MihsabaHow to use
The power converter translates units that describe the rate of energy transfer. It uses the watt as a common base and explicitly separates mechanical horsepower from metric horsepower, and BTU energy from BTU per hour power. This avoids common specification mistakes in motors and HVAC.
- Enter the power value and choose the source unit.
- Select a target unit; horsepower variants and thermal-rate units are labeled separately.
- Calculate to see the target plus equivalents in watts, kilowatts, mechanical horsepower and BTU/hour.
How it is calculated
Example
Example: 1 kilowatt = 1,000 watts ≈ 1.34102 mechanical horsepower ≈ 3,412.14 BTU/hour. Metric horsepower is slightly smaller: 1 PS/CV = 735.49875 watts.
Important notes
kW is power while kWh is energy, so they cannot be converted without a time interval. VA and kVA are apparent power and do not have a fixed conversion to watts without information such as power factor, so they are intentionally excluded as fixed-factor units. Tons of refrigeration and BTU/h describe thermal rate, not necessarily electrical input draw.
Frequently asked questions
Is mechanical hp the same as metric horsepower?
No. Mechanical hp is about 745.6999 W, while metric PS/CV is 735.49875 W.
Does 12,000 BTU/h mean an air conditioner consumes 3.5 kW electrically?
No. It is roughly 3.517 kW of thermal cooling rate, not necessarily the unit’s electrical input power.
Can I convert kVA to kW here?
Not with a fixed factor. Power factor and circuit information are required, so kVA is not treated as a fixed watt equivalent.
Is this calculator free?
Yes. It is free to use and requires no account.