What this converter does
This converter turns thermal and mechanical power between BTU per hour, kilowatts, watts, tons of refrigeration, horsepower and megawatts — instantly and with exact factors. Type a value, pick the units, and the answer updates as you type. Built for HVAC and heat loads.
One kilowatt equals about 3412 BTU/hr, and one ton of refrigeration is 12,000 BTU/hr or about 3.517 kW. For electrical motor ratings instead, see the kW to HP converter.
The units it covers
Every unit measures power, so each converts through the watt with a fixed ratio.
View all units & their values
| Unit | Symbol | Value | Mainly used |
|---|---|---|---|
| BTU per hour | BTU/hr | 0.29307 | HVAC heat load, US heating |
| Kilowatt | kW | 1000 | SI power — most equipment |
| Watt | W | 1 | SI base unit of power |
| Ton of refrigeration | TR | 3516.85 | Chillers, air conditioning |
| Horsepower (mechanical) | hp | 745.7 | Engines, pumps, compressors |
| Megawatt | MW | 1000000 | Plant, large systems |
The formula
Each unit has a fixed value in watts, so any conversion goes through the watt once:
result = value × factor_from ÷ factor_toWhere:
- value = the number you typed, in the “from” unit
- factor_from = the “from” unit’s value in watts
- factor_to = the “to” unit’s value in watts
Worked example
Convert 12,000 BTU/hr to kilowatts.
1 BTU/hr = 0.29307107 W12000 × 0.29307 ÷ 1000 = 3.517 kWSo 12,000 BTU/hr — one ton of refrigeration — is about 3.52 kW.
The units in this example
A thermal power unit — British thermal units per hour. Standard for HVAC heating and cooling loads in the United States.
- 1 BTU/hr ≈ 0.29307 W
- 3412 BTU/hr ≈ 1 kW
- 12,000 BTU/hr = 1 TR
- 1 BTU/hr ≈ 0.000393 hp
The SI unit of power — one thousand watts. Standard for most equipment and the metric measure of heating and cooling capacity.
- 1 kW ≈ 3412.1 BTU/hr
- 1 kW ≈ 0.2843 TR
- 1 kW ≈ 1.341 hp
- 1 kW = 1,000 W