Convert British Thermal Units to Calories
BTU to cal · energy conversion
What are british thermal units and calories?
A British thermal unit is the energy to heat one pound of water by 1 °F, used for heating and AC. A small calorie is the energy to heat one gram of water by 1 °C, about 4.184 J. For reference: a food Calorie is one kilocalorie (4,184 J), and home electricity is billed in kilowatt-hours.
How to convert british thermal units to calories
1 BTU = 252.164 cal. To convert, multiply the number of british thermal units by 252.164. For example, 5 BTU = 1,260.82 cal, and 20 BTU = 5,043.29 cal. To go the other way, multiply calories by 0.00396567 (since 1 cal = 0.00396567 BTU).
British Thermal Units to Calories conversion table
| British Thermal Units (BTU) | Calories (cal) |
|---|---|
| 1 | 252.164 |
| 10 | 2,521.64 |
| 100 | 25,216.4 |
| 500 | 126,082 |
| 1,000 | 252,164 |
| 2,000 | 504,329 |
| 5,000 | 1,260,820 |
FAQ
What is 1 BTU in cal?
1 BTU = 252.164 cal. To convert any amount, multiply the number of british thermal units by 252.164.
How do I convert calories back to british thermal units?
Go the other way: 1 cal = 0.00396567 BTU, so multiply calories by 0.00396567 to get british thermal units.
Is a british thermal unit bigger than a calorie?
Yes — 1 BTU is the larger unit, equal to 252.164 cal.
Are these energy conversions exact?
They use the standard internationally-defined conversion factors. Results are rounded to six significant figures for readability, which is accurate enough for everyday and most technical use.