BTU to Tons Reference Values

Convert cooling capacity from BTU/h to refrigeration tons for HVAC sizing comparisons.

Author

Prof. Priya Venkatesh

HVAC editorial contributor

Indian theoretical physicist from IIT Bombay with postdoctoral work at CERN, researching dark matter candidates

Reviewed for accuracy by

Prof. Chen Wei

HVAC content reviewer

Chinese AI ethics researcher at Tsinghua University, publishing extensively on algorithmic bias in hiring systems

Last updatedFebruary 22, 2026

PublishedFebruary 22, 2026

On this page

  1. All value pages
  2. Reference table
  3. FAQs
  4. Methodology and review
  5. Related conversions

Reference Value Index

This page lists 20 reference values for quick browsing and lookup.

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All Reference Values

Reference Table

BTU to Tons reference values
Capacity (BTU/h)Cooling TonskW Equivalent
6,000 BTU/h0.5 ton1.758
12,000 BTU/h1 ton3.517
18,000 BTU/h1.5 ton5.275
24,000 BTU/h2 ton7.034
30,000 BTU/h2.5 ton8.792
36,000 BTU/h3 ton10.551
42,000 BTU/h3.5 ton12.309
48,000 BTU/h4 ton14.067
54,000 BTU/h4.5 ton15.826
60,000 BTU/h5 ton17.584
66,000 BTU/h5.5 ton19.343
72,000 BTU/h6 ton21.101
78,000 BTU/h6.5 ton22.86
84,000 BTU/h7 ton24.618
90,000 BTU/h7.5 ton26.376
96,000 BTU/h8 ton28.135
102,000 BTU/h8.5 ton29.893
108,000 BTU/h9 ton31.652
114,000 BTU/h9.5 ton33.41
120,000 BTU/h10 ton35.169

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently asked questions for BTU to Tons and its reference values.

How many BTU/h are in one cooling ton?

One refrigeration ton equals 12,000 BTU/h of cooling capacity.

Why are HVAC systems rated in tons?

Tons are a traditional HVAC capacity unit tied to refrigeration load, while BTU/h gives the same capacity in heat-rate terms.

Can I convert tons back to BTU/h?

Yes. Multiply tons by 12,000 to get BTU/h.

Does tonnage alone define full system performance?

No. Efficiency, airflow, static pressure, climate, and load profile all affect real system performance.

Methodology and Review

Each row on this page links to a value detail page derived from the same conversion data file as the main calculator and reference table. This reduces inconsistencies across page variants.

Editorial metadata and structured data are rendered across the converter page and linked value pages. Review policies are documented in our review process and editorial policy.