Series / Parallel Capacitor Calculator
Combine any number of capacitors in series or parallel in real time — note the direction is opposite to resistors.
What it does: Compute the total capacitance of several capacitors combined in series or parallel.
When to use it: When making up a capacitance value, raising the voltage rating, or building filter/decoupling combinations.
Compute the equivalent capacitance? of several capacitors.
MEANS The equivalent capacitance of these — capacitors is —.
Common cases pre-computed: browse series & parallel capacitor presets →
No history yet. Each calculation is automatically saved to this device.
How to use the series/parallel capacitor calculator
Choose the type → enter values → read the total capacitance.
- 01
Choose the connection type
Capacitors are the opposite of resistors: parallel capacitances add, series capacitances combine as the sum of reciprocals.
- 02
Enter each capacitance
Accepts
100n,2.2u,1uFforms. Click "+ Add capacitor" if you need more. - 03
Read the total capacitance
The result updates in real time; expand to see the steps.
Series / parallel cheat sheet (opposite of resistors!)
The series/parallel direction for capacitors is exactly reversed from resistors, which is easiest to get wrong.
| Connection | Formula | Result trend |
|---|---|---|
| Parallel | C = C₁ + C₂ + … | Total goes up (plate areas add) |
| Series | 1/C = 1/C₁ + 1/C₂ + … | Total goes down (< the smallest one) |
| Two in series | C = C₁·C₂ / (C₁+C₂) | Common shortcut |
Derived from C = Q/V and charge conservation.
Common questions, answered in 3 minutes
Why do capacitors in parallel get larger?
Parallel connection effectively adds the plate areas together, storing more charge, so the total capacitance is the sum of each — exactly the opposite of resistors.
What do two 100µF in series equal?
50µF. Two equal capacitors in series = half.
What are series capacitors actually good for?
They share the voltage (each takes part of it), often to raise the voltage rating; the cost is a lower total capacitance.
How do I handle a mixed network?
First combine each parallel/series group into a single equivalent value, then merge layer by layer — just use this tool a few times.
Standards and sources referenced by this tool
| Item | Value / Formula | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Parallel | C = ΣCᵢ | Charge superposition |
| Series | 1/C = Σ(1/Cᵢ) | Charge conservation |
Pure formula calculation, no external API.