Kilowatts (kW) are sometimes used to describe the capacity for heating and cooling. To fully understand the power of an air conditioner, heater, or fireplace, we need to convert kW to BTU (BTU per hour).
So you need to know now the way you can convert kW to BTU because heat production is a crucial factor to consider when choosing a fireplace or stove.
For that, WarmthPedia is here to help you!
In this WarmthPedia article, you’ll learn what kW is and what BTU is, along with their uses. Then, we’ll give you an easy and simple calculation process on how to convert kW to BTU.
What is kW?
The kW, which has a significant value in our daily life, is the standard unit for measuring electrical energy regularly. Kilowatts are the units used to measure the amount of power utilized by each device and appliance in your house.
Kilowatts are based on the unit of measurement known as watts (W), which has the name of the Scottish scientist, James Watt. They’re used instead of watts since all devices and appliances need a lot of electricity.
They’re multiplied by the watt, the power unit derived from the SI. In the metric system, “kilo” serves as the prefix for 103. It can be written as “kW”; for example, 1 kW can stand for 1 kilowatt.
What is BTU?
Then what does BTU exactly mean? British Thermal Unit, or BTU, is a term that is used all over the world. It’s a common unit of measurement, along with others like inches, pounds, and degrees Fahrenheit.
The measure has been in use since the late 1800s. The term “Rating and sizing heating and cooling appliances” has since become very common in this industry. You’ll hear about BTUs anywhere these units of measurement are used, mostly in the US (In contrast, the metric system is the default in Europe.)
Among those appliances are both portable air conditioners and whole-house. Additionally, they include heat pumps, heaters, and stoves that use different fuels like solar, oil, natural gas, and electricity.
When looking for appliances, you may come across the small unit, BTU. But What exactly are BTUs? Why are BTUs important for fireplaces and other energy-consuming devices?
A BTU is a quirky little unit that you’ll come across when shopping for appliances. What exactly are BTUs, and why are they important for fireplaces and other energy-consuming devices? British Thermal Units, or BTUs, are units of measurement for energy.
To fully understand the BTU unit, you should know that it refers to the amount of energy needed to raise a pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit at the temperature where water has the highest density (approximately 39 degrees Fahrenheit).
So, BTU is useful for keeping track of how many energy units are in a certain amount of fuel and how many of those energy units will be “burned” or used by your appliance.
Uses of BTU
BTUs have been used as a unit of energy measurement for hundreds of years in the heating and cooling industry. You can compare various fuels as well.
By converting the energy in electricity, natural gas, propane, or wood into BTUs, you may compare various energy sources. Ironically, BTU is a very small unit that is only used to measure the output of home devices and appliances.
BTUs are used to measure the energy output of common household devices and appliances including furnaces, heaters, kitchen appliances, fireplaces, etc. The amount of heat that an air conditioner can remove from an area depends on its BTU rating. So, it can also be used for air conditioners.
Factors that Affect BTU
WarmthPedia has collected the following factors to help you determine if you need more or fewer BTUs before learning how to convert kW to BTU:
- Ceiling Height
- Outside Temperature
- Insulation
- Windows
- Location
- Layout
kW to BTU Conversion Table
WarmthPedia provides you with the kW to BTU conversion table below:
| Kilowatt [kW] | Btu (IT)/hour [Btu/h] |
| 0.01 kW | 34.1214163313 Btu/h |
| 0.1 kW | 341.2141633128 Btu/h |
| 1 kW | 3412.1416331279 Btu/h |
| 2 kW | 6824.2832662559 Btu/h |
| 3 kW | 10236.424899384 Btu/h |
| 5 kW | 17060.70816564 Btu/h |
| 10 kW | 34121.416331279 Btu/h |
| 20 kW | 68242.832662559 Btu/h |
| 50 kW | 170607.0816564 Btu/h |
| 100 kW | 341214.16331279 Btu/h |
| 1000 kW | 3412141.6331279 Btu/h |
How to Convert kW to BTU?
Wondering how to calculate kW to BTU? You should know that (1 kW = 3412.142 BTU/hr) if you need to convert kW to BTU.
The power conversion of kW to BTUIT/hr is given by the formula:
P(BTU/hr) = 3412.142 ⋅ P(kW)
If you don’t have the exact conversion from kW to BTU, here are some examples:
P(BTU/hr) = 3412.142 ⋅ 10 (kW) = 3412.42 BTU/hr
P(BTU/hr) = 3412.142 ⋅ 15 (kW) = 51182.13 BTU/hr
Watch this YouTube video below to learn how to convert kW to BTU exactly.
Summary
We hope you are now all up to convert kW to BTU easily!
Remember to consider the difference between the input and the adjusted BTU output for the efficiency of the appliance.
Please leave your questions in the WarmthPedia comments box below if you have any regarding converting kW to BTU, and we’ll help you do this process easily!