To convert liters per minute to cubic feet per second, multiply by 0.0005885777787. That factor is the whole relationship: both units measure volumetric flow, so the conversion is a proportion with no offset and no substance-specific constant.
The cusec — how American river gauges and water rights report flow. The flow unit for taps, showers and medical oxygen.
Standard versus actual volume. Gas flow in CFM depends on pressure and temperature, which is why compressor ratings say SCFM and specify the reference conditions. Converting the number is exact; comparing two ratings measured at different conditions is not. The tables underneath give both a plain step-by-step lookup and a list of real quantities expressed in cubic feet per second, so you can sanity-check whether your answer is a plausible size.
The formula
liters per minute- The amount you are converting, in liters per minute
0.000588577778691- The exact number of cubic feet per second in one liter per minute
cubic feet per second- The converted result
How it works, step by step
- Enter the value in liters per minute.
- It is multiplied by 0.000588577778691, the exact factor between the two units.
- The answer is shown in cubic feet per second, with the reverse conversion beneath it.
- Check the reference table if you want a figure of comparable size.
Worked examples
A fire hydrant: 3600 L/min in cubic feet per second
A fire hydrant comes to about 3600 L/min. Multiplying by the factor: 3600 × 0.000588578 = 2.11888 cfs. Dividing the answer back by 0.000588578 returns the figure you started with, which is the quickest way to check you have the factor the right way up.
A shower head: 9.6 L/min in cubic feet per second
A shower head comes to about 9.6 L/min. Multiplying by the factor: 9.6 × 0.000588578 = 0.00565035 cfs. Dividing the answer back by 0.000588578 returns the figure you started with, which is the quickest way to check you have the factor the right way up.
How to read your score
Frequently asked questions
How many cubic feet per second are in one liter per minute?
Exactly 0.000588577778691. Every figure on this page is that one number multiplied by your input, so the only rounding is at the display step.
What is the formula to convert liters per minute to cubic feet per second?
cubic feet per second = liters per minute × 0.000588577778691. Reversed, liters per minute = cubic feet per second ÷ 0.000588577778691, which is the same as multiplying by 1699.01079552.
Which is the bigger unit, the liter per minute or the cubic foot per second?
The cubic foot per second. One liter per minute is only 0.000588578 of a cubic foot per second, so it takes 1699.01 liters per minute to make one cubic foot per second.
What does this quantity actually measure?
Both units measure volumetric flow. That is why a single factor is enough: there is no temperature offset and no material property involved, unlike conversions that cross between different quantities.
What is a liter per minute?
The flow unit for taps, showers and medical oxygen.
What is a cubic foot per second?
The cusec — how American river gauges and water rights report flow.
Why does my answer differ from another converter?
Almost always because the other tool rounded the factor before multiplying. This page keeps full double precision through the calculation and rounds only for display, and it prints the factor it used so you can see where any difference came from.
Is there a quick way to do L/min to cfs in my head?
Plenty of people do this in their head: divide by 1700 instead of using the exact factor 0.0005885777787. At 100 that shortcut gives 0.058823529 cubic feet per second, off by 0.000034 cubic feet per second or about 0.06%. Fine for a rough estimate, not fine for anything you are cutting to size or dosing.
Liters Per Minute to cubic feet per second reference tables
| Liters Per Minute | Cubic Feet Per Second |
|---|---|
| 0.5 L/min | 0.000294289 cfs |
| 1 L/min | 0.000588578 cfs |
| 2 L/min | 0.00117716 cfs |
| 3 L/min | 0.00176573 cfs |
| 5 L/min | 0.00294289 cfs |
| 10 L/min | 0.00588578 cfs |
| 20 L/min | 0.0117716 cfs |
| 25 L/min | 0.0147144 cfs |
| 50 L/min | 0.0294289 cfs |
| 75 L/min | 0.0441433 cfs |
| 100 L/min | 0.0588578 cfs |
| 250 L/min | 0.147144 cfs |
| 500 L/min | 0.294289 cfs |
| 1000 L/min | 0.588578 cfs |
| 5000 L/min | 2.94289 cfs |
Exact factor: 1 liter per minute = 0.000588577778691 cubic feet per second.
| Quantity | L/min | cfs |
|---|---|---|
| A dripping tap | 0.006 L/min | 3.531e-06 cfs |
| A bathroom tap | 6 L/min | 0.003531 cfs |
| A shower head | 9.6 L/min | 0.00565 cfs |
| A garden hose | 18 L/min | 0.01059 cfs |
| A fire hydrant | 3600 L/min | 2.119 cfs |
| The Thames at London | 3.9e+06 L/min | 2295 cfs |
Published reference values, converted with the same factor this page uses.