How to Convert Lumens to Watts

Jackery Portable Power Stations are reliable, portable, and powerful charging solutions that can charge different types of light bulbs outdoors or during power outages. You can recharge these portable power stations with solar panels, wall outlets, or car chargers to ensure you're never left without power.

Key Takeaways

• The number of lumens determines the total amount of visible light emitted by a light source. It typically measures the light brightness.
• Wattage measures the amount of power any light bulb consumes.
• Lumens-to-wattage or wattage-to-lumens conversion varies depending on bulb type due to different energy efficiencies.
• A light bulb with a high lumen-to-wattage ratio delivers more light while consuming less power.
• The simple formula to convert lumens to wattageis Watts = Lumens ÷ Lumens Per Watt.

What Are Watts

Watts are the units that measure power or the amount of energy that is consumed or passed through the electrical circuit. It is also the power or energy consumed by lighting fixtures. Generally, the higher the watts, the higher the brightness of incandescent and fluorescent lamps.

Power in watts is measured by multiplying voltage in volts times the current in amps.

P = I × V or Watts = Amps × Volts

Where P is the power in watts

I is the current in amps

V is the voltage in volts

Voltage represents the potential difference between two endpoints, whereas current determines the flow rate. Multiplying amps and volts gives you watts, which measure the overall power capacity of electricity delivered from one point to another.

What Are Lumens

Lumens is the unit measuring the amount of visible light that the human eye can easily detect from a light source or lamp. The higher the lumen rating, the brighter the light bulb will be. In other words, more lumens mean brighter light, while fewer lumens mean a dimmer light.

A typical light bulb emits 300 - 1000 lumens, whereas a high-powered floodlight emits around 20,000 lumens. Newer light bulbs come with a Lighting Facts label that provides all the details about a particular bulb. When buying light bulbs, you'll need to consider lumens rather than watts.

Let's understand the terms below:

Brightness: It is typically measured in lumens on the Lighting Facts label. For instance, the brightness of 1100 lumens will be equal to a 75-watt bulb. As per the image, the 60-watt incandescent bulb shows 820 lumens.

Estimated Yearly Cost: It is the set rate of usage per day. The actual cost will vary. However, the amount on the product label will give you a good idea.

Life: This indicates the expected life of the bulb (in years) based on estimated daily usage.

Light Appearance: The light bulb's color temperature ranges from warm or yellow to cool or blue light. You can expect a warmer light in the 2700K range from a 60-watt incandescent bulb.

Energy Used: Here, you'll see the bulb's wattage consumption. It will typically range between 20 and 100 watts of electricity per hour.

Lumens to Watts Conversion

Lumens and watts are fundamental units in the world of lighting. The number of lumens measures the amount of light emitted by the light source. On the contrary, wattage means the amount of power any light bulb consumes. Since they measure different things, there is no simple relation between lumens and watts.

If you want to convert lumens to watts, you'll need to use the following formula:

Lumens = Watts (W) × Lumens Per Watt (lm/W)

Or, Watts (W) = Lumens ÷ Lumens Per Watt (lm/W)

According to the formula, the power in watts is equal to the luminous flux in lumens divided by the luminous efficacy in lumens per watt.

The lumens per watt is the unit measuring luminous efficacy and energy efficiency. In simple words, it defines how much visible light is produced for a specific amount of electricity. The value will depend on the bulb type, but here are some basic equations for each bulb:

LED: Watts = Lumens ÷ (80 - 100)

CFL: Watts = Lumens ÷ 70

Halogen: Watts = Lumens ÷ (16 - 24)

Incandescent: Watts = Lumens ÷ (12 - 18)

Metal Halide: Watts = Lumens ÷ (75 - 100)

However, the actual lumens per watt value will depend on the specific type, and it's better to check the packaging or manufacturer's specifications to learn the exact value.

Let's say you've an LED light (800 lumens) with a lumens per watt value of 80. The lumens-to-watt conversion formula will be as follows:

Watts = 800 lumens ÷ 80 lumens per watt = 10W

Here is the lumens-to-wattage converter chart for your reference:

Watts to Lumens Conversion

If you've bought an incandescent bulb measured in watts, you can use the watts to lumens conversion formula to find out lumens. The luminous flux in lumens is equal to the power in watts times the luminous efficacy in lumens per watt:

Lumens = Watts × Lumens Per Watt

If the LED bulb has a wattage of 30W and the lumens per watt value is 80, the wattage to lumens can be calculated as:

Lumens = 30W × 80 lm/W = 2400 lm

When a bulb's wattage is increased to 80W, the lumens value will also increase to 80W × 80 lm/W = 6400 lm.

