Capacitor Calculator - Series and Parallel
| Capacitance (uF) | |
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Capacitor Calculator (Series & Parallel)
Capacitors store electrical charge and are found in nearly every electronic circuit. When combining multiple capacitors, the total capacitance depends on whether they are wired in series or parallel.
Conversion Formula
Parallel: capacitances add directly (more plates = more storage). Series: reciprocals add, then take the reciprocal of the sum (less effective plate area per unit charge). Note that series behavior for capacitors is the opposite of series resistors.
Step-by-Step Examples
Parallel: 10uF + 22uF + 47uF = 79 uF
10 + 22 + 47 = 79 uF
Series: 10uF + 10uF = 5 uF
1/(1/10 + 1/10) = 1/(0.2) = 5 uF
Frequently Asked Questions
How do capacitors in parallel add up?
Capacitors in parallel add directly: C_total = C1 + C2 + C3 + ... This is because each capacitor adds more plate area, increasing total charge storage.
Why does series connection reduce capacitance?
In series, the same charge must flow through every capacitor, but the effective plate separation increases. The result is a lower total capacitance than any individual capacitor: 1/C_total = 1/C1 + 1/C2 + ...
What is the difference between uF, nF, and pF?
These are all units of capacitance at different scales. 1 uF (microfarad) = 1,000 nF (nanofarads) = 1,000,000 pF (picofarads). Electrolytic capacitors used in power supplies are typically in the uF range; ceramic capacitors for filtering are often in nF or pF.