Comparable bulbs are those that have the same lumen output. Lumens are a
measure of the light a bulb emits and a better way to buy light bulbs than
comparing watts. The more lumens, the more light.
The Lighting Facts label that the Federal Trade Commission requires on the
packaging of every light bulb shows the lumen output, light appearance and
estimated life and energy costs to make it easy to compare different products.
Fixtures are rated for certain
size bulbs based on watts. Can LED bulbs be used in any fixture as long as it
is below the recommended watt light?
-- from Phillip Krajewski via email
JB: Yes, that’s correct -- as long as the mounting base
(also called a socket) is the same size and type, you can use an LED bulb in an
existing fixture. If the mounting base isn’t the same size and type, the LED
bulb won’t fit into the socket.
You should never use a bulb with a higher wattage than what is recommended
for the fixture, but keep in mind that watts are not the same as the amount of
light emitted. Watts are a measure of the electric power. LED bulbs have much
lower wattage than incandescent bulbs, so it’s important to know the light
output (in lumens) for the bulb you’re replacing. For example, a 60-watt
equivalent LED bulb should emit at least 800 lumens, and many on the market
only draw 11 watts of power.
If all goes according to plan, the provisions of 2007’s Energy Independence
and Security Act will effectively ban 100-watt incandescents starting in 2012.
Seventy-five-watt bulbs will depart in 2013, followed by 60- and 40-watt lamps
a year later. So the race to find a suitable replacement technology is coming
down to the wire. The industry is banking on LED lighting as the way forward,
and it’s virtually the only bulb technology on display: There is barely a
single incandescent or sickly compact fluorescent to be seen. Just 200,000 square
feet of companies racing to fill their share of the world’s billions of
standard sockets—and betting on LEDs as the way to do it. For More information
on Light & Lighting visit our website
allindiayellowpage.com