Understanding Imperial Gallons per Second to Imperial Gallons per Minute Conversion
Here the UK imperial gallon (4.54609 litres) stays fixed and only the time unit changes from seconds to minutes. Since a minute contains 60 seconds, a steady per-second flow amounts to 60 times as much per minute. This is a routine conversion in plumbing and pump work, where flow may be quoted per second but design sheets ask for gallons per minute (GPM) in imperial terms.
Conversion Formula
To convert Imperial Gallons per Second to Imperial Gallons per Minute, multiply the number of Imperial Gallons per Second by this factor:
Step-by-Step Example
Convert 25 Imperial Gallons per Second to Imperial Gallons per Minute.
Write the formula:
Substitute the value:
Calculate the result:
How to Convert Imperial Gallons per Second to Imperial Gallons per Minute
Convert the per-second flow to per-minute with a single step.
- Record the rate: Take the value in Imperial Gallons per Second.
- Multiply by 60: This is the number of seconds in a minute.
- State the result: The answer is Imperial Gallons per Minute — for example, 25 imp-gal/s × 60 = 1500 imp-gal/min.
Imperial Gallons per Second to Imperial Gallons per Minute conversion table
| Imperial Gallons per Second (imp-gal/s) | Imperial Gallons per Minute (imp-gal/min) |
|---|---|
| 0 | 0 |
| 1 | 60 |
| 2 | 120 |
| 3 | 180 |
| 4 | 240 |
| 5 | 300 |
| 6 | 360 |
| 7 | 420 |
| 8 | 480 |
| 9 | 540 |
| 10 | 600 |
| 15 | 900 |
| 20 | 1200 |
| 25 | 1500 |
| 30 | 1800 |
| 40 | 2400 |
| 50 | 3000 |
| 60 | 3600 |
| 70 | 4200 |
| 80 | 4800 |
| 90 | 5400 |
| 100 | 6000 |
| 150 | 9000 |
| 200 | 12000 |
| 250 | 15000 |
| 300 | 18000 |
| 400 | 24000 |
| 500 | 30000 |
| 600 | 36000 |
| 700 | 42000 |
| 800 | 48000 |
| 900 | 54000 |
| 1000 | 60000 |
| 2000 | 120000 |
| 3000 | 180000 |
| 4000 | 240000 |
| 5000 | 300000 |
| 10000 | 600000 |
| 25000 | 1500000 |
| 50000 | 3000000 |
| 100000 | 6000000 |
| 250000 | 15000000 |
| 500000 | 30000000 |
| 1000000 | 60000000 |
What is the Imperial Gallon per Second?
The Imperial gallon per second (imp-gal/s) is a unit of volumetric flow rate, expressing the volume of liquid passing a point each second measured in Imperial (UK) gallons. It appears in British and Commonwealth engineering contexts such as pump ratings, water supply, and fuel handling.
Definition
One Imperial gallon per second equals one Imperial gallon of volume flowing every second. Since the Imperial gallon is defined as exactly 4.54609 litres, the flow rate converts directly to litres per second:
The Imperial gallon is fixed by definition as 4.54609 L exactly (originally the volume of 10 pounds of water). This makes it noticeably larger than the US liquid gallon of 3.785411784 L, so an Imperial gallon per second delivers about 20% more volume than a US gallon per second.
Origin and History
The Imperial gallon was established by the British Weights and Measures Act of 1824, defined as the volume of ten pounds of distilled water at 62 °F. In 1985 the UK redefined it in metric terms as exactly 4.54609 litres. As a rate unit, gallons per second and the more common gallons per minute grew out of the need to specify pump and pipe throughput during the industrial era.
Law and Notable Facts
The Imperial gallon remains a legally recognised unit in the United Kingdom, though the litre is the primary trading unit under metrication. It is distinct from the US gallon: the Imperial gallon (4.54609 L) is roughly 20% larger than the US liquid gallon (3.785 L), so flow figures quoted in "gallons" must always specify which system. A flow of 1 imp-gal/s corresponds to 60 Imperial gallons per minute or 3,600 per hour.
Real-World Examples and Conversions
- A flow of 1 imp-gal/s equals 4.54609 L/s, or about 272.77 litres per minute.
- A typical domestic garden hose delivers well under 1 imp-gal/s; a rate of 1 imp-gal/s (≈16,366 L/h) is closer to a small industrial or firefighting pump.
- 1 imp-gal/s ≈ 1.20095 US gallons per second, reflecting the larger Imperial gallon.
- 1 imp-gal/s ≈ 0.00454609 cubic metres per second, useful when comparing against SI pump specifications.
What is the Imperial Gallon per Minute?
The imperial gallon per minute is a unit of volumetric flow rate, measuring how many imperial (UK) gallons of liquid pass a point each minute. It is common in British and Commonwealth plumbing, pumping, and irrigation specifications.
Definition
One imperial gallon per minute equals one imperial gallon (4.54609 litres exactly) of volume flowing every 60 seconds:
Because the imperial gallon is defined as exactly 4.54609 L, the exact relation is L/s. Note that the imperial gallon is about 20% larger than the US liquid gallon (3.785411784 L), so an imperial gpm is a larger flow than a US gpm.
Origin and History
The imperial gallon dates to the British Weights and Measures Act of 1824, which fixed it as the volume of 10 pounds of distilled water. It was redefined in 1976 (effective 1985) as exactly 4.54609 litres. The "per minute" flow rate arose naturally from waterworks and pump ratings, where minutes are a convenient interval for reading meters and sizing equipment.
Law and Notable Facts
The imperial gallon remains a legal unit in the United Kingdom and several Commonwealth nations, though the litre per second and cubic metre per hour are the SI-based standards for engineering. A tap flowing at 1 imp-gal/min delivers about 4.55 litres every minute; UK water-efficiency guidance often rates fittings in litres per minute, where 1 imp-gal/min corresponds to roughly 4.55 L/min.
Real-World Examples and Conversions
- A typical domestic kitchen tap or shower flows around 2 to 3 imp-gal/min (about 9 to 14 L/min).
- 1 imp-gal/min equals 60 imperial gallons per hour, or approximately 4.546 cubic metres per hour when multiplied out over an hour ( litres/hour, i.e. 0.27277 m³/h).
- To convert to US gallons per minute, multiply by 1.20095: 1 imp-gal/min ≈ 1.201 US gpm.
- A small garden pump rated at 10 imp-gal/min moves about 0.758 litres per second, enough to fill a 200-litre water butt in roughly 4.4 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the formula to convert Imperial Gallons per Second to Imperial Gallons per Minute?
Multiply the Imperial Gallons per Second value by 60, the number of seconds in a minute.
How many Imperial Gallons per Minute are in 1 Imperial Gallon per Second?
One Imperial Gallon per Second equals 60 Imperial Gallons per Minute.
How do I convert 12 Imperial Gallons per Second to Imperial Gallons per Minute?
Multiply 12 by 60 to get 720 Imperial Gallons per Minute.
Is this the imperial gallons-per-minute (GPM) used in UK plumbing?
Yes, this uses the UK imperial gallon, so the result is imperial GPM rather than US GPM, which would differ because the US gallon is smaller.
How do I convert Imperial Gallons per Minute back to Imperial Gallons per Second?
Divide by 60, or multiply by 0.0166667, the reciprocal of 60.