W = kW × 1,000
Both units measure real power, so no power factor is involved.
A 1.5 kW kettle draws 1,500 watts. The conversion is a decimal shift with no physics attached — which is exactly why it is worth being careful with the thousands.
kW to Watts
Convert kilowatts to watts instantly, and see the same power expressed in megawatts and horsepower.
Starting from an apparent-power rating instead? Use the main kVA to kW converter for any power factor.
kW to Watts Calculator
W = kW × 1,0001.5 kW
kW
Quick values
At a glance
W = kW × 1,000
- Power
- 1,500 W
- Power
- 1.5 kW
Every diagram and table on this page updates with the calculator above.
Output
Live1,500W
W = 1.5 kW × 1,000 = 1,500 W
In megawatts0.0015 MW
Mechanical power2.01 hp
The kW to Watts Formula
The conversion
LiveInput1.5kW
Result1,500W
From a Standby LED to a Power Station
The same quantity spans nine orders of magnitude. Knowing roughly where a figure belongs is the fastest way to catch an error of a thousand.
| Thing | Power | In kW |
|---|---|---|
| Standby LED indicator | 0.5 W | 0.0005 kW |
| Laptop under load | 65 W | 0.065 kW |
| Domestic kettle | 2,400 W | 2.4 kW |
| Electric vehicle fast charger | 50,000 W | 50 kW |
| Industrial motor | 150,000 W | 150 kW |
| Wind turbine | 3,000,000 W | 3,000 kW |
Magnitude scale
Live10 W
1 kW
100 kW
10 MW
1,500 W
Why Appliances Are Labelled in Watts
Appliance labels use watts because the numbers stay readable: 2,400 W reads more naturally on a small plate than 2.4 kW. Meters then bill in kilowatt-hours, which is where the conversion becomes necessary.
Heating loads
Kettles, heaters and showers sit between 2 and 10 kW and dominate a domestic peak.
Cycling loads
Fridges and freezers draw 100–200 W but only while the compressor runs.
Electronics
Laptops, routers and TVs sit in the tens of watts and rarely matter for sizing.
Adding loads for a distribution board
Convert everything to kilowatts before adding. Mixing watts and kilowatts in one column is the single most common source of a factor-of-1,000 error.
Load bands
LiveElectronics
Appliances
Heating
Heavy
1,500 W
kW, Watts and Horsepower
Household and workshop ratings in all three units.
Conversion chart
Live| kW | Power (W) | Mechanical power (hp) |
|---|---|---|
| 0.1 kW | 100 | 0.13 |
| 0.25 kW | 250 | 0.34 |
| 0.5 kW | 500 | 0.67 |
| 0.75 kW | 750 | 1.01 |
| 1 kW | 1,000 | 1.34 |
| 1.5 kW | 1,500 | 2.01 |
| 2 kW | 2,000 | 2.68 |
| 3 kW | 3,000 | 4.02 |
| 5 kW | 5,000 | 6.71 |
| 7.5 kW | 7,500 | 10.06 |
| 10 kW | 10,000 | 13.41 |
| 15 kW | 15,000 | 20.12 |
| 22 kW | 22,000 | 29.5 |
| 50 kW | 50,000 | 67.05 |
The Same Power in Horsepower
Mechanical equipment is often specified in horsepower even where the electrical supply is quoted in kilowatts. One mechanical horsepower is 745.7 watts.
- A 0.75 kW motor is the familiar 1 hp frame size.
- A 5.5 kW motor is marketed as 7.5 hp, though the exact figure is 7.38 hp.
- Motor ratings are output power; input power is higher by the efficiency losses.
Standard motor sizes
Live0.75 kW
- Watts
- 750 W
- Horsepower
- 1.01 hp
2.2 kW
- Watts
- 2,200 W
- Horsepower
- 2.95 hp
7.5 kW
- Watts
- 7,500 W
- Horsepower
- 10.06 hp
Watts Are a Rate, Not an Amount
This distinction causes more confusion than the conversion itself. A watt is a rate of energy flow — one joule per second. Energy is that rate multiplied by time.
- Watt (W)
- A rate. How fast energy is being delivered at this instant.
- Watt-hour (Wh)
- An amount. One watt sustained for one hour.
- Kilowatt-hour (kWh)
- The billing unit: 1,000 watts for one hour, or 3.6 million joules.
There is no such thing as "watts per hour"
The phrase mixes a rate with a duration. A 2 kW heater running for 3 hours uses 6 kWh — never "6 kW per hour".
Watts against kilowatts
Live1.5 kW1,500 W
Every Power Converter in One Place
29 calculators built on the same maths as the tool above. Each one has its own inputs, interactive diagrams and worked examples.
kW to kVA
kVA = kW ÷ PFkVA to MW
MW = kVA × PF ÷ 1,000kVA to MVA
MVA = kVA ÷ 1,000VA to kVA
kVA = VA ÷ 1,000VA to kW
kW = VA × PF ÷ 1,000kVA to Watts
W = kVA × 1,000 × PFCurrent
kW to Watts
W = kW × 1,000kW to GW
GW = kW ÷ 1,000,000kVA to kW (Single Phase)
kW = kVA × PFkVA to Amps
A = kVA × 1,000 ÷ (V × √3 for 3-phase)kVA to Amps (Three Phase)
A = kVA × 1,000 ÷ (√3 × V)Amps to kW
kW = √3 × V × A × PF ÷ 1,000kW to Volts
V = kW × 1,000 ÷ (√3 × A × PF)kW to kWh
kWh = kW × hourskW to MWh
MWh = kW × hours ÷ 1,000kW to GJ
GJ = kW × hours × 0.0036kW to kJ
kJ = kW × secondskW to Joules
J = kW × 1,000 × secondskW to HP
hp = kW × 1.34102kW to BHP
bhp = kW × 1.34102kW to Nm
N·m = 9549.3 × kW ÷ rpmkW to Torque
T = 9549.3 × kW ÷ rpmkW to RPM
rpm = 9549.3 × kW ÷ N·mkW to CC
cc = (kW ÷ kW per litre) × 1,000kW to BTU/hr
BTU/hr = kW × 3,412.142kW to Ton
TR = kW ÷ 3.51685kW to GPM
GPM = BTU/hr ÷ (500 × ΔT)kW to CFM
CFM = BTU/hr ÷ (1.08 × ΔT)kW to PSI
bar = kW × η × 600 ÷ L/minkW to Watts Questions
Common questions about converting kw to watts.
Exactly 1,000 watts. Multiply kilowatts by 1,000, or divide watts by 1,000 to go the other way.
No. A kilowatt is a rate of energy use. Energy over time is measured in kilowatt-hours: 1 kW running for 1 hour is 1 kWh.
2,000 watts. A resistive heater has a power factor of 1.0, so it also draws 2,000 VA.
No. Both measure real power, so the conversion is a simple decimal shift.
One mechanical horsepower is 745.7 watts, so 1 kW is about 1.34 hp.
Readability. Whole numbers like 2,400 W are easier to print and read at a glance than 2.4 kW on a small rating plate.