Capacitor Code Calculator
Decode 104, 473J and 4R7 capacitor markings, and turn values into codes.
About this tool
Type the marking printed on the capacitor, such as 104, 473J, 222K or 4R7. The tool shows the capacitance in picofarads, nanofarads and microfarads, the tolerance from the letter, and any voltage marking. Enter a value to get its code, and open the chart of common codes for a quick reference.
How capacitor codes work
Small ceramic, film and mica capacitors don't have room to print their value in full, so they use a three-digit code in picofarads. The first two digits are the significant figures and the third is the number of zeros to add. So 104 means 10 followed by four zeros, 100,000 pF, which is 100 nF or 0.1 µF, the most common decoupling capacitor in electronics. 472 is 4,700 pF (4.7 nF), and 105 is 1,000,000 pF (1 µF). Third digits of 8 and 9 are exceptions that multiply by 0.01 and 0.1, so 229 is 2.2 pF. Values below 10 pF use R for the decimal point, as in 4R7 for 4.7 pF, and a plain two-digit number is just the value in pF. A letter after the code gives the tolerance: F ±1%, G ±2%, J ±5%, K ±10%, M ±20% and Z +80/−20%, and some parts add a voltage rating such as 50V. To convert, remember 1,000 pF = 1 nF and 1,000 nF = 1 µF. Honest limits: electrolytic and tantalum capacitors usually print their value directly in µF, and some manufacturers use their own codes or colour bands, so check the datasheet if a marking doesn't make sense. The SMD resistor code calculator, the resistor colour code tool and the RC filter calculator are related.
Frequently asked questions
What does 104 mean on a capacitor?
100,000 pF, which is 100 nF or 0.1 µF.
What does the letter after a capacitor code mean?
Tolerance: J is ±5%, K is ±10% and M is ±20%.
How do I convert pF to nF and µF?
Divide pF by 1,000 for nF, and by 1,000,000 for µF.
Is my data saved?
No. The decoding runs in your browser and nothing is stored or sent.