Here is the wattage to lumens chart that reveals the lumens value of different wattages of bulbs:

Note: The calculations are based on the lumen per watt ratio being between 12 - 18 lm/W.

Luminous Efficacy

Luminous efficacy measures the ratio of luminous flux to power (in lumens per watt). It reflects the efficiency with which a light source converts electrical energy into visible light. The higher the luminous efficacy, the more efficient the light source is.

η = Φ_V ÷ P

Where

η is the luminous efficacy

Φ_V is the luminous flux

P is the power input in watts

Different types of lights have varying luminous efficacy due to differences in technology and mechanisms by which they produce light. Let's check some common light source types and their luminous efficacy values:

Incandescent Bulbs: These are traditional light bulbs that produce light by heating a filament until it glows. They are low-efficiency and create a lot of heat.

Halogen Bulbs: Halogen bulbs are incandescent bulbs with a halogen gas. They are slightly more efficient than standard incandescent bulbs but still produce some heat.

LED Lights: They produce light by electroluminescence, where electrons recombine with holes in a semiconductor. They are highly efficient, have a long lifespan, and are available in various colors/temperatures.

Here's a table revealing the luminous efficacy of common types of light sources:

Lumens Vs. Watts

The watt is the unit of power, whereas the lumen is the measurement of light output. On average, an incandescent bulb generates nearly 14-15 lumens per watt, compared to 74 lumens for LED bulbs and 63 lumens for CFLs. In the sections below, we will reveal how to convert different light bulb types from watts to lumens.

LED Lumens to Watts Conversion Chart

Note: The values are approximate and might vary depending on the specific manufacturer and model of the bulbs. The tables will act as a helpful guide to selecting the appropriate wattage equivalent light bulb depending on the desired brightness for each type.

Incandescent Lumens to Watts Conversion Chart

Halogen Lumens to Watts Conversion Chart

CFL Lumens to Watts Conversion Chart

How to Charge Light Bulbs Outdoors With Jackery

Jackery is a leading brand that manufactures high-capacity and high-quality solar generators, portable power stations, and solar panels. The Jackery Solar Generators combine efficient Jackery Portable Power Stations and foldable Jackery SolarSaga Solar Panels to charge a variety of light bulbs when there's an unexpected power outage or you're outdoors with no nearby power supply.

When you keep the solar panels in the sunlight, they absorb the sun's energy and convert it into DC electricity. Then, the pure sine wave inverter of the portable power station converts the DC to AC electricity to charge different household or outdoor appliances for hours. Here, we will reveal three Jackery Portable Power Stations for outdoor adventures:

Jackery Explorer 500 Portable Power Station

If you want a compact power station that can charge light bulbs, you may consider the reliable Jackery Explorer 500 Portable Power Station. It has a sturdy handle and compact size to carry it to camping, RVing, or other outdoor adventures and illuminate the space. It does not emit toxic fumes, making it reliable for indoor use. It also features a high-quality MPPT charge controller and pure sine wave inverter to protect the power station against overcharge, short circuits, and overvoltages.

Appliances Running Time

• LED Lights (10W) = 44.0H
• Halogen Lights (40W) = 11.0H
• CFL (12W) = 36.6H
• Lamp (20W) = 22.0H
• Laptop (80W) = 5.5H
• Phone (30W) = 14.6H
• TV (150W) = 2.9H

Customer Review

“I'm a mobile DJ who uses Jackery units to power my rig when doing remote gigs or ceremonies. I've never had a problem with the unit, and I'm always shocked at how much juice is left when the event has concluded. It's a great product, and I highly recommend it if you need mobile power.” — Greg Hoover.

Jackery Explorer 300 Plus Portable Power Station

The Jackery Explorer 300 Plus Portable Power Station is a stylish charging solution ideal for small appliances, including lights. It weighs only 8.27 lbs and features a foldable handle for moving the power station to camping, road trips, and other one-day trips. The portable power station supports charging multiple devices simultaneously for hours. You can also use the power station to charge work-related appliances, including work lights, laptops, TVs, lamps, printers, and more.

