Standard Capacitor Values & Color Codes

HPE Invents 1st Memristor Laser

"Researchers at Hewlett Packard Labs, where the first practical memristor was created, have invented a new variation on the device - a memristor laser..."

Over time, a series of standard capacitor values have evolved, just as with resistors and inductors. Capacitors are available in a huge range of package styles, voltage and current handling capacities, dielectric types, quality factors, and many other parameters. Still, they largely hold to this range of values.

Capacitors are one of the four fundamental types of passive electronic components; the other three are the inductor, the resistor, and the memristor. The basic unit of capacitance is the Farad (F).

In order to obtain other values of capacitance, it is necessary to use parallel and/or series combinations. Often, complex combinations are used in order to satisfy multiple requirements such as handling large voltages while still providing the correct amount of capacitance.

If you need to provide occasional tuning of a circuit, then it is necessary to use a variable capacitor. That can take the form of a manually adjusted capacitor, or an electrically tuned capacitor like a varactor diode (varicap).

Old rectangular or square package capacitor color code table - RF Cafe Website

Old Capacitor Color Code Chart

Molded Mica Type Capacitors (Centralab)

Old ceramic axial lead package capacitor color code table - RF Cafe Website

Old Ceramic Axial Lead Capacitor Color Code Chart

These are the most commonly available capacitor values. Tolerances are highly dependent on dielectric and package type.
pF	pF	pF	pF	µF	µF	µF	µF	µF	µF	µF
1.0	10	100	1000	0.01	0.1	1.0	10	100	1000	10,000
1.1	11	110	1100
1.2	12	120	1200
1.3	13	130	1300
1.5	15	150	1500	0.015	0.15	1.5	15	150	1500
1.6	16	160	1600
1.8	18	180	1800
2.0	20	200	2000
2.2	22	220	2200	0.022	0.22	2.2	22	220	2200
2.4	24	240	2400
2.7	27	270	2700
3.0	30	300	3000
3.3	33	330	3300	0.033	0.33	3.3	33	330	3300
3.6	36	360	3600
3.9	39	390	3900
4.3	43	430	4300
4.7	47	470	4700	0.047	0.47	4.7	47	470	4700
5.1	51	510	5100
5.6	56	560	5600
6.2	62	620	6200
6.8	68	680	6800	0.068	0.68	6.8	68	680	6800
7.5	75	750	7500
8.2	82	820	8200
9.1	91	910	9100

Common Capacitor Working Voltages (DC), by Capacitor Type
Ceramic	Electrolytic	Tantalum	Mylar (Polyester)	Mylar (Metal Film)
	10V	10V
16V	16V	16V
		20V
25V	25V	25V
	35V	35V
50V	50V	50V	50V
	63V
100V	100V		100V
	160V
			200V
	250V			250V
	350V
			400V	400V
	450V
600V
				630V
1000V

* A nimrod keeps contacting me to say there is no such thing as a real memristor.

Related Pages on RF Cafe

- Capacitors & Capacitance Calculations

- Capacitor Color Codes

- Capacitance Conversions

- Capacitor Dielectrics

- Standard Capacitor Values

- Capacitor Vendors

- The Noble Art of De-Coupling

LadyBug Technologies (RF power sensors) - RF Cafe Website

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