What to Consider When Replacing Light Bulbs: Wattage and Lumens
September 17, 2024 10 min read

What to Consider When Replacing Light Bulbs: Wattage and Lumens

When it is time to replace outdated light bulbs, finding replacements can be difficult. With the banning of incandescent bulbs in the United States, this process has been made more complicated. There are various factors to consider, such as the wattage and lumens of the previous bulb and the maximum wattage of the fixture. Read this article to learn more.

Wattage vs. Lumens For LEDs

The amount of electrical power a bulb consumes to produce light is measured in Watts. On average, LEDs consume about 80 percent less energy than incandescent bulbs, meaning they will require significantly fewer watts to produce the same brightness. They also have a higher energy efficiency, leading to a longer lifespan and fewer replacements required, which will reduce the total costs over time. 


The LED bulbs on our website list the actual wattage consumed and the wattage equivalence of incandescent bulbs to help you when shopping by comparison. For example, this LED bulb has a 60W equivalent specification, meaning that it emits the same amount of light as a 60-watt incandescent bulb but is actually only 9 watts.

Lumens measure brightness. The more lumens a bulb emits, the brighter it will be, and vice versa. With the switch to LED bulbs, lumens help indicate how bright an LED bulb is compared to outdated bulbs at different wattages. For instance, an LED bulb emitting 1,000 lumens will have a lower wattage than an incandescent bulb emitting 1,000 lumens.

 

Shopping for Your Bulb

Since LEDs use a lower wattage to produce the same amount of light, lumens are a better measure of their brightness. We recommend comparing similar lumens rather than wattages when shopping for LED bulbs. The conversion from wattage to lumens is not always straightforward. Guides are available that estimate how many lumens you might need based on your current light bulb wattage. When you shop on our website, you will notice we list the equivalent wattage for our products to make this easier.  

Understanding Maximum Wattage Ratings

It's tempting to exceed the maximum wattage rating when you want a brighter light. However, installing a bulb that exceeds socket wattage ratings can have adverse effects, such as catching fire or damaging the fixture's sockets or wiring. It’s also not necessary. You can install LED light bulbs with higher lumens than incandescent and halogen bulbs that won’t exceed the recommended wattages. 

Certain light fixtures will recommend a maximum wattage rating for installed LED bulbs. For safety compliance, we recommend following these specifications when installing bulbs. The fixture should have the maximum rating listed.  You can also check if the bulb you’re replacing lists the wattage. 

Minimum Wattage Rating 

Most light fixtures recommend a minimum wattage rating. Installing a bulb with a lower wattage rating does not cause many adverse reactions. Most LED light bulbs' wattage will be lower than the light fixtures' minimum rating, but the light output won’t be affected.

Shop Now 

Use our universal bulb finder to find the exact bulb you need. If you have any questions about LED light bulb wattage, lumens, or any other specific LED-related questions, you can call us at 866-590-3533 or complete the contact form

 

A19 LED Light Bulb - 12W - Dimmable - 75W Equivalent - 3000K / 4000K - Single / 6-Pack
A19 LED Light Bulb - 9W - Dimmable - 60W Equivalent - 3000K / 4000K - Single / 6-Pack
A19 120V 12W 75WE 8x0 E26 NDM G9 UL

Why Choose Super Bright LEDs?

When you shop Super Bright LEDs, you can feel confident in knowing you’re getting the highest-quality LED lights on the market. Our in-house test lab rigorously tests all of the products we carry. Additionally, we provide all of our customers with before and after sales support from our call center located at our headquarters in St. Louis, Missouri. And we do all of this while still offering some of the best prices in the industry.

*Warranty is subject to change. Please see the product page for a product's warranty.

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by Emily Willis

SEO Copywriter


Emily is an SEO Copywriter for Super Bright LEDS and likes learning about new topics to write about. When she's not writing, Emily enjoys reading, hanging out with family and friends, and watching reality TV.

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