Capacitor Code Decoder

How to Read a 3-Digit Capacitor Code

Most ceramic disc and film capacitors use a 3-digit code stamped on the body. The code works just like resistor colour bands but with numbers:

• First two digits — the significant figures of the capacitance value.
• Third digit — the number of zeros to add (the power-of-10 multiplier). The result is in picofarads (pF).

For example, 473 = 47 followed by 3 zeros = 47,000 pF = 47 nF = 0.047 µF.

Two special multiplier digits exist for very small values: 8 means ×0.01 and 9 means ×0.1. So 479 = 47 × 0.1 = 4.7 pF.

Tolerance Codes

A single letter after the 3-digit value indicates the tolerance — how far the actual capacitance can deviate from the marked value:

• F = ±1%
• G = ±2%
• J = ±5% (most common for film caps)
• K = ±10% (most common for ceramics)
• M = ±20%
• D = ±0.5 pF (absolute, for very small values)
• Z = +80%/−20% (electrolytic)

EIA Voltage Codes

Some capacitors append a 2-character EIA voltage rating after the tolerance letter. For example, 103J2A means 10 nF, ±5%, 100V. Common voltage codes:

• 1E = 25V
• 1H = 50V
• 1J = 63V
• 2A = 100V
• 2E = 250V
• 2G = 400V
• 2J = 630V

Other Marking Formats

Not all capacitors use 3-digit codes. This tool also decodes:

• R-notation (e.g. 1R5 = 1.5 pF) — used for sub-10 pF values where the R marks the decimal point.
• Unit notation (e.g. 4N7 = 4.7 nF, 6U8 = 6.8 µF) — common on European and film capacitors. The unit letter replaces the decimal point.
• Decimal µF (e.g. .1K63 = 0.1 µF, ±10%, 63V) — older American style.
• EIA-198 SMD codes (e.g. J3 = 2.2 nF) — a two-character code used on surface-mount capacitors. The letter encodes the significant figure and the digit is the multiplier.

3-Digit Capacitor Code Chart

This table lists the most common 3-digit capacitor codes and their values in picofarads (pF), nanofarads (nF), and microfarads (µF).

Code	pF	nF	µF
100	10	0.01	0.00001
101	100	0.1	0.0001
102	1,000	1	0.001
103	10,000	10	0.01
104	100,000	100	0.1
105	1,000,000	1,000	1
150	15	0.015	—
151	150	0.15	0.00015
152	1,500	1.5	0.0015
153	15,000	15	0.015
154	150,000	150	0.15
220	22	0.022	—
221	220	0.22	0.00022
222	2,200	2.2	0.0022
223	22,000	22	0.022
224	220,000	220	0.22
330	33	0.033	—
331	330	0.33	0.00033
332	3,300	3.3	0.0033
333	33,000	33	0.033
334	330,000	330	0.33
470	47	0.047	—
471	470	0.47	0.00047
472	4,700	4.7	0.0047
473	47,000	47	0.047
474	470,000	470	0.47
560	56	0.056	—
561	560	0.56	0.00056
562	5,600	5.6	0.0056
563	56,000	56	0.056
680	68	0.068	—
681	680	0.68	0.00068
682	6,800	6.8	0.0068
683	68,000	68	0.068
684	680,000	680	0.68

Common Capacitor Values for Guitar Pedals

If you’re building guitar effects pedals, you’ll see these capacitor codes constantly in schematics and BOMs:

• 101 = 100 pF — treble bleed, high-frequency bypass
• 102 = 1 nF — tone shaping filters
• 103 = 10 nF (0.01 µF) — coupling caps in fuzz/overdrive circuits
• 104 = 100 nF (0.1 µF) — power supply decoupling, coupling caps
• 473 = 47 nF (0.047 µF) — tone controls (Tube Screamer style)
• 224 = 220 nF (0.22 µF) — input coupling in overdrives
• 474 = 470 nF (0.47 µF) — output coupling caps
• 105 = 1 µF — large coupling caps, bias circuits

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do I read a 3-digit capacitor code?

The first two digits are the significant figures and the third digit is the power-of-10 multiplier, giving the value in picofarads (pF). For example, 473 = 47 × 10³ = 47,000 pF = 47 nF. Codes ending in 8 or 9 use multipliers of 0.01 and 0.1 respectively, for sub-10 pF values.

What does 104 mean on a capacitor?

104 means 100,000 pF or 100 nF or 0.1 µF. The first two digits (10) are the significant figures, and the third digit (4) is the multiplier — 10 × 10&sup4; = 100,000 pF. This is one of the most common capacitor values in electronics.

What does 103 mean on a capacitor?

103 means 10,000 pF or 10 nF or 0.01 µF. The first two digits (10) are the significant figures, and the third digit (3) is the multiplier — 10 × 10³ = 10,000 pF.

What does 473 mean on a capacitor?

473 means 47,000 pF or 47 nF or 0.047 µF. The first two digits (47) are the significant figures and the third digit (3) means × 1,000. This is a very common value in guitar pedal tone circuits.

What does 105 mean on a capacitor?

105 means 1,000,000 pF or 1,000 nF or 1 µF. The first two digits (10) are the significant figures and the third digit (5) means × 100,000.

What does J mean on a capacitor?

J is a tolerance code meaning ±5%. Other common tolerance codes: K = ±10%, M = ±20%, G = ±2%, F = ±1%. The tolerance letter usually appears right after the 3-digit value code.

What does K mean on a capacitor?

K is a tolerance code meaning ±10%. It is the most common tolerance marking on ceramic capacitors. Other tolerance codes: J = ±5%, M = ±20%, G = ±2%, F = ±1%.

What does 2A mean for capacitor voltage?

2A is an EIA voltage code meaning 100V. The first character indicates the order of magnitude and the second encodes the multiplier. Common codes: 1E = 25V, 1H = 50V, 2A = 100V, 2E = 250V.

Need to identify a resistor? Use our resistor colour code calculator to decode colour bands to values.