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The British Thermal Unit (BTU) is a traditional unit of heat defined as the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of one pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit. This calculator converts BTU per hour to watts and horsepower, which are more commonly used units of power in engineering and physics.
The calculator uses these conversion formulas:
Where:
Explanation: 1 watt is equal to approximately 3.412142 BTU per hour, and 1 horsepower is equal to 746 watts.
Details: Converting between power units is essential when working with equipment specifications from different regions or industries that use different measurement systems.
Tips: Enter the BTU per hour value (must be positive). The calculator will automatically compute the equivalent values in watts and horsepower.
Q1: Why is the conversion factor 3.412142?
A: This exact value comes from the definition of BTU in terms of joules (1 BTU = 1055.05585262 J) and the relationship between joules and watts (1 W = 1 J/s).
Q2: What's the difference between mechanical and electrical horsepower?
A: This calculator uses mechanical horsepower (745.7 W). Electrical horsepower is slightly different (746 W), but the difference is negligible for most applications.
Q3: When would I need to make this conversion?
A: Common applications include sizing air conditioning units (rated in BTU/hr) to electrical systems (rated in watts) or comparing engine outputs.
Q4: Are there different types of BTU?
A: Yes, but the difference between International Table BTU and Thermochemical BTU is less than 0.1%. This calculator uses the International Table BTU.
Q5: How accurate is this conversion?
A: The conversion is mathematically exact based on the defined relationships between units. Real-world measurements may have additional uncertainties.