Question: why is 12000 btu a ton?
Answer: A ton refers to the amount of heat it takes to completely melt a ton of ice. Melting this amount of ice requires 286,000 Btu (British thermal units). How fast the ice melts depends on how much heat it receives over time. ... Rounding up 11,917 Btu/hr gives you 12,000 Btu/hr, which is one ton of air conditioner capacity.