How many watts is 1 ton of AC cooling?

1 ton of AC cooling capacity is approximately 3,517 watts of cooling capacity.

How many BTU/hr is 1 ton of AC?

1 ton of refrigeration is equal to 12,000 BTU/hr.

How many watts is a 1.5 ton AC?

A 1.5 ton AC has approximately 5,275 watts of cooling capacity. This refers to cooling capacity, not electrical power consumption.

How many kW is 1 ton of cooling?

1 ton is approximately 3.517 kW of cooling capacity.

Is cooling capacity the same as electricity consumption?

No. Cooling capacity measures how much heat the AC can remove, while electrical power consumption measures how much electricity the AC uses.

How is AC tonnage converted to watts?

Multiply AC tonnage by approximately 3,516.85 to estimate cooling capacity in watts.

How do room area, ceiling height, and sunlight exposure affect AC tonnage requirements?

Standard sizing allocates roughly 1 ton (12,000 BTU/hr) for every 100–120 sq ft of floor area for standard 9–10 ft ceilings. However, top-floor rooms directly under an uninsulated roof, west-facing rooms with large glass windows, or rooms with heavy electrical appliances typically require a 0.5 ton bump to maintain target cooling temperatures.

What is the difference between an Inverter AC and a Fixed-Speed AC in power consumption?

A fixed-speed AC operates its compressor at 100% until the thermostat temperature is reached, then shuts off completely, causing power spikes upon restart. An inverter AC modulates compressor motor speed dynamically, reducing electricity consumption by 30% to 50% once the target room temperature stabilizes.

What do ISEER and EER ratings mean for AC efficiency?

EER (Energy Efficiency Ratio) and ISEER (Indian Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) measure cooling output in BTU or Watts divided by electrical input in Watt-hours. Higher star ratings (such as 5-Star inverter units with ISEER > 5.0) deliver superior energy efficiency, significantly lowering monthly power bills.

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AC Cooling Capacity Calculator

Convert AC tonnage to BTU/hr, cooling watts, and kW with this free online calculator. Calculate the approximate cooling capacity of an air conditioner from its tonnage. Convert between tons, BTU/hr, cooling watts, and cooling kW using standard cooling-capacity conversions.

Privacy Guarantee: Thermodynamic calculations, room dimensions, and cooling ratings are computed client-side with zero data transmission.

HVAC & Cooling Capacity Converter

AC Capacity Conversion

Enter an AC capacity in any unit to see its equivalent cooling power across all standard metrics.

Enter AC Capacity

Calculate From

Quick Tonnage Select:

AC Cooling Capacity Result

1.5 Ton Air Conditioner

Approximate Cooling Capacity

≈ 5,275 W

Cooling capacity (heat removal), NOT electrical power consumption.

Tonnage

1.5 Ton

BTU / Hour

18,000 BTU/hr

Cooling Watts

≈ 5,275 W

Cooling kW

≈ 5.275 kW

Conversion Flow

Tons

1.5 Ton

→↓

BTU / Hour

18,000 BTU/hr

→↓

Cooling Watts

≈ 5,275 W

→↓

Cooling kW

≈ 5.275 kW

Real-World Calculation Example

1.5 Ton × 3,516.85 ≈ 5,275 W cooling

• 1.5 Ton• 18,000 BTU/hr• ≈ 5,275 W cooling• ≈ 5.275 kW cooling

AC Capacity Guide

Standard residential and commercial AC cooling capacities and their corresponding cooling wattage.

1.5 Ton Selected

AC Tonnage	BTU / Hour	Approx. Cooling Watts	Approx. Cooling kW	Typical Room Size
0.5 Ton	6,000 BTU/hr	≈ 1,758 W	≈ 1.758 kW	Up to 100 sq ft
0.8 Ton	9,600 BTU/hr	≈ 2,813 W	≈ 2.813 kW	Up to 100 sq ft
1.0 Ton	12,000 BTU/hr	≈ 3,517 W	≈ 3.517 kW	100 - 130 sq ft
1.2 Ton	14,400 BTU/hr	≈ 4,220 W	≈ 4.22 kW	130 - 180 sq ft
1.5 TonCurrent	18,000 BTU/hr	≈ 5,275 W	≈ 5.275 kW	130 - 180 sq ft
1.8 Ton	21,600 BTU/hr	≈ 6,330 W	≈ 6.33 kW	180 - 260 sq ft
2.0 Ton	24,000 BTU/hr	≈ 7,034 W	≈ 7.034 kW	180 - 260 sq ft
2.5 Ton	30,000 BTU/hr	≈ 8,792 W	≈ 8.792 kW	260 - 400 sq ft
3.0 Ton	36,000 BTU/hr	≈ 10,551 W	≈ 10.551 kW	260 - 400 sq ft

Click any row to load that tonnage directly into the calculator.

