Kilowatts to Amps Calculator
Convert electrical power (kilowatts) and voltage to current in amps for DC, single-phase AC, and three-phase AC. Includes power factor for AC. All calculations run in your browser.
Real power in kilowatts (not kVA). 1 kW = 1,000 W.
Volts across the load.
Table of Contents
Why convert kilowatts to amps?
Many appliances, motors, and generators list power in kilowatts (kW), but breakers, fuses, and wire sizes are chosen from current in amps. Converting kW to amps tells you how much current a load draws at a given voltage.
For DC, current is I = P ÷ V. Since this calculator accepts kW, we convert first: P(W) = kW × 1000.
For AC, include the power factor because you’re converting real power (watts) to current. Single-phase uses I = P ÷ (V × PF). Balanced three-phase (line-to-line) uses I = P ÷ (√3 × VL-L × PF).
This tool is the same as our Watts to Amps Calculator — just with a kilowatts-first input.
Formulas
DC
I (A) = (kW × 1000) ÷ V (V)
Power factor does not apply to DC.
AC single-phase
I (A) = (kW × 1000) ÷ (VRMS × PF)
Use RMS voltage (what outlet ratings show). If you already have watts, use the Watts to Amps tool and enter W directly.
AC three-phase (balanced)
I (A) = (kW × 1000) ÷ (√3 × VL-L × PF)
VL-L is line-to-line RMS voltage. √3 ≈ 1.732. If you only know line-to-neutral voltage: VL-L = VL-N × √3 before using this form, or use I = (kW × 1000) ÷ (3 × VL-N × PF) for balanced wye.
Quick Reference Table
| Type | kW | Voltage | PF | Amps | Typical load |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DC | 0.12 kW | 12 V | — | 10 A | Car electronics |
| DC | 0.24 kW | 48 V | — | 5 A | E-bike motor |
| AC 1-phase | 1.08 kW | 120 V | 0.9 | 10 A | Toaster (US) |
| AC 1-phase | 2.07 kW | 230 V | 0.9 | 10 A | Kettle (AU/EU) |
| AC 1-phase | 4.14 kW | 230 V | 0.9 | 20 A | Electric oven |
| AC 3-phase | 6.462 kW | 415 V | 0.9 | 10 A | Industrial motor (AU) |
| AC 3-phase | 20.679 kW | 415 V | 0.9 | 32 A | Commercial load |
FAQ
Yes — it’s the same calculation, but this page accepts kilowatts. Internally, it converts kW to W using W = kW × 1000.
Not directly. You must convert kW to watts first: I = (kW × 1000) ÷ V for DC. For AC, also divide by PF, and for three-phase include √3.
Use 1.0 for resistive loads (heaters, kettles). Motors and mixed loads often range 0.8–0.95. If unknown, 0.8 is a conservative estimate.
Yes — the three-phase mode uses VL-L (line-to-line RMS), which is standard for the √3 form.