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How 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.
Worked examples and interpreting results
Power of 2.5 kW equals 2500 W. A watt is a joule per second, so constant power of 2500 W over ten seconds transfers energy of 25000 J.
| Case | Calculation | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Kilowatts to watts | 2.5 × 1000 | 2,500 W |
| Watts to megawatts | 2500 ÷ 1000000 | 0.0025 MW |
How to check the result
This calculator converts power units; energy needs power multiplied by a compatible duration. For changing power, use the appropriate time average. Mechanical and metric horsepower have different conversion factors.
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.