Parallel Capacitor Calculator
Calculate total capacitance for capacitors connected in parallel using C_total = C₁ + C₂ + C₃ + ...
Capacitor Configuration
Total Capacitance Results
Formula: C_total = C₁ + C₂ + C₃ + ... (for parallel capacitors)
Example Calculation
Power Supply Filter Example
Circuit: Three capacitors in parallel for power supply filtering
C₁: 1000 μF (main filter capacitor)
C₂: 100 μF (secondary filter)
C₃: 10 μF (high-frequency bypass)
Calculation
C_total = C₁ + C₂ + C₃
C_total = 1000 μF + 100 μF + 10 μF
C_total = 1110 μF
Parallel vs Series
Parallel Capacitors
C_total = C₁ + C₂ + C₃ + ...
Total capacitance increases
Series Capacitors
1/C_total = 1/C₁ + 1/C₂ + 1/C₃ + ...
Total capacitance decreases
Capacitance Units
Parallel Capacitor Tips
Parallel capacitors add together (like resistors in series)
All capacitors have the same voltage across them
Total charge is the sum of individual charges
Parallel connection increases total capacitance
Used to increase energy storage or filtering capacity
Understanding Parallel Capacitors
What are Parallel Capacitors?
Parallel capacitors are capacitors connected side by side in a circuit, where each capacitor has the same voltage across its terminals. The total capacitance is the sum of all individual capacitances: C_total = C₁ + C₂ + C₃ + ...
Key Characteristics
- •Same voltage across all capacitors (V₁ = V₂ = V₃ = V_source)
- •Total charge is sum of individual charges (Q_total = Q₁ + Q₂ + Q₃)
- •Equivalent capacitance increases
- •Higher energy storage capacity
Mathematical Derivation
Q₁ = V × C₁
Q₂ = V × C₂
Q₃ = V × C₃
Q_total = Q₁ + Q₂ + Q₃
Q_total = V × C₁ + V × C₂ + V × C₃
Q_total = V × (C₁ + C₂ + C₃)
C_total = C₁ + C₂ + C₃
Common Applications
- •Power supply filtering and smoothing
- •Energy storage systems
- •Motor start capacitor banks
- •Decoupling and bypass circuits