BTU, Tons & Efficiency Calculator

HVAC capacity and efficiency show up on exams in a few different units — BTU/hr, tons, EER, SEER, and COP. This tool converts between BTU/hr and tons of cooling, and calculates EER (cooling) or COP (heat pump heating) from a system's output and electrical input.

Tip: 1 ton of cooling = 12,000 BTU/hr, always. EER divides BTU/hr output by watts input directly; COP divides watts output by watts input (convert BTU/hr to watts first by dividing by 3.412).

BTU/hr ↔ Tons

BTU per Hour

Tons of Cooling

Efficiency (EER / COP)

Mode

Output Capacity (BTU/hr)

Electrical Input (Watts)

Formulas used: 1 ton = 12,000 BTU/hr. EER = BTU/hr output ÷ watts input (no unit conversion — mixed units by design). COP = watts output ÷ watts input, where watts output = BTU/hr ÷ 3.412. Electric resistance heat has a COP of 1.0 — anything higher means the heat pump is moving more heat than the equivalent electrical energy it consumes.