Technical - Photometric Data Guide

Close Projection Limit

The distance (m) from the fixture to a test board

(veneered plywood painted black) