Capacitor Code Decoder

Decode 3-digit ceramic capacitor codes to picofarads.

// the three digits on a ceramic cap are picofarads — two significant figures and a count of zeros

Capacitance
100 nF

10 followed by 4 zeros, in picofarads

Picofarads
100000pF
Nanofarads
100nF
Microfarads
0.1µF

// tolerance letters

B ±0.1 pFC ±0.25 pFD ±0.5 pFF ±1%G ±2%J ±5%K ±10%M ±20%Z +80% / −20%

// dielectric codes

C0G / NP0±30 ppm/°Cclass 1 — stable, low loss, small values
X7R±15%class 2 — general purpose, −55 to +125 °C
X5R±15%class 2 — −55 to +85 °C, common in MLCCs
Y5V+22% / −82%avoid for anything precise
Z5U+22% / −56%bypass duty only

// voltage codes

0J 6.3 V1A 10 V1C 16 V1E 25 V1H 50 V1J 63 V2A 100 V2E 250 V
▸ show notes
value_pF = (first two digits) × 10^(third digit)
exceptions: a third digit of 8 means ×0.01, 9 means ×0.1

Worth knowing by sight:
104 = 100 nF = 0.1 µF // the default bypass cap
103 = 10 nF 102 = 1 nF
223 = 22 nF 473 = 47 nF
220 = 22 pF 470 = 47 pF // trailing 0 = ×1, not 220/470 pF… careful

The big trap: 220 is 22 pF, not 220 pF. A trailing zero is a multiplier of 10⁰ = 1, so a genuine 220 pF part is marked 221.

Class 2 ceramics (X7R, Y5V) also lose capacitance under DC bias — an MLCC rated 10 µF can measure half that at its rated voltage. For timing and filters, use C0G/NP0 or film.
capacitorceramiccodepFnF

About this calculator

A ceramic capacitor marked 104 is 100 nF, and that number is not obviously related to its value until you know the scheme. The three digits work exactly like a resistor's 3-digit code, except the result is in picofarads.

This decoder converts in both directions and covers the variations — R and IEC letter notation, the special multiplier digits, and the tolerance, dielectric and voltage codes that appear alongside the value.

How it works

The first two digits are significant figures and the third is the number of zeros to append, giving a value in picofarads. So 104 is 10 followed by four zeros: 100,000 pF, which is 100 nF or 0.1 µF.

Two exceptions catch people out. Multiplier digits of 8 and 9 mean ×0.01 and ×0.1, not ×10⁸ and ×10⁹ — so 109 is 1 pF, not a farad. The other trap is that a trailing zero is a real multiplier: 220 is 22 × 10⁰ = 22 pF, and a genuine 220 pF capacitor is marked 221.

Small values are often printed directly — a capacitor marked 47 is simply 47 pF. Below 10 pF you may see R notation, where 4R7 is 4.7 pF.

European markings frequently use IEC letter notation, where the unit letter replaces the decimal point: 4n7 is 4.7 nF, 100n is 100 nF, 1µ0 is 1 µF. It is unambiguous and immune to lost decimal points.

A trailing letter is tolerance: J is ±5%, K is ±10%, M is ±20%. A separate code like X7R or C0G describes the dielectric, which matters more than most people expect — it determines how much the capacitance drifts with temperature and voltage.

value_pF = (first two digits) × 10^(third digit)
third digit 8 → ×0.01, 9 → ×0.1 the exceptions
104 = 100 nF = 0.1 µF the default bypass cap
220 = 22 pF · 221 = 220 pF the classic trap

Worked example

A handful of ceramics from a kit: marked 104, 223, 470 and 101.

  1. 104 → 10 with four zeros = 100000 pF = 100 nF = 0.1 µF
  2. 223 → 22 with three zeros = 22000 pF = 22 nF
  3. 470 → 47 with no zeros = 47 pF
  4. 101 → 10 with one zero = 100 pF

100 nF, 22 nF, 47 pF and 100 pF. Note how 470 is 47 pF while 471 would be 470 pF — the trailing digit is always a multiplier, never part of the value.

Practical notes

  • 220 is 22 pF, not 220 pF. This is the single most common misreading. A 220 pF part is marked 221.
  • Class 2 dielectrics (X7R, X5R, Y5V) lose capacitance under DC bias — sometimes half the nominal value at rated voltage. For timing, filters and anything where the value must be right, use C0G/NP0 or film.
  • Y5V and Z5U have appalling temperature stability (+22%/−82% for Y5V). They are bypass capacitors and nothing more.
  • Electrolytics and film capacitors usually have the value printed in full, along with the voltage rating, so these codes mostly apply to small ceramics.
  • Electrolytics are polarised — the stripe marks the negative terminal. Reversing one makes it vent, sometimes loudly.
  • The voltage code is a separate two-character field: 1H is 50 V, 1E is 25 V, 2A is 100 V. The digit is a power of ten and the letter is the mantissa.

Frequently asked questions

What does 104 mean on a capacitor?

100 nF, which is 0.1 µF or 100,000 pF. It is 10 followed by four zeros, in picofarads — by far the most common decoupling capacitor value.

How do I convert capacitor codes to µF?

Decode to picofarads first, then divide by 1,000,000. A 104 is 100,000 pF, so 0.1 µF. A 223 is 22,000 pF, so 0.022 µF.

Is 220 the same as 220 pF?

No — 220 decodes as 22 × 10⁰ = 22 pF. The third digit is always a multiplier. A genuine 220 pF capacitor carries the marking 221.

What do the letters after the number mean?

A single trailing letter is tolerance: J is ±5%, K is ±10%, M is ±20%. Codes like X7R or C0G describe the dielectric material and therefore the temperature and voltage stability.

What is the difference between X7R and C0G?

C0G (also called NP0) is a class 1 dielectric — stable within ±30 ppm/°C, with no meaningful voltage dependence, but only available in small values. X7R is class 2 — much higher capacitance in the same package, at the cost of ±15% over temperature and significant loss under DC bias.

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