What is Power Converter?
A power converter is a tool that instantly converts between different units of power including watts, kilowatts, megawatts, horsepower, metric horsepower, and BTU per hour. Whether you are comparing engine output, evaluating electrical appliances, sizing HVAC systems, or working with renewable energy, this converter provides accurate power conversions across all standard units.
Steps:
- Enter the power value you want to convert in the input field.
- Select the source unit (the unit you are converting from).
- Select the target unit (the unit you want to convert to).
- The converted result appears instantly along with the formula used.
- Export the result as PDF, Excel, or CSV if needed.
Formula
Power conversion factors (base unit: Watt):
1 Watt (W) = 1 W
1 Kilowatt (kW) = 1,000 W
1 Megawatt (MW) = 1,000,000 W
1 Horsepower (hp) = 745.7 W
1 Metric HP (PS) = 735.499 W
1 BTU/hr = 0.293071 W
Use Cases
- HVAC sizing: converting between BTU/hr and kilowatts for heating and cooling systems.
- Automotive: comparing engine power output in hp, PS, and kilowatts.
- Electrical: converting between watts and kilowatts for appliance energy ratings.
- Renewable energy: sizing solar panels and wind turbines in watts or kilowatts.
Key Benefits
- Convert instantly between watts, horsepower, kilowatts, and BTU/hr.
- Get precise power calculations for engineering, automotive, and everyday use.
- Switch effortlessly between metric and imperial power units.
Pro Tips
- Use kilowatts (kW) for electrical power ratings — it is the international standard.
- Remember that 1 hp ≈ 746 W ≈ 0.746 kW ≈ 2,545 BTU/hr.
- For HVAC systems, BTU/hr is common in the US while kW is used internationally.
- When comparing motors, convert all values to the same unit before deciding.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Confusing power (watts) with energy (watt-hours) — power is the rate, energy is the total.
- Mixing up mechanical HP (745.7 W) with metric HP (735.5 W) — they differ by about 1.4%.
- Forgetting that kilowatts and horsepower measure the same thing in different units.
Key Terms Explained
- Watt: The SI unit of power, equal to one joule per second
- Horsepower: A unit of power originally defined as the work a horse can do, now standardized at 745.7 watts
- Kilowatt: Equal to 1,000 watts, commonly used for electrical power ratings
- BTU/hr: British Thermal Units per hour, used to rate heating and cooling capacity
Example
Converting 100 hp to kilowatts: 100 × 745.7 = 74,570 W = 74.57 kW. Converting 5 kW to BTU/hr: 5,000 × 3.412 = 17,060 BTU/hr. Converting 1,000 W to metric HP: 1,000 ÷ 735.499 = 1.36 PS.