How many ft·lbf/min is 1 kilowatt?

1 kilowatt equals 44,253.73 foot-pounds per minute. This comes from: 1 W = 1 J/s = 0.737562 ft·lbf/s = 44.2537 ft·lbf/min, so 1 kW = 1,000 W = 44,253.73 ft·lbf/min.

What is foot-pound per minute used for?

Foot-pound per minute is an imperial unit of power. It appears in older US mechanical engineering references, motor torque-speed calculations, and hydraulic system specs. Modern US industry increasingly uses horsepower or kilowatts, but ft·lbf/min remains on legacy equipment datasheets and in some academic contexts.

How does ft·lbf/min relate to horsepower?

1 horsepower equals exactly 33,000 ft·lbf/min. This is in fact the original definition of horsepower — the rate at which a horse could do 33,000 ft·lbf of work in one minute. So 1 kW ≈ 44,253.73 / 33,000 ≈ 1.3410 horsepower.

How do I convert ft·lbf/min back to kilowatts?

Divide ft·lbf/min by 44,253.73 to get kilowatts. For example, 33,000 ft·lbf/min ÷ 44,253.73 ≈ 0.7457 kW, which matches 1 horsepower.

Is this the same as foot-pounds per second?

No. Foot-pounds per second is a different rate — 1 ft·lbf/s = 60 ft·lbf/min. To convert kW to ft·lbf/s, multiply by 737.562 instead of 44,253.73.

Kilowatt to Foot-Pound per Minute Converter

Name: Kilowatt to Foot-Pound per Minute Converter
Availability: InStock
Author: Nham Vu

Enter kilowatts and instantly get foot-pounds per minute — useful for mechanical power calculations, motor sizing, and imperial engineering specs.

Kilowatts (kW)

Enter kilowatts

Enter a kilowatt value above to see the result.

Common kW to ft·lbf/min Values

Kilowatts (kW)	ft·lbf/min

1 kW = 44,253.73 ft·lbf/min | 1 hp = 33,000 ft·lbf/min = 0.7457 kW

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Summary

Enter kilowatts and instantly get foot-pounds per minute — useful for mechanical power calculations, motor sizing, and imperial engineering specs.

How it works

Enter the kilowatt value you want to convert.
The tool multiplies your input by 44,253.73 — the exact kW-to-ft·lbf/min factor.
The converted value appears instantly in foot-pounds per minute.
Click any row in the reference table to fill the input with a common kW value.
Copy the result with one click to use it in another application.

Use cases

Convert electric motor ratings from kW to ft·lbf/min for US mechanical specs.
Check engine or turbine output in imperial units against load requirements.
Size hydraulic pumps and motors when torque specs are in ft·lbf and speed in rpm.
Compare metric machinery output against imperial-rated equipment in the same system.
Verify power figures in mixed-unit datasheets for industrial equipment procurement.
Cross-check motor power against conveyor or pump load calculations in ft·lbf/min.

Frequently Asked Questions

Last updated: 2026-07-22 · Reviewed by Nham Vu