Calculate chains per hour, distance, or time from any two values, converting feet, meters, yards, hours, minutes, or seconds with unit conversions.
Chains Per Hour Formula
The calculator uses the distance-rate-time relationship. It converts distance to feet, time to hours, and rate to chains per hour before calculating the missing value.
CPH = D / T
D = CPH * T
T = D / CPH
- CPH = chains per hour
- D = total flame distance, converted to feet
- T = total time, converted to hours
If you enter distance and time, the calculator solves for chains per hour. If you enter chains per hour and time, it solves for distance. If you enter distance and chains per hour, it solves for time. The selected units are converted before the formula is applied, then the result is converted back to the unit you selected.
Unit Conversions Used in the Calculation
| Input type | Unit | Conversion to base unit |
|---|---|---|
| Distance | ft | 1 ft = 1 ft |
| Distance | m | 1 m = 3.28084 ft |
| Distance | yd | 1 yd = 3 ft |
| Time | minutes | 1 minute = 1/60 hour |
| Time | seconds | 1 second = 1/3600 hour |
Chains Per Hour Rate Conversions
| Rate unit | Equivalent in chains/hour |
|---|---|
| 1 chain/hour | 1 chains/hour |
| 1 chain/min | 60 chains/hour |
| 1 chain/sec | 3600 chains/hour |
Example Calculations
Example 1: Calculate chains per hour
You enter a total flame distance of 120 ft and a total time of 2 hours.
CPH = 120 / 2 = 60
The result is 60 chains/hour.
Example 2: Calculate time
You enter a total flame distance of 300 ft and a rate of 75 chains/hour.
T = 300 / 75 = 4
The result is 4 hours.
FAQ
What does chains per hour mean?
Chains per hour is a rate. It describes how much distance is covered in one hour using the calculator’s chain-rate unit. In this calculator, the entered distance is first converted to feet, and the time is converted to hours before the rate is calculated.
Can you use minutes or seconds instead of hours?
Yes. If you select minutes or seconds, the calculator converts the time to hours for the formula. For example, 30 minutes is converted to 0.5 hours before calculating chains per hour.
Why do you need to enter exactly two values?
The formula has three related values: distance, time, and chains per hour. Any two of those values are enough to calculate the third. If all three are blank, or if only one value is entered, there is not enough information to solve the problem.
