Converting BHP to KW

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Discussion

angusfaldo

Original Poster:

2,790 posts

273 months

Monday 13th June 2005
quotequote all
Anyone know how to calculate a power figure in KW from either BHP or ft/lb torque?

bad_roo

5,187 posts

236 months

Monday 13th June 2005
quotequote all
I find this site very helpful

http://locost7.info/converter.php



>> Edited by bad_roo on Monday 13th June 11:09

c4koh

735 posts

243 months

Monday 13th June 2005
quotequote all
Kilowatts are a measure of power.

Power is how fast we can do the work, i.e. I could move 10 tonnes of rock!! but it would take me a long time... ergo, I am less powerful than a truck which could move 10 tonnes in much less time.

So, in short:

1 horsepower is 550lbft/sec [i.e. the power to lift 550lb by 1 foot, each second]

From here: www.pumaracing.co.uk/power1.htm

1 HP = 0.7457 KW / 1KW = 1.341 BHP

(or in other words a 100HP engine is producing 74.57Kw of power, or a 100KW engine is producing 134BHP).

zaktoo

1,401 posts

239 months

Monday 13th June 2005
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angusfaldo said:
Anyone know how to calculate a power figure in KW from either BHP or ft/lb torque?


bhp to kW is straightforward - multiply your bhp figure by 0.7457. Remember that PS/CV/PK as used in mainland Europe is a slightly different figure than imperial bhp.

Working from lbft, you can only get a figure for that specific RPM. This is almost certainly not what you're looking for, I suspect.

Ciao

Zak

c4koh

735 posts

243 months

Monday 13th June 2005
quotequote all
zaktoo said:


Working from lbft, you can only get a figure for that specific RPM. This is almost certainly not what you're looking for, I suspect.

Ciao

Zak


Indeed: the torque (lbft) rating of a car doesn't have an "easy" correlation between that and power (either horsepower or KW, which are basically different units for the same thing). Maximum torque is usually not produced at the same rev-point as maximum horsepower either.

ledaig

1,694 posts

261 months

Monday 13th June 2005
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I tend to use convert from here as it's free and fairly comprehensive:
convertor

FourWheelDrift

88,381 posts

283 months

Monday 13th June 2005
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All conversions you could ever need here - www.onlineconversion.com/

DennisTheMenace

15,603 posts

267 months

Monday 13th June 2005
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Sooo My 3kw rapid boil 1.8 litre kettle has roughly 4bhp ! not bad for a white good