How to Use the LED Brightness Equivalent Converter
Replacing an old fluorescent or halogen fixture with LED often leaves you guessing which wattage to buy. Brightness should really be compared by lumens (light output), not watts (power draw), because different light sources produce very different amounts of light per watt.
Enter your existing bulb type (incandescent, halogen, or fluorescent) and its wattage, and this tool estimates the brightness in lumens along with the equivalent LED wattage. Incandescent bulbs are the least efficient (about 13lm/W), so they need far more power than LED to match the same brightness. Fluorescent bulbs are already fairly efficient, so switching to LED saves relatively less.
Calculations use average luminous efficacy values for each source (incandescent 13lm/W, halogen 18lm/W, fluorescent 65lm/W, LED 90lm/W). Actual products vary by brand and grade, so for the most accurate replacement, compare the estimated lumen value against the lumen rating printed on the product packaging.
Frequently Asked Questions
A 60W incandescent bulb produces about 780 lumens, which at typical LED efficiency (about 90lm/W) works out to roughly an 8.7W LED. Actual products are usually labeled 8-10W.
Yes. Halogen bulbs are slightly more efficient than incandescent (about 18lm/W), so they produce more light at the same wattage. This tool applies a different efficacy value depending on the bulb type you select.
It varies by product, typically 80-100lm/W. This calculator uses 90lm/W as a representative value, so actual product specs may differ slightly.