BTU per Hour to Tons of Refrigeration Converter
Convert BTU per hour to tons of refrigeration — divide by 12,000. Results update as you type; exact factors shown.
One BTU per hour is 0.0001 ton of refrigerations — see the exact factor, not a rounded rule of thumb.
How the btu per hour to tons of refrigeration converter works
Power converts through the watt. Mechanical horsepower is 550 ft·lbf/s = 745.6999 W; metric horsepower (PS, used in European car specs) is 735.4988 W. Air-conditioner capacities are quoted in kW, BTU/h (1 W = 3.412 BTU/h) or tons of refrigeration (3.517 kW).
The US uses customary units (US gallon, short ton, °F) in daily life; NIST SP 811 gives the exact SI factors.
Common power conversions
| From | To | Units |
|---|---|---|
| 6,000 BTU/h | 0.5 TR | BTU per hour to ton of refrigerations |
| 9,000 BTU/h | 0.75 TR | BTU per hour to ton of refrigerations |
| 12,000 BTU/h | 1 TR | BTU per hour to ton of refrigerations |
| 18,000 BTU/h | 1.5 TR | BTU per hour to ton of refrigerations |
| 24,000 BTU/h | 2 TR | BTU per hour to ton of refrigerations |
| 30,000 BTU/h | 2.5 TR | BTU per hour to ton of refrigerations |
| 36,000 BTU/h | 3 TR | BTU per hour to ton of refrigerations |
| 48,000 BTU/h | 4 TR | BTU per hour to ton of refrigerations |
| 60,000 BTU/h | 5 TR | BTU per hour to ton of refrigerations |
| 90,000 BTU/h | 7.5 TR | BTU per hour to ton of refrigerations |
| 120,000 BTU/h | 10 TR | BTU per hour to ton of refrigerations |
| 240,000 BTU/h | 20 TR | BTU per hour to ton of refrigerations |
Units in this converter and their exact factors
| Unit | Symbol | One unit in watts |
|---|---|---|
| watt | W | 1 watt |
| kilowatt | kW | 1,000 watt |
| megawatt | MW | 1,000,000 watt |
| horsepower (mechanical) | hp | 745.6998715823 watt |
| metric horsepower (PS) | PS | 735.49875 watt |
| BTU per hour | BTU/h | 0.29307107 watt |
| ton of refrigeration | TR | 3,516.8528421 watt |
FAQFrequently asked questions about power conversion
How many tons is 24,000 BTU/h?
Exactly two.
What size unit does a house need?
Rules of thumb are unreliable; a proper load calculation accounting for insulation, glazing and orientation is the only sound method.
Where is the ton used?
Commercial HVAC, mostly in the US and in markets buying US equipment.
What is a ton in kW?
3.517 kW.
Why not just use kilowatts?
Most of the world does. The ton persists in North American commercial practice.
Where these figures come from
- BIPM — The International System of Units (SI Brochure, 9th edition) — definitions of the base and derived units.
- NIST Special Publication 811 — Guide for the Use of the International System of Units — the exact conversion factors used here.
- National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) — United States's national measurement authority.
Last checked: September 2026. Conversion factors are fixed by definition and do not change with tax years or regulations.