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Milliwatt to Kilocalorie per Hour Converter

Convert milliwatts to kcal/h with our free online power converter.

Quick Answer

1 Milliwatt = 0.00086 kcal/h

Formula: Milliwatt × conversion factor = Kilocalorie per Hour

Use the calculator below for instant, accurate conversions.

Our Accuracy Guarantee

All conversion formulas on UnitsConverter.io have been verified against NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) guidelines and international SI standards. Our calculations are accurate to 10 decimal places for standard conversions and use arbitrary precision arithmetic for astronomical units.

Last verified: February 2026Reviewed by: Sam Mathew, Software Engineer

Milliwatt to Kilocalorie per Hour Calculator

How to Use the Milliwatt to Kilocalorie per Hour Calculator:

  1. Enter the value you want to convert in the 'From' field (Milliwatt).
  2. The converted value in Kilocalorie per Hour will appear automatically in the 'To' field.
  3. Use the dropdown menus to select different units within the Power category.
  4. Click the swap button (⇌) to reverse the conversion direction.
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How to Convert Milliwatt to Kilocalorie per Hour: Step-by-Step Guide

Converting Milliwatt to Kilocalorie per Hour involves multiplying the value by a specific conversion factor, as shown in the formula below.

Formula:

kcal/h = mW × 0.000860421

Example Calculation:

1 mW = 0.00086 kcal/h

Disclaimer: For Reference Only

These conversion results are provided for informational purposes only. While we strive for accuracy, we make no guarantees regarding the precision of these results, especially for conversions involving extremely large or small numbers which may be subject to the inherent limitations of standard computer floating-point arithmetic.

Not for professional use. Results should be verified before use in any critical application. View our Terms of Service for more information.

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What is a Milliwatt and a Kilocalorie per Hour?

1 mW = 0.001 W = 0.000001 kW = 1,000 µW (microwatts)

1 kcal/h = 1.163 W = 0.001163 kW = 0.00156 hp = 3.968 BTU/h = 4,184 J/h

Note: Uses food Calorie (Cal) = kilocalorie (kcal) = 1,000 small calories

Note: The Milliwatt is part of the imperial/US customary system, primarily used in the US, UK, and Canada for everyday measurements. The Kilocalorie per Hour belongs to the imperial/US customary system.

Common Uses and Applications: milliwatts vs kcal/h

Explore the typical applications for both Milliwatt (imperial/US) and Kilocalorie per Hour (imperial/US) to understand their common contexts.

Common Uses for milliwatts

Lasers: Pointer lasers (1-5 mW), barcode scanners (1-10 mW). Wireless: Bluetooth (1-100 mW), Wi-Fi (10-1,000 mW), RFID tags. Medical: Hearing aids (1 mW), pacemakers (50-100 µW standby). Electronics: LEDs, sensors, low-power circuits.

When to Use kcal/h

Metabolism: Basal metabolic rate (BMR), daily energy expenditure. Nutrition: Energy requirements, dietary planning. HVAC: Human body heat load in building calculations (Europe). Sports Science: Exercise energy expenditure, training zones.

Additional Unit Information

About Milliwatt (mW)

How do I convert mW to watts or microwatts?

Formula:

  • W = mW × 0.001 (or mW ÷ 1,000)
  • µW = mW × 1,000

Examples:

  • 1 mW = 0.001 W = 1,000 µW
  • 100 mW = 0.1 W = 100,000 µW
  • 1,000 mW = 1 W = 1,000,000 µW
  • 10 mW = 0.01 W = 10,000 µW

mW to Watts converter →

What is a safe laser power in mW?

Laser safety classes:

Class 1 (< 0.4 mW): Inherently safe, cannot damage eye Class 2 (0.4-1 mW): Safe with blink reflex (~0.25 seconds) Class 3R (1-5 mW): Low risk with brief exposure, common laser pointers Class 3B (5-500 mW): Eye hazard, can cause injury Class 4 (> 500 mW): Severe eye and skin hazard, fire risk

Recommendations:

  • Safe for general use: ≤ 1 mW (Class 2)
  • Laser pointers (legal): < 5 mW in US (many countries limit to 1 mW)
  • Avoid: > 5 mW for general use
  • Industrial/medical: 10-10,000+ mW (requires safety training)

Example: 5 mW green laser appears ~30x brighter than 5 mW red laser to human eye (wavelength sensitivity).

