What does BTU mean?

BTU (British Thermal Unit) is a unit of measurement The official English system, used to measure the cooling power of some electrical appliances. Due to the higher (initially) production volume of these devices in Europe and the United States, the model was adopted internationally.

It's important to clarify that cooling power is the air conditioner's ability to modify the temperature in the environment where it is installed. In other words, the measurement reveals the amount of electrical energy that will be used to cool or heat a given space.

Therefore, when a person wants to know the amount of energy consumed by a refrigeration appliance, in this case an air conditioner, they will have to convert BTU to watts. This will allow them to identify the power of the appliance and other equipment in the property, finding the total energy consumed in the internal electrical system.

How to convert BTU to watts?

Before explaining the conversion process, it's important to highlight that this change is necessary so that the user knows how much electricity the appliance has consumed. The BTU measurement will not help to find this information, since the utility company charges based on kilowatts (kW) consumed during the period.

Another point of attention that the user should have is to check the ideal BTU rating for the air conditioner they intend to install. This information is fundamental for obtaining faster and more efficient cooling, as well as saving money when buying the unit and in cleaning maintenance.

To convert to BTU unit For watts, you would use the ratio of 1 to 0.2929, meaning that one BTU equals 0.2929 watts.

For example, if a user purchases an air conditioner with a power of 12,000 BTUs, they will have to multiply that number by 0.2929. The calculation is as follows: 12,000 (BTU) x 0.2929 equals 3,514.80 W.

Another tip for better understanding: if the person wants to know the value in kW (the unit of measurement used by the energy distributor), they will have to divide the value obtained by 1,000. Therefore: 3,514.80 / 1,000 = 3.5148 kW.

Complementing the measurement tips, we show below how to calculate the amount of BTU needed to supply a room. Initially, it is necessary to clarify that each square meter will be multiplied by 600 BTU.

If the space is shared by more than one person, an additional 600 BTU is added for each person plus the second. Furthermore, each electronic device will also be counted (for example, a laptop and television are equivalent to 1,200 BTU).

Therefore, in a double bedroom with an area of 20 square meters, two electronic devices and two people sharing the space, the calculation will be as follows: 12,000 BTU (area) + 600 BTU (1 extra person) + 1,200 BTU (notebook and television) = 13,800 BTU.

Additional information

We also listed some information To help you find the most suitable device and achieve the best operating performance:

• In general, the most common air conditioning capacities on the market are: 7,500, 9,000, 10,000, 12,000, 15,000 and 18,000 BTU.
• A dedicated circuit breaker must be installed for the air conditioner. If the unit is 18,000 BTU, the circuit breaker must be 20 amps (A).
• An air conditioner of 10,000 BTU running for 8 hours a day has a monthly cost of R$ 100.80, considering that the cost of 1 kWh is R$ 0.30.

Now that you've learned how to convert BTU to watts, you can monitor your equipment's monthly energy consumption at home or in the office. Finally, we reiterate the importance of hiring a professional to perform the installation and the need for frequent air conditioning maintenance.

Source: https://loja.br.abb.com/blog/post/converter-btu-em-watts-aprenda-como-fazer