No recently used tools
No favorite tools yet

Free Power Converter - Watts, Kilowatts, Horsepower, BTU Online

853 uses
-
Conversion Result
-
Watt (W)
-
Kilowatt (kW)
-
Horsepower (hp)
-
BTU/h

Common Power Conversion Table

UnitIn WattsConversion
1 Megawatt (MW)1,000,0001 MW = 1,000 kW
1 Kilowatt (kW)1,0001 kW = 1,000 W
1 Watt (W)1Base unit = 1 J/s
1 Horsepower (hp)745.71 hp ≈ 0.746 kW
1 Metric Horsepower (PS)735.51 PS ≈ 0.736 kW
1 BTU/h0.2931 BTU/h ≈ 0.293 W
1 kcal/h1.1631 kcal/h ≈ 1.163 W
1 ft·lb/s1.3561 ft·lb/s ≈ 1.356 W

Power Conversion Tips

Horsepower
Cars often use horsepower (hp). Family cars: 100-200 hp. Sports cars: 500+ hp. 1 hp = 745.7 W = 0.746 kW.
Home Appliances
LED bulb: 5-20 W. TV: 50-200 W. Computer: 200-500 W. AC unit: 1,000-3,000 W. Water heater: 2,000-3,000 W.
Electricity Cost
1 kWh = 1 kilowatt-hour = 1 unit of electricity. A 1,000 W appliance running for 1 hour uses 1 kWh.
Origin of HP
1 horsepower is roughly the sustained power output of a horse. Mechanical hp = 745.7 W, metric PS = 735.5 W.
BTU Rating
BTU/h is common for HVAC in the US. 12,000 BTU/h = 1 ton of cooling = 3,517 W. Used for AC and heating ratings.
Power Generation
Home solar panel: 300-400 W. Wind turbine: 2-5 MW. Nuclear plant unit: 1,000 MW.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q Can I convert power ratings for heating and cooling systems?
A Absolutely. Many heating and cooling systems are rated in BTUs per hour (BTU/h). Our tool lets you convert those values directly into kilowatts (kW) or watts (W). For example, a 24,000 BTU/h air conditioner converts to approximately 7.03 kW. This makes it easy to compare different HVAC units or understand their energy usage.
Q Is there a difference between mechanical horsepower and electric horsepower?
A Yes, though most people don't realize it. Mechanical horsepower (hp) equals 745.7 watts, but electric horsepower (often used for motors) equals exactly 746 watts. That tiny 0.3-watt difference rarely matters in everyday use. However, if you're writing a technical report for an engineering class or specifying motor specs for industrial equipment, use the precise value. Our tool defaults to mechanical hp, but you can type 746 into the watts field to back-calculate electric hp.
Q Can I convert smaller units like milliwatts or microwatts?
A Absolutely — the tool handles milliwatts (mW) and microwatts (µW) too. A typical Bluetooth headset draws about 100 mW during playback. To convert 500 µW to watts, just type '500 µW' into any input field. The result shows 0.0005 W instantly. This is handy if you're comparing sensor specs or battery drain on tiny IoT devices. No need to search for a separate calculator.
Q Does 1 watt always equal 1 joule per second?
A Yes, always. That's the definition — 1 W = 1 J/s. But here's where people trip up: watts measure instantaneous power, while watt-hours measure total energy over time. Your 100 W light bulb uses 100 joules every second. Leave it on for 10 hours, and you've consumed 1 kWh (3.6 million joules). Our tool handles the conversion instantly. Just don't confuse power with energy; they're different beasts entirely.
Q Why does my 1500 W space heater only produce 5120 BTU/h of heat?
A That's actually correct — 1 watt equals about 3.412 BTU/h. Multiply 1500 by 3.412, and you get 5118 BTU/h. Manufacturers often round it to 5120. The conversion is based on physics, not marketing. If your heater claims way more BTU/h than that formula suggests, something's off. Use our tool to verify any heating device's specs. Just pick watts as input, type your number, and click BTU/h.
Q Can this converter handle values like 1.5 kW or 0.75 hp without rounding errors?
A Yes, it works with decimals and fractions exactly as you type them. Enter '1.5' in the kW field, and you'll get 1500 W or about 2.01 hp instantly. The tool uses 6 decimal places internally, so a 0.75 hp motor converts to 559.275 W — not some rounded 559 W. This matters when you're sizing a generator for your camper or matching an import motor to local wiring specs. Just paste raw numbers in; the tool won't smooth them out.
Q What's the difference between a kilowatt and a kilowatt-hour when I'm reading my electricity bill?
A This trips up almost everyone. A kilowatt (kW) measures how fast you're using power at any given moment. A kilowatt-hour (kWh) is the total energy consumed over time — it's what your utility company bills you for. Your oven might draw 3 kW while running, but over a 2-hour baking session, it consumes 6 kWh. On your bill, you're charged per kWh, typically around $0.15–$0.30 depending on your region. Our converter only handles power rates (kW, W, hp), not energy totals. So if you see a device rated in watts, divide by 1000 to get kW, then multiply by hours used to estimate kWh. That math beats guessing when you're budgeting for a new appliance.
Q My treadmill says it's 2.5 CHP, but I've also seen it listed as 1.9 kW. Which rating should I trust?
A Both are honest, just measured differently. CHP means continuous horsepower, a standard for treadmills that reflects sustained motor output. The 1.9 kW figure is the same power expressed in metric units, since 1 hp equals 0.746 kW. Multiply 2.5 by 0.746 and you get 1.865 kW, which manufacturers round to 1.9. When comparing treadmills, stick to one unit. Use this tool to convert every spec to kW, then judge motors fairly. Ignore peak horsepower numbers; they're marketing fluff.
Q Solar panel peak watts versus actual daily output
A Solar panel ratings confuse buyers constantly. A 400-watt panel only produces that peak output under laboratory conditions. Type 400 into the watts field here and convert it to kilowatts to plan your home array. Real weather rarely matches ideal testing standards. You'll usually see about 75 percent of the rated power on a clear afternoon.
Q Will my imported Japanese rice cooker fry on local power grids?
A Japanese appliances run on 100V, but power draw is what blows fuses. A 1200W rice cooker pulls the exact same wattage anywhere in the world. Type 1200 into our watts field and convert it to amps using local voltage to check your kitchen circuit. Don't plug high-draw heating elements into weak travel adapters.

How to Use the Power Converter

Related Tools