How much power does a typical Bluetooth device use?

Bluetooth power classes:

Class 1: 100 mW (20 dBm) - Range: ~100 meters

  • Use case: Industrial, long-range applications

Class 2: 2.5 mW (4 dBm) - Range: ~10 meters

  • Use case: Most consumer devices (headphones, mice)

Class 3: 1 mW (0 dBm) - Range: ~1 meter

  • Use case: Very low power, proximity devices

Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE): 0.01-10 mW

  • Advertising: 0.01-1 mW (intermittent)
  • Connected: 1-10 mW
  • Deep sleep: 0.001-0.01 mW

Examples:

  • Wireless earbuds: 2-10 mW (Class 2/3)
  • Bluetooth speaker: 2.5-10 mW (Class 2)
  • Fitness tracker: 0.1-5 mW (BLE)

What is dBm and how does it relate to mW?

dBm = Decibels relative to 1 milliwatt (logarithmic power scale)

Formula: dBm = 10 × log₁₀(mW)

Common conversions:

| dBm | mW | Description | |-----|-------|-------------| | 0 | 1 | Reference | | 3 | 2 | Double | | 10 | 10 | 10x | | 20 | 100 | 100x | | 30 | 1,000 | 1W | | -10 | 0.1 | 1/10 | | -20 | 0.01 | 1/100 | | -30 | 0.001 | 1 µW |

Why use dBm?

  • Large ranges easier to express: -50 dBm to +30 dBm vs 0.00001 mW to 1,000 mW
  • Simplifies gain/loss calculations (add/subtract vs multiply/divide)

Examples:

  • Wi-Fi signal: -30 to -90 dBm (1,000 mW to 0.000001 mW)
  • Cell tower: +43 dBm = 20,000 mW (20W)
  • Bluetooth: 0 to +20 dBm (1-100 mW)

How long can a battery power a device using mW?

Formula: Battery life (hours) = (Battery capacity in mWh) ÷ (Device power in mW)

Example calculations:

CR2032 coin cell: 225 mAh @ 3V = 675 mWh

  • LED (20 mW): 675 ÷ 20 = 34 hours
  • Bluetooth beacon (1 mW avg): 675 ÷ 1 = 675 hours (~28 days)
  • Watch (0.01 mW avg): 675 ÷ 0.01 = 67,500 hours (~7.7 years)

AA battery: 2,500 mAh @ 1.5V = 3,750 mWh

  • LED flashlight (500 mW): 3,750 ÷ 500 = 7.5 hours
  • Remote control (5 mW avg): 3,750 ÷ 5 = 750 hours (~31 days active)

Smartphone battery: 15 Wh = 15,000 mWh

  • Idle (200 mW): 15,000 ÷ 200 = 75 hours (~3 days)
  • Active use (2,000 mW): 15,000 ÷ 2,000 = 7.5 hours

About Kilocalorie per Hour (kcal/h)

How do I convert kcal/h to watts?

Formula: W = kcal/h × 1.163

Examples:

  • 60 kcal/h = 70 W (sleeping)
  • 100 kcal/h = 116 W (sitting)
  • 500 kcal/h = 582 W (running)
  • 1,000 kcal/h = 1,163 W = 1.16 kW

kcal/h to Watts converter →

How do I calculate my basal metabolic rate (BMR)?

