Loading calculation engine...
Loading calculation engine...
A simple guide to understanding what 1 unit means on your meter and how long your household appliances take to consume it.
1 Unit of electricity equals exactly 1 Kilowatt-hour (1 kWh), which is 1,000 Watts of power used for 1 hour. For example, running a 1000W iron for 1 hour uses 1 unit. Running a 100W fan for 10 hours uses 1 unit. Running ten 10W LED bulbs for 10 hours uses 1 unit.
To find out how many units any home appliance consumes, look at its wattage on the specification label and use this simple formula:
Units (kWh) = [Wattage (W) × Hours Used] ÷ 1,000
For example, if you run a 150 Watt television for 6 hours:
(150 × 6) ÷ 1,000 = 0.9 Units of electricity.
| Appliance | Power (Watts) | Time to Consume Exactly 1 Unit (1 kWh) |
|---|---|---|
| 10W LED Bulb | 10 Watts | 100 Hours (over 4 days continuous) |
| BLDC Ceiling Fan | 28 Watts | 35 Hours |
| Standard Ceiling Fan | 75 Watts | 13.3 Hours |
| Air Cooler (Room) | 180 Watts | 5.5 Hours |
| 1.5 Ton Inverter AC | 600 Watts (avg) | 1.6 Hours (1 hour 40 mins) |
| Water Geyser (Storage) | 2,000 Watts | 30 Minutes |
| Electric Kettle | 1,500 Watts | 40 Minutes |
kW (Kilowatt) is the power rating of the appliance (how fast it consumes power). kWh (Kilowatt-hour) is the total energy consumed over time (1 unit of electricity on your bill).
Depending on your state and consumption slab, 1 unit costs anywhere from ₹3.50 (low slab) to ₹12.00+ (high slab in states like Maharashtra or UP).
Use our interactive unit converter tool to calculate exact power consumption and costs for any appliance.