Ceramic Capacitor Marking Reader

Physically small capacitors are especially difficult to read due to the limited space available for printing.

Ceramic capacitor marking reader.

823k is 82 nf 10 tolerance. For beginners some values might prove confusing. If code is 3r9 then r is an indicator of values less than 10pf and has nothing to do with resistance. I have always been unaware of the markings on a disc ceramic capacitor such as j m and other symbols.

There are three exceptions for the last digit. My article on ceramic disc capacitor values might help with the tolerance letters. Example 103k is a 10 nf capacitor with a 10 tolerance. Some small capacitance capacitors can be marked with an r between numbers.

Here is how to read ceramic capacitor values. The value of the capacitor is indicated in picofarads. 3r9 would be 3 9pf. Reading values printed on electrolytic capacitors is easy digits on ceramic capacitors need to know some theory.

Atc provides component and custom integrated packaging solutions for the rf microwave and telecommunications industries atc designs develops manufactures and markets multilayer capacitors single layer capacitors resistive products inductors and custom thin film products for rf microwave and millimeter wave applications. Markings of ceramic capacitor. A variety of schemes may be used. Values with the letter capital k represents 10 tolerance.

Ceramic capacitors are generally smaller than types like electrolytic capacitors and therefore the markings need to be more concise. Has a very low dissipation factor and are very stable over wide variations in temperature frequency voltage and time. American technical ceramics corp. The above image shows a mylar film capacitor.

The top 683 marking indicates the capacitance value which is 68 000 picofarads pf. The markings on a ceramic capacitor are more concise in nature since it is smaller in size as compared to electrolytic capacitors. Like resistors has some coding which needs to decipher printed digits on ceramic capacitors also needs deciphering. Sometimes figures such as 10n will be seen and this indicates a 10nf capacitor.

Unlike resistors capacitors use a wide variety of codes to describe their characteristics. 222k is a 2 2 nf capacitor with a 10 tolerance. 682k is 6 8 nf 10 tolerance. To get this value you multiply the leading digits 68 in this case by 10 raised to the power of the last digit 3 and the result is the capacitance in picofarads in this case we get 68x10 3 pf.

Npo type capacitors are frequently used for precision timing filtering frequency setting and tuning circuits. Some capacitors are only marked as 0 1 or 0 01 mostly in these cases the values are given in uf.