Understanding Power Conversions

Power conversion between watts and BTU/h is crucial in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, where equipment specifications often use different units. Watts represent electrical power, while BTU/h measures thermal energy transfer per hour.

Conversion Formula

The exact conversion factor is 1 watt = 3.412142 BTU per hour. This means:

BTU/h = Watts × 3.412142

Common Examples

1500W electric heater = 5,118 BTU/h
5 kW AC unit = 17,061 BTU/h
10 MW power plant = 34,121,420 BTU/h

Reference Table

Watts (W)	BTU/h
100	341.21
500	1,706.07
1000	3,412.14
5000	17,060.71

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are there different BTU definitions?

The International Table BTU (IT) is most common, but some industries use slightly different values. This converter uses the standard IT definition where 1 BTU = 1,055.05585262 joules.

Is the conversion factor exact?

Yes, 1 watt = 3.412142 BTU/h is an exact conversion based on the standardized definition of both units.

When should I use kBTU/h instead of BTU/h?

For larger systems like commercial HVAC or power plants, kBTU/h (thousands of BTU/h) provides more manageable numbers without many decimal places.

Watts to BTU per Hour Converter

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Watts to BTU per Hour Converter

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