AC ton to kW and BTU

1 ton of refrigeration = 3.51685 kW = 12,000 BTU/h of cooling. A 1.5-ton AC cools at about 5.27528 kW.

What "ton" means for an air conditioner

The ton of refrigeration is a unit of cooling capacity: the heat removed by melting one short ton of ice in a day, fixed at 12,000 BTU per hour. It says how much heat the AC can take out of a room, not how much electricity it uses.

Electricity use depends on the unit's efficiency (its EER or ISEER rating). A more efficient 1.5-ton AC draws less power than a less efficient one with the same tonnage.

AC tonnage table

Cooling capacity by tonnage
TonsKilowatts (cooling)Watts (cooling)BTU per hour
0.752.637642,637.649,000
13.516853,516.8512,000
1.55.275285,275.2818,000
27.033717,033.7124,000
2.58.792138,792.1330,000
310.550610,550.636,000

Frequently asked questions

How many kW is a 1.5-ton AC?

About 5.27528 kW of cooling capacity.

How many BTU is a 2-ton AC?

24,000 BTU per hour.

Does a 1.5-ton AC use 5.3 kW of electricity?

No. That is its cooling output; the electricity it draws is much lower and depends on its efficiency rating.

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