Convert Watts (W) to Tons Of Refrigeration (TR)
1 watt equals 0.000284345 tons of refrigeration.
Watt to Ton Of Refrigeration Converter
What Is a Watt?
The watt (W) is the SI unit of power equal to one joule per second. It is the international standard for all power measurements, including electrical appliances, heating, cooling, and industrial equipment. Air conditioning units in most countries are rated in watts or kilowatts.
What Is a Ton of Refrigeration?
The ton of refrigeration (TR or RT) is a unit of cooling capacity equal to 12,000 BTU/h or 3,516.853 watts. It originated in the 19th-century ice trade as the cooling power needed to melt one short ton (2,000 lbs) of ice in 24 hours. It remains the standard unit for HVAC systems in the United States.
Watts to Tons of Refrigeration Formula
The conversion factor is:
tons of refrigeration = watts ÷ 3,516.853
Derived from: 1 TR = 12,000 BTU/h, and 1 BTU/h = 0.293071 W, so 12,000 × 0.293071 = 3,516.853 W.
Worked Example
Convert 10,000 watts (a medium commercial AC unit) to tons:
- Divide: 10,000 ÷ 3,516.853 = 2.843 TR
So a 10 kW cooling unit is about 2.84 tons — a typical unit for a small office.
Quick Estimation
÷ 3,500 for a quick estimate (0.5% error). Or: 1 TR ≈ 3.5 kW. Example: 7,000 W ÷ 3,500 = 2 TR (exact: 1.99 TR).
Common Watts to Tons Conversions
| Watts | Tons (TR) | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 1,758 W | 0.5 TR | Small window AC unit |
| 3,517 W | 1 TR | Large window or small split AC |
| 5,275 W | 1.5 TR | Standard bedroom split AC |
| 7,034 W | 2 TR | Living room / large split AC |
| 10,551 W | 3 TR | Large room / small commercial |
| 17,584 W | 5 TR | Small office floor |
| 35,169 W | 10 TR | Medium commercial space |
| 87,921 W | 25 TR | Large commercial / small building |
| 175,843 W | 50 TR | Medium commercial building |
| 351,685 W | 100 TR | Large commercial / industrial chiller |
What Is a "Ton" in Air Conditioning?
The term dates to the ice harvesting era of the 1800s. Before mechanical refrigeration, buildings were cooled with blocks of ice. A "ton of refrigeration" was the cooling power of one short ton (2,000 lbs / 907 kg) of ice melting over 24 hours. The latent heat of fusion of ice (144 BTU/lb) × 2,000 lbs ÷ 24 hours = 12,000 BTU/h = 1 ton of refrigeration. Despite having nothing to do with weight in modern usage, the name persists in the US HVAC industry.
When You Need This Conversion
- AC sizing: International AC units are rated in kW; US units use tons. A 3.5 kW (3,500 W) unit = 1 ton = 12,000 BTU/h — a standard single-room AC.
- Commercial HVAC: Building engineers specify cooling in tons (US) or kW (international). A 100-ton chiller = 351,685 W ≈ 352 kW.
- Equipment procurement: Comparing US-made (rated in tons) and international (rated in kW) HVAC equipment requires this conversion.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many watts is 1 ton AC?
3,516.853 watts (≈ 3.517 kW). This is the cooling capacity, not the electrical input — the electrical consumption is typically 1,000-1,500 W for a 1-ton unit (COP of 2.5-3.5).
How do I convert TR to kW?
Multiply tons by 3.517. Example: 5 TR × 3.517 = 17.58 kW of cooling capacity.
What is the difference between TR and metric ton?
A ton of refrigeration (TR) is a unit of power (cooling rate). A metric ton is a unit of mass (1,000 kg). They have nothing in common except the word "ton."
How many BTU/h is 1 ton of refrigeration?
Exactly 12,000 BTU/h. This is the definition: 1 TR = 12,000 BTU/h = 3,517 W.
Common Watt to Ton Of Refrigeration Conversions
| Watt | Ton Of Refrigeration | Actions |
|---|---|---|
| 1 watt | 0.000284345 tons of refrigeration | |
| 5 watts | 0.00142173 tons of refrigeration | |
| 10 watts | 0.00284345 tons of refrigeration | |
| 25 watts | 0.00710863 tons of refrigeration |
| Watt | Ton Of Refrigeration | Actions |
|---|---|---|
| 50 watts | 0.0142173 tons of refrigeration | |
| 100 watts | 0.0284345 tons of refrigeration | |
| 500 watts | 0.142173 tons of refrigeration | |
| 1000 watts | 0.284345 tons of refrigeration |
Watts to tons of refrigeration Conversion Table
Reference table with common watts to tons of refrigeration conversions. All values calculated with high precision.
Watts to Tons Of Refrigeration Table
1 to 5000
Watts to Tons Of Refrigeration Table
10000 to 1 × 109
Tons Of Refrigeration to Watts Table
0.0001 to 12
Tons Of Refrigeration to Watts Table
1 to 100000
Looking for the reverse? Convert Ton Of Refrigeration to Watt
Related Power Converters
Explore other power conversion tools:
Related in other categories:
- Joules to kWh — Energy = power × time (kWh = kW × hours)