Mifflin-St Jeor Equation (most accurate):

Men: BMR (kcal/day) = 10 × weight(kg) + 6.25 × height(cm) - 5 × age(years) + 5 Women: BMR (kcal/day) = 10 × weight(kg) + 6.25 × height(cm) - 5 × age(years) - 161

Convert to kcal/h: Divide by 24

Example - 30-year-old male, 80kg, 180cm:

  • BMR = (10 × 80) + (6.25 × 180) - (5 × 30) + 5 = 1,730 kcal/day
  • Hourly rate: 1,730 ÷ 24 = 72 kcal/h = 84 W

Example - 30-year-old female, 65kg, 165cm:

  • BMR = (10 × 65) + (6.25 × 165) - (5 × 30) - 161 = 1,370 kcal/day
  • Hourly rate: 1,370 ÷ 24 = 57 kcal/h = 66 W

What is the difference between kcal/h and cal/s?

kcal/h = Kilocalories per hour (large Calorie per hour) cal/s = Calories per second (small calorie per second)

Conversion: 1 cal/s = 3.6 kcal/h

Usage:

  • kcal/h: Metabolism, nutrition (aligns with daily calorie counts)
  • cal/s: Physics, thermodynamics

Example: 100W power

  • As watts: 100 W
  • As kcal/h: 86 kcal/h
  • As cal/s: 24 cal/s

How many kcal/h do I burn exercising?

MET (Metabolic Equivalent) method:

Formula: kcal/h = MET × weight(kg) × 1.05

Common MET values:

  • Sleeping: 0.9 METs
  • Sitting: 1.0 METs
  • Walking (3 mph): 3.5 METs
  • Jogging (5 mph): 8.0 METs
  • Running (7 mph): 11.5 METs
  • Cycling (moderate): 8.0 METs
  • Swimming (moderate): 8.0 METs

Example - 70kg person running at 7 mph:

  • kcal/h = 11.5 × 70 × 1.05 = 845 kcal/h = 982 W

Example - 70kg person walking at 3 mph:

  • kcal/h = 3.5 × 70 × 1.05 = 257 kcal/h = 299 W

Why does HVAC use kcal/h in some countries?

Historical: European HVAC tradition used kcal/h before SI adoption Body heat: Natural unit for human heat output (matches food calories) Transition: Many European countries now use watts Mixed practice: Some European standards still reference kcal/h

Conversion for HVAC:

  • 1 person (seated): 100 kcal/h = 116 W
  • Conference room (20 people): 2,000 kcal/h = 2,320 W = 2.32 kW
  • Gym (50 people, active): 20,000 kcal/h = 23,200 W = 23.2 kW

Modern practice: Most HVAC calculations now in watts or BTU/h.

Conversion Table: Milliwatt to Kilocalorie per Hour

Milliwatt (mW)Kilocalorie per Hour (kcal/h)
0.50
10.001
1.50.001
20.002
50.004
100.009
250.022
500.043
1000.086
2500.215
5000.43
1,0000.86

People Also Ask

How do I convert Milliwatt to Kilocalorie per Hour?

To convert Milliwatt to Kilocalorie per Hour, enter the value in Milliwatt in the calculator above. The conversion will happen automatically. Use our free online converter for instant and accurate results. You can also visit our power converter page to convert between other units in this category.

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What is the conversion factor from Milliwatt to Kilocalorie per Hour?

The conversion factor depends on the specific relationship between Milliwatt and Kilocalorie per Hour. You can find the exact conversion formula and factor on this page. Our calculator handles all calculations automatically. See the conversion table above for common values.

Can I convert Kilocalorie per Hour back to Milliwatt?

Yes! You can easily convert Kilocalorie per Hour back to Milliwatt by using the swap button (⇌) in the calculator above, or by visiting our Kilocalorie per Hour to Milliwatt converter page. You can also explore other power conversions on our category page.

Learn more →

What are common uses for Milliwatt and Kilocalorie per Hour?

Milliwatt and Kilocalorie per Hour are both standard units used in power measurements. They are commonly used in various applications including engineering, construction, cooking, and scientific research. Browse our power converter for more conversion options.

For more power conversion questions, visit our FAQ page or explore our conversion guides.

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Verified Against Authority Standards

All conversion formulas have been verified against international standards and authoritative sources to ensure maximum accuracy and reliability.

NIST Reference on Constants, Units and Uncertainty

National Institute of Standards and Technology — Fundamental physical constants and unit conversions

BIPM SI Units

Bureau International des Poids et Mesures — International System of Units (SI) definitions and standards

ISO 80000

International Organization for Standardization — Quantities and units international standards series

Last verified: February 19, 2026