Power Converter
Convert between watts, kilowatts, megawatts, horsepower, and BTU per hour instantly.
Conversions run instantly in your browser — nothing is uploaded or stored.
About This Power Converter
Power describes how quickly work is done or energy is transferred. This tool switches between six units used across electrical, mechanical, and HVAC specifications: watts, kilowatts, megawatts, mechanical horsepower, metric horsepower, and BTU per hour. It's commonly used to compare an engine or motor's horsepower rating against an electric equivalent in kilowatts, check appliance wattage, or translate HVAC capacity figures between BTU/h and watts.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many watts are in one horsepower?
One mechanical horsepower equals 745.7 watts. It's often rounded to 746 watts on motor nameplates and spec sheets, so small differences between the two figures are normal and not an error.
What's the difference between mechanical and metric horsepower?
Mechanical (imperial) horsepower equals 745.7 watts and is standard in the US and UK. Metric horsepower, labeled PS, cv, or hp(M), equals 735.5 watts and is used across most of Europe and Asia. The two are close but not interchangeable for precise engineering work.
How do I convert kilowatts to horsepower for a car or motor?
Select kilowatt as the source unit and mechanical horsepower (or metric horsepower, depending on the region of the spec sheet) as the target. Divide the kilowatt value by 0.7457 to get mechanical horsepower, or by 0.7355 for metric horsepower.
Why do some sources say 1 hp equals 746 watts instead of 745.7?
746 watts is simply 745.7 watts rounded up for convenience. Electrical motor ratings commonly use the rounded figure, while precise engineering calculations use the full value of 745.699872 watts.
What is BTU per hour used for?
BTU per hour (BTU/h) rates the heating or cooling output of HVAC equipment, especially in the US. One watt equals about 3.412 BTU/h, so a 1,000-watt heater outputs roughly 3,412 BTU/h.
How many horsepower is 1,000 watts?
1,000 watts is about 1.34 mechanical horsepower. This conversion comes up often when comparing an electric motor's wattage rating to a gas engine's horsepower rating.
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