I have a few very old mylars without clear (to me) units, or no unit specified at all.
One reads .001 with 10% and 1KV beneath it.
A second reads 82 with 10% beneath it and 1KV on the other side as it is about half the size of the ".001!"
A third reads .1Z with 10V beneath it.
Looking on the net I found different interpretations of that 'Z:' one stated it was the tolerance, another that the 'Z' meant it was in picofarads.
H E L L L P P!!!
One reads .001 with 10% and 1KV beneath it.
A second reads 82 with 10% beneath it and 1KV on the other side as it is about half the size of the ".001!"
A third reads .1Z with 10V beneath it.
Looking on the net I found different interpretations of that 'Z:' one stated it was the tolerance, another that the 'Z' meant it was in picofarads.
H E L L L P P!!!
Most values were marked as uF or pF, with the physical size making which one clear.
Most small sizes are in pF. Most larger sizes are in uF. Of course you could measure them, basic testers are cheap.
0.001uF is same as 1000pF
82pF
0.1 - 10V will be in uF.
0.1uF is 100,000pF.
Certainly not 0.1pF.
Most small sizes are in pF. Most larger sizes are in uF. Of course you could measure them, basic testers are cheap.
0.001uF is same as 1000pF
82pF
0.1 - 10V will be in uF.
0.1uF is 100,000pF.
Certainly not 0.1pF.
And certainly not mylar: with the Z and voltage, it is probably a group 3 ceramic. Maybe group 2
Those low voltage ceramics were very popular in the 50s-60s.
I found similar parts in a HK Citation I preamp that was in for service. Hard to believe.
Threw those bad boys right out. The owner said it was a big improvement, which it was.
I found similar parts in a HK Citation I preamp that was in for service. Hard to believe.
Threw those bad boys right out. The owner said it was a big improvement, which it was.
The .001uF cap is 1000pF (pico farads) with a 10% capacitance tolerance and a 1000 volt withstand capability. The 82 with no units is an 82pF one, quite a bit less. The 10V cap with the Z after the value may mean the ceramic is Z5U type, which has a high dielectric constant ceramic resulting in a smaller cap with a large amount of C for its size. Problem with Z5U is that the C value shrinks rapidly with rise in temperature.
Last edited:
Capacitor manufacturers seem to be allergic to the nano unit, skipping it as they go direct to pF from µF. The same is true for millifarads. I've never understood why, as nano came into existence at the same time as pico... Before 1960 you'd see µµF used to describe pF.