⚡ Watt Converter
Convert power units
How to Use This Calculator
Enter Power in Watts
Input the power value in Watts (W). This is the power you want to convert to other units. For example, a light bulb might be 60 W, a car engine 100,000 W (100 kW), or a household appliance 1500 W.
Click Convert
Press the "Convert" button to convert the power value to multiple units simultaneously. The calculator will display conversions to horsepower, kilowatts, BTU per hour, calories per second, and megawatts.
Review All Conversions
Review the converted values in all units. The calculator provides conversions to: horsepower (hp), kilowatts (kW), BTU per hour (BTU/h), calories per second (cal/s), and megawatts (MW).
Use the Results
Use the converted values for your specific needs. Different industries use different units—automotive uses horsepower, electrical uses kilowatts, heating uses BTU/hour, and large-scale power uses megawatts.
About Watt Converter
The Watt Converter converts power values from Watts to multiple units including horsepower, kilowatts, BTU per hour, calories per second, and megawatts. This tool is essential for engineers, technicians, and anyone working with power measurements across different industries and applications. Power is the rate at which energy is transferred or converted, and different fields use different units to express it.
When to Use This Calculator
- Engineering Calculations: Convert between power units in engineering projects
- Automotive Applications: Convert engine power from watts to horsepower
- HVAC Design: Convert electrical power to BTU/hour for heating and cooling calculations
- Electrical Work: Convert between watts and kilowatts for electrical systems
- International Standards: Convert between metric and imperial power units
Why Use Our Calculator?
- ✅ Multiple Units: Converts to 5 different power units simultaneously
- ✅ Accurate Conversions: Uses standard conversion factors
- ✅ Instant Results: Get all conversions immediately
- ✅ Easy to Use: Simple interface with one input
- ✅ Free to Use: No registration or payment required
Understanding Power Units
Power is measured in Watts (W) in the metric system, where 1 Watt = 1 Joule per second. Different industries use different units: horsepower (hp) for automotive and mechanical power (1 hp ≈ 746 W), kilowatts (kW) for electrical power (1 kW = 1000 W), BTU per hour for heating/cooling (1 W ≈ 3.412 BTU/h), calories per second for thermal power (1 W ≈ 0.239 cal/s), and megawatts (MW) for large-scale power (1 MW = 1,000,000 W). Understanding these conversions is essential for working across different fields and international standards.
Conversion Formulas
From Watts (W) to other units:
Conversion Factors:
- Horsepower (hp): 1 W = 0.001341 hp (or 1 hp = 745.7 W)
- Kilowatts (kW): 1 W = 0.001 kW (or 1 kW = 1000 W)
- BTU per hour (BTU/h): 1 W = 3.412 BTU/h
- Calories per second (cal/s): 1 W = 0.239 cal/s
- Megawatts (MW): 1 W = 0.000001 MW (or 1 MW = 1,000,000 W)
Example Conversions:
For 1000 W (1 kilowatt):
hp = 1000 × 0.001341 = 1.341 hp
kW = 1000 / 1000 = 1 kW
BTU/h = 1000 × 3.412 = 3,412 BTU/h
cal/s = 1000 × 0.239 = 239 cal/s
MW = 1000 / 1,000,000 = 0.001 MW
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Watt and how is it defined?
A Watt (W) is the SI unit of power, defined as 1 Joule per second (1 W = 1 J/s). It measures the rate of energy transfer or conversion. For example, a 100 W light bulb uses 100 Joules of energy every second. Watts are commonly used in electrical and mechanical systems to measure power consumption or output.
How do I convert Watts to Horsepower?
To convert Watts to Horsepower, multiply by 0.001341 (or divide by 745.7). For example, 746 W = 1 hp, 1492 W = 2 hp, and 1000 W = 1.341 hp. Horsepower is commonly used in automotive and mechanical applications. Note: There are different definitions of horsepower (mechanical, metric, electrical), but the calculator uses the standard mechanical horsepower (745.7 W).
What's the difference between Watts and Kilowatts?
Kilowatts (kW) are simply 1000 Watts (1 kW = 1000 W). Kilowatts are used for larger power values—household appliances are measured in watts (60-1500 W), while larger systems like electrical grids, car engines, or industrial equipment are measured in kilowatts or megawatts. For example, a typical car engine might produce 100-200 kW.
Why convert to BTU per hour?
BTU (British Thermal Unit) per hour is commonly used in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. If you're working with heating or cooling equipment, you'll often need to convert electrical power (Watts) to thermal power (BTU/h). This helps size heating/cooling systems and understand energy consumption for climate control. 1 W ≈ 3.412 BTU/h.
What are typical power values in different units?
Typical power values: a light bulb 60 W (0.08 hp, 0.06 kW), a laptop 50-100 W (0.07-0.13 hp), a hair dryer 1500 W (2 hp, 1.5 kW), a car engine 100,000 W (134 hp, 100 kW), a small power plant 1,000,000 W (1340 hp, 1 MW, 3.4 million BTU/h). The calculator helps you convert between all these units easily.