About AC Cooling Capacity Calculator

The AC Cooling Capacity Calculator is a specialized HVAC engineering converter designed to instantly bridge the gap between regional refrigeration measurement standards. Whether sizing a split AC unit for a bedroom, evaluating a commercial chiller, or cross-referencing manufacturer specification sheets, this tool converts between Tons of Refrigeration (TR), British Thermal Units per hour (BTU/hr), Cooling Watts (W), and Cooling Kilowatts (kW).

Historically, air conditioning capacities were derived from the cooling power provided by melting a short ton (2,000 pounds) of ice over a 24-hour window, which equates to 12,000 BTU/hour or approximately 3,517 cooling watts. Our calculator applies exact thermodynamic ratios so homeowners, HVAC technicians, architects, and facilities managers can quickly verify cooling capacity ratings worldwide.

Why Use an AC Cooling Capacity Calculator?

Avoid Cooling vs Power Confusion

Cooling capacity is the rate of heat removed from a room, not the electrical electricity consumption on your meter. Converting to standard cooling watts clarifies how powerful an AC is without confusing it with input power.

Standardize International Specs

North America predominantly rates equipment in Tons and BTU/hr, while Europe, Japan, and international standards often specify cooling output in kW or Watts. This tool eliminates conversion errors across global spec sheets.

Right-Size Your Cooling System

An undersized AC runs constantly without cooling effectively, while an oversized unit short-cycles and leaves humidity behind. Knowing exact BTU and kW equivalents ensures you choose the ideal capacity for your room dimensions.

Plan Backup & Solar Sizing

Evaluating air conditioning loads is the first step in sizing home inverters, solar battery banks, and generators. Converting tons to standard wattage metrics gives you the baseline capacity needed for load analysis.

How AC Cooling Capacity Is Calculated

In thermodynamics and HVAC engineering, 1 Ton of refrigeration (TR) is conventionally defined as the rate of heat transfer required to freeze 1 short ton (2,000 lbs) of pure water at 0°C into ice in 24 hours.

1 Ton of Refrigeration = 12,000 BTU/hr

1 BTU/hr ≈ 0.29307107 Watts

12,000 × 0.29307107 ≈ 3,516.85284 W ≈ 3,517 W of cooling capacity

Therefore, the standard conversion formulas used by this calculator are:

Cooling Watts: Cooling Watts = AC Tons × 12,000 × 0.293071 or Cooling Watts = AC Tons × 3,516.85
Cooling kW: Cooling kW = Cooling Watts ÷ 1,000
BTU/hr: BTU/hr = AC Tons × 12,000

Important: Cooling Capacity ≠ Electrical Power Consumption

Cooling capacity and electrical power consumption are fundamentally different measurements. For example, 1 ton of cooling is approximately 3,517 watts of cooling capacity. This does NOT mean a 1-ton AC continuously consumes 3,517 watts of electricity from your power grid.

Air conditioners act as heat pumps rather than resistive heaters. Their actual electrical power consumption is typically much lower (often between 800 W to 1,500 W for a modern 1-ton inverter AC) depending on the unit’s Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER/ISEER), ambient temperature, compressor speed, room insulation, and operating settings.

Common AC Cooling Capacities

0.5 Ton

≈ 6,000 BTU/hr

≈ 1.76 kW cooling

0.8 Ton

≈ 9,600 BTU/hr

≈ 2.81 kW cooling

1.0 Ton

≈ 12,000 BTU/hr

≈ 3.52 kW cooling

1.5 Ton

≈ 18,000 BTU/hr

≈ 5.28 kW cooling

2.0 Ton

≈ 24,000 BTU/hr

≈ 7.03 kW cooling

3.0 Ton

≈ 36,000 BTU/hr

≈ 10.55 kW cooling

Frequently Asked Questions

Disclaimer:

This calculator provides approximate AC cooling-capacity conversions based on standard refrigeration units. Cooling capacity is not the same as electrical power consumption. Actual AC performance and electricity usage vary by model, efficiency, operating conditions, and system design.

Privacy Focused 🛡️

This calculator runs entirely inside your web browser. Thermodynamic calculations and cooling ratings are computed client-side with zero data transmission.

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