Enter your capacitor values and units for up to four capacitors, and this Capacitors in Series Calculator finds your total series capacitance — always smaller than any single capacitor in the chain. You'll also see the smallest individual capacitor and exactly how much the series total is reduced compared to it.
Total Series Capacitance
--
Smallest Individual Capacitor
--
Reduction vs Smallest
--
When capacitors are connected in series, they share the same charge but divide the voltage between them. The total capacitance is always smaller than the smallest individual capacitor value.
The formula is 1/C_total = 1/C1 + 1/C2 + 1/C3 + ... where C_total is the total capacitance and C1, C2, C3 are individual capacitor values.
In series connection, capacitors share the same charge but voltage divides among them. Since C = Q/V and Q is constant, higher voltage division results in lower total capacitance.
In series, capacitors share charge and total capacitance decreases. In parallel, capacitors share voltage and total capacitance equals the sum of individual values.
Yes, you can mix different units (μF, nF, pF, etc.) in series. The calculator automatically converts all values to the same unit for accurate calculation.
In series connection, the applied voltage divides across capacitors inversely proportional to their capacitance values. Smaller capacitors get higher voltage drops.
Theoretically unlimited, but this calculator supports up to 10 capacitors. For more than 10, calculate in groups and then combine the results.