n and u are substituted for the decimal point. For example 8p2 for 8.2pF, n51 for 0.51nF or 4u7 for 4.7µF.

Working voltage

Where there is space the working voltage is given. For smaller capacitors this needs to be found from the data sheet.

Polarity

Care must be taken to insert polarised capacitors in the correct orientation. The stripe on radial or arrow on axial aluminium electrolytic types indicates the negative lead. On tantalum types a + sign indicates the positive lead.

Stripe

If there is a stripe on a non-polarised capacitor, it might indicate which lead is connected to the outermost foil. To connect the capacitor connect this lead to the lowest impedance (usually the ground) side of the circuit. Many modern capacitors are unmarked, and often when a capacitor does have a stripe, it’s not related to the outside foil marking.

Small values

For small value capacitors the letter R is used to denote a decimal point.

EIA code pF nF µF 1R0 1 0.001 0.000001 1R1 1.1 0.0011 0.0000011 1R2 1.2 0.0012 0.0000012 1R3 1.3 0.0013 0.0000013 1R5 1.5 0.0015 0.0000015 1R6 1.6 0.0016 0.0000016 1R8 1.8 0.0018 0.0000018 2R0 2 0.002 0.000002 2R2 2.2 0.0022 0.0000022 2R4 2.4 0.0024 0.0000024 2R7 2.7 0.0027 0.0000027 3R0 3 0.003 0.000003 3R3 3.3 0.0033 0.0000033 3R6 3.6 0.0036 0.0000036 3R9 3.9 0.0039 0.0000039 4R3 4.3 0.0043 0.0000043 4R7 4.7 0.0047 0.0000047 5R1 5.1 0.0051 0.0000051 5R6 5.6 0.0056 0.0000056 6R2 6.2 0.0062 0.0000062 6R8 6.8 0.0068 0.0000068 7R5 7.5 0.0075 0.0000075 8R2 8.2 0.0082 0.0000082 9R1 9.1 0.0091 0.0000091

Code Tolerance A ±0.05 pF B ±0.1 pF C ±0.25 pF D ±0.5 pF E ±0.5% F ±1.0% or ±1 pF G ±2.0% or ±2 pF H ±2.5% J ±5.0% K ±10% L ±15% M ±20% N ±30% P -0 to +100% Q -10 to +30% S -20 to +50% T -10 to +50% U -10 to +75% W -10 to +100% Y -20 to +5% Z -20 to +80%

Code Volts DC 0G 4 0L 5.5 0J 6.3 1A 10 1C 16 1E 25 1V 35 1H 50 1J 63 1K 80 2A 100 2Q 110 2B 125 2C 160 2Z 180 2D 200 2P 220 2E 250 2F 315 2V 350 2G 400 2W 450

Abbreviated marking codes

A newer way to mark values is with three numbers on the body of the capacitor with the value in picofarads. The first two digits are the significant figures and the third the multiplier (i.e. number of zeros). So for example 151 indicates a capacitance of 150 pF.

EIA code pF nF µF 100 10 0.01 0.00001 110 11 0.011 0.000011 120 12 0.012 0.000012 130 13 0.013 0.000013 150 15 0.015 0.000015 160 16 0.016 0.000016 180 18 0.018 0.000018 200 20 0.02 0.00002 220 22 0.022 0.000022 240 24 0.024 0.000024 270 27 0.027 0.000027 300 30 0.03 0.00003 330 33 0.033 0.000033 360 36 0.036 0.000036 390 39 0.039 0.000039 430 43 0.043 0.000043 470 47 0.047 0.000047 510 51 0.051 0.000051 560 56 0.056 0.000056 620 62 0.062 0.000062 680 68 0.068 0.000068 750 75 0.075 0.000075 820 82 0.082 0.000082 910 91 0.091 0.000091

