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Capacitor Markings

Capacitors are often marked with codes to show the value, tolerance and material. This is particularly true for small types such as ceramic disc or polystyrene where there is little space for full markings.

Value Codes:

The capacitance value is often marked using a 3 digit code. This works in the same way as resistor coding but using numbers instead of colours. The first 2 numbers give the value and the last number is the multiplier. These give the value in Picofarads (pF), e.g. code 103 = 1 0 000pF (=0.01uF - see Capacitance Conversion Table). Alternatively the value may be marked directly, for example 2n2 is 2.2 Nanofarads (nF).

Tolerance Code:

A single letter is often used to indicate the tolerance of the component. These can be translated using the following table:

Tolerance Code Tolerance
C +/- 0.25pF
D +/- 0.5pF
F +/- 1%
G +/- 2%
J +/- 5%
K +/- 10%
M +/- 20%
Z - 20% +80%

Material Code:

The dielectric material is often marked in abbreviated form. The table below shows the meaning of these abbreviations.

Marking Material
MKT Metallised Polyester (PETP)
MKC Metallised Polycarbonate
KT Polyester Film / Foil
KS Polystyrene Film / Foil
KP Polypropylene Film / Foil
MKP Metallised Polypropylene

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