Capacitor Identification

[Keith Rowland]

The value of a capacitor is identified by:

1.  EIA identification for ceramics
2,  Direct value markings for some types
3.  Industry markings for non-ceramics
4.  Color-coding schemes for some
5.  Additional markings or color bands are used to signify working
voltage, tolerance, temperature coefficients, and/or operating
temperature range.

Ceramics will use the EIA codes (Z5U, X7R, etc.).  Non-ceramics use the
industry codes (NPO, N150, etc.) for the coefficient.

                    EIA TEMPERATURE CHARACTERISTIC CODES

Min. Temp.      Max. Temp.     Cap. Change over this Range
X:  -55C           2:  +45C           A: +-1%
Y:  -30C           4:  +65C           B: +-1.5%
Z:  +10             5:  +85C            C: +-2.2C
                        6:  +105C         D:  +-3.3C
                        7:  +125C          E:  +-4.7C
                                               F:  +-7.5%
                                                P:  +-10%
                                               R:  +-15%
                                                 S:  +-20%
                                                T:  -33/+22%
                                                U:  -56/+22%
                                                 V:  =82/+22%

EXAMPLE;  Z5U:  Cap. change is -56% to +22$ over the temperature range
from +10 degrees to +85 degrees Centigrade (or Celsius, if one prefers
Newspeak).

VALUE AND TOLERANCE:

*C:+- .25Pf
*D:  +-.50Pf
*F:  +-1Pf (1%)
*G:  +-2Pf(2%)
  J:  +-5%
  K:  +-10%
  L:  +-15%
  M:  +-20%
   P:  0 to +100%
  W:  -20% to +40%
  Y:  -20% to +50%
   Z:  -20% to +80%

*:  Codes C-G:  Less than 10Pf tolerance in Pf
     Codes F-Z:  More than 10% tolerance in %

EXAMPLE;  224J=220,000Pf, or .22 Mfd., 5% tolerance.

EIA DECADE VALUES

1R0  1Pf
100   10Pf
101   100Pf
102   .001Mfd
103   .01Mfd
104:  .1Mfd
105:  1Mfd
106:  10Mfd

EXAMPLE:  203:  .02Mfd     473:   47Mfd     503:  .05Mfd    5R1:  5Pf
220:  22Pf
221:  220Pf

              INDUSTRY MARKINGS FOR MONOLITHIC 7 FILM CAPS

Non-ceramic caps use EIA markings for the capacitance value and
tolerance, however these dielectrics, such as polyester or
polypropolene, display a linear change  in capacitance per degree
Centigrade, therefore the temp. coefficients are expressed in
parts-per-million (ppm) per degree C.  A few of the common industry
non-ceramics and EIA ceramic markings are shown below:

Temperature Coefficients (TC)
Ceramics (EIA) and Film Dielectrics

EIA#     INDUSTRY#     TC(ppm/degreeC)
C0G      NP0                   0ppm
S1G       N033                  -33ppm
U1G      N075                   -75
P2G       N150                  -150
S2H        N330                  -330
U2J        N750                  -750
P3K        N1500                -1500

Considerable research on my part has failed to turn up anything that
would give a clue about the voltage rating of these little jewels.  I
guess if it is not marked, we're out of luck.  What with all the other
information they are so careful to put on them (and in such a confusing
and elaborate fashion, to boot), it  seems very strange that the voltage
rating, which I find sometimes more important than the other data, is
not coded on them in some way.

Hope this is of use anyway.  Or at least of interest...

73,

Keith

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