
Do you use air conditioners frequently but wonder what the term 'air conditioning horsepower' means and how to recognize it? All these questions will be answered in the article below by Mytour. Let's find out!
1. Answer: 'What is air conditioning horsepower?'
Air conditioning horsepower (or horsepower) is the term used to indicate the cooling capacity of the air conditioner. Based on this, users can determine whether the device has high or low capacity and whether it is suitable for the space used.

The unit of air conditioning horsepower is HP (short for Horse Power). Accordingly, 1 HP is equivalent to 9000 BTU or 746W (or 0.746 kW). This means that if the air conditioner runs for 1 hour, it will consume about 0.746 kW of electricity. Typically, you will encounter characters like 1HP, 2HP, 1.5HP, etc., on air conditioning devices.
In addition, the BTU index is used in the United States to represent the energy value of fuel and the capacity of the system. This unit will only show the cooling capacity, not the power consumption. The BTU unit is usually noted on the label of the air conditioning device.
In summary, horsepower, HP, and BTU are all parameters representing the operating capacity of air conditioners.
2. How to identify the horsepower of an air conditioner
In reality, there are several ways to identify how many horsepower an air conditioner has. The most common method is to rely on the BTU specifications on the product label or model of the air conditioner. Specifically:
2.1. Based on the BTU specification
Most modern air conditioning products display the BTU specifications on the product label to determine:
- Cooling capacity of 9000BTU corresponds to 1HP or 1-horsepower air conditioner
- Cooling capacity of 12,000BTU is equivalent to 1.5HP or 1.5 Horsepower air conditioner
- Cooling capacity of 18,000BTU is equivalent to 2HP or 2-horsepower air conditioner
- Cooling capacity of 24,000BTU is equivalent to 2.5HP or 2.5 Horsepower air conditioner

2.2. Using the device's model
Besides relying on BTU specifications, consumers can also refer to the device's model to determine the horsepower of the air conditioner. However, this method is only applicable to certain models.
If the model number contains the number 12, then the air conditioner will have a capacity of 12,000 BTU, equivalent to 1.5 HP. Similarly, other model lines with numbers 9, 18, or 24…
Taking the Casper 1-way air conditioner SC-12FS33 as an example, if the model contains the number 12, it will have 12,000 BTU and be equivalent to 1.5 HP.
>>> Read more: Does running the air conditioner with the door open consume electricity?
3. Why is it necessary to identify air conditioning horsepower?
Choosing the appropriate air conditioner capacity for the room size is a crucial factor. It not only ensures better operational efficiency and cooling but also helps save energy.

For small rooms, using a high-capacity air conditioner will consume a lot of energy and incur higher initial investment costs because the higher the capacity of the air conditioner, the more expensive it is.
>>> Read more: Air conditioner with a musty smell - Causes and effective solutions
Conversely, using a low-capacity air conditioner in a large space will cause the device to operate overloaded and reduce its durability.
4. How to calculate air conditioner capacity according to room size
To choose the appropriate air conditioner capacity for the room size, you can refer to the following formula: Room area (1m2) x 600 BTU or room volume (1m3) x 200 BTU. Based on this, we will have some suggested results as follows:
- For a room with an area of 15m2: 15 x 600BTU = 9000BTU
- For a room with an area of 20m2: 20 x 600BTU = 12,000BTU
- For a room with an area of 30m2: 30 x 600BTU= 18,000BTU

>>> Further reference: How to calculate suitable air conditioner capacity according to room size
Based on the above calculation method, Mytour suggests some suitable ways to calculate the horsepower of air conditioners according to room size as follows:
Diện tích phòng | Máy lạnh có số ngựa phù hợp |
Phòng có diện tích 15m2 trở xuống | 1HP |
Diện tích phòng từ 15 - 20m2 | 1,5HP |
Diện tích phòng từ 20 - 30m2 | 2HP |
Diện tích phòng từ 30 - 40m2 | 2,5HP |
Diện tích phòng >40m2 | 3HP |
Through these shared insights, we hope that you have gained a better understanding of what air conditioning horsepower means. Moreover, you will also learn how to choose an air conditioner with suitable capacity for your room size. Thank you for following our article!