The capacitor on a tattoo machine is much more important than most people realize. Primarily, the capacitor reduces the spark at the contact point. That is the easiest way to tell if the capacitor on a machine needs to be replaced. If the capacitor is non-functional there will be a large, bright spark at the contact point when the machine is running. Choosing the right capacitor for a machine depends on how you want your machine to run. Capacitors with smaller microfarad ratings will result in faster machine speeds with higher duty cycle readings. Capacitors with larger microfarad ratings will make a machine run slower with lower duty cycle readings. The general rule of thumb is: smaller capacitors for liners, larger capacitors for shaders and coloring machines.
