Overclock.net › Forums › Overclock.net Forum › FAQs › How to: Convert between Watts, Amps and Volts.
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

How to: Convert between Watts, Amps and Volts.

post #1 of 12
8/27/05 at 1:24pm
Thread Starter 
The formula for finding wattage is very simple.

Watts = Volts x Amps


So lets say you have a 1000 watt stero system in your car. You wanna know how many amps that its sucking down.

Amps = Watts / Volts

Since a car battery is 12 volts: 1000W / 12V = 83.3 Amps.


Ok now lets say Uncle Jimbo has put in a 30 Amp breaker for his massive year round Christmas light display that his neighbors are threatening to sue him over. You want to find out how many watts of lights that Jimbo can put up before it blows the breaker.

Watts = Amps x Volts

Since house current is 120 volts: 30A x 120V = 3600 Watts or 3.6 Kilowatts
(Yipes Jimbo!)


Lets say a PSU puts out 17 amps and 204 watts on a certain rail. You want to find the voltage.

Volts = Watts / Amps

So 204W / 17A = 12 Volts.


I hope you guys find this FAQ helpful
Very nice!
(13 items)
  		  
CPUMotherboardGraphicsRAM
Core 2 Duo E6600 Asus P5N32-E SLI EVGA 8800GTX 2 x 1GB GSkill HZ 
Hard DriveOptical DriveOSMonitor
2 x WD Caviar SE16 250GB Sony NEC Optiarc 18x SATA DVD Windows XP Pro Gateway FPD2485W 24" 
KeyboardPowerCaseMouse
Logitech G15 PC P&C Silencer 610W Thermaltake Tsunami Logitech MX518 
  hide details  
Reply
Very nice!
(13 items)
  		  
CPUMotherboardGraphicsRAM
Core 2 Duo E6600 Asus P5N32-E SLI EVGA 8800GTX 2 x 1GB GSkill HZ 
Hard DriveOptical DriveOSMonitor
2 x WD Caviar SE16 250GB Sony NEC Optiarc 18x SATA DVD Windows XP Pro Gateway FPD2485W 24" 
KeyboardPowerCaseMouse
Logitech G15 PC P&C Silencer 610W Thermaltake Tsunami Logitech MX518 
  hide details  
Reply
post #2 of 12
8/27/05 at 6:34pm
Nice...rep+
My System
(13 items)
  		  
CPUMotherboardOSMonitor
Pentium IIIE (Coppermine) Chaintech 6VTA2 Windows XP Pro & Kubuntu Imago 17" CRT TX 
KeyboardPowerCaseMouse
Logitech Access Cordless Generic 350W Transparent Acrylic Mid-T Labtec M-BR91 
View all
  hide details  
Reply
My System
(13 items)
  		  
CPUMotherboardOSMonitor
Pentium IIIE (Coppermine) Chaintech 6VTA2 Windows XP Pro & Kubuntu Imago 17" CRT TX 
KeyboardPowerCaseMouse
Logitech Access Cordless Generic 350W Transparent Acrylic Mid-T Labtec M-BR91 
View all
  hide details  
Reply
post #3 of 12
8/27/05 at 6:47pm
Its always true minus inefficencies
My System
(13 items)
  		  
CPUMotherboardOSMonitor
Intel Pentium 4 2.8Ghz NW Gigabyte 8KNXP Windows XP Pro SP1 17" LG LCD 
KeyboardPowerCaseMouse
Logitech bluetooth Enlight 400W Koolance system case MS Bluetooth Optical 
View all
  hide details  
Reply
My System
(13 items)
  		  
CPUMotherboardOSMonitor
Intel Pentium 4 2.8Ghz NW Gigabyte 8KNXP Windows XP Pro SP1 17" LG LCD 
KeyboardPowerCaseMouse
Logitech bluetooth Enlight 400W Koolance system case MS Bluetooth Optical 
View all
  hide details  
Reply
post #4 of 12
9/12/05 at 10:42pm
wow.....I actually never knew that
Laptop
(13 items)
  		  
CPUGraphicsRAMHard Drive
Core 2 Duo T5300 1.73Ghz Geforce Go 7600 2 GB DDR2 533 160GB 5400rpm 
OSMonitor
Vista Premium 17 inch 
View all
  hide details  
Reply
Laptop
(13 items)
  		  
