Have you ever wondered how lumens are measured? It is not really surprising that people often mistake wattage for lumens. In fact, most people have never heard about lumens, while the term wattage is constantly heard. If you want to make sure that they are useful for your housing, you know how to measure the light bulbs.
Lumens and It’s Understanding
Lumens, fundamentally, concern lighting. Officially, lumens are defined as the luminous flux unit within the international system, quantifying the amount of visible light emitted in a specified direction from a light source. This unit is essential for assessing the brightness of LEDs or light bulbs.
Lumens are actually the important factor determining the brightness of the LED or the light bulb.
In essence, lumens primarily determine brightness. Unlike watts, which measure energy consumption, lumens measure the lumens output, directly correlating with how bright a light will appear to the human eye.
Thus, in the context of LED and energy-efficient lighting, lumens provide a more accurate indication of brightness than watts. Understanding lumens is crucial because a higher number of lumens means more brightness.
How to Accurately Measure Lumens
The process of measuring lumens involves understanding the lumen per square meter (lux) to ascertain how much light a bulb emits within a given area. This measurement is typically performed using a light meter, which captures the intensity of light within a space, providing a direct measurement of the light source’s output in lumens. For example:
- A 40 W incandescent bulb typically offers 450 lumens. In contrast, its LED equivalent requires only about 9 W to produce the same luminosity, demonstrating the efficiency of LED technology in terms of lumens per watt.
- Similarly, a 60 W incandescent bulb, which provides 800 lumens, can be replaced with a 12 W LED, showcasing significant energy savings for the same amount of visible light.
This comparison underscores the importance of considering lumens, rather than watts, when selecting lighting for energy efficiency and adequate illumination.
The number of lumens a bulb emits directly influences our perception of brightness in a room, affecting everything from mood to productivity. Furthermore, by optimizing the lumens output for different environments, one can create a desired ambience or focus on tasks with greater clarity and comfort.
Conclusion
If you want to get the most efficient outcome and the lighting with the required brightness, you want to consider the one with many lumens and low wattage.
You can also consult the color temperature chart, which you can pick for your own personal needs in some cases. Now that you know how lumens are measured, you can make a better decision.
