Typical Electric Lamp Wattage and
Lumen Ratings:
Lamp efficiency figures from many sources side by side here for comparison.
Ordinary Light Bulbs
Halogen Lamps
Street Lighting Incandescent Lamps
Mercury Vapor Lamps
Sodium Vapor Lamps
Metal Halide Lamps (6/4/98)
There is nothing special or unusual about a "long life" incandescent lamp (filament lamp). A "long life" or "extended life" lamp is simply one designed for a higher voltage than the equivalent "standard life" lamp. The filament achieves a not quite so high temperature so it evaporates more slowly. The light is also a bit more towards the yellowish side in terms of color, and the lamp gives fewer lumens per watt of electricity consumed. Also, there is nothing special or unusual about a "photoflood" incandescent lamp. This lamp is designed for a lower voltage. When operated in a "normal" electrical circuit, it operates at a higher temperature to fulfill its purpose of producing more light from one or a smaller number of lamps and also produce light more towards a bluish tint. The inescapable consequence of this is a shorter lamp life, an expected lifetime of four hours is quite common.
Household "Standard" Incandescent Lamps:
(figures published on lamp cartons)
Clear lamps give the most light. Light output varies slightly with the method
of frosting the inside of the bulb.
The lifetime shown below is the time after which half the lamps randomly
chosen for longevity testing from a manufactured batch can be expected to
have burned out given continuous operation.
watts lumens hours
Philips
15 105 3000
15 109 2500
Sylvania soft
white
25 210 2500
Sylvania soft white
25 235 3150
Philips
35 375 1500
Sylvania energy
saver
35 375 4240
* "industrial
grade unbranded"
40 445 1500
Sylvania soft
white
40 490 1500
Philips
40 490 1000
GE
45 540 1200
Sylvania 45/95/140
3 way low beam
50 575 1500
Philips 3 way low
beam
50 580 2400
Sylvania 50/100/150
3 way low beam
50 580 1200
GE 3 way 50/100/150
low beam
Sylvania 3 way 50/200/250
low beam
50 640 1200
53 640 2600
* GE Pro Line
53 665 2830
* "industrial
grade unbranded"
53 715 1000
Sylvania energy
saver
55 800 1000
GE "Miser"
60 555 1000
Sylvania garage
door or rough service
60 635 3000
GE garage door
or rough service / vibration
60 800 2000
Sylvania long
life
60 840 1000
GE
60 850 1000
** GE Pro Line
Philips
60 855 1000
60 870 1000
Sylvania soft
white
60 880 1000
"industrial grade
unbranded"
60 890 1000
Sylvania clear
bulb
75 1080 1500
Sylvania double life
75 1170 750
GE
75 1180 750
Philips
75 1180 750
Sylvania soft
white
75 1200 750
"industrial grade
unbranded"
88 1300 2100
"industrial grade
unbranded"
89 1275 1950
* GE Pro Line
90 1510 750
Sylvania energy
saver
95 1300
Sylvania 3
way 45/95/140 high beam
100 1420
Sylvania 3
way 50/100/150 high beam
100 1585 1500
Sylvania double life
100 1625 750
Philips
100 1640
+ GE
3 way 50/100/150 high beam
100 1680 750
** GE Pro Line
100 1710 750
Sylvania soft
white
100 1720 750
GE
100 1750 750
Sylvania clear
bulb
150 2650 750
GE
150 2780 750
Sylvania
150 2850 750
Philips
200 3250
+ Philips
3 way high beam
Sylvania 3 way 50/20/250
high beam
200 3300
200 3675 1000
Sylvania clear bulb
200 3850 750
200 3930 750
300 6300 750
Philips
watts lumens hours
All lamps rated 120 volts, operated at 120 volts unless noted:
* 130 volt rating, 120 volt "long life" usage
** 130 volt rating, 130 volt normal usage
+ Lifetime not quoted for high beam filament
watts lumens hours
40 410 4000 * Philips
45 530 2000 ** Philips
50 530 2000 Philips
50 590 2000 GE
60 880 2500 Philips
75 940 2000 Philips
90 1280 2000 Philips
100 1400 2000 GE
All lamps rated 120 volts, operated at 120 volts unless noted:
* 130 volt rating, 120 volt "long life" usage
** 130 volt rating, in 130 volt normal usage
1500 hour
85 watts 1000 lumens
175 2500
208 4000
370 6000
575 10000
3000 hour
58 watts 600 lumens
76 800
92 1000
115 1500
189 2500
295 4000
405 6000
620 10000
860 15000
6000 hour
103 watts 1000 lumens
202 2500
327 4000
448 6000
690 10000
(500 and 750 watt lamps are also used)
Street Lighting Incandescent, 6.6 amp. series
(information courtesy Joe Maurath)
79 watt (12 volt) 1000 lumen
165 watt (25 volt) 2500 lumen
231 watt (35 volt) 4000 lumen
watts lumens ANSI ballast
50 H-46
100 3500-4200 H-38
125 6000
175 7000-8500 H-39
250 11-12000 H-37
400 20-22000
1000 52-56000
Early 400 watt mercury vapor streetlight lamps delivered about 16000 lumens
Self Ballasted Mercury Vapor
These lamps have a tungsten filament inside that serves as the ballast. The filament glows brightly at first and dims down as the mercury arc reaches operating temperature. Lumen output per watt is about the same as for1500 hour incandescent lamps.
160 watt 2300 lumen
250 5000
450 9100
750 14000
Important notice regarding mercury, metal halide, and sodium lamps. If the glass bulb should be broken the lamp should be promptly removed. Otherwise it might continue to operate and emit harmful ultraviolet light that causes sunburn and damages eyesight.
watts lumens ANSI ballast
35 2250 S-76
50 4000 S-68
70 5800 S-62
100 9500 S-54
150 16000 S-55
250 30000 S-50
400 50000 S-51
1000 130000
Some sodium lamps must not be tilted while lit or within a half hour after
being turned off. That is, if it is base down when operated, it must be kept
base down until it has cooled down for a half hour. For this reason it is
not recommended that it be removed from the socket or transported shortly
after it is turned off.
Metal Halide Lamps (added 6/4/98)
These are similar to mercury vapor lamps but require different ballasts. Lumen ratings will be added later.
watts lumens ANSI ballast
50 M110
70 M98
100 M90
175 M57
250 M58
400 M59
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