Why do we measure the heat that chickens produce in watts?

[Orchid]

Wouldn't it make more sense to use British Thermal Units (BTUs) instead of an electrical energy measure like watts? BTUs measure the amount of heat output of a heat generating device (like a furnace, or a human, or a chicken). Is it because more people are familiar with watts than BTUs?


I know, I need more to occupy my time.

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

Yea, almost everyone has a idea how much heat comes out of a 100 watt light or a 1800 watt heater but very few people have an understanding of BTUs.

 

[Mac in Wisco]

Most of the professional literature I have read does use BTUs. Some of the more basic literature does use watts. I guess it's easier for the average person to be able to reference it against electrical appliances, such as the heat produced by an incandescent lamp.

"Watt" isn't necessarily an electrical term. It's a measurement of power, whether electrical or mechanical, but most commonly used for electrical.

 

[WoodlandWoman]

I thought I had read BTUs, too. I don't remember reading watts.

 

[Orchid]

Most people in the coop design forum mention chickens putting off 10 watts of heat, which is what made me wonder why they use that measurement. (That's approximately 34 BTUs. An adult human at rest, in comparison, produces about 350 BTUs.)

Now, if your chickens were plugged into an outlet, I can see wanting to know how many watts they were using.

 

[zazouse]

Mabe cause dyslexic people like me would be spelling it BUTS instead of BTUS,

so watts better when trying to get it right ?

Sorry couldn't help myself, but really i just don't know

 

[zazouse]

Quote:

Electric chickens

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

Frankly think most of the world does not study BTUs much because it means British Thermal Units which implies to many people that its only heavily used in England.

 

[Orchid]

That could be, I guess...except every single heating contractor in the USA worthy of their title uses BTUs to size the heating systems they install.

 

[greenfamilyfarms]

BTU (British Thermal Unit) is the measure of energy required to raise 1 pound of water by 1 degree F. Americans just relate better to the watt than the BTU.

For example: 3.412 BTUs equal 1 watt.