What this power converter does
This tool takes a power figure in one unit and instantly shows the same value in the five most common units: watt (W), kilowatt (kW), mechanical horsepower (hp), metric horsepower (CV/PS) and BTU per hour (BTU/h). Everything runs in your browser; no data is sent to a server.
Power measures how much energy is converted per unit of time. Use it to compare a car’s spec sheet that lists horsepower in hp or CV, size an air conditioner rated in BTU/h, read an appliance’s draw in watts, or convert a motor rating to kilowatts for paperwork.
How to use it
- Type the amount in the Value field (decimals with a dot or comma are accepted).
- Pick the source unit from the dropdown.
- Read the equivalents: the dark card shows the result in watts —the SI base unit— and the white cards show the rest.
- Tap any card to copy its value and symbol to the clipboard.
The method and the factors
Every conversion goes through one common base unit: the watt. Your value is first turned into watts and then re-expressed in each target unit. These are the exact factors: how many watts 1 unit is worth.
| Unit | Symbol | 1 unit equals (W) |
|---|---|---|
| Watt | W | 1 |
| Kilowatt | kW | 1000 |
| Mechanical horsepower | hp | 745.699872 |
| Metric horsepower | CV/PS | 735.49875 |
| BTU per hour | BTU/h | 0.29307107 |
hp versus CV: not the same thing
Even though both translate as “horsepower”, the hp (imperial/US horsepower) equals 745.699872 W, while the CV or PS (metric horsepower, used across Europe and Latin America) equals 735.49875 W. One hp is about 1.4 % larger than one CV, which is why the same engine “produces” more horses when measured in CV than in hp.
Worked example
A 100 hp engine. What is it in the other units?
- To watts: 100 × 745.699872 = 74569.99 W.
- To kilowatts: 74569.99 ÷ 1000 = 74.57 kW.
- To metric CV: 74569.9872 ÷ 735.49875 = 101.39 CV.
- To BTU/h: 74569.9872 ÷ 0.29307107 = 254443.36 BTU/h.
Note that 100 hp equals 101.39 CV: the physical power is identical, but the number climbs because the CV is a slightly smaller unit.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between hp and CV?
The hp (imperial) is 745.699872 W and the CV/PS (metric) is 735.49875 W. They are different units: 1 hp = 1.0139 CV and 1 CV = 0.9863 hp. European makers usually quote CV and US makers quote hp, so check which one the spec sheet uses before comparing.
How many watts are in 1 kW?
A kilowatt is exactly 1000 watts by definition of the “kilo” prefix. That is why a 2000 W appliance draws 2 kW, and your electricity bill charges kilowatt-hours (energy), not kilowatts (power).
What is a BTU/h and why is it on air conditioners?
The BTU/h (British Thermal Unit per hour) is a thermal power unit common in HVAC. It equals 0.29307107 W. A 12000 BTU/h unit corresponds to about 3517 W, that is 3.52 kW of cooling capacity.
Are the factors exact?
Yes. The kW comes from the SI watt, and hp, CV and BTU/h each have fixed official definitions in watts. The figures you see are those conversions, rounded to 4 decimals only for display.