Capacitor code converter
Type the code printed on a capacitor (104, 222, 4R7) to get its value in pF, nF and µF, or type a value to get the code.
That's about the same as a 100 nF decoupling capacitor.
What it means
How big is that capacitor?
A letter after the code is the tolerance (J 5 %, K 10 %, M 20 %, Z +80/−20 %) and is ignored. Electrolytic capacitors print their value in µF directly.
Every unit
That capacitor in every unit
Learn
Three things worth knowing
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Three zeros a step
1,000 pF = 1 nF and 1,000 nF = 1 µF. So 102 is 1 nF, 103 is 10 nF, 104 is 100 nF, 105 is 1 µF.
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Codes for tiny parts
Ceramic disc capacitors were too small to print µF values on, so the EIA adopted the resistor style of two figures and a multiplier, in picofarads.
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104 is not 104 pF
The last digit counts zeros: 104 is 100,000 pF. Only a code like 47 (two digits) means 47 pF as written.
Shortcuts
Popular capacitance conversions
Background
About capacitor codes
Small capacitors print a three-digit code in picofarads: two figures and the number of zeros. 104 is 10 followed by 4 zeros, 100,000 pF, which is 100 nF or 0.1 µF, the classic decoupling capacitor.
Below 10 pF an R marks the decimal point: 4R7 is 4.7 pF. Codes ending in 0 or 1 (100, 101) are simply 10 pF and 100 pF.