This page converts liters per second into cubic feet per second using the factor 0.03531466672, and shows the reverse figure alongside it. Both units measure volumetric flow, which is why one number does the whole job.
Used for plumbing design and compressed air. The cusec — how American river gauges and water rights report flow.
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. Below the calculator there is a step table for the values people look up most, and a second table putting real volumetric flow figures into cubic feet per second so the number you get has something to be compared against.
The formula
liters per second- The amount you are converting, in liters per second
0.0353146667215- The exact number of cubic feet per second in one liter per second
cubic feet per second- The converted result
How it works, step by step
- Enter the value in liters per second.
- It is multiplied by 0.0353146667215, 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 bathroom tap: 0.1 L/s in cubic feet per second
At 0.1 L/s (a bathroom tap), the same quantity in cubic feet per second is 0.1 × 0.0353147 = 0.00353147 cfs. One liter per second is 0.0353147 cubic feet per second, so the numbers shrink as expected.
A fire hydrant: 60 L/s in cubic feet per second
Take a fire hydrant, roughly 60 L/s. The conversion is a single multiplication — 60 × 0.0353147 — giving 2.11888 cfs. Because the relationship is proportional, doubling the input doubles the answer to 4.23776 cfs.
How to read your score
Frequently asked questions
How many cubic feet per second are in one liter per second?
Exactly 0.0353146667215. 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 second to cubic feet per second?
cubic feet per second = liters per second × 0.0353146667215. Reversed, liters per second = cubic feet per second ÷ 0.0353146667215, which is the same as multiplying by 28.316846592.
Which is the bigger unit, the liter per second or the cubic foot per second?
The cubic foot per second. One liter per second is only 0.0353147 of a cubic foot per second, so it takes 28.3168 liters per second 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 second?
Used for plumbing design and compressed air.
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/s to cfs in my head?
Plenty of people do this in their head: divide by 28 instead of using the exact factor 0.03531466672. At 100 that shortcut gives 3.5714286 cubic feet per second, off by 0.03996 cubic feet per second or about 1.13%. Fine for a rough estimate, not fine for anything you are cutting to size or dosing.
Liters Per Second to cubic feet per second reference tables
| Liters Per Second | Cubic Feet Per Second |
|---|---|
| 0.5 L/s | 0.0176573 cfs |
| 1 L/s | 0.0353147 cfs |
| 2 L/s | 0.0706293 cfs |
| 3 L/s | 0.105944 cfs |
| 5 L/s | 0.176573 cfs |
| 10 L/s | 0.353147 cfs |
| 20 L/s | 0.706293 cfs |
| 25 L/s | 0.882867 cfs |
| 50 L/s | 1.76573 cfs |
| 75 L/s | 2.6486 cfs |
| 100 L/s | 3.53147 cfs |
| 250 L/s | 8.82867 cfs |
| 500 L/s | 17.6573 cfs |
| 1000 L/s | 35.3147 cfs |
| 5000 L/s | 176.573 cfs |
Exact factor: 1 liter per second = 0.0353146667215 cubic feet per second.
| Quantity | L/s | cfs |
|---|---|---|
| A dripping tap | 0.0001 L/s | 3.531e-06 cfs |
| A bathroom tap | 0.1 L/s | 0.003531 cfs |
| A shower head | 0.16 L/s | 0.00565 cfs |
| A garden hose | 0.3 L/s | 0.01059 cfs |
| A fire hydrant | 60 L/s | 2.119 cfs |
| The Thames at London | 6.5e+04 L/s | 2295 cfs |
Published reference values, converted with the same factor this page uses.