Horsepower measures mechanical output. Converting kVA to HP helps match electrical supply to motor requirements — critical for pumps, compressors, and industrial machinery.
HP = kVA × PF × 1000 ÷ 746. One HP equals 746 watts.
Motors are rated in HP. Knowing HP from kVA ensures proper motor-to-supply matching.
Motor selection, pump sizing, compressor ratings, HVAC fan motors.
1 HP = 746 W. Motor efficiency also affects actual mechanical output.
Convert electrical apparent power to mechanical horsepower.
First get watts (kVA × PF × 1000), then divide by 746 watts per HP.
3 steps to find horsepower.
Find the kVA rating on the motor or transformer nameplate.
Motor PF is typically 0.85–0.95 at full load.
Convert watts to HP by dividing by 746.
Horsepower at different power factors.
| kVA | PF 0.80 | PF 0.85 | PF 0.90 | PF 0.95 | PF 1.00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1.07 | 1.14 | 1.21 | 1.27 | 1.34 |
| 5 | 5.36 | 5.70 | 6.03 | 6.37 | 6.70 |
| 10 | 10.72 | 11.39 | 12.06 | 12.74 | 13.40 |
| 25 | 26.81 | 28.49 | 30.16 | 31.84 | 33.51 |
| 50 | 53.62 | 56.97 | 60.32 | 63.67 | 67.02 |
| 100 | 107.24 | 113.94 | 120.64 | 127.35 | 134.05 |
| 500 | 536.2 | 569.7 | 603.2 | 636.7 | 670.2 |
Motor and pump conversion scenarios.
50 kVA at PF 0.85:
50 × 0.85 × 1000 ÷ 746 = 56.97 HP
10 kVA pump at PF 0.90:
10 × 0.90 × 1000 ÷ 746 = 12.06 HP
25 kVA at PF 0.88:
25 × 0.88 × 1000 ÷ 746 = 29.49 HP
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Questions about kVA to horsepower conversion.
At PF 0.85: 1 × 0.85 × 1000 ÷ 746 = 1.14 HP. At PF 1.0: 1.34 HP.
No. 1 HP = 746 W = 0.746 kW. At PF 0.85, 1 HP requires about 0.878 kVA.
746 watts = 1 mechanical horsepower. This is the fixed conversion factor.
Yes. A motor rated 10 HP at 90% efficiency actually draws more kVA from the supply.
Convert kVA to HP using this calculator, then select a motor rated at or below that HP.
Full load: 0.85–0.95. Light load: 0.50–0.75. PF drops as load decreases.