HP to BTU Calculator
Convert horsepower to BTU per hour and back instantly.
This calculator converts horsepower to BTU per hour, the unit used for heating and cooling power. It's handy for comparing engine output, heater capacity, or air-conditioning power on a common scale.
HP to BTU Formula
How to Use This Calculator
- Enter horsepower.
- Read BTU per hour.
Worked Example
What a BTU Measures
A BTU (British Thermal Unit) is the energy needed to raise one pound of water by 1°F. BTU per hour is therefore a rate of power, just like horsepower or watts. Heating and cooling equipment — furnaces, boilers, air conditioners — is rated in BTU/hr, so converting from horsepower puts engine or motor output on the same scale as HVAC capacity.
Where HP-to-BTU Is Useful
This conversion helps when sizing the heat output of an engine or motor (for cooling-system design), comparing a generator's power to a heater's rating, or understanding waste heat. Since 1 HP = 2,544.43 BTU/hr = 745.7 W, all three units describe the same power — useful when one device is spec'd in HP and another in BTU/hr.
HP to BTU/hr Conversion Table
| Horsepower | BTU/hr | Watts |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2,544 | 746 |
| 5 | 12,722 | 3,729 |
| 10 | 25,444 | 7,457 |
| 25 | 63,611 | 18,643 |
Frequently Asked Questions
One horsepower equals 2,544.43 BTU per hour. This represents the heat equivalent of one horsepower of mechanical power.
Multiply horsepower by 2,544.43 to get BTU per hour.
BTU/hr is the standard unit for heating and cooling capacity, so converting lets you compare an engine or motor's output against HVAC equipment.
Not quite. AC 'horsepower' uses a market convention of about 9,000 BTU/hr per HP for cooling, whereas the true thermodynamic conversion is 2,544 BTU/hr per HP.
Divide BTU per hour by 2,544.43 to get horsepower.