Horsepower is a unit of power that originated in the 18th century, coined by engineer James Watt to compare the output of steam engines with the power of draft horses. A fascinating aspect is the value assigned to this measurement: 1 British horsepower equals approximately 745.7 watts. To put this into perspective, this means that just one horsepower can light up more than ten 60-watt light bulbs!
Interestingly, the unit became widely adopted not for its precision but as a marketing tool. Since people were familiar with the strength of horses in everyday tasks, comparing engine power to horses made industrial power even more relatable and understandable during the Industrial Revolution. Today, horsepower continues to be an essential metric in the automotive and engine industries worldwide, despite its equine origins.
The British thermal unit per second (BTU/s) is a measure of power, specifically the rate at which energy is expended or transferred. Originating from the British thermal unit, which is defined as the amount of energy required to raise the temperature of one pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit, the BTU/s provides a glimpse into the historical roots of energy measurement before the metric system’s widespread adoption. In modern applications, BTU/s is often used in the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) industry to quantify the power of heating and cooling systems, offering a unique blend of historical measurement with contemporary utility.
Despite its historical origins, the BTU/s is incredibly relevant today. To put it into perspective, one BTU/s is approximately equivalent to 1,055 watts, a power level comparable to that of a small household appliance. This conversion shows how BTU/s bridges older and newer methods of measuring power, reminding us of the diverse systems our modern technology stands upon. Whether you’re cooling a building or generating heat for industrial processes, understanding BTU/s offers a window into how energy flow impacts various aspects of daily life and industry.
Horsepower (British) | British thermal units per second |
---|---|
0
hp
|
0
Btu/s
|
10
hp
|
7.06787
Btu/s
|
20
hp
|
14.13574
Btu/s
|
30
hp
|
21.20361
Btu/s
|
40
hp
|
28.27148
Btu/s
|
50
hp
|
35.33935
Btu/s
|
60
hp
|
42.40722
Btu/s
|
70
hp
|
49.47509
Btu/s
|
80
hp
|
56.54296
Btu/s
|
90
hp
|
63.61083
Btu/s
|
100
hp
|
70.6787
Btu/s
|
110
hp
|
77.74657
Btu/s
|
120
hp
|
84.81444
Btu/s
|
130
hp
|
91.88231
Btu/s
|
140
hp
|
98.95018
Btu/s
|
150
hp
|
106.01805
Btu/s
|
160
hp
|
113.08592
Btu/s
|
170
hp
|
120.15379
Btu/s
|
180
hp
|
127.22166
Btu/s
|
190
hp
|
134.28953
Btu/s
|
200
hp
|
141.3574
Btu/s
|
210
hp
|
148.42527
Btu/s
|
220
hp
|
155.49314
Btu/s
|
230
hp
|
162.56101
Btu/s
|
240
hp
|
169.62888
Btu/s
|
250
hp
|
176.69675
Btu/s
|
260
hp
|
183.76462
Btu/s
|
270
hp
|
190.83249
Btu/s
|
280
hp
|
197.90036
Btu/s
|
290
hp
|
204.96823
Btu/s
|
300
hp
|
212.0361
Btu/s
|
310
hp
|
219.10397
Btu/s
|
320
hp
|
226.17184
Btu/s
|
330
hp
|
233.23971
Btu/s
|
340
hp
|
240.30758
Btu/s
|
350
hp
|
247.37545
Btu/s
|
360
hp
|
254.44332
Btu/s
|
370
hp
|
261.51119
Btu/s
|
380
hp
|
268.57906
Btu/s
|
390
hp
|
275.64693
Btu/s
|
400
hp
|
282.7148
Btu/s
|
410
hp
|
289.78267
Btu/s
|
420
hp
|
296.85054
Btu/s
|
430
hp
|
303.91841
Btu/s
|
440
hp
|
310.98628
Btu/s
|
450
hp
|
318.05415
Btu/s
|
460
hp
|
325.12202
Btu/s
|
470
hp
|
332.18989
Btu/s
|
480
hp
|
339.25776
Btu/s
|
490
hp
|
346.32563
Btu/s
|
500
hp
|
353.3935
Btu/s
|
510
hp
|
360.46137
Btu/s
|
520
hp
|
367.52924
Btu/s
|
530
hp
|
374.59711
Btu/s
|
540
hp
|
381.66498
Btu/s
|
550
hp
|
388.73285
Btu/s
|
560
hp
|
395.80072
Btu/s
|
570
hp
|
402.86859
Btu/s
|
580
hp
|
409.93646
Btu/s
|
590
hp
|
417.00433
Btu/s
|
600
hp
|
424.0722
Btu/s
|
610
hp
|
431.14007
Btu/s
|
620
hp
|
438.20794
Btu/s
|
630
hp
|
445.27581
Btu/s
|
640
hp
|
452.34368
Btu/s
|
650
hp
|
459.41155
Btu/s
|
660
hp
|
466.47942
Btu/s
|
670
hp
|
473.54729
Btu/s
|
680
hp
|
480.61516
Btu/s
|
690
hp
|
487.68303
Btu/s
|
700
hp
|
494.7509
Btu/s
|
710
hp
|
501.81878
Btu/s
|
720
hp
|
508.88665
Btu/s
|
730
hp
|
515.95452
Btu/s
|
740
hp
|
523.02239
Btu/s
|
750
hp
|
530.09026
Btu/s
|
760
hp
|
537.15813
Btu/s
|
770
hp
|
544.226
Btu/s
|
780
hp
|
551.29387
Btu/s
|
790
hp
|
558.36174
Btu/s
|
800
hp
|
565.42961
Btu/s
|
810
hp
|
572.49748
Btu/s
|
820
hp
|
579.56535
Btu/s
|
830
hp
|
586.63322
Btu/s
|
840
hp
|
593.70109
Btu/s
|
850
hp
|
600.76896
Btu/s
|
860
hp
|
607.83683
Btu/s
|
870
hp
|
614.9047
Btu/s
|
880
hp
|
621.97257
Btu/s
|
890
hp
|
629.04044
Btu/s
|
900
hp
|
636.10831
Btu/s
|
910
hp
|
643.17618
Btu/s
|
920
hp
|
650.24405
Btu/s
|
930
hp
|
657.31192
Btu/s
|
940
hp
|
664.37979
Btu/s
|
950
hp
|
671.44766
Btu/s
|
960
hp
|
678.51553
Btu/s
|
970
hp
|
685.5834
Btu/s
|
980
hp
|
692.65127
Btu/s
|
990
hp
|
699.71914
Btu/s
|
1000
hp
|
706.78701
Btu/s
|
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