How To Convert Amps Into Kilowatt Hours
Tip
Multiply the kilowatt hours by the price of electricity per kilowatt hour to figure out your approximate electrical bill.
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Amps measure electrical current. If you multiply amps by volts–a measure of electrical potential–you get Watts, which measure the consumption of electricity. Electric companies charge by the kilowatt hour, which is a measure of electrical consumption over time. For example, if you ran a 100-Watt bulb for ten hours, you would use one kilowatt hour of electricity. In order to convert amps to kilowatt hours, you must also know the voltage and time.
Step 1
Determine the number of amps. If you're trying to convert amps to kilowatt hours for an electronic device, look on the device or for a label on the power cord. Many appliances list their power use in Watts, but some list amps.
Step 2
Figure out the voltage for your country. Different parts of the world have different standards for voltage; in North America, electricity is 120 V, but in most other countries it is 220 to 240 V.
Step 3
Multiply amps by volts to find Watts. Divide this number by 1000 to find kilowatts. For example, an appliance that uses 12 amps and runs on North American electricity would use 1440 Watts, or 1.44 kilowatts.
Step 4
Multiply kilowatts by the number of hours used to find kilowatt hours. If you used the example appliance in Step 3 for 20 hours a day, you would use 28.8 kilowatt hours.