Convert Watt-hours (Wh) to Watts (W) and Watts to Wh quickly and accurately. Calculate continuous power draw rate, battery discharge runtime, and electrical load consumption over time.
Converting Watt-hours (Wh) to Watts (W) determines continuous electrical power draw from a battery or energy storage unit over a specific operating time. Follow these simple steps:
Watt-hours (Wh) measure total stored energy, whereas Watts (W) measure continuous power consumption rate. Dividing stored energy in Wh by operating time in hours yields continuous power draw: Watts = Wh ÷ Hours.
Scenario 1: Portable Power Station Discharge Sizing
A 500 Wh portable power station powers a CPAP machine continuously for 5 hours:
Watts = 500 Wh ÷ 5 Hours = 100 Watts
Scenario 2: Off-Grid Solar Battery Discharge Sizing
A 2,048 Wh solar LiFePO4 battery pack discharges evenly across an 8-hour period:
Watts = 2048 Wh ÷ 8 Hours = 256 Watts
Step 1: Identify stored energy (Wh = 100 Wh) and operating time (Hours = 5 h).
Step 2: Substitute values into the formula: Watts = 100 ÷ 5 = 20 Watts.
Final Answer: 100 Wh operating over 5 hours delivers a continuous 20 Watts.
The lookup table below details converted continuous power draw (Watts) across standard Watt-hour (Wh) energy capacities for 1-hour, 2-hour, 5-hour, and 10-hour runtimes:
| Energy (Wh) | Over 1 Hour | Over 2 Hours | Over 5 Hours | Over 10 Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 Wh | 50 W | 25 W | 10 W | 5 W |
| 100 Wh | 100 W | 50 W | 20 W | 10 W |
| 192 Wh | 192 W | 96 W | 38.4 W | 19.2 W |
| 500 Wh | 500 W | 250 W | 100 W | 50 W |
| 720 Wh | 720 W | 360 W | 144 W | 72 W |
| 1,000 Wh | 1,000 W | 500 W | 200 W | 100 W |
| 2,048 Wh | 2,048 W | 1,024 W | 409.6 W | 204.8 W |
| 4,000 Wh | 4,000 W | 2,000 W | 800 W | 400 W |
100 Watt-hours (Wh) delivers power continuously based on discharge time:
100 Wh ÷ 1 h = 100 Watts100 Wh ÷ 2 h = 50 Watts100 Wh ÷ 5 h = 20 Watts192 Watt-hours (Wh) represents energy in mid-size portable power banks and lithium battery packs:
192 Wh ÷ 1 h = 192 Watts192 Wh ÷ 4 h = 48 Watts2,048 Watt-hours (2.048 kWh) represents standard capacity for 2kWh solar generator battery stations:
2048 Wh ÷ 1 h = 2,048 Watts2048 Wh ÷ 8 h = 256 Watts500 Watt-hours (Wh) represents energy storage in compact camping power stations:
500 Wh ÷ 1 h = 500 Watts500 Wh ÷ 5 h = 100 WattsA 20,000 mAh power bank operating at 3.7V internal cell voltage equals (20000 × 3.7) ÷ 1000 = 74 Wh. If discharged over 1 hour, it produces 74 Watts of continuous power.
A 10,000 mAh power bank operating at 3.7V internal cell voltage equals (10000 × 3.7) ÷ 1000 = 37 Wh. If discharged over 1 hour, it produces 37 Watts of continuous power.
28.8 Watt-hours (Wh) corresponds to tablet or laptop battery pack capacities:
28.8 Wh ÷ 1 h = 28.8 Watts28.8 Wh ÷ 2 h = 14.4 Watts22.5 Watts (W) measures power rate, whereas Watt-hours (Wh) measures energy. Running a 22.5 W load for 1 hour consumes exactly 22.5 W × 1 h = 22.5 Wh of energy. If operated for 2 hours, it consumes 45 Wh.
A rating of 320 Wh (Watt-hours) indicates that a battery or power station stores 320 Watt-hours of total electrical energy. This means it can power a 320-Watt appliance for 1 hour, a 64-Watt device for 5 hours, or a 32-Watt device for 10 hours.
160 Wh equals 0.16 Kilowatt-hours (kWh). It is equivalent to running a 160-Watt load for 1 hour or a 16-Watt LED light bulb for 10 hours. Note that 160 Wh is the maximum battery size allowed on passenger aircraft under FAA rules with airline approval.
512 Wh (0.512 kWh) represents stored electrical energy capacity. It can power a 100-Watt laptop or TV for approximately 5.12 hours, or run a 50-Watt CPAP machine for over 10 hours.
Yes, a higher Wh rating in a battery or power station means greater total energy storage capacity, allowing appliances to run for longer periods between charges. However, higher Wh batteries are generally heavier, larger, and more expensive.
No. 100 W (Watts) measures instantaneous power draw rate, whereas 100 Wh (Watt-hours) measures total energy consumed over time. Operating a 100 W appliance continuously for 1 hour consumes 100 Wh of energy.
A 4,000 Wh (4 kWh) battery runtime depends on the load wattage. Assuming 85% inverter efficiency (3,400 usable Wh), it will run a 1,000 W appliance for 3400 ÷ 1000 = 3.4 hours, or a 200 W refrigerator for 17 hours.
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