prepare to measure home light bulbs in lumens, not watts

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Prepare to Measure Home Light Bulbs in Lumens, Not Watts

Replacing a burned-out light bulb might be a bit confusing for many U.S.residents this year. As the United States transitions from the once ubiquitous incandescent light bulb to moreenergy-efficient forms of lighting – such as LED bulbs – the Federal Trade Commission is changing the way lightbulbs are labeled. Lumens will replace watts as the primary indicator of a bulb’s brightness, which meansconsumers will need to relearn how to shop for replacement bulbs.

To prepare for the incandescent phase-out, the FTC has worked with manufacturers of LED lights and othertypes of lighting to develop a label that will allow consumers to easily compare different types of bulbs.Resembling the nutrition labels on food products, the new light bulb labels will include information such as:

Brightness (in lumens)Estimated yearly energy costEstimated life expectancy of the bulbColor and appearance of the light producedEnergy used (in watts)

Why Lumens Instead of Watts?

Watts measure a bulb’s energy consumption, whereas lumens measure its actual light output, or brightness. Whenincandescent bulbs were the standard, consumers became accustomed to gauging a bulb’s light output by theamount of energy it produced. As more energy-efficient options such as LED light bulbs are becoming widelyused, however, watts are no longer a reliable measurement of a bulb’s brightness.

To get a rough idea of how many lumens to look for in the newer LED bulbs and other energy-efficient options,



here’s a look at the how many lumens are produced by incandescent bulbs with common wattages:

40 watts = 450 lumens60 watts = 800 lumens100 watts = 1600 lumens

So, for example, if you’re looking for LED light bulbs that are equivalent to 60-watt incandescent bulbs, look forthose that produce 800 lumens.

Why Use LED Bulbs?

Here are some of the advantages of using LED lights in the home:

Cost: LED bulbs can operate for up to 11 years continuously, versus an incandescent bulb that lasts only 5,000hours. This means you won’t need to buy as many replacement bulbs in the long run. Additionally, because LEDlights use far less energy to produce the same amount of illumination, homeowners often see immediate savings intheir energy bills.

Fixtures: You can find LED bulbs to fit most fixtures in your home, from recessed lights to floor and table lampsto outdoor fixtures.

Colors: It’s a common misconception that LED lights only come in bluish or cool hues. In truth, LED light bulbsare available in a wide range of colors, from cool to warm.

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Tags: LED bulbs, LED light bulbs, LED lights

This entry was posted on Wednesday, November 30th, 2011 at 9:00 am and is filed under LED News. You can follow any responsesto this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

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September 2012

prepare to measure home light bulbs in lumens, not watts

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