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Series capacitor calculator

Compute the total capacitance of capacitors connected in series.

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The Series capacitor calculator turns Capacitances (µF, comma-separated) into Total capacitance (µF), instantly and for free. For instance, with Capacitances (µF, comma-separated) = 100, 220, 330 it returns Total capacitance (µF) = 56.897.

How to use it

  1. Enter your values: Capacitances (µF, comma-separated).
  2. Read the result instantly: Total capacitance (µF).

Frequently asked questions

What does the Series capacitor calculator actually compute?

It takes Capacitances (µF, comma-separated) and derives Total capacitance (µF) from them. The calculation is live as you type, so the result updates on every change.

What information do I need to provide?

A single value: Capacitances (µF, comma-separated). Nothing else is required — no account, no file upload.

Can you show a worked example?

With Capacitances (µF, comma-separated) = 100, 220, 330, the calculator returns Total capacitance (µF) = 56.897. Those figures come from running this exact tool, so you can reproduce them by entering the same values.

What happens if I enter larger values?

It moves a lot. Using Capacitances (µF, comma-separated) = 100, 231, 363 instead, Total capacitance (µF) goes from 56.897 to 58.535 — which is why it is worth testing a few scenarios rather than trusting a single figure.

What does it give for smaller values?

Scaled down to Capacitances (µF, comma-separated) = 100, 220, Total capacitance (µF) comes out at 68.75. The relationship is worth checking at both ends before you rely on a single result.

When would I actually use this?

At the bench: sizing a resistor for an LED, reading a colour band, working out a divider ratio, and checking a part will not cook.

What is the most common mistake?

Choosing a resistance and forgetting the power rating. A value that is electrically right will still burn if the package cannot dissipate what passes through it — check the watts as well as the ohms.

What is the difference between the Series capacitor calculator and the Series resistor calculator?

This one returns Total capacitance (µF); the Series resistor calculator returns Total resistance (Ω). That is the whole difference — open the one whose figure you need.

Is there a tool for the next step?

Capacitor energy calculator is the closest one after this: Compute the energy stored in a capacitor from its capacitance and voltage (E = ½CV²).

What else is worth having open alongside it?

Capacitor code calculator (decoder) and Parallel resistor calculator — they come up in the same task often enough to be worth a second tab.

Further reading

All guides →
ExplainerResistors in Series and in Parallel: The Formulas, and the Three Things They Do Not Tell YouSeries adds, parallel adds reciprocals — that part is easy. The parts that catch people: which member dominates the answer, why two 5 % resistors in parallel are still 5 %, and why the smallest resistor in a parallel pair takes the largest share of the power.ExplainerThe Voltage Divider: The Formula Is Trivial, the Assumption Behind It Is NotVout = Vin·R2/(R1+R2) is only true when nothing is connected to the output. Draw current and the voltage collapses, by an amount that follows one exact law. Here is that law, the ten-times rule checked against it, and why a lower-resistance divider costs you power forever.How-toHow to Calculate an LED Series ResistorSize the series resistor for any LED with one formula: R = (Vs − Vf) / I. Follow the steps, see a worked 5 V example, and pick the right resistor.ExplainerWhat Is Ohm's Law? V = I × R Explained SimplyOhm's law links voltage, current, and resistance with one equation: V = I × R. Learn the triangle trick and see worked examples.ExplainerWhat Is Voltage Drop? Why Long Wires Lose VoltageVoltage drop is the voltage lost along a wire due to its resistance. Learn how length, gauge, and current affect it, and why it matters for your circuits.ExplainerLux and Lumens: The Difference, and How to Convert Between ThemLumens are what a lamp emits; lux is what lands on a surface. You cannot convert one to the other without an area, or without a distance and a beam angle. Anything that offers you a bare conversion factor is selling you a fiction.