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The three digits printed on a ceramic capacitor are the value in picofarads: the first two are the number and the third is how many zeros follow . So 104 is 10 followed by four zeros — 100,000 pF, which is 100 nF, which is 0.1 µF. The same capacitor, three ways of writing it, and that is where most of the confusion with these parts comes from.
The two exceptions
A third digit of 8 or 9 divides rather than multiplies — × 0.01 and × 0.1. They exist so values under ten picofarads fit the same three characters. A code ending in 9 is a few picofarads, not gigafarads.
Tolerance letters
Letter Tolerance
B±0.1 pF C±0.25 pF D±0.5 pF F±1% G±2% J±5% K±10% M±20% Z+80% / −20%
Z is not a typo. +80%/−20% is a genuine tolerance on cheap high-permittivity ceramics, and a part carrying it can be nearly twice its marked value. Those belong in decoupling positions and nowhere near a filter.
Third digit 9 — × 0.1
Code Picofarads Nanofarads Microfarads
109 1 pF 0.001 nF 0.000001 µF 129 1.2 pF 0.0012 nF 0.000001 µF 159 1.5 pF 0.0015 nF 0.000002 µF 189 1.8 pF 0.0018 nF 0.000002 µF 229 2.2 pF 0.0022 nF 0.000002 µF 279 2.7 pF 0.0027 nF 0.000003 µF 339 3.3 pF 0.0033 nF 0.000003 µF 399 3.9 pF 0.0039 nF 0.000004 µF 479 4.7 pF 0.0047 nF 0.000005 µF 569 5.6 pF 0.0056 nF 0.000006 µF 689 6.8 pF 0.0068 nF 0.000007 µF 829 8.2 pF 0.0082 nF 0.000008 µF
Third digit 0 — × 100
Code Picofarads Nanofarads Microfarads
100 10 pF 0.01 nF 0.00001 µF 120 12 pF 0.012 nF 0.000012 µF 150 15 pF 0.015 nF 0.000015 µF 180 18 pF 0.018 nF 0.000018 µF 220 22 pF 0.022 nF 0.000022 µF 270 27 pF 0.027 nF 0.000027 µF 330 33 pF 0.033 nF 0.000033 µF 390 39 pF 0.039 nF 0.000039 µF 470 47 pF 0.047 nF 0.000047 µF 560 56 pF 0.056 nF 0.000056 µF 680 68 pF 0.068 nF 0.000068 µF 820 82 pF 0.082 nF 0.000082 µF
Third digit 1 — × 101
Code Picofarads Nanofarads Microfarads
101 100 pF 0.1 nF 0.0001 µF 121 120 pF 0.12 nF 0.00012 µF 151 150 pF 0.15 nF 0.00015 µF 181 180 pF 0.18 nF 0.00018 µF 221 220 pF 0.22 nF 0.00022 µF 271 270 pF 0.27 nF 0.00027 µF 331 330 pF 0.33 nF 0.00033 µF 391 390 pF 0.39 nF 0.00039 µF 471 470 pF 0.47 nF 0.00047 µF 561 560 pF 0.56 nF 0.00056 µF 681 680 pF 0.68 nF 0.00068 µF 821 820 pF 0.82 nF 0.00082 µF
Third digit 2 — × 102
Code Picofarads Nanofarads Microfarads
102 1,000 pF 1 nF 0.001 µF 122 1,200 pF 1.2 nF 0.0012 µF 152 1,500 pF 1.5 nF 0.0015 µF 182 1,800 pF 1.8 nF 0.0018 µF 222 2,200 pF 2.2 nF 0.0022 µF 272 2,700 pF 2.7 nF 0.0027 µF 332 3,300 pF 3.3 nF 0.0033 µF 392 3,900 pF 3.9 nF 0.0039 µF 472 4,700 pF 4.7 nF 0.0047 µF 562 5,600 pF 5.6 nF 0.0056 µF 682 6,800 pF 6.8 nF 0.0068 µF 822 8,200 pF 8.2 nF 0.0082 µF
Third digit 3 — × 103
Code Picofarads Nanofarads Microfarads
103 10,000 pF 10 nF 0.01 µF 123 12,000 pF 12 nF 0.012 µF 153 15,000 pF 15 nF 0.015 µF 183 18,000 pF 18 nF 0.018 µF 223 22,000 pF 22 nF 0.022 µF 273 27,000 pF 27 nF 0.027 µF 333 33,000 pF 33 nF 0.033 µF 393 39,000 pF 39 nF 0.039 µF 473 47,000 pF 47 nF 0.047 µF 563 56,000 pF 56 nF 0.056 µF 683 68,000 pF 68 nF 0.068 µF 823 82,000 pF 82 nF 0.082 µF
Third digit 4 — × 104
Code Picofarads Nanofarads Microfarads
104 100,000 pF 100 nF 0.1 µF 124 120,000 pF 120 nF 0.12 µF 154 150,000 pF 150 nF 0.15 µF 184 180,000 pF 180 nF 0.18 µF 224 220,000 pF 220 nF 0.22 µF 274 270,000 pF 270 nF 0.27 µF 334 330,000 pF 330 nF 0.33 µF 394 390,000 pF 390 nF 0.39 µF 474 470,000 pF 470 nF 0.47 µF 564 560,000 pF 560 nF 0.56 µF 684 680,000 pF 680 nF 0.68 µF 824 820,000 pF 820 nF 0.82 µF
Third digit 5 — × 105
Code Picofarads Nanofarads Microfarads
105 1,000,000 pF 1000 nF 1 µF 125 1,200,000 pF 1200 nF 1.2 µF 155 1,500,000 pF 1500 nF 1.5 µF 185 1,800,000 pF 1800 nF 1.8 µF 225 2,200,000 pF 2200 nF 2.2 µF 275 2,700,000 pF 2700 nF 2.7 µF 335 3,300,000 pF 3300 nF 3.3 µF 395 3,900,000 pF 3900 nF 3.9 µF 475 4,700,000 pF 4700 nF 4.7 µF 565 5,600,000 pF 5600 nF 5.6 µF 685 6,800,000 pF 6800 nF 6.8 µF 825 8,200,000 pF 8200 nF 8.2 µF
Third digit 6 — × 106
Code Picofarads Nanofarads Microfarads
106 10,000,000 pF 10000 nF 10 µF 126 12,000,000 pF 12000 nF 12 µF 156 15,000,000 pF 15000 nF 15 µF 186 18,000,000 pF 18000 nF 18 µF 226 22,000,000 pF 22000 nF 22 µF 276 27,000,000 pF 27000 nF 27 µF 336 33,000,000 pF 33000 nF 33 µF 396 39,000,000 pF 39000 nF 39 µF 476 47,000,000 pF 47000 nF 47 µF 566 56,000,000 pF 56000 nF 56 µF 686 68,000,000 pF 68000 nF 68 µF 826 82,000,000 pF 82000 nF 82 µF
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