kW to Tonnage Calculator
Convert between kilowatts and tons of refrigeration for smart home HVAC planning. Includes BTU/hr, MBH, kcal/hr, HP, COP, and EER outputs.
Converter Settings
Quick Presets
Conversion Results
System Spec Grid
Cooling kW values. 1 ton of refrigeration = 3.51685 kW. Electrical kW varies by COP.
Full Conversion Table (kW 0.5–35)
| kW (Cooling) | Tons | BTU/hr | MBH | kcal/hr | Watts |
|---|
1 kW = 3,412.14 BTU/hr = 0.2843 Tons = 860 kcal/hr. MBH = BTU/hr ÷ 1,000.
System Type Reference Table
| System Type | Cooling kW | Electrical kW | Typical COP | Typical Home Size |
|---|
Electrical kW = Cooling kW ÷ COP. COP range: 2.5–4.5 for AC, 3–5 for heat pumps.
When shopping for HVAC equipment, the kW rating can mean two very different things. Cooling kW (also called capacity kW) describes how much heat the system removes per second — directly comparable to tonnage. Electrical input kW is the power drawn from the grid to run the compressor. For a modern split system with a COP of 3.5, a 3.5 kW cooling unit uses only 1 kW of electricity. Always check the product data sheet to confirm which kW is advertised, especially when sizing circuits for smart home automation panels.
Oversizing an AC system causes short cycling — the unit cools the space too quickly, shuts off, and never properly dehumidifies. Undersizing forces continuous operation and reduces lifespan. A general rule is 1 ton per 400–600 sq ft for a well-insulated modern home, but smart home energy monitors can refine this by tracking actual runtime data. Pair your tonnage calculator result with a smart thermostat zone profile to verify the selected unit matches both peak load and typical operating conditions throughout the year.
Ton of refrigeration; or TR, as you commonly say (shows amount of cooling power). Here the key: it measures how much energy takes for melt 2000 pounds (one short ton) of ice during one day Although „ton“ usually relates to weight, refrigeration ton is entirely other thing. It matches around 12 000 BTU/h or 3,5 kW.
Important is the relation between kilowatts and tons, especially if you work with cooling systems.
How Many kW in One Ton of Refrigeration
How many kW are in 1 ton refrigeration? Correctly 3,51685284 kW for one ton, if you convert between them. Rather, 1 kW corresponds to around 0,28 tons.
The proportion operates easily both ways, according to what you start.
The calculations self are simple. For receive kilowatts, multiply the refrigeration tons by around 3,5. Backward?
Simply divide the kilowatts by that number. Choose according to the values you have.
Here practical table for quick consult. One ton matches around 3,5 kW. Two tons come to approximately 7 kW.
Three tons reach around 10,5 kW. About BTU: 6000 BTU is around 1,76 kW. Double to 12 000 BTU gives 3,52 kW.
18 000 BTU converges to 5,28 kW.
For convert ton-hours of cooled water, multiply the tons by 12 000 BTU/h, that is the definition of one ton cooling capacity. Because 1 kWh matches 3412 BTU, divide 12 000 by 3412, and result around 3,5 kW for ton. The figures check out.
Other indication is kW for ton, that measures efficiency. Take the electrical power in kW and divide by the cooling in tons. For instance, chiller with 164,9 kW consumption and 253,1 tons production has 0,65 kW for ton.
That is good result.
Less efficient devices cost more to operate. Machine with EER 8 for 15 tons require around 22,5 kW. Common rating commonly is 1,5 kW for ton.
Some uses 1 kW for ton as approximation. 5-ton unit, that I saw, drew 4,2 kW. Genuinely weird, that air conditioning yet sell in tons, when BTU or kW would be more logical.