Power Converter
Convert between watts, horsepower, BTU/h, and 20+ other power units with precision
Convert Power Units
Enter the power value to convert
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Conversion Results
SI Base & Multiples
Horsepower Units
Energy/Time Units
Base unit: Watt (W) = 1 joule per second
Common reference: 1 mechanical horsepower ≈ 745.7 watts
Note: Scientific notation used for very large or small values
Power Scale Reference
Common Power Conversions
Household Items
LED bulb: 8-12 watts
Laptop: 50-100 watts
Microwave: 800-1200 watts
Hair dryer: 1000-1800 watts
Electric kettle: 1500-3000 watts
Automotive
Small car: 50-100 horsepower
Sports car: 300-500 horsepower
Motorcycle: 20-200 horsepower
Truck engine: 200-600 horsepower
HVAC Systems
Small AC unit: 5,000-10,000 BTU/h
Central AC: 20,000-60,000 BTU/h
Heat pump: 15,000-50,000 BTU/h
1 ton refrigeration: 12,000 BTU/h
Industrial Scale
Small factory: 100-500 kW
Large factory: 1-10 MW
Small power plant: 10-100 MW
Large power plant: 500-1500 MW
Power Unit Categories
SI Units
Watts and its metric multiples (mW, kW, MW, GW, etc.)
Horsepower
5 types: Mechanical, Metric, Electric, Air, and Boiler
Energy/Time
BTU/h, calories/time, refrigeration tons
Quick Reference
Power Conversion Tips
Power = Energy ÷ Time (P = E/t)
1 Watt = 1 Joule per second
Horsepower was created to compare engines to horses
BTU/h is common in HVAC applications
Understanding Power Units
What is Power?
Power is the rate at which energy is transferred, used, or transformed. It measures how quickly work is done or energy is consumed. The SI base unit is the watt (W), defined as one joule per second.
Horsepower History
- •Mechanical HP: Defined by James Watt (33,000 ft·lbf/min)
- •Metric HP: Power to lift 75 kg by 1 meter in 1 second
- •Electric HP: Exactly 746 watts
- •Boiler HP: Based on steam generation capability
Power Scale Examples
From Tiny to Massive
Picowatts: Radio receivers, medical instruments
Milliwatts: Hearing aids, laser pointers
Watts: Light bulbs, small appliances
Kilowatts: Household appliances, small motors
Megawatts: Large motors, server farms
Gigawatts: Power plants, electrical grids
Terawatts: Global human power consumption
Fun Fact: A human can sustain about 0.1 horsepower (75 watts) for extended work, but peak output can reach 1.2 horsepower for short periods!