Watts to BTU per Hour Converter

Convert watts to BTU per hour and back — the AC-sizing conversion, and the mirror image of BTU to kW.

Convert watts ⇄ BTU/h

3412.14 BTU/h
1000 W = 3412.14 BTU/h

Formula: 1000 W (W × 3.41214) = 3412.14 BTU/h

How the watts to btu/h conversion works

The conversion is exact: BTU per hour = watts × 3.41214. One watt is one joule per second, and one BTU per hour works out to 0.293071 watts, so the inverse is 3.41214 BTU/h per watt. Going the other way, watts = BTU/h ÷ 3.41214.

The AC-sizing use case: air conditioners are rated in BTU/h while heaters and electrical loads are rated in watts, so this conversion sits between the two spec sheets. A 1,000 W heater outputs 3,412 BTU/h of heat. This page is the watt-scale mirror of BTU to kW — same factor, different unit scale — and for electrical current rather than heat, see watts to amps.

Worked example: a 2,000 W heater outputs 2,000 × 3.41214 = 6,824.28 BTU/h. And a 12,000 BTU/h air conditioner is 12,000 ÷ 3.41214 = 3,516.85 W of cooling capacity — note that is cooling output, not the electrical power it draws, which is lower.

Handy benchmarks: 100 W = 341.21 BTU/h, 500 W = 1,706.07 BTU/h, 1,000 W = 3,412.14 BTU/h and 3,500 W = 11,942.49 BTU/h.

watts to btu per hour converter questions

How many BTU per hour are in 1 watt?
Exactly 3.41214 BTU/h. Multiply watts by 3.41214 to get BTU/h.
How do I convert watts to BTU per hour?
Multiply by 3.41214: BTU/h = W × 3.41214. So a 1,000 W heater gives 3,412.14 BTU/h.
What is 1000 watts in BTU per hour?
3,412.14 BTU/h. That is the heat output of a 1 kW electric heater.
Is BTU/h cooling capacity the same as power consumption?
No — for an air conditioner, the BTU/h rating is cooling output, while the watts it draws from the wall are lower (a heat pump moves heat rather than creating it). Do not size a circuit from the BTU/h figure; use the unit's rated electrical input watts.
How do I convert BTU per hour back to watts?
Divide by 3.41214: W = BTU/h ÷ 3.41214. Switch the direction above to do it.

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Sources & official guidance

Exact power conversion — 1 W = 3.41214 BTU/h. BTU/h ratings are output capacity, not electrical input. See our disclaimer.