Capacitor Circuit Symbols

Circuit symbols for the various forms of capacitor: polarised or polar; non-polarised or non polar; variable, etc.

Ciircuits, Diagrams & Symbols Includes:
Circuit symbols overview Resistors Capacitors Inductors, coils, chokes & transformers Diodes Bipolar transistors Field effect transistors Wires, switches & connectors Analogue & functional circuit blocks Logic

Like resistors, capacitors are also widely used. Not only do capacitors serve as coupling elements within circuits, or form the resonant element on an oscillator or filter, etc, but possibly capacitors are most widely used for decoupling.

Capacitors are normally placed at regular intervals on the power lines on printed circuits boards, PCBs to ensure that the power rails remain clean and free from spikes and other unwanted signals.When designing printed circuit board, PCB it is normally good practice to include decoupling capacitors are regular intervals on the PCB.

In view of all these uses, capacitors of all types are used within circuit diagrams or schematics and capacitor circuit symbols are seen on virtually all circuit diagrams.

There are several different types of capacitor circuit symbols that are seen and can be used.

Capacitor circuit symbols
Capacitor Type	Circuit Symbol
Fixed capacitor (non polarised)
Variable capacitor (operator adjustable)
Variable capacitor (preset)
Capacitor polarised tyically electrolytic or tantalum (+ sign often omitted)
Capacitor polarised (USA version)