kW, HP, BTU Unit Converter
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Common conversions
The tables below list the values looked up most often. For any other value, use the converter above.
Btu/h to horsepower, kW and tons
1 hp = 2,544.43 Btu/h, so divide Btu/h by 2,544.43 to get horsepower.
| Btu/h | Horsepower (hp) | Kilowatts (kW) | Tons of refrigeration |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5,000 | 1.97 | 1.47 | 0.42 |
| 6,000 | 2.36 | 1.76 | 0.50 |
| 8,000 | 3.14 | 2.34 | 0.67 |
| 9,000 | 3.54 | 2.64 | 0.75 |
| 10,000 | 3.93 | 2.93 | 0.83 |
| 12,000 | 4.72 | 3.52 | 1.00 |
| 15,000 | 5.90 | 4.40 | 1.25 |
| 18,000 | 7.07 | 5.28 | 1.50 |
| 18,500 | 7.27 | 5.42 | 1.54 |
| 24,000 | 9.43 | 7.03 | 2.00 |
| 25,000 | 9.83 | 7.33 | 2.08 |
| 30,000 | 11.79 | 8.79 | 2.50 |
| 36,000 | 14.15 | 10.55 | 3.00 |
| 48,000 | 18.86 | 14.07 | 4.00 |
| 60,000 | 23.58 | 17.58 | 5.00 |
kW to horsepower and Btu/h
1 kW = 1.341 hp = 3,412.14 Btu/h.
| Kilowatts (kW) | Horsepower (hp) | Btu/h | Tons of refrigeration |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.5 | 0.67 | 1,706 | 0.14 |
| 1 | 1.34 | 3,412 | 0.28 |
| 1.5 | 2.01 | 5,118 | 0.43 |
| 2 | 2.68 | 6,824 | 0.57 |
| 3 | 4.02 | 10,236 | 0.85 |
| 5 | 6.71 | 17,061 | 1.42 |
| 7.5 | 10.06 | 25,591 | 2.13 |
| 10 | 13.41 | 34,121 | 2.84 |
| 15 | 20.12 | 51,182 | 4.27 |
| 20 | 26.82 | 68,243 | 5.69 |
| 25 | 33.53 | 85,304 | 7.11 |
Horsepower to kW and Btu/h
1 hp = 0.7457 kW = 2,544.43 Btu/h.
| Horsepower (hp) | Kilowatts (kW) | Btu/h | Tons of refrigeration |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.5 | 0.37 | 1,272 | 0.11 |
| 1 | 0.75 | 2,544 | 0.21 |
| 1.5 | 1.12 | 3,817 | 0.32 |
| 2 | 1.49 | 5,089 | 0.42 |
| 3 | 2.24 | 7,633 | 0.64 |
| 5 | 3.73 | 12,722 | 1.06 |
| 7.5 | 5.59 | 19,083 | 1.59 |
| 10 | 7.46 | 25,444 | 2.12 |
| 15 | 11.19 | 38,167 | 3.18 |
| 20 | 14.91 | 50,889 | 4.24 |
| 25 | 18.64 | 63,611 | 5.30 |
These are unit conversions of power. The horsepower on an air conditioner's nameplate is the electrical input to its motor, not its cooling capacity, so a unit's cooling Btu/h does not convert to its nameplate horsepower this way.
Methodology
This calculator converts between the common units of power, or energy rate, used in HVAC design, mechanical engineering and energy analysis. All conversions use the standard constants given in the ASHRAE Handbook—Fundamentals (2025), by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and by NIST.
Conversion formulas
| From 1 Btu/h, multiply by | To get | Formula |
|---|---|---|
| 778.169 | foot pound-force per hour | Pft·lbf/h = 778.169 × PBtu/h |
| 778.169 | pound-foot per hour (the same unit as ft·lbf/h) | Plb·ft/h = 778.169 × PBtu/h |
| 0.000293071 | kilowatts | PkW = 0.000293071 × PBtu/h |
| 0.293071 | watts | PW = 0.293071 × PBtu/h |
| 1/1,000 | MBH | PMBH = PBtu/h / 1,000 |
| 1/12,000 | tons of refrigeration | Pton = PBtu/h / 12,000 |
| 1/2,544.43 | horsepower | Php = PBtu/h / 2,544.43 |
Worked example
Convert 900 Btu/h to the other units:
- PkW = 900 × 0.000293071 = 0.2638 kW
- Php = 900 / 2,544.43 = 0.3537 hp
- Pton = 900 / 12,000 = 0.075 tons of refrigeration
- PW = 900 × 0.293071 = 263.76 W
- PMBH = 900 / 1,000 = 0.90 MBH
These conversions match standard HVAC reference tables and can be cross-checked in the ASHRAE Handbook—Fundamentals, in the Units and Conversions chapter.
References
- ASHRAE Handbook—Fundamentals (2025), the Units and Conversions chapter
- U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Units and Conversions Fact Sheet
- NIST SP 811, Guide for the Use of the International System of Units (SI)
Results are intended for preliminary engineering estimates. Adicot, Inc. makes no guarantee of accuracy for design or code-compliance documentation.