Capacitor code table
European capacitor material codes
MKP = metallized polypropylene
FKP = metal foil and polypropylene
MKT = metallized polyester foil
MKC = metallized polycarbonate foil
FKC = metal foil and polycarbonate
MKI = metallized polyphenylene sulphide
MKS = polystyrene (metallized or with foil)
Decoding capacitor codes
Looking at our capacitor we will see its marked 474J, this should be read as follows, 47 times the value that can be found in Table 1 corresponding to the 3rd number, in this case 10000. 47 * 10000 = 470000 pF = 470 nF = 0.47 uF with the J meaning a 5% tolerance. A second letter will be a temperature coefficient if its present. Judging by a capacitors size and type, you will quickly learn to determine if the value on the capacitor is given in pF, nF or uF.
Some capacitors are only marked 0.1 or 0.01, mostly in these cases the values are given in uF.
Table 1
| 3rd number | Multiply with | Letter | Tolerance |
| 0 | 1 | D | 0.5pF |
| 1 | 10 | F | 1% |
| 2 | 100 | G | 2% |
| 3 | 1,000 | H | 3% |
| 4 | 10,000 | J | 5% |
| 5 | 100,000 | K | 10% |
| 6 and 7 | Not used | M | 20% |
| 8 | 0.01 | P | +100%/-0% |
| 9 | 0.1 | Z | +80%/-20% |
Here is a list of common capacitors and a scale between the different grades of the Farad SI unit.
Table 2
| pico-farad (pF) |
nano-farad (nF) |
mikro-farad (mF,uF eller mfd) |
Capacitor code |
| 10 | 0.01 | 0.00001 | 100 |
| 15 | 0.015 | 0.000015 | 150 |
| 22 | 0.022 | 0.000022 | 220 |
| 33 | 0.033 | 0.000033 | 330 |
| 47 | 0.047 | 0.000047 | 470 |
| 100 | 0.1 | 0.0001 | 101 |
| 120 | 0.12 | 0.00012 | 121 |
| 130 | 0.13 | 0.00013 | 131 |
| 150 | 0.15 | 0.00015 | 151 |
| 180 | 0.18 | 0.00018 | 181 |
| 220 | 0.22 | 0.00022 | 221 |
| 330 | 0.33 | 0.00033 | 331 |
| 470 | 0.47 | 0.00047 | 471 |
| 560 | 0.56 | 0.00056 | 561 |
| 680 | 0.68 | 0.00068 | 681 |
| 750 | 0.75 | 0.00075 | 751 |
| 820 | 0.82 | 0.00082 | 821 |
| 1000 | 1 or 1n | 0.001 | 102 |
| 1500 | 1.5 or 1n5 | 0.0015 | 152 |
| 2000 | 2 or 2n | 0.002 | 202 |
| 2200 | 2.2 or 2n2 | 0.0022 | 222 |
| 3300 | 3.3 or 3n3 | 0.0033 | 332 |
| 4700 | 4.7 or 4n4 | 0.0047 | 472 |
| 5000 | 5 or 5n | 0.005 | 502 |
| 5600 | 5.6 or 5n6 | 0.0056 | 562 |
| 6800 | 6.8 or 6n8 | 0.0068 | 682 |
| 10000 | 10 or 10n | 0.01 | 103 |
| 15000 | 15 or 15n | 0.015 | 153 |
| 22000 | 22 or 22n | 0.022 | 223 |
| 33000 | 33 or 33n | 0.033 | 333 |
| 47000 | 47 or 47n | 0.047 | 473 |
| 68000 | 68 or 68n | 0.068 | 683 |
| 100000 | 100 or 100n | 0.1 | 104 |
| 150000 | 150 or 150n | 0.15 | 154 |
| 200000 | 200 or 200n | 0.20 | 204 |
| 220000 | 220 or 220n | 0.22 | 224 |
| 330000 | 330 or 330n | 0.33 | 334 |
| 470000 | 470 or 470n | 0.47 | 474 |
| 680000 | 680 | 0.68 | 684 |
| 1000000 | 1000 | 1.0 | 105 |
| 1500000 | 1500 | 1.5 | 155 |
| 2000000 | 2000 | 2.0 | 205 |
| 2200000 | 2200 | 2.2 | 225 |
Posted November 5, 2009 by Mads Barnkob | Log in