Power Converter
Convert between power units instantly. Watts, kilowatts, megawatts, horsepower, BTU/hour — enter a value and see all conversions at once.
1.3596216
Horsepower — metric (PS)
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How to Use the Power Converter
Enter the power value in the Value field and select the unit you are converting from. All equivalents update instantly.
Power Units Explained
Power is the rate of energy transfer or work done per unit time: P = E / t = F × v. The SI unit is the Watt (W), equal to one joule per second.
- Watt (W) — SI unit. A smartphone charger is ~5–20 W; a kettle ~2,000 W.
- Kilowatt (kW) — 1,000 W. Home appliances, EV charging (7–22 kW).
- Megawatt (MW) — 1,000 kW. Power plants, large industrial facilities.
- Gigawatt (GW) — 1,000 MW. Entire power grids, large dams.
- Mechanical horsepower (hp) — 745.7 W. Car engine power in the US and UK.
- Metric horsepower (PS) — 735.5 W. Used in Europe for engine ratings.
- BTU/hour — 0.2931 W. HVAC and heating equipment rating.
- kcal/hour — 1.163 W. Metabolic rate and food energy comparisons.
Key Conversions
1 kW = 1,000 W | 1 hp (mech) = 745.7 W | 1 PS = 735.5 W | 1 BTU/h = 0.2931 W
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Worked Examples
Car engine: 150 PS to kW
150 × 735.49875 W = 110,325 W = 110.3 kW. A typical family car has 100–150 PS.
Air conditioner: 12,000 BTU/h to kW
12,000 × 0.29307 W = 3,517 W = 3.517 kW. One "ton" of cooling = 12,000 BTU/h.
Human body: 80 W to kcal/h
80 ÷ 1.163 = 68.8 kcal/h. A sedentary person produces about 80 W of heat.
Wind turbine: 2.5 MW to hp
2,500,000 ÷ 745.69987 = 3,353 hp. A modern wind turbine generates 2–3 MW.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many watts is 1 horsepower?
1 mechanical horsepower = 745.7 W. 1 metric horsepower (PS) = 735.5 W.
What is the difference between hp and PS?
hp is US/UK mechanical horsepower (745.7 W); PS (Pferdestärke) is European metric horsepower (735.5 W). They differ by about 1.4%.
How many kWh of energy does 1 kW produce in a day?
1 kW operating for 24 hours produces 24 kWh of energy. Power (kW) × time (hours) = energy (kWh).
What is a gigawatt?
1 GW = 1,000 MW = 1,000,000 kW. The Hoover Dam generates about 2 GW of power. A large nuclear reactor produces about 1 GW.