---
title: "BTU to kW Converter - Free HVAC Calculator | CanDoYa"
description: "Convert BTU to kW for heating and cooling capacity. Enter BTU/h and get kilowatts, watts and refrigeration tons instantly in your browser."
url: https://candoya.com/tools/btu-to-kw/
locale: en
type: browser-tool
---

# Free BTU to kW Converter

Category: Converters

## How do you convert BTU to kW?

For HVAC capacity, BTU usually means BTU per hour. Convert BTU/h to kilowatts by multiplying by 0.000293071070172. A 12,000 BTU/h air conditioner is about 3.517 kW, which is also one refrigeration ton. Enter any capacity and the result updates instantly in your browser.

This converter uses the International Table Btu, where 1 BTU/h equals 0.293071 watts. Type the heating or cooling capacity from an air conditioner, heat pump, furnace or datasheet and the tool returns kW, watts and refrigeration tons without uploading anything. Commas are accepted, so values such as 18,000 or 24,000 work as expected.

Use kW when comparing electrical or thermal power, and use kWh only when energy over time matters. A 3.5 kW cooling capacity is not the same as using 3.5 kWh of electricity in one hour, because equipment efficiency and COP change the electrical input.

## How to use it

1. **Enter the BTU/h value** - Type the heating or cooling capacity. You can include commas, for example 12,000.
2. **Read the kW result** - The kilowatt result updates instantly, with watts and refrigeration tons shown underneath.
3. **Copy the conversion** - Use Copy conversion to copy the BTU/h, kW, watts, tons and formula for notes or estimates.

## Who it's for

- **HVAC shoppers** comparing air conditioner or heat pump sizes listed in BTU/h against metric kW ratings.
- **Installers and estimators** checking quick capacity conversions for room cooling, heating and refrigeration jobs.
- **Energy analysts** keeping power units consistent before comparing equipment schedules or load notes.
- **Homeowners** translating common 9,000, 12,000, 18,000 and 24,000 BTU/h mini-split sizes into kilowatts.

## Expert note

The common HVAC shortcut is 1,000 BTU/h = 0.293 kW. This tool keeps more digits internally, so common sizes land cleanly: 9,000 BTU/h = 2.638 kW, 12,000 BTU/h = 3.517 kW, and 24,000 BTU/h = 7.034 kW. It converts capacity only, not electrical power draw.

## Frequently asked questions

### Is this BTU to kW converter free?

Yes. The converter is free, requires no sign-up and has no usage limit. It runs in your browser, so the capacity values you type are not uploaded to a server.

### Is my data uploaded?

No. The conversion is simple math performed locally in your browser. Once the page is loaded, typing, clearing, copying and example loading all happen on your device.

### What formula does BTU to kW use?

For HVAC capacity, the formula is kW = BTU/h x 0.000293071070172. The inverse is 1 kW = 3,412.142 BTU/h. This uses the International Table Btu definition.

### How many kW is 12,000 BTU?

12,000 BTU/h is 3.51685 kW, commonly rounded to 3.52 kW. That same capacity is one refrigeration ton. The tool shows this automatically when you load the example.

### Is BTU the same as BTU per hour?

Strictly, BTU is energy and BTU/h is power. HVAC product pages often say BTU when they mean BTU per hour capacity. This converter follows the HVAC convention and converts BTU/h to kW.

### Does kW mean electricity use?

Not necessarily. On an air conditioner or heat pump listing, kW can describe heating or cooling capacity. Electrical input depends on efficiency, EER, SEER or COP, so it can be much lower or higher than a simple capacity conversion suggests.

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*Markdown edition of <https://candoya.com/tools/btu-to-kw/>, published for AI agents and other automated readers. Index of key pages: <https://candoya.com/llms.txt>.*