LUMEN

The unit of luminous intensity

LUMEN AND LUMINOUS FLUX

DEFINITION

Lumen (lm) is the unit for luminous flux and indicates how much light an LED light source emits in all directions. The higher the value, the more light is emitted, and the brighter the light source.

It used to be a bit simpler. You simply used the wattage – i.e. the power consumption of incandescent bulbs – to determine the brightness.

More watts –> more power –> more light –> higher energy consumption

However, with today’s wide variety of light sources, the lumen rating is the method of choice for determining brightness.

Knowledge Base | Saving electricity with LED bulbs

BUT HOW BRIGHT IS ‘BRIGHT’ IN LUMENS?

Examples:

Candle: approx. 12 lm
100 W incandescent bulbs: approx. 1300 lm
40 W fluorescent light source: approx. 3000 lm

Nowadays, power consumption (WATTS) is mainly used to determine electricity usage. This is because fewer watts can actually mean greater brightness these days.

A high-quality LED can have a much higher luminous flux than an incandescent bulb. For these, we can use the following values as a basis:

25 W approx. 200 lm
40 W approx. 400 lm
60 W approx. 700 lm
100 W approx. 1300 lm

To save us the hassle of converting, the EU has compiled a table of equivalent lumen values for different types of light sources.

Knowledge Base | Lumen | the unit of luminous intensity | Candela

LUMINOUS EFFICIENCY – LUMENS PER WATT

Another important factor is luminous efficacy – that is, how many lumens per watt a light source produces. The better this value, the more efficient the light source is. Here, too, there are a few rough guidelines:

Incandescent bulbs: approx. 10 lm/W
Halogen: approx. 20 lm/W
Fluorescent: approx. 70 – 90 lm/W
LED: approx. 60 – 170 lm/W

We can see here that LEDs are the most efficient. This always depends on age, design and technology, of course.

LEDs are still controversial; long-term tests are still ongoing, and their long-term effects have not yet been conclusively proven. What is certain, however, is that the technology is constantly evolving and high-quality LED light sources can be used risk-free as a replacement for the good old incandescent bulbs. With high-quality LED light sources, such as those from SEGULA, care is taken to minimise the harmful blue light component and to reduce so-called ‘flickering’ as much as possible. And thanks to lower energy consumption, we are not only saving money but also helping the environment. We should also bear in mind that the LED light sources we buy are produced in an environmentally friendly manner. After all, resource-efficient manufacturing and the avoidance of toxic raw materials contribute to our own health and that of the natural world!

Knowledge Base | Lumen | the unit of luminous intensity | environmentally friendly production

This is a top priority across the entire SEGULA range. We use recycled and recyclable materials, ensuring they are utilised under the best possible environmental conditions! We don’t just rest on the efficiency of our LED light sources; we go the extra mile!