Lamp Brightness Converter
Convert lumens to equivalent watts for LED, CFL, and incandescent bulbs.
Find the right replacement bulb brightness.
Enter lumens or any bulb wattage — the equivalents calculate instantly.
Modern light bulbs are rated in lumens (brightness) rather than watts (energy consumption). This converter helps you find equivalent brightness across different bulb technologies.
What are lumens and watts?
- Lumens (lm): A measure of the total amount of visible light emitted by a source. More lumens = brighter light.
- Watts (W): A measure of energy consumption. More watts = more electricity used.
- Old incandescent bulbs wasted most energy as heat, so watts roughly indicated brightness. Modern LEDs produce the same brightness using far fewer watts.
Brightness equivalence table:
| Lumens | Incandescent | CFL | LED |
|---|---|---|---|
| 450 lm | 40W | 9-13W | 4-5W |
| 800 lm | 60W | 13-15W | 8-12W |
| 1,100 lm | 75W | 18-25W | 12-15W |
| 1,600 lm | 100W | 25-30W | 16-20W |
| 2,600 lm | 150W | 40-45W | 25-28W |
| 3,000 lm | 200W | 50-55W | 30-36W |
Approximate efficiency (lumens per watt):
- Incandescent: 10-17 lm/W (very inefficient, mostly heat)
- Halogen: 15-25 lm/W (slightly better than incandescent)
- CFL (compact fluorescent): 50-70 lm/W (good efficiency)
- LED: 80-150 lm/W (excellent efficiency, best value)
Conversion formulas used:
- Lumens from incandescent watts: lm = W x 14 (approximate average)
- LED watts from lumens: W = lm / 90 (approximate average)
- CFL watts from lumens: W = lm / 60 (approximate average)
Practical tips for choosing bulbs:
- To replace a 60W incandescent, look for an LED bulb rated at 800 lumens.
- LED bulbs last 15,000-50,000 hours compared to 1,000 hours for incandescent bulbs.
- CFL bulbs contain small amounts of mercury and should be recycled properly, not thrown in regular trash.
- Color temperature (measured in Kelvin) is separate from brightness. A 2700K bulb gives warm yellowish light, while 5000K gives cool daylight-white light.
- Dimmer switches require dimmable LED bulbs specifically labeled as compatible.