EIA code pF nF µF 101 100 0.1 0.0001 111 110 0.11 0.00011 121 120 0.12 0.00012 131 130 0.13 0.00013 151 150 0.15 0.00015 161 160 0.16 0.00016 181 180 0.18 0.00018 201 200 0.2 0.0002 221 220 0.22 0.00022 241 240 0.24 0.00024 271 270 0.27 0.00027 301 300 0.3 0.0003 331 330 0.33 0.00033 361 360 0.36 0.00036 391 390 0.39 0.00039 431 430 0.43 0.00043 471 470 0.47 0.00047 511 510 0.51 0.00051 561 560 0.56 0.00056 621 620 0.62 0.00062 681 680 0.68 0.00068 751 750 0.75 0.00075 821 820 0.82 0.00082 911 910 0.91 0.00091

EIA code pF nF µF 102 1,000 1 0.001 112 1,100 1.1 0.0011 122 1,200 1.2 0.0012 132 1,300 1.3 0.0013 152 1,500 1.5 0.0015 162 1,600 1.6 0.0016 182 1,800 1.8 0.0018 202 2,000 2 0.002 222 2,200 2.2 0.0022 242 2,400 2.4 0.0024 272 2,700 2.7 0.0027 302 3,000 3 0.003 332 3,300 3.3 0.0033 362 3,600 3.6 0.0036 392 3,900 3.9 0.0039 432 4,300 4.3 0.0043 472 4,700 4.7 0.0047 512 5,100 5.1 0.0051 562 5,600 5.6 0.0056 622 6,200 6.2 0.0062 682 6,800 6.8 0.0068 752 7,500 7.5 0.0075 822 8,200 8.2 0.0082 912 9,100 9.1 0.0091

EIA code pF nF µF 103 10,000 10 0.01 113 11,000 11 0.011 123 12,000 12 0.012 133 13,000 13 0.013 153 15,000 15 0.015 163 16,000 16 0.016 183 18,000 18 0.018 203 20,000 20 0.02 223 22,000 22 0.022 243 24,000 24 0.024 273 27,000 27 0.027 303 30,000 30 0.03 333 33,000 33 0.033 363 36,000 36 0.036 393 39,000 39 0.039 433 43,000 43 0.043 473 47,000 47 0.047 513 51,000 51 0.051 563 56,000 56 0.056 623 62,000 62 0.062 683 68,000 68 0.068 753 75,000 75 0.075 823 82,000 82 0.082 913 91,000 91 0.091

EIA code pF nF µF 104 100,000 100 0.1 114 110,000 110 0.11 124 120,000 120 0.12 134 130,000 130 0.13 154 150,000 150 0.15 164 160,000 160 0.16 184 180,000 180 0.18 204 200,000 200 0.2 224 220,000 220 0.22 244 240,000 240 0.24 274 270,000 270 0.27 304 300,000 300 0.3 334 330,000 330 0.33 364 360,000 360 0.36 394 390,000 390 0.39 434 430,000 430 0.43 474 470,000 470 0.47 514 510,000 510 0.51 564 560,000 560 0.56 624 620,000 620 0.62 684 680,000 680 0.68 754 750,000 750 0.75 824 820,000 820 0.82 914 910,000 910 0.91

Temperature coefficient

Temp. coefficient (ppm/ºC) Colour code Industrial code EIA code 100 Red/violet P100 — ±0 Black NPO COG -33 Brown N033 S1G -75 Red N075 U1G -150 Orange N150 P2G -220 Yellow N220 R2G -330 Green N330 S2H -470 Blue N470 T2H -750 Violet N750 U2J -1500 Orange/orange N1500 P3K -2200 Yeltow/orange N2200 R3L -3300 Green/orange N3300 — -4700 Blue/orange N4700 —

1st figure 2nd figure 3rd figure Min. temp. Max. temp. Max. capacitance change over temp. range X -55ºC 2 +45°C A ±1% Y -30ºC 4 +65°C B ±1.5% Z +10°C 5 +85ºC C ±2.2% 6 +105°C D ±3.3% 7 +125°C E ±4.7% F ±7.5% P ±10% R ±15% S ±22% T -33 to +22% U -58 to +22% V -82 to +22%

SMD

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