Capacitor Code Calculator
Enter a 3-digit capacitor code to see its capacitance in picofarads and microfarads.
The first two digits are significant figures; the third is a multiplier (power of 10) in picofarads.
How capacitor codes work
Small ceramic and film capacitors are too tiny to print a full value on, so manufacturers use a 3-digit code. The first two digits are significant figures, and the third digit is a multiplier telling you how many zeros to add, in picofarads (pF).
For example, the code 104 means 10 followed by 4 zeros, or 100,000 pF, which equals 0.1 µF — a very common decoupling capacitor value. A code ending in 9 is a special case meaning multiply by 0.1 instead of a power of 10.
Frequently asked questions
What does a code like 104 mean on a capacitor?
The first two digits (10) are the significant figures, and the third digit (4) is the multiplier — meaning add 4 zeros. So 104 means 100,000 pF, or 0.1 µF.
What's the difference between pF and µF?
Both measure capacitance. A microfarad (µF) equals 1,000,000 picofarads (pF). Small ceramic capacitors are usually marked in pF-based codes, while larger electrolytic capacitors are often printed directly in µF.
Does this work for all capacitor markings?
This calculator decodes the standard 3-digit EIA code used on most ceramic and film capacitors. Some capacitors print their value directly (like "0.1µF" or "100nF"), which doesn't need decoding.