8/29/23, 4:05 PM How to Measure Light in Foot-candles, Lumens and Lux | Stanpro

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Home / Basics of Lighting / How to measure light in foot-candles, lumens and lux

June 2016

HOW TO MEASURE LIGHT IN FOOT-CANDLES, Share

LUMENS AND LUX
By admin_stanpro

How do you ascertain the illumination level needed for various applications to achieve optimal light and safety as
well as visual comfort? We often buy our light bulbs according to their watt consumption without knowing the
amount of light they project. How do we measure light? In the lighting industry, we often speak of foot-candles,
lumens, and lux. The following are basic references that will help you measure light.

Foot-Candle
Here is a simple illustration that will help you understand the
foot-candle measurement. Imagine setting a candle at a distance
of 0.30 meters (1 foot) from a flat wall on which we’ve drawn a
square shape measuring 0.09 square meters (1 square foot). One
lumen per square foot will illuminate this surface.

Foot-candle is the most widespread lighting measurement in the

industry. Why do we still use the word “candle” to measure light
in this day and age? The explanation for this choice dates back
to the origins of the candle itself. When people began to measure
the intensity of light, candles were the most common light source
available.

At that time, the candle-making industry provided a consistent, steady, clean, and efficient way to measure light. Thus, we use this
well-known expression, even to this day.

Lumen and Lux

The lumen is a significant entity: it measures the total amount of
visible light emitted by a given source. All other measurements
are based on the lumen.The lumen measurement originated from

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the basic concept of foot-candles. It might be illustrated, more or

less, by the image shown here. A more scientific definition exists
today, but this drawing helps visualize the lumen.

Picture a candle set in the middle of a sphere measuring 0.60

meters (2 feet) in diameter. If we cut a hole that measures 0.09
square meters (1 square foot) in the centre of this sphere, the
light that shines through is what we define as a lumen.

A foot-candle equals one lumen per square foot. This is a British measurement. Using the metric system, a lumen is measured by a
square meter or a lux. Thus a foot-candle is equivalent to approximately 10 lux or 10.57 lux.

A higher number of lumens are indicative of a brighter, more intense light, whereas a lower number of lumens represent dimmer, more
subdued lighting.

How to Measure a Lumen or a Lux

In reality, lumens are quite difficult to measure: laboratory tests are usually required.
Consequently, if you want to know the number of lumens projected by your lamp or
fixture with integrated bulb, you may want to refer to the product packaging or consult
the luminaire catalogue.

Transition from watts to lumens

It does make any sense to evaluate the amount of light according to the watt
consumption of the lamp. When you want to replace a light bulb, follow this simple rule
of thumb to convert watts to lumens, and vice versa.

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How Much Lighting Do You Need?

Ordinarily, we establish the optimal lighting requirements based on the need for appropriate foot-candles. How can you determine the
best amount of lighting for your particular application? The Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IES) has set a number of
guidelines that you may wish to consult.

The following is an infographic that sets out a number of guidelines to determine the amount of lumens you need to light the various
rooms of your house:

Do not hesitate to contact one of our lighting experts. This evaluation service on industrial or commercial application is free of charge.

Contact us

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