Convert cooling capacity between refrigeration tons, kW and BTU/h, or estimate electrical input from COP/EER and capacity from flow and ΔT.

Tons to kW Calculator

Tons ↔ kW (Cooling)
Electrical Input (EER/COP)
Flow & ΔT

Enter one value to calculate the other

Tons to kW Conversion Formula

The following formula is used to convert cooling capacity from tons to kilowatts (kW): 

P (kW) = C (tons) * 3.517

Variables:

  • P is the power in kilowatts (kW)
  • C is the cooling capacity in tons
  • 3.517 is the conversion factor from tons to kW

To convert tons to kW, multiply the cooling capacity in tons by the conversion factor of 3.517.

Refrigeration Tons to Kilowatts Conversion Table
Refrigeration Tons (RT) Kilowatts (kW)
¼0.879
½1.759
¾2.638
13.517
1¼4.396
1½5.276
27.034
2½8.793
310.551
3½12.310
414.068
517.585
621.102
7½26.378
828.136
1035.170
1242.204
1552.755
2070.340
2587.925
* Rounded to 3 decimals. Assumes 1 refrigeration ton = 3.517 kW (≈ 12,000 BTU/h).

What is Cooling Capacity in Tons?

Cooling capacity in tons is a unit of power used in the United States to describe the rate at which an air conditioning system can remove heat from a space. One ton of cooling is equal to the amount of heat absorbed by one ton of ice causing it to melt completely over a period of 24 hours. It is equivalent to a heat absorption rate of 12,000 BTU per hour.

How to Convert Tons to kW?

The following steps outline how to convert the cooling capacity from tons to kilowatts (kW).

  1. First, determine the cooling capacity in tons.
  2. Next, use the conversion formula: P (kW) = C (tons) * 3.517.
  3. Finally, calculate the power in kilowatts (kW).
  4. After inserting the variable and calculating the result, check your answer with the calculator above.

Example Problem :

Use the following variable as an example problem to test your knowledge.

Cooling capacity (C) = 5 tons

Using the conversion formula: P (kW) = 5 tons * 3.517 = 17.585 kW