Common power conversions
| From | To | Multiply by |
|---|---|---|
| kW | hp | 1.34102 |
| hp | kW | 0.745700 |
| kW | PS (metric hp) | 1.35962 |
| AC ton | BTU/h | 12,000 |
| AC ton | kW | 3.51685 |
Horsepower
There are two horsepowers. Mechanical horsepower (hp), used in the US and UK, is about 745.7 W. Metric horsepower (PS or cv), used by many European and Japanese car makers, is 735.5 W. A car rated at 100 kW is about 134 hp or 136 PS.
Air conditioner tons
An AC’s “ton” is a measure of cooling, not weight. One ton of refrigeration is 12,000 BTU per hour, or about 3.52 kW of cooling. So a 1.5 ton split AC cools at about 18,000 BTU/h (5.3 kW). The electricity it uses is much lower, often 1.3 to 2 kW, because an AC moves heat rather than making it; inverter models use less still.
Tips
- To estimate your bill, multiply the power in kW by the hours used to get kWh (units).
- For energy amounts such as kWh or kcal, use the energy converter.