Choosing the Right Light Globe Wattage: A Simple Guide for Every Room
Finding the sweet spot of light globe wattage will help you balance appearance, efficiency, and cost. It’s easy to purchase light bulbs without considering their wattage, but a little thought behind these decisions can ensure they last a long time while creating the brightness and atmosphere you want in each room.
This simple guide explains the importance of wattage and why it matters, the appropriate watts for different needs, and other factors you should consider when shopping for light globes for your home.
Why Does Wattage Matter?
Wattage refers to the amount of power that an electrical device uses. In this case, we’re talking about light bulbs. Electricity is required for each fixture in your home to power the bulbs within it. Globe wattage can range widely from 8 to 60 watts, and while this only accounts for a small amount of the average electricity used in the home, choosing the correct watts is essential to avoiding overheating. If a bulb has a wattage that’s too high for your home’s electrical circuit or fixture, it won’t be able to handle the amount of power coming through it, and it can destroy the bulb.
Wattage also matters when you consider the power source for your light globes. The more watts are pulled from grid power, the more you’ll pay on your electricity bill. Alternatively, if you use a different power source, such as EcoFlow Portable Power Stations or EcoFlow Solar Generators, you’ll need to calculate the total watts of all the electronics connected to it and ensure it doesn’t exceed the device’s output.
For example, the EcoFlow DELTA 3 Plus has a 1800W AC output. While light bulbs are far from the most energy-intensive aspect of a home, if you have several high-wattage globes and other high-wattage appliances plugged into this PPS, you could easily exceed these output limits and damage your equipment.
What Light Globe Wattage Do You Need?
To understand the light globe watts you need, you must first understand the four main types of globes and how different brightnesses of each type (measured in lumens) require a different wattage.
This chart breaks down the most common lumen levels desired in a home:
Light Globe Wattage Comparison Chart
Lumens | Incandescent | Halogen | CFL | LED |
250 | 25W | 10W | 4W | 3.5W |
400 | 40W | 16W | 7W | 5.5W |
700 | 50W | 28W | 12W | 9.5W |
900 | 75W | 36W | 15W | 12.5W |
To find the right watts, aim for a bulb with a high lumen-to-watt ratio, such as LED or CFL. This will ensure you make an energy-efficient choice. A fixture's maximum wattage ratings can be found on its bulb sockets or packaging, so ensure the bulbs used do not exceed this maximum.
Just as you need to ensure your bulbs don’t exceed wattage limits, you should also ensure your appliances don’t exceed these limits if using an alternative power source rather than AC power from the grid by using an appliance wattage chart.
Other Factors To Consider When Choosing a Light Globe
While shopping for light globes, here are some other factors to remember.
Color Temperature
Color temperature describes the shade of light produced by a bulb. Lower Kelvin (K) measurements indicate a warmer light, while higher K values give off a cooler white color with more blue and green tones.
Light Output
While wattage has traditionally been the key characteristic describing the output of bulbs or globes, lumens are the new standard today. Wattage is still essential to balance your energy load and avoid burning out bulbs, but lumens help you better understand the amount of brightness you’ll get from a specific globe. The table above can help you match the brightness and the watts to find the right fit.
Expected Lifetime
LED light globes have a long lifetime of up to 25,000 hours, so they’re extremely cost-efficient. Halogen lights, on the other hand, can last from 1,000 to 3,000 hours. Long-lived LED lights are best for commonly used fixtures, while you can find cheaper LEDs with shorter lifespans that can work well for spaces where lights are hardly on longer than a few minutes at a time.
Durability
If durability matters, like in flashlights or headlamps, LEDs are a great option. They last long, use little power, are shock-proof, and won’t degrade under moisture or cold temperatures.
Environmental Impact
If protecting the environment matters to you, know that a single 10W LED can save about 800 kWh of power over its lifetime compared to a 43W halogen bulb.
Power Source
You should also consider the power source you intend to use for the light globe. The total wattage and kilowatt-hours required must not exceed the output or capacity of your alternative power source, respectively.
The EcoFlow DELTA Pro 3 Solar Generator (PV400W) can handle any combination of globes and other appliances that do not exceed the 4000W continuous output or 4096Wh capacity.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do I Know How Many Watts My Light Bulb Should Be?
You can determine the appropriate wattage for your lightbulb by checking the fixture or lamp for a maximum wattage label, which is typically found near the socket. You can also check the watts of the previous bulb used as a guide.
What Happens if You Use the Wrong Wattage Light Bulb?
If you use a light bulb with a wattage that’s too high, you can overheat the fixture, burn out the bulb, or potentially start a fire. If you use a wattage that’s too low, you may not get the brightness you need.
Final Thoughts
Light bulb wattage matters if you want to protect your fixtures, avoid burning out bulbs, and keep your home safe. It also matters when using an alternative power source like EcoFlow DELTA Series Solar Generators, because you must ensure the total watts of all appliances used do not exceed the generator’s output. Use this guide and your fixture’s maximum wattage label to help determine the right watts for your light globe.