HVAC Converter
Convert BTU, watts, and pressure for heating, cooling, and refrigeration work
An HVAC spec sheet rates a furnace in BTU/hour, but your electrical panel is sized in kW. A refrigerant gauge reads psi while a European tech manual calls for bar. You need these to line up before sizing equipment or reading a manual.
Open the energy converter →1 BTU (IT) = 0.0003 Kilowatt-Hour
These conversions are for general reference only. Equipment sizing, electrical load calculations, and refrigerant handling should be verified by a licensed HVAC technician against local code before installation.
Context
HVAC and refrigeration work spans multiple unit systems depending on the equipment's origin and the trade doing the work. North American furnaces and air conditioners are rated in BTU/hour. Electrical loads and heat pump output are measured in watts or kW. Refrigerant pressure gauges read in psi in the US, but bar or kPa almost everywhere else.
Technicians sizing a replacement unit, comparing a gas furnace's heat output to an electric heat pump, or reading an imported compressor's spec sheet all run into these conversions.
All HVAC Converter Conversions
Why this matters
Comparing a gas furnace to an electric heat pump
A gas furnace is rated at 80,000 BTU/hour of heat output. You're evaluating a heat pump replacement and need that number in kW to compare against the heat pump's electrical rating.
Reading an imported refrigerant gauge
A refrigerant charging manifold shows pressure in bar, but every reference chart you have lists target pressures in psi.
Sizing a window air conditioner for a room
A room requires about 8,000 BTU/hour of cooling capacity. You want that translated to watts to check it against the electrical circuit's rated capacity.
Comparing motor power ratings on HVAC equipment
A blower motor's spec sheet lists output in metric horsepower, but the replacement part you're sourcing is rated in kW.
Frequently asked
How many kWh is 50,000 BTU? →
50,000 BTU is about 14.65 kWh. Use BTU to kWh when comparing a gas appliance's heating value to an electrical equivalent.
My AC unit is rated 12,000 BTU/hour. How many watts is that? →
12,000 BTU/hour is about 3,517 watts of cooling capacity, the amount HVAC techs call 1 ton of cooling. Use BTU/hour to Watts for any HVAC equipment rating.
A refrigerant chart says 120 psi. What's that in bar? →
120 psi is about 8.27 bar. Use PSI to Bar when working with imported equipment or manuals that specify refrigerant pressures in bar.
Why do HVAC ratings use BTU/hour instead of watts? →
BTU/hour has been the standard unit for heating and cooling capacity in North America since long before electric heat pumps became common, and the convention stuck even as electrical ratings became more relevant for efficiency comparisons. Use BTU/hour to Watts whenever you need to compare the two on the same scale.