Convert watt to Btu (IT)/hour

What is a watt?

Watt is a metric for power evaluation. It got its name after the eponymous physicist, who devoted his time and effort to this area of science. Before the introduction of this option in the late XIX century, for this purpose, horsepower was utilized. Interestingly, it was designed by the same scientist. Still, later the standard system switched to watts.

Modern watt (W) has a meaning of power at which the 1-Joule work is performed during one second. The common abbreviation is W. Many derivatives with common prefixes like kilo- and giga- are utilized in practice.

The evaluation of power in these terms serves as a key characteristic of devices that run on thermal or electrical energy. You can easily find watts on the packaging of the device, which gives the general understanding of its capacity. Thus, everything that is related to thermal or electrical power can be described using this metric.

What is a Btu (IT)/hour?

The traditional British system of metrics still utilizes its own thermal unit for the evaluation of such energy value. Thus, many regions apply it instead of the calorie to describe heat, as well as in designating the capacity of heaters and refrigerators in Btu (IT)/hour. In other areas, it was replaced by joules.

This metric corresponds to the heat that makes 1-pound of water hotter for 1 degree Fahrenheit. It equals approximately 252 cal. There are also other definitions, that is why values may vary by up to 0.5%.

The most common example of its utilization is such a derivative as Btu/h. The latter is common in the specifications of equipment intended for indoor air conditioning.

If you would like to transform BTU/hour to other units, you will have to apply the following correlations:

• 1 kW approximately equals 3412 Btu/h;
• 1000 Btu/h correspond to 293 W.