Bar to Meters Head Calculator
1 bar = 10.1974 meters of water column, derived from the hydrostatic pressure equation P = ρ × g × h. Using standard water density at 4°C of 999.972 kg/m³ (effectively 1,000 kg/m³)...
Formula
Source: Engineering Toolbox, Hydraulic Institute Standards | Last reviewed: June 7, 2026
Examples
1 bar
= 10.2 m
- SG = 1
1 bar = 10.2 m of water
5 bar
= 51 m
- SG = 1
5 bar = 51 m of water
10 bar
= 127.5 m
- SG = 0.8
10 bar of kerosene (SG 0.8) = 127.5 m head
Quick Reference Table
| bar | m head |
|---|---|
| 0.5 | 5.1 |
| 1 | 10.2 |
| 2 | 20.4 |
| 5 | 51 |
| 10 | 102 |
| 20 | 203.9 |
Popular Conversions
Quick answers for the most-searched bar to m values.
10 meter head to bar
10 bar = 0.981 m
The most frequently searched head-to-bar query. 10m water head = 0.981 bar, useful for sizing pumps on multi-story buildings. Each floor (~3m) adds approximately 0.3 bar of static head.
1 bar to meters head
1 bar = 10.2 m
The fundamental reference: 1 bar = 10.197 meters head at SG=1.0. This means a pump delivering 1 bar can theoretically lift water 10.2m — but real systems lose 10-30% to pipe friction.
20 bar to meters head
20 bar = 203.9 m
High-pressure pump discharge typical for deep well or high-rise building booster pumps. 20 bar (204m head) can serve a 60+ story building from a basement pump room.
5 bar to meters head
5 bar = 51 m
Common booster pump discharge pressure for 4-6 story buildings. At 5 bar (51m head), a single pump station can serve a mid-rise apartment or office building without intermediate booster stations.
10 bar to meters head water
10 bar = 102 m
101.97 meters of water at SG=1.0. This is approximately the height of a 30-story building. A fire pump rated at 10 bar (10 bar ≈ 145 psi) must overcome this static head plus friction losses.
2 bar to meters head
2 bar = 20.4 m
Residential and small commercial water supply pressure. 2 bar (20.4m head, ~29 psi) is sufficient for a 2-story house — shower heads and appliances typically need at least 1.5 bar.
Where is this used?
Water utility pump stations worldwide outside the US specify pump performance in bar (or meters of head) rather than psi or feet of head — a municipal booster pump station delivering 50 L/s at 4 bar (about 41 m of head) is a typical mid-size installation, and the system curve is plotted in meters against the pump curve.
Building water supply booster sets per EN 806 and DIN 1988 are sized for required flow at a specified bar pressure (typically 3–6 bar at the most remote fixture), with the hydraulic calculation done entirely in meters of head for the system curve.
Fire protection systems per EN 12845 are designed in bar (a sprinkler system rated at 12 bar working pressure provides about 122 m of head, sufficient for a high-rise riser).
HVAC chilled water and hot water pumping systems in metric-system markets are designed with system curves in kPa or bar, converted to meters of head at the pump curve overlay step — a 10°C chilled water loop with 80 kPa (0.8 bar) total pressure drop requires a pump developing about 8.16 meters of head at design flow.
Hydrostatic level measurement in water and wastewater tanks, reservoirs, and open channels uses the bar-to-meter conversion directly: a submersible level transmitter at the bottom of a clarifier reading 0.85 bar corresponds to a water level of 8.67 meters above the sensor, and this calibration is done at installation by entering the specific gravity (always 1.0 for clean water, but 1.02–1.05 for wastewater with high solids).
Boiler feedwater pump sizing converts steam pressure in bar to feedwater head in meters: a 40 bar boiler (common for industrial process steam) requires feedwater at about 40 × 10.2 = 408 m of head, plus piping losses and static lift, which is why boiler feed pumps in European industrial plants are almost universally specified in m³/h at a specific meters-of-head duty point.
Cooling tower basin level control, condensate receiver level control, and deaerator level control all use the bar-to-meter conversion for hydrostatic level transmitter calibration.
Geothermal and ground-source heat pump systems use bar-meters-head conversion for the downhole pump sizing and the system head calculation in metric markets — a 100 m deep well with a downhole pump delivering 5 L/s at 12 bar requires the pump curve overlay in meters of head.
Marine and offshore bilge, ballast, and firefighting pump systems per ISO 13703 and marine classification society rules specify pump ratings in m³/h at meters of head, with the bar-to-meter conversion applied to the system curve derived from piping pressure drop calculations.
Industry Standards Referenced
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does 10.197 come from?
10.197 = 100,000 Pa/bar ÷ (1000 kg/m³ × 9.80665 m/s²). It is the height of a 1 bar water column at standard gravity.
How do I convert meters of head to bar?
Use the inverse: bar = m × SG ÷ 10.197. For water, 10 m head ≈ 0.981 bar.
Does this work for all liquids?
Yes, as long as you input the correct specific gravity for the liquid at operating temperature. For viscous fluids, additional pump correction factors may apply.
What is 1 bar in meters of head?
1 bar = 10.197 meters of water at SG=1.0. At 4°C and standard gravity (9.80665 m/s²), 1 bar lifts water approximately 10.2 meters. Most engineers round to 10 m for quick estimates.
Why do European pump curves use meters head instead of bar?
Meters of head represents the pump's ability to lift fluid against gravity and is independent of fluid density (unlike bar). This allows a single pump curve to be used for different fluids by simply scaling for SG. European manufacturers universally use meters head, while US manufacturers often use feet of head or psi.
How does temperature affect head-to-bar conversion?
Water density changes with temperature, affecting the conversion. At 4°C water is densest (1000 kg/m³), yielding 10.197 m/bar. At 80°C water density drops to ~972 kg/m³, so 1 bar lifts about 10.49 m. For precision above 50°C, use actual fluid density at operating temperature.
What is 10 bar in meters head?
10 bar = 101.97 meters of water head (at SG=1.0). This is approximately the height of a 10-story building. A pump delivering 10 bar discharge pressure can theoretically lift water 102 meters, though real systems must account for pipe friction, fittings, and elevation losses.
Reviewed for accuracy
Reviewed against ANSI/HI 1.3 and Hydraulic Institute Standards for pump head conversion · Last reviewed: June 7, 2026
All calculations are for reference only. Always verify with manufacturer data and a qualified engineer for critical applications. Learn about our editorial process.