Convert power units — watts, kilowatts, horsepower, BTU/hr.
| Unit | Name | Value |
|---|---|---|
| W | Watt | 0.293071 |
| kW | Kilowatt | 0.000293071 |
| MW | Megawatt | 2.93071e-7 |
| hp | Horsepower (mech) | 0.00039301462 |
Formula: Kilowatt = BTU/hr × 0.0002931
Multiply any btu/hr value by 0.0002931 to get kilowatt.
Reverse: BTU/hr = Kilowatt × 3412
Common btu/hr values — factor: 1 BTU/hr = 0.0002931 kW
| BTU/hr (BTU/hr) | Kilowatt (kW) | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 100 BTU/hr | 0.02931 kW | Small heater element |
| 500 BTU/hr | 0.1465 kW | Hair dryer low |
| 1,000 BTU/hr | 0.2931 kW | Small space heater |
| 3,412 BTU/hr | 1 kW | 1 kW equivalent |
| 5,000 BTU/hr | 1.465 kW | Small window AC |
| 1e+04 BTU/hr | 2.931 kW | Medium window AC |
| 1.2e+04 BTU/hr | 3.517 kW | 1 ton AC |
| 1.8e+04 BTU/hr | 5.275 kW | 1.5 ton AC |
| 2.4e+04 BTU/hr | 7.034 kW | 2 ton AC |
| 3.6e+04 BTU/hr | 10.55 kW | 3 ton AC |
| 6e+04 BTU/hr | 17.58 kW | 5 ton central AC |
| 100,000 BTU/hr | 29.31 kW | Home furnace |
| 500,000 BTU/hr | 146.5 kW | Commercial HVAC |
| 1,000,000 BTU/hr | 293.1 kW | Large industrial |
| 1.000e+09 BTU/hr | 293,100 kW | Power plant |
BTU/hr ÷ 3,412 = kW.
12,000 BTU/hr = 3.517 kW = 1 ton of cooling.
kW × 3,412 = BTU/hr.
Sizes residential and commercial heating and cooling systems in BTU/hr.
Interprets AC unit capacity — '12,000 BTU/hr = 1 ton' for room sizing.
Verifies furnace and AC output ratings in BTU/hr meet local building codes.
Rates boiler output and heat exchanger capacity in BTU/hr.
Calculates heating and cooling loads for buildings in BTU/hr for ASHRAE compliance.
Selects gas appliances, furnaces, and water heaters rated in BTU/hr.
BTU/hr (British Thermal Units per hour) is the Imperial unit of power used in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC). One BTU is the heat needed to raise 1 pound of water by 1°F; divided by an hour gives a power rate equal to 0.293071 watts.
HVAC equipment is universally rated in BTU/hr in the United States: window air conditioners range from 5,000 to 25,000 BTU/hr; central AC systems from 18,000 to 60,000 BTU/hr. Natural gas furnaces are rated in BTU/hr output.
Interesting fact: 12,000 BTU/hr = 1 'ton of refrigeration' — the cooling power needed to melt one ton of ice in 24 hours. This legacy unit still defines residential AC capacity in the US, where a 'one-ton' unit is a 12,000 BTU/hr air conditioner.
The kilowatt (kW) equals 1,000 watts and is the practical power unit for household appliances, electric vehicles, and small engines. It became the standard billing unit for electricity with the growth of the electrical grid in the late 19th century.
Household power consumption is measured in kilowatts: a typical home draws 1–3 kW on average, peaking at 5–10 kW. Electric vehicle motors are rated in kW: a Tesla Model 3 delivers about 200–350 kW peak. Solar panel systems are sized in kilowatts.
Interesting fact: 1 kW = 1.341 horsepower. A Tour de France cyclist can sustain about 0.4 kW for hours; peak sprints reach 1.5–2 kW. The average human metabolic rate at rest is about 0.08 kW (80 watts).
Converting btu/hr to kilowatt is common across electrical engineering, automotive, and HVAC industries. Different sectors use different power units — watts and kilowatts in electrical systems, horsepower in automotive and industrial machinery, and BTU/hr in heating and cooling — making accurate conversion essential for international equipment specifications and cross-disciplinary engineering.
Quick reference: 5 BTU/hr = 0.001465 kW and 10 BTU/hr = 0.002931 kW. Reverse: 1 kW = 3412 BTU/hr. Exact factor: 1 BTU/hr = 0.0002931 kW.
All conversions use IEEE 754 double-precision arithmetic, accurate to at least 8 significant figures.