Watt-hour and milliamp-hours are standard energy units to know. With simple formulas, you can convert Wh to mAH or vice versa. This knowledge can help you track your energy usage.
Also, before buying a phone charger or solar generator, it is wise to calculate these energy units. This will help you know whether the energy capacity meets your needs. Hence, we will learn more about watt-hour and milliamp-hours in this article.
What is Wh?
Watt-hour (Wh) is the total amount of energy a device uses at a particular time. It measures how much energy a device uses for one hour. Watt-hour is used for electrical devices like computers, toasters, and fridges.
What is mAh?
Milliamp-hour (mAh) is a unit of electrical charge of a battery. It helps you to know how long a battery can last.
It is commonly used to express the capacity of small batteries and portable devices. These include smartphones, laptops, tablets, and portable power stations.
The Relationship Between Wh and mAh
Both Wh and mAh are electrical energy units. Wh and mAh offer an estimation of the energy capacity of batteries. However, Wh provides a more accurate estimate for this value.
The conversion of Wh to mAH and vice versa is necessary. Before buying or replacing your appliance's batteries, you need this conversion. They help you understand the type of battery you should buy. They also allow you to choose a suitable battery capacity for your devices.
Wh and mAh Conversion Methods
How can you convert Wh to mAh and vice versa? Here is how to do so with ease:
How to Convert Wh to mAh
Before conversion, you need to know your battery’s voltage. A battery’s voltage shows how much energy a charge unit can take. The higher the voltage, the higher the energy. The standard voltage for batteries is 3.7 V. Lead-acid and alkaline batteries are 12 V and 5V, respectively.
To convert, you must do the following:
- Divide the watt-hour by the battery’s voltage (e.g., 3.7 V)
- Multiply your result by 1000
The formula for this conversion is: mAh =Wh V 1000
How to Convert mAh to Wh
Now, let’s work on the reverse conversion. Before you start conversion, you must also know the batter’s voltage. After, follow these two steps:
- Multiply the milliamp-hour by the battery’s voltage
- Divide your result by 1000
The formula for this conversion is: Wh = mAh V 1000
Most times, your electrical device capacity comes in mAh. You will need to convert to Wh to know the energy used by the device.
Additional Conversions
Other conversions you need to know include:
How to Convert kWh to mAh
Larger batteries are expressed in kilowatt-hours instead of watthours. If you want to know the energy charge capacity of these batteries, convert them to mAh.
For the conversion, divide kWh by volts and multiply by 1 million.
The formula is: mAh = kWh V1,000,000
How to Convert mAh to kWh
This is a reverse conversion method. Kilowatt hours are used to calculate electricity bills, so this conversion is important. For the conversion, multiply mAh by the battery‘s voltage. Next, divide your results by 1 million.
The formula is: kWh = mAh V 1,000,000
How to Convert Watt Hours to Amp Hours (Wh to Ah)
Converting Wh to Ah can be vital. It helps you know the battery size you need for your device. It also allows you to understand how much energy you are using. You can simply divide Wh by its voltage to convert Wh to Ah.
The formula is: Ah = Wh V
Practical Examples and Applications
What practical examples and real-life applications should you know about conversions?
Using Conversion in Everyday Life
You can use these conversions in your everyday life. Here are some examples of when you might need to use them:
- You need to convert Wh to mAh when building a solar system.
- You need to convert mAh to Wh to measure the energy capacity of a new battery you bought recently.
Converting Wh to mAh or vice versa is necessary when buying or replacing batteries. It allows you to choose a compatible battery for your device. It also lets you select a battery that provides the desired longevity for your devices.
For instance, imagine you have a 3.7V 15Wh power bank. You want a charger that will charge fast and not damage the power bank’s battery. The product’s manual didn’t provide its maximum charge rate. To figure this out, you must convert your device's watt-hours to milliamp-hours. This will allow you to estimate the charge time of your device.
Case Studies
Some case studies show the practical use of Wh to mAh in portable chargers and power stations. Let’s look at Jackery and Anker.
Anker PowerHouse: This is a portable power station. It comes with a watthour of 1024 and a wattage of 1000. This provides enough power for all electrical devices like phones and laptops.
Jackery Pro Portable Power Station: This has a large battery capacity of 3024 watt-hours. It can power many outdoor appliances. Its battery charge capacity is 70Ah, meaning one can power electrical devices for a long time.
Goldenmate LiFePO4 Battery: This model has a large battery capacity of 2560 watt-hours. Its battery capacity is about 200Ah. It can power high-powered devices for prolonged periods.
Conversion Tools and Resources
You need a good conversion tool to understand how to convert effectively. Some of these tools and resources you should know include:
Online Calculators and Charts
Online calculators allow you to convert Wh to mAh with ease. You don’t need to make any rough calculations using paper and pen. These tools make things easy for you. Here is a review of some popular online conversion tools:
NPP Lithium Calculator: This calculator allows you to convert Wh to mAH. It allows you to add your device or battery’s voltage for easy calculation. It also shows you a conversion chart, so you don’t need to calculate all the time.
Calculator Hub: The calculator converts Wh to mAh or vice versa. It also comes with different conversion charts for different battery voltages.
Footprinthero: The calculator converts Wh to mAh or vice versa. It comes with a conversion chart, too. It also contains real-life examples of how to use conversion calculators.
There is no special way to use a conversion calculator. It is important to know the voltage of your device’s battery. Depending on the conversion, you also need to know the watt-hour or milliamp-hour.
Conversion Chart
Here is a quick Wh to mAh conversion table for lithium-ion batteries (3.7 V). This is a standard voltage for phones, Bluetooth speakers, and tablets:
|
Watt Hours (Wh) |
Voltage (V) |
Milliamp Hours (mAh) |
|
1Wh |
3.7V |
270.27mAh |
|
5Wh |
3.7V |
1,351.35mAh |
|
10Wh |
3.7V |
2,702.7mAh |
|
20Wh |
3.7V |
5,405.41mAh |
|
25Wh |
3.7V |
6,756.76mAh |
|
26.6Wh |
3.7V |
7,189.19mAh |
|
28.6Wh |
3.7V |
7,729.73mAh |
|
32.4Wh |
3.7V |
8,756.76mAh |
|
40Wh |
3.7V |
10,810.81mAh |
|
45Wh |
3.7V |
12,162.16mAh |
|
50Wh |
3.7V |
13,513.51mAh |
This conversion chart allows you to easily convert Wh to mAh or vice versa without calculating. It is easy to interpret. For instance, at 50Wh, your 3.7V battery has a charge capacity of 13,513 mAh.
Conclusion
While both Wh and mAh are energy units, they measure differently. The Wh unit measures the energy amount a battery provides in an hour. mAh, on the other hand, measures the energy capacity of a battery. Before you get a new battery for your electrical device, you need to know its Wh or mAh. You will need to calculate it if it is unspecified.
This article has explained how you can do simple electrical conversion. This knowledge helps you choose a suitable battery capacity for your appliances. You can read more battery tips on the Goldenmate Energy blog. Also, you can order high-capacity batteries from our online store.