Appliances Running Time

• LED Lights (10W) = 24.4H
• Halogen Lights (40W) = 6.1H
• CFL (12W) = 20.4H
• Lamp (20W) = 12.2H
• Laptop (80W) = 3.0H
• Phone (30W) = 8.1H
• TV (150W) = 1.6H

Customer Review

“The unit’s well built, lightweight, and very reliable. I have many plans in mind for this unit, from camping to road trips and equipment backup. I highly recommend this unit and plan to invest in more “plus” backups with higher capacity.” — Stanley Daniel.

Jackery Explorer 100 Plus Portable Power Station

The mini Jackery Explorer 100 Plus Portable Power Station can charge small appliances for hours, including laptops, smartphones, smartwatches, etc. It also supports different types of lighting to ensure you never have to stay in the dark. It's light in weight and features multiple output ports to charge up to 3 appliances simultaneously. It can also be taken aboard an airplane to charge small appliances on flights.

Appliances Running Time

• LED Lights (10W) = 8.4H
• Laptop (80W) = 1.0H
• Phone (30W) = 2.8H
• Outdoor Lights (30W) = 2.8H

Customer Review

“We do seasonal camping, and we have used the Jackery 100 outside on the campground table for charging our phones. We have charging ports inside the trailer, but the Jackery 100 allows us to charge outside.” — Marcus Wright.

How Many Lumens Do You Need

Energy-efficient LED light bulbs are usually measured in lumens (lm), and the number of lumens indicates the bulb's brightness. They are an accurate way of measuring light quality compared with the previous measure of watts. Here's how to calculate the total lumens needed:

Step 1: Determine Room Size by Square Footage

Multiply the room's length by its width to get its square footage. For instance, if the room is 20 feet wide and 10 feet long, its size will be 200 square feet.

Step 2: Check the Foot Candles By Room Type or Purpose

The lighting requirements might vary depending on the room type that needs to be lit. For example, a kitchen or bathroom requires more footcandles than a bedroom or living room.

Step 3: Determine the Needed Lumens

Lastly, multiply the room's square footage and the required number of foot candles to determine the lumens needed for LED lights. For example, a living room of 100 square feet that typically needs 10-20 foot candles would require 1000 - 2000 lumens. A dining room of the same size might require 30-40 foot candles and might need 3000-4000 lumens.

Lumens to Watts FAQs

How big of a portable power station do I need?

The portable power station's size depends on the total wattage of the appliances you would like to charge simultaneously and for how long. For example, if you want to run fewer appliances for some time, you may consider a small power station. On the other hand, if you wish to charge multiple heavy-duty appliances for hours, you may consider investing in a sizeable portable power station.

Here's an example where we will calculate the working hours of the Jackery Explorer 500 Portable Power Station:

Let's assume you are charging different types of lights that collectively consume 100W of electricity per hour.

Working Hours = Battery Capacity in Wh × 0.85 ÷ Operating Wattage of the Appliances = 518Wh × 0.85 ÷ 100W = 4.4H.

Note: We multiplied the battery capacity by 0.85 to account for the power loss when charging the appliances.

How bright is 1000 lumens in watts?

A 100-watt light bulb produces nearly 100 lumens per watt or 1000 lumens. A 1000-lumen flashlight is extremely powerful and used in search and rescue operations.

How many lumens are in a watt?

LED technology generally produces 75 - 110 lumens per watt, whereas incandescent bulbs have an efficacy of 15 - 18 lumens per watt. So, LEDs are generally seven times more efficient at producing light than incandescent bulbs.

How many lumens is a 60-watt bulb?

A traditional 60-watt incandescent bulb produces around 800 lumens of light. The lumens measure brightness. The more lumens mean more brightness, whereas fewer lumens mean dim light.

How many lumens is a car headlight?

The number of lumens in a car headlight might vary depending on the vehicle's make and model and the headlight technology. While traditional halogen headlights produce 700 - 1200 lumens, newer LED headlights generate 3000 lumens or more. Some high-intensity discharge headlights produce even more lumens, with some models producing up to 4500 lumens or more.

Final Thoughts

The old days of choosing the correct light bulb for household needs by wattage are over. The modern LED bulbs focus on lumens instead of wattage. The lumens-to-wattage conversion or vice versa allows you to choose the proper lighting for the space. For example, if you're looking to replace a 60-watt incandescent bulb with an LED bulb, you can use a 7:1 ratio to get the wattage.

When dividing 60 watts by 7, it will be roughly equal to 9 watts. You'll need a 9W LED to replace a 60W incandescent bulb. Jackery Portable Power Stations are powerful, robust, and compact charging solutions that supply safe power to light bulbs. You can also carry these portable power stations to camping or other outdoor adventures for charging lights and illuminating the space.