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kW to BTU/h Converter

Instantly convert electrical power (kW) to cooling/heating capacity (BTU/h). Essential for HVAC sizing and server room cooling calculations.

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Quick Reference

  • 1 kW = 3,412 BTU/h
  • 3.5 kW = 11,942 BTU/h
  • 5 kW = 17,060 BTU/h
  • 10 kW = 34,121 BTU/h
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About

In the HVAC industry, equipment specifications often clash: electrical input is rated in Kilowatts (kW), while cooling capacity is defined in British Thermal Units per Hour (BTU/h). This conversion is critical for engineers sizing air conditioning units, server room climate control, or industrial heaters. Using the standard thermodynamic conversion constant, this tool provides high-precision values required for thermal load calculations, ensuring that cooling systems are neither undersized (overheating risk) nor oversized (inefficient humidity control).

HVAC calculator AC sizing BTU converter cooling capacity server room cooling

Formulas

The conversion is linear, based on the mechanical equivalent of heat.

PBTU/h = PkW × 3412.142

Note: 1 Ton of Refrigeration ≈ 12,000 BTU/h ≈ 3.517 kW.

Reference Data

Appliance TypeTypical Power (kW)Capacity (BTU/h)Application
Small Window AC1.5 kW~5,000 BTU/hSmall Bedroom
Split System AC3.5 kW~12,000 BTU/hLiving Room (1 Ton)
Large Split System7.0 kW~24,000 BTU/hLarge Open Plan (2 Ton)
Server Rack (Low Density)5.0 kW17,060 BTU/hIT Equipment Heat Load
Server Rack (High Density)12.0 kW40,945 BTU/hAI/GPU Clusters
Electric Heater2.0 kW6,824 BTU/hSpot Heating

Frequently Asked Questions

Technically, this converts energy units. However, in HVAC, if an AC unit is rated at "3.5 kW Cooling Capacity", you use this to get ~12,000 BTU/h. If looking at "Electrical Input kW", you must first multiply by the EER/COP (efficiency ratio) to get the cooling output before converting.
It represents how many British Thermal Units of energy are equivalent to one Kilowatt-hour of electricity applied for one hour.
Sum the electrical consumption (kW) of all servers. Since nearly 100% of server electricity turns into heat, convert that total kW directly to BTU/h to size your CRAC (Computer Room Air Conditioning) unit.