Convert power units — watts, kilowatts, horsepower, BTU/hr.
| Unit | Name | Value |
|---|---|---|
| kW | Kilowatt | 0.001 |
| MW | Megawatt | 0.000001 |
| hp | Horsepower (mech) | 0.0013410219 |
| BTU/hr | BTU/hr | 3.4121425 |
Formula: BTU/hr = Watt × 3.412
Multiply any watt value by 3.412 to get btu/hr.
Reverse: Watt = BTU/hr × 0.2931
Common watt values — factor: 1 W = 3.412 BTU/hr
| Watt (W) | BTU/hr (BTU/hr) | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 0.1 W | 0.3412 BTU/hr | LED night light |
| 1 W | 3.412 BTU/hr | Phone charger standby |
| 5 W | 17.06 BTU/hr | USB charger |
| 10 W | 34.12 BTU/hr | LED bulb |
| 60 W | 204.7 BTU/hr | Old incandescent bulb |
| 100 W | 341.2 BTU/hr | Laptop |
| 500 W | 1,706 BTU/hr | Small microwave |
| 750 W | 2,559 BTU/hr | 1 hp motor |
| 1,000 W | 3,412 BTU/hr | 1 kW / electric kettle |
| 2,000 W | 6,824 BTU/hr | 2 kW fan heater |
| 5,000 W | 1.706e+04 BTU/hr | 5 kW shower |
| 1e+04 W | 3.412e+04 BTU/hr | 10 kW home system |
| 100,000 W | 341,200 BTU/hr | 100 kW EV charger |
| 1,000,000 W | 3,412,000 BTU/hr | 1 MW turbine |
| 1.000e+09 W | 3.412e+09 BTU/hr | 1 GW plant |
1 W = 3.412 BTU/hr. Memorize for instant estimates.
Use 3.412 as a quick mental multiplier.
Multiply result by 0.2931 to recover the original W value.
Calculates power dissipation, heat generation, and efficiency in watts.
Specifies lamp wattage for photometric calculations and energy comparisons.
Uses watts as the SI power unit in energy, work, and thermodynamics lessons.
Verifies device power ratings meet regulatory limits expressed in watts.
Measures server and rack power consumption in watts for cooling calculations.
Tracks appliance consumption in watts using smart plugs and energy monitors.
The watt (W) is the SI unit of power, defined as one joule per second. It was named after James Watt, the Scottish inventor whose improvements to the steam engine in the 1760s–1780s powered the Industrial Revolution. The unit was officially adopted by the Second Congress of the British Association for the Advancement of Science in 1882.
Watts define the power consumption of all electrical devices: a phone charger draws 5–20W, a laptop 30–65W, a microwave 800–1200W. Electrical utility systems worldwide are rated and billed based on watts and kilowatts.
Interesting fact: James Watt himself coined the term 'horsepower' to market his steam engines to mine owners — he defined it as the power needed to lift 33,000 pounds one foot in one minute. The watt was named in his honor a century after his death.
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.
Converting watt to btu/hr 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 W = 17.06 BTU/hr and 10 W = 34.12 BTU/hr. Reverse: 1 BTU/hr = 0.2931 W. Exact factor: 1 W = 3.412 BTU/hr.
All conversions use IEEE 754 double-precision arithmetic, accurate to at least 8 significant figures.