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Please explain watts and brightness in LED bulbs

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    #2
    anacc
    Registered Users Posts: 229 ✭✭anacc


    Lumen is how bright the bulb is so that's what you use to compare brightness of different bulbs.

    Wattage is how power the bulb uses. Different LED bulbs will have different efficiencies so bulbs of different manufacturers and models will have different lumen values even if they're the same wattage.

    The "max" wattage on a fixture is the maximum wattage that fixture is capable of safely handling. Generally it refers to incandesant bulbs which are higher wattage than LED bulbs.


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    #3
    80j2lc5y7u6qs9
    Closed Accounts Posts: 957 ✭✭✭80j2lc5y7u6qs9


    anacc wrote: »
    Lumen is how bright the bulb is so that's what you use to compare brightness of different bulbs.

    Wattage is how power the bulb uses. Different LED bulbs will have different efficiencies so bulbs of different manufacturers and models will have different lumen values even if they're the same wattage.

    The "max" wattage on a fixture is the maximum wattage that fixture is capable of safely handling. Generally it refers to incandesant bulbs which are higher wattage than LED bulbs.
    Do you know if my 7 watt will be ok in that lamp?


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    #4
    FishOnABike
    Registered Users Posts: 4,379 ✭✭✭FishOnABike


    Wattage is the enegry consumption of the bulb.

    A traditional incandescent bulb is relatively inefficient in converting the energy used into light and generates a lot of heat to produce a particular light output.

    The light output is measured in lumens.

    When a LED bulb shows an equivalent rating like 7W = 60W (or 8.5W = 60W) it is indicating that the LED bulb has the same light output as a 60W incandescent bulb.

    The 7W LED bulb is slightly more efficient than the 8.5W LED bulb and very much more efficient than the equivalent 40W incandescent bulb for the same light output.

    The following article gives a good explanation https://www.which.co.uk/reviews/light-bulbs/article/five-tips-for-choosing-the-right-light-bulb


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    #5
    FishOnABike
    Registered Users Posts: 4,379 ✭✭✭FishOnABike


    Phoenix Immense Oak wrote: »
    Do you know if my 7 watt will be ok in that lamp?


    A 7W LED buld will draw far less current and run a lot cooler than a 40W incandescent bulb. There should be no problem using a 7W LED bulb in a 40W rated lamp.



    Some LED bulbs have a noticable solid base just above the connector which can give a different light pattern or cause some shadow compared to an incandescent light but there are LED bulbs without this and with a filament like LED strip that are very like incandescent lights in their light pattern.


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    #6
    80j2lc5y7u6qs9
    Closed Accounts Posts: 957 ✭✭✭80j2lc5y7u6qs9


    FishOnABike wrote: »
    A 7W LED buld will draw far less current and run a lot cooler than a 40W incandescent bulb. There should be no problem using a 7W LED bulb in a 40W rated lamp.



    Some LED bulbs have a noticable solid base just above the connector which can give a different light pattern or cause some shadow compared to an incandescent light but there are LED bulbs without this and with a filament like LED strip that are very like incandescent lights in their light pattern.
    is 40 watt the same as 42 in terms of using the bulb .Just noticed on the link it says my bulb is 9 w but the box 7w


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    #7
    anacc
    Registered Users Posts: 229 ✭✭anacc


    Phoenix Immense Oak wrote: »
    Do you know if my 7 watt will be ok in that lamp?


    Yes it'll work fine unless the lamp is dimmable and the LED bulb isn't dimmable.


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    #8
    anacc
    Registered Users Posts: 229 ✭✭anacc


    Phoenix Immense Oak wrote: »
    is 40 watt the same as 42 in terms of using the bulb .Just noticed on the link it says my bulb is 9 w but the box 7w


    A 9w or 7w bulb will be absolutely fine in a fixture rated for 40/42w.


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    #9
    80j2lc5y7u6qs9
    Closed Accounts Posts: 957 ✭✭✭80j2lc5y7u6qs9


    anacc wrote: »
    Yes it'll work fine unless the lamp is dimmable and the LED bulb isn't dimmable.
    thanks


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