What is the difference between LUX, Lumen, Efficacy, Luminaires, Amps and Watts?
What is LUX?
Lux is a unit used to quantify the measure of light intensity or illumination, predominantly of light intensity hitting a surface, typically a wall or floor in a lighting design. One lux is equivalent to one lumen per square meter. They differ from lumens, which measure the brightness of the light source.
1 LUX = 1 Lumen / m2
What is Efficacy?
The efficacy of a light is related to the lumen and watts. The efficiency of the light in terms of light output and energy input.
What is a Watt?
A Watt is used to quantify energy transfer in all electrical goods. The watt (symbol: W) is a unit of power or radiant flux.
In the International System of Units it is 1 kg⋅m2⋅s−3 or, equivalently, 1 joule per second. The watt is named after James Watt, an 18th-century Scottish inventor.
What is a Luminaire?
A luminaire is the specific term used for a light fitting or fixture. An electrical device that contains an electric lamp that provides illumination.
All light fixtures have a fixture body and one or more lamps. The lamps may be in sockets for easy replacement—or, in the case of some LED fixtures, hard-wired in place.
Yes, that’s right a lamp is different to a luminaire and a light.
What is an Amp?
An Amp of for the full term ‘ampere’, is the base unit of electric current.
It is named after André-Marie Ampère, French mathematician and physicist.
Got any more burning questions? Speak to Hilclare’s lighting specialists by contacting us here.
