Convert Ton of Refrigeration to Watts
Convert Ton of Refrigeration (RT) to Watts (W) instantly and accurately.
Conversion Formula
W = RT × 3516.852842
About Ton of Refrigeration
One ton of refrigeration (RT) = 12,000 BTU/h ≈ 3,517 W - the cooling rate to freeze 1 short ton (2,000 lb) of water in 24 hours. This follows from water's latent heat: 144 BTU/lb × 2,000 lb ÷ 24 h = 12,000 BTU/h. US residential AC is 1.5-5 tons; a large commercial building 500-2,000 tons; a hyperscale data centre 50,000-100,000 tons. The RT is deeply embedded in North American HVAC catalogs, load calculation software, and contractor pricing. 1 RT = 3,516.85 W.
About Watts
The watt (W) is the SI unit of power - 1 J/s - named after James Watt (1736-1819). Familiar power levels: smartphone charging 5-65 W; laptop 15-100 W; microwave 700-1,200 W; electric kettle 2,000-3,000 W; human resting metabolism ~80 W; peak sprint ~2,000 W. The now-obsolete 100 W incandescent bulb is replaced by a 10-15 W LED producing the same light. In AC circuits, reactive power uses the var and apparent power the VA, both derived from watts. 1 W = 1 J/s = 1 kg·m²/s³.
Quick Reference Table
| Ton of Refrigeration (RT) | Watts (W) |
|---|---|
| 1 RT | 3516.85 W |
| 2 RT | 7033.71 W |
| 5 RT | 17584.3 W |
| 10 RT | 35168.5 W |
| 25 RT | 87921.3 W |
| 50 RT | 175843 W |
| 100 RT | 351685 W |