Convert kilowatt [kW] to horsepower (550 ft*lbf/s) Online | Free power Converter

Kilowatt (kW)

The kilowatt (symbol: kW) is a unit of power in the International System of Units (SI) equal to 1,000 watts:

Kilowatts are widely used to measure the power consumption or output of household appliances, small engines, and electric tools. For example, a typical microwave oven might use about 1 kW of power.

In electricity billing, power usage is often measured in kilowatt-hours (kWh), which reflects energy consumption over time.

The kilowatt is a practical unit for everyday energy use, bridging the scale from watts (for small devices) to megawatts (for larger power generation). It helps people understand and compare the power ratings of common electrical equipment.

Horsepower (550 ft·lbf/s)

Horsepower (hp) can be defined as the power needed to do 550 foot-pounds of work per second:

Here, ft·lbf means foot-pound force, which is a unit of work or energy. This definition comes from James Watt, who originally related horsepower to the work a horse could do lifting weight.

In more familiar terms:

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  1 horsepower = 550 foot-pounds per second

  
  
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  1 horsepower ≈ 745.7 watts

  
  

This unit helps describe power in mechanical systems by relating force applied over a distance per unit time. It’s still widely used in automotive and engineering fields.