As the lighting technology changes, our technical language evolves around it. For example, what we used to identify and measure is no longer used anymore. Instead, more and more standard names and measures have come over time.
In the past, wattages were used to measure brightness and were also related to power consumption.
Now with LED Bulbs technology, using wattages to measure brightness no longer works. Now lumens are used to measure brightness, and watts are there to help.
LED light bulbs use fewer wattages than other lighting fixtures to achieve the same or more brightness.
What Is The Bulb’s Wattage?
We all studied science in high school. So let’s dive into that memory lane.
Wattage or watts is the measurement of the power. One watt is equivalent to 1 joule transferred per second. Wattage easily translates from current into voltage.
For example, a 60-watt bulb will convert 60 joules of power into heat output and light output per second.
How much is light, and how much heat is in, This is the huge energy-saving difference between incandescent and LEDs.
Watts is mainly estimating the consumption of energy. It does not measure color temperature, brightness, or other things that impact light bulb purchasing.
In the past, if you bought a 120-watt incandescent bulb that may provide higher brightness, now a 60 watt equivalent LED bulb can brighten up the whole street.
The brightness is high for the same or lower watts as the brightness is now measured by lumens, and color temperatures are measured in kelvins.
Explanation of LED equivalent Wattage
Let’s suppose you have 60-watt incandescent bulb to have a particular brightness level. That level is approx 800 lumens.
The beauty of LEDs is that they use 1/10th (6watts) of incandescent light to provide the equivalent or same 800 lumens brightness.
You need to only look for 7 to 8 watts LED bulbs for the 60-watt incandescent light output.
It is common that if your LED wattage usage reduces to 1/10th wattage, your bill will automatically reduce to 1/10th, and you will enjoy the energy savings with LED technology.
Reasons Why is wattage not essential anymore?
Determining or predicting the brightness with wattage is not possible anymore. Now the wattage is simply measured by the power consumption by the bulb.
With fewer watts, LED light bulbs can offer you the same or more brightness than higher wattage incandescent bulbs.
Around 90% of power, energy, and wattage conversion is Lost as heat. The incandescent bulb only offers light with 10%.
And the LED bulbs with a lower watt’s 90% produce brighter lighting than high wattage incandescent.
Higher or low wattage doesn’t change the truth as LEDs are highly efficient, and 60|W LEDs can produce a brighter light than 60W incandescent bulbs.
Since incandescent bulbs are slowly out of the market, people are switching to LEDs for energy efficiency.
LED vs. Incandescent Wattage Comparison
See the table below to understand the wattage comparison between these two. Then, keep it handy for your next purchase to replace your inefficient or incandescent bulbs with energy-efficient LED bulbs.
If you have an existing 100 watts incandescent bulb in your room, the LED equivalent wattage will be an LED light bulb between 15 to 20w. This will produce the 1100lumens of brightness.
Generally, you will be using fewer wattage LEDs. However, you may also replace single incandescent bulbs with multiple LED bulbs. Thus, always double-check or keep in mind that the wattage of the total of your new bulbs should not surpass the maximum wattage of luminaries.
| Lumens | LED | Incandescent |
| 250 lm | 2 W – 3 W | 25 W |
| 560 lm | 3 W – 6 W | 40 W |
| 800 lm | 7 W – 10 W | 60 W |
| 1100 lm | 10 W – 15 W | 75 W |
| 1600 lm | 15 W – 20 W | 100 W |
| 2600 lm | 20 W – 30 W | 150 W |
Final Conclusion
Understanding the LED equivalent wattage readings is not challenging once you learn that lumens are something you should know and worry about, not wattage.
You will find the suitable brightness for your location with the LED equivalent chart.
Always calculate the need for lumens or brightness per your space size. Using LEDs, you can save a good amount on energy bills annually. Choose your LED lighting fixture by lumens, color temperature, warranty, safety standard, and location.