BTU to Watt Hour Converter

A British Thermal Unit (BTU) is a unit of energy equal to approximately 1,055 joules. It represents the amount of energy needed to raise the temperature of one pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit at standard atmospheric pressure.

The BTU was developed in the 19th century as part of the British Imperial system for measuring heat energy. It became standard in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) applications in countries using imperial units, particularly for rating heating and cooling equipment capacity.

BTUs are extensively used in the United States for HVAC system ratings, heating and cooling equipment specifications, and energy content of fuels. They're standard for furnace output ratings, air conditioner capacity, water heater specifications, and natural gas energy content measurements.

A watt-hour (Wh) is a unit of energy equal to the energy consumed by a device with a power rating of one watt operating for one hour. It equals 3,600 joules and is commonly used for measuring energy in small electronic devices.

The watt-hour developed alongside electrical technology as a convenient way to measure energy consumption in smaller electrical devices. It became particularly important with the rise of portable electronics and battery-powered devices where kilowatt-hours would be impractically large.

Watt-hours are commonly used for measuring battery capacity in portable electronics, energy consumption of small appliances, and in renewable energy systems for small-scale applications. They're standard for smartphone batteries, laptop batteries, and small solar power systems.