Engineering Tools

AC Tonnage Calculator

Enter your room size and conditions to instantly estimate the required AC tonnage, BTU, and kW. Suitable for residential, office, retail, and server room AC sizing.

Cooling Capacity Estimate

Room Size (ping) Enter the actual usable floor area in ping

Space Type

Floor Location

Primary Orientation

Window Area

Calculation Results

— BTU/hr Recommended Cooling Capacity

— kW Cooling Capacity (Kilowatts)

— RT Refrigeration Tons

— Recommended Tonnage

Calculation Method

This tool estimates cooling requirements using the following steps:

Step 1: Base Cooling Load
Base BTU = Room Size (ping) x BTU per Ping (varies by space type)

Step 2: Environmental Adjustment
Adjusted BTU = Base BTU x Floor Factor x Orientation Factor x Window Factor

Step 3: Recommended Range
Accounting for real-world variations, a +/-10% range is provided

Unit Conversion
1 kW = 3,412.14 BTU/hr, 1 RT = 12,000 BTU/hr

The recommended tonnage is based on the adjusted kW value mapped to common residential AC specifications: 0.8 ton (<2.0 kW), 1.0 ton (2.0-2.5 kW), 1.5 ton (3.2-4.0 kW), 2.0 ton (4.0-5.0 kW), 2.5 ton (5.0-6.5 kW), 3.0 ton (6.5-8.0 kW), 3.5+ ton (>8.0 kW).

Frequently Asked Questions

How many BTU per ping does an air conditioner need?

For residential spaces, approximately 450 BTU/hr per ping is needed; offices require about 500 BTU/hr per ping; and shops or restaurants need around 550 BTU/hr per ping. Top-floor units, west-facing rooms, or spaces with large glass windows require an additional 10-15% capacity.

How do you convert AC tonnage to BTU?

In Taiwan, "AC tonnage" refers to cooling capacity: 1 ton ≈ 2,500 W ≈ 8,530 BTU/hr. When purchasing an AC unit, it is recommended to use kW or BTU as the standard to avoid discrepancies in tonnage definitions between different brands.

Why is the result shown as a range?

Cooling demand is affected by actual conditions such as insulation, occupancy, and heat generated by appliances. The tool provides a recommended range of +/-10%. It is advisable to select a unit at the upper end of the range to avoid insufficient cooling.

Professional Consultation

Need Professional HVAC Engineering?

Online tools provide preliminary estimates for reference. Actual engineering design requires consideration of many additional professional factors. Contact our engineering team for precise HVAC system planning.