In this blog you will read:

  • The difference between lumen and watt
  • How the brightness of LEDs is represented by lumens

The difference between watt and lumen

The difference between watt and lumen revolves around two different things: energy consumption and brightness.

Watt (W) tells you how much energy a lamp uses. In the past, we thought that a higher wattage always meant that a lamp was brighter. But with new technology like LED lighting, that is no longer true. For example, an LED lamp can use much less wattage than an old incandescent bulb, yet still shine just as bright, or even brighter.

Lumen (lm) indicates how bright a lamp actually is. It measures the total amount of visible light a lamp emits. While watt only looks at how much energy a lamp consumes, lumen tells you how much light you get. That's why you now see the number of lumens listed on lamps more often, so you know exactly how bright a lamp is. With lumens, you can more easily choose the right lamp that provides enough light without consuming unnecessary amounts of energy.

Watt-vs-Lumen

So: lumens measure the amount of light a lamp emits, while watts measure energy consumption. Therefore, wattage does not tell you anything about the brightness of the lamp; that is indicated by the number of lumens.

Why are lumens more important than watts?

Lumen zijn voor de helderheid van een lamp een belangrijkere maatstaf dan watt. Dit is omdat ze direct aangeven hoeveel licht een lamp daadwerkelijk uitstraalt, terwijl watt slechts aangeeft hoeveel energie een lamp verbruikt.

To help you better compare the brightness of different lamps, manufacturers now list the number of lumens (lm) on the packaging.

Lumens indicate how much light a lamp actually emits, regardless of the type or wattage of the lamp. This makes lumens a much more reliable measure of light output than watts because it shows how well the lamp performs in terms of light production, rather than just energy consumption. A higher number of lumens means more light, but this does not necessarily come with higher energy consumption. By looking at the number of lumens, you can better assess which lamp is the right choice for your lighting needs, while also considering energy efficiency.

In short, lumens are a more accurate and useful measure for choosing lighting because they directly indicate how much light you get, while watts only measure energy consumption. By focusing on lumens, you can find the right balance between brightness and energy efficiency.

How do you compare watts and lumens?

When choosing the right lighting, it is important to look at both the wattage and the number of lumens. Watts indicate how much energy a lamp consumes, while lumens indicate how much light the lamp actually emits. By combining these two measures, you can choose more efficient and brighter lighting.

Watch the video below if you want to see it explained visually.

Source

Table Lumen to Watt

Here is a handy table that helps you compare different types of lamps:

Type of LampWatt (W)Lumen (lm)Lumens per Watt (lm/W)
Light bulb60W800 lm13 lm/W
Halogen lamp42W800 lm19 lm/W
CFL (compact fluorescent lamp)15W800 lm53 lm/W
LED lamp10W800 lm80 lm/W

Use this table as a guideline to compare different lamps. For example, if you want to replace a 60W incandescent bulb with an LED lamp of comparable brightness, choose an LED lamp that produces approximately 800 lumens. This way, you get the same amount of light but consume significantly less energy. Comparing lumens and watts helps you find the right balance between brightness and energy efficiency.

Lumen per watt ratio

An important metric for assessing the efficiency of LED lamps is the lumen per watt ratio (lm/W). This ratio indicates how much light (lumens) an LED lamp produces per watt of energy consumed. LED lamps are very efficient and typically produce between 80 and 100 lumens per watt, and some even more.

Why is this important:

By understanding how the lumen per watt ratio works, you can make more informed choices when purchasing lighting. For example, if you choose LED lamps with a higher lumen per watt ratio, you get more light for less energy consumption. This contributes to a more sustainable future by consuming less energy.

In short, understanding the lumen per watt ratio helps you save costs and reduce your ecological footprint.

Common misconceptions

There are some common misconceptions about watts and lumens that often lead to confusion when choosing lighting. One of the biggest misconceptions is that higher wattage always means a brighter lamp. This may have been true for traditional incandescent bulbs, but with the advent of LED lamps and other more efficient technologies, this is no longer the case.

Another misconception is that lumens and watts are the same, whereas lumens measure the brightness of a lamp and watts measure energy consumption. It is also a misconception that a lamp with a high number of lumens automatically consumes a lot of energy. Thanks to the efficiency of modern LED lamps, a lamp can produce a lot of light (high lumens) with low energy consumption (low watts). By clearing up these misconceptions, you can make more informed choices and find the right lighting that is both energy-efficient and bright.

The choice of TRALERT®

At TRALERT®, we understand the importance of both lumens and watts when choosing the right vehicle lighting. That is why the TRALERT® work lights, driving lights, and light bars are all designed to provide maximum light output with minimal energy consumption.

Below you will find a selection of energy-efficient lamps with high lumens:

Shopping cart
Shopping cart