CPUGraphicsRAMHard Drive
Core 2 Duo T5300 1.73Ghz Geforce Go 7600 2 GB DDR2 533 160GB 5400rpm 
OSMonitor
Vista Premium 17 inch 
View all
  hide details  
Reply
post #5 of 12
9/12/05 at 11:08pm
Yeh nice one.
Maybe you should put the formula in as P = V I and Watts Volts And Amps are the units.

cheers
My System
(13 items)
  		  
CPUMotherboardGraphicsRAM
3700+Sandiego KACAE DFI LP UT nF4 SLI-D 2 x eVGA6600GT 256Mb 2x512Mb TCCD 
Hard DriveOSKeyboardPower
WD 80Gb SATAII XP Puss Pro Logiteck Multimedia Enermax Noisetaker 485W 
CaseMouse
XG Quantum - modified Logitech MX518 
View all
  hide details  
Reply
My System
(13 items)
  		  
CPUMotherboardGraphicsRAM
3700+Sandiego KACAE DFI LP UT nF4 SLI-D 2 x eVGA6600GT 256Mb 2x512Mb TCCD 
Hard DriveOSKeyboardPower
WD 80Gb SATAII XP Puss Pro Logiteck Multimedia Enermax Noisetaker 485W 
CaseMouse
XG Quantum - modified Logitech MX518 
View all
  hide details  
Reply
post #6 of 12
9/18/05 at 11:42pm
Very good, but it would be nice if you further defined what Volts, Amperes, and Watts were. I know what they are, but you should include it in your FAQ.
My System
(13 items)
  		  
CPUMotherboardOSMonitor
P4 2.4 Prescott Asus P4P800-E Deluxe XP Home +SP2 AVIDAV 17in LCD Flat!!!!! 
KeyboardPowerCaseMouse
Logitech Standard (hate2) Stock 380W RAIDMAX ATX 268WBP blk/s Logitech Optical (i hate) 
View all
  hide details  
Reply
My System
(13 items)
  		  
CPUMotherboardOSMonitor
P4 2.4 Prescott Asus P4P800-E Deluxe XP Home +SP2 AVIDAV 17in LCD Flat!!!!! 
KeyboardPowerCaseMouse
Logitech Standard (hate2) Stock 380W RAIDMAX ATX 268WBP blk/s Logitech Optical (i hate) 
View all
  hide details  
Reply
post #7 of 12
9/21/05 at 4:56pm
Thread Starter 
I dont know that much more about them except that "volt" was named after some guy whos last name was Volta.
Very nice!
(13 items)
  		  
CPUMotherboardGraphicsRAM
Core 2 Duo E6600 Asus P5N32-E SLI EVGA 8800GTX 2 x 1GB GSkill HZ 
Hard DriveOptical DriveOSMonitor
2 x WD Caviar SE16 250GB Sony NEC Optiarc 18x SATA DVD Windows XP Pro Gateway FPD2485W 24" 
KeyboardPowerCaseMouse
Logitech G15 PC P&C Silencer 610W Thermaltake Tsunami Logitech MX518 
  hide details  
Reply
Very nice!
(13 items)
  		  
CPUMotherboardGraphicsRAM
Core 2 Duo E6600 Asus P5N32-E SLI EVGA 8800GTX 2 x 1GB GSkill HZ 
Hard DriveOptical DriveOSMonitor
2 x WD Caviar SE16 250GB Sony NEC Optiarc 18x SATA DVD Windows XP Pro Gateway FPD2485W 24" 
KeyboardPowerCaseMouse
Logitech G15 PC P&C Silencer 610W Thermaltake Tsunami Logitech MX518 
  hide details  
Reply
post #8 of 12
9/21/05 at 10:29pm
Well, a Watt is one Joule of energy per second.

-The term "Volt" is named after Alessandro Volta, who invented the electric battery.
-"Watt" is named after James Watt, who helped develop the steam engine.
-"Joule" comes from James Prescott Joule, who studied heat and laid the foundation for the laws of thermodynamics. Also probably where the Prescott core got it name, and it is a fitting name, since the Prescott produces so much heat, which is what he studied.
-"Amp" or "Ampere" is named after André-Marie Ampère, one of the main discoverers of electromagnetism.

Hope that fills you in, and it is a nice FAQ.
Desktop
(13 items)
  		  
CPUMotherboardGraphicsRAM
Core 2 E2140 @2.67GHz Abit IP35 Pro Radeon X1900XT 512MB 2x1GB GSkill HZ 
Hard DriveOptical DriveOSMonitor
2x500GB Samsung HD501LJ + 2x80GB (1.16TB total) 2 X NEC ND-3550A Windows XP Home 24" Acer LCD (AL2324W) 
KeyboardPowerCaseMouse
Saitek Executive PC P&C Silencer 610W AeroCool AeroEngine II w/ 2x140mm intake fans Logitech MX518 
Mouse Pad
Generic foam rubber pad 
View all
  hide details  
Reply
Desktop
(13 items)
  		  
CPUMotherboardGraphicsRAM
Core 2 E2140 @2.67GHz Abit IP35 Pro Radeon X1900XT 512MB 2x1GB GSkill HZ 
Hard DriveOptical DriveOSMonitor
2x500GB Samsung HD501LJ + 2x80GB (1.16TB total) 2 X NEC ND-3550A Windows XP Home 24" Acer LCD (AL2324W) 
KeyboardPowerCaseMouse
Saitek Executive PC P&C Silencer 610W AeroCool AeroEngine II w/ 2x140mm intake fans Logitech MX518 
Mouse Pad
Generic foam rubber pad 
View all
  hide details  
Reply
post #9 of 12
10/20/05 at 2:54pm
V=IR is pretty usefull too. (Volts=current*resistance)

Plus, Watts is just the unit for power, Volts are the unit for potential difference, and Amps are the unit for current.

Might make it easier if people know Watts are the same as power, and amps is current ect.

Nevertheless nice FAQ+
My System
(13 items)
  		  
CPUMotherboardGraphicsRAM
Athlon II X4 640 Gigabyte GA-MA770-UD3 7900GS <3 2x 2GB Corsair DDR2 + 2x 512MB of value stuff 
Optical DriveOSMonitorKeyboard
NEC AD-7170 Win 7 Asus VW193D-B A4 tech wireless 
PowerCaseMouseMouse Pad
Coolermaster Fractal Design Define R3 Gigabyte GM-M6800 Bright Mat 
View all
  hide details  
Reply
My System
(13 items)
  		  
CPUMotherboardGraphicsRAM
Athlon II X4 640 Gigabyte GA-MA770-UD3 7900GS <3 2x 2GB Corsair DDR2 + 2x 512MB of value stuff 
Optical DriveOSMonitorKeyboard
NEC AD-7170 Win 7 Asus VW193D-B A4 tech wireless 
PowerCaseMouseMouse Pad
Coolermaster Fractal Design Define R3 Gigabyte GM-M6800 Bright Mat 
View all
  hide details  
Reply
post #10 of 12
2/1/06 at 3:48pm
It's a decent FAQ, but for newbies like me who are still confused about electrical terms like these maybe you could define each a bit more (if you yourself ever find that out), or atleast link to/copy another source that explains it.
THEN I'll give you a rep point
The Beginner
(13 items)
  		  
CPUMotherboardGraphicsRAM
2500+ Barton @ 2310 MHz MSI KT6 Delta Radeon 9800 Pro @ 9800 XT 2x512MB OCZ Platinum @ 210MHz 2-3-2-6 
OSMonitorKeyboardPower
Windows XP Professional Hyundai V560 14.1" CRT Logitech Generic Media Keyboard 300 Watt Sparkle 
CaseMouseMouse Pad
Antec SLK3000B Logitech MX310 Generic 
  hide details  
Reply
The Beginner
(13 items)
  		  
CPUMotherboardGraphicsRAM
2500+ Barton @ 2310 MHz MSI KT6 Delta Radeon 9800 Pro @ 9800 XT 2x512MB OCZ Platinum @ 210MHz 2-3-2-6 
OSMonitorKeyboardPower
Windows XP Professional Hyundai V560 14.1" CRT Logitech Generic Media Keyboard 300 Watt Sparkle 
CaseMouseMouse Pad
Antec SLK3000B Logitech MX310 Generic 
  hide details  
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: FAQs
Overclock.net › Forums › Overclock.net Forum › FAQs › How to: Convert between Watts, Amps and Volts.