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Electrical Education

Buying LED light bulbs in the 21st Century
When you're shopping for light bulbs, compare lumens to be sure you're getting the amount of light, or level of brightness, you want.
Think Lumens, Not Watts
We typically buy things based on how much of it we get, right? When buying milk, we buy it by volume (gallons). So, why should light be any different? For decades, we have been buying light bulbs based on how much energy they consume (Watts) — no matter how much light they give us (Lumens).
What's a Lumen?
Lumens measure how much light you are getting from a bulb. More lumens means it's a brighter light; fewer lumens means it's a dimmer light.
Lumens are to light what...
Pounds are to lunch meat ordered in the deli department at the grocery store Gallons are to milk purchased at the grocery store
Lumens let you buy the amount of light you want. So when buying your new bulbs, think lumens, not watts. Here's a rule of thumb:
To replace a 100-watt incandescent bulb, look for a bulb that gives you about 1600 lumens. If you want something dimmer, go for less lumens; if you prefer brighter light, look for more lumens. Replace a 75W bulb with an LED bulb that gives you about 1100 lumens Replace a 60W bulb with an LED bulb that gives you about 800 lumens Replace a 40W bulb with an LED bulb that gives you about 450 lumens

Prevent Light Bulbs From Becoming a Nightmare
Do you have a problem with outdoor light bulbs getting stuck to the inside of the socket when unthreading the old bulb? If yes, try putting some petroleum / vaseline jelly around the threads before inserting the bulb in to allow for easy removal later.

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