Power Unit Converter

The power unit converter handles five common power units: Watt (W), Kilowatt (kW), Horsepower (HP), PS (metric horsepower), and BTU/h (British Thermal Units per hour). Enter a value in any unit and see all conversions simultaneously — no need to run separate calculations for each unit.

Understanding the key differences: HP (Horsepower) equals 745.7 watts and is the imperial standard used primarily in the United States and United Kingdom for engines and motors. PS (Pferdestärke, German for "horse strength") equals 735.5 watts and is the metric standard used across Europe, Japan, and most of the world for automotive specifications. The difference is small (about 1.4%) but matters for accurate technical documentation. BTU/h is primarily used in HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) systems, where 1 ton of cooling capacity equals 12,000 BTU/h or 3,517 watts.

Common conversion benchmarks: a typical household vacuum cleaner uses 1,000-2,000 watts (1.3-2.7 HP), a mid-range car engine produces about 150-250 HP (112-186 kW), and a home air conditioner rated at 12,000 BTU/h provides 1 ton of cooling. Use this alongside our Unit Converter and Temperature Converter for other measurement needs.