Power Converter — watts to horsepower, horsepower to watts, kW to HP, HP to kW
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Power Conversions — watts to horsepower, horsepower to watts, kW to HP, HP to kW

Quick power conversions commonly used for engines, motors, electrical systems and mechanical applications. Convert watts to horsepower, horsepower to watts, kW to HP, HP to kW, BTU/hr to watts, foot-pounds per minute to watts and more.

Unit descriptions

Watts (W)

The SI unit of power. 1 watt = 1 joule per second. Used for electrical appliances, light bulbs, and small motors.

Mechanical Horsepower (hp(I))

The imperial horsepower used in the US and UK. 1 hp = 745.69987158227 W. Originally based on the power of a workhorse.

Metric Horsepower (PS)

Used in Europe and Asia. 1 PS = 735.49875 W. Slightly smaller than mechanical horsepower. Common in automotive specifications.

Kilowatts (kW)

Common unit for electrical power and larger motors. 1 kW = 1,000 W = approximately 1.34 mechanical horsepower.

BTU per hour (BTU/hr)

Common in heating and cooling systems. 1 BTU/hr ≈ 0.29307107 W. Used for air conditioners, furnaces, and heaters.

Browse Power Conversions

Watts Horsepower Kilowatts Metric HP BTU/hr ft·lb/min Megawatts

Power Conversion Tables

1 watt (W)
= 0.0013410221 hp(I) · = 0.0013596216 PS · = 3.4121416331 BTU/hr
1 mechanical hp (hp(I))
= 745.69987158227 W · = 1.0138696654 PS · = 2,544.433577644 BTU/hr
1 metric hp (PS)
= 735.49875 W · = 0.9863200706 hp(I) · = 2,509.626201878 BTU/hr
1 kilowatt (kW)
= 1,000 W · = 1.3410220896 hp(I) · = 3,412.1416331 BTU/hr
1 BTU per hour
= 0.2930710702 W · = 0.0003930148 hp(I) · = 12.9694877 ft·lb/min
1 ft·lb per minute
= 0.0225969658 W · = 0.0000303030 hp(I) · = 0.0771040478 BTU/hr
1 megawatt (MW)
= 1,000,000 W · = 1,341.0220896 hp(I) · = 3,412,141.6331 BTU/hr

Common Power Conversions

Standard light bulb
60 W = 0.0805 hp = 204.7 BTU/hr
Hair dryer
1,500 W = 2.01 hp = 5,118 BTU/hr
Typical car engine
150 hp = 111,855 W = 381,665 BTU/hr
Window AC unit
5,000 BTU/hr = 1,465 W = 1.96 hp
Electric vehicle motor
200 kW = 268 hp = 682,428 BTU/hr
Wind turbine
2 MW = 2,682 hp = 6.8 million BTU/hr

Different Horsepower Types

Mechanical horsepower (hp(I))
Used in US/UK · 1 hp = 550 ft·lb/s · = 745.7 W
Metric horsepower (PS, cv)
Used in Europe/Asia · 1 PS = 75 kgf·m/s · = 735.5 W
Electrical horsepower
Used for electric motors · 1 hp = 746 W
Boiler horsepower
Used for boilers · 1 hp = 9,809.5 W

Power in Different Applications

Automotive
Horsepower (hp or PS) for engine power
Electrical
Watts (W) and kilowatts (kW) for appliances
HVAC
BTU per hour for heating/cooling capacity
Industrial
Horsepower for motors, kilowatts for generators

Important: There are several types of horsepower. Mechanical horsepower (hp(I)) is most common in the US. Metric horsepower (PS, cv, ch) is used in Europe and Asia. Always specify which type when converting.

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