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BTU to Tons

3 Ton to BTU Converter

3 refrigeration tons equal 36,000 BTU per hour. Multiply 3 by 12,000.

Enter the size in tons, like 1.5.

refrigeration tons
Cooling capacity

3 refrigeration tons equal 36,000 BTU per hour.

36,000BTU/hr

Sold as a 3 ton AC. Exact: 3 tons.

1 ton = the cooling of melting 2,000 lb of ice per day.
Cooling kW
10.5506

1 refrigeration ton = 12,000 BTU/hr. Cooling kW is cooling capacity, not electricity use.

  • Tons = BTU/hr ÷ 12,000
  • Cooling kW = BTU/hr × 0.2930710702 ÷ 1,000
Your numbers3 × 12,000 = 36,000
Decimal places

Common AC ratings

Choose a capacity to fill the calculator, or open its worked example.

Worked examples:6,0009,00012,00018,00024,00036,000

How the conversion works

Multiply 3 by 12,000 to calculate the capacity.

3 × 12,000 = 36,000 BTU/hr

Cooling capacity: 10.5506 cooling kW. Cooling kW is not the electricity the AC uses.

Compare 3 with 2.5 and 3.5 tons

Compare 3 with 2.5 and 3.5 tons
TonsBTU/hrCooling kWSize class
2.530,0008.79212.5 ton
336,00010.55063 ton
3.542,00012.3093.5 ton

Does 3 tons mean it fits my space?

A refrigeration ton is a capacity unit, equal to 12,000 BTU/hr; it is not the unit's weight.

There is no universal area-to-tonnage ratio. Room conditions, building design and climate affect the required capacity.

Whole-home systems require a separate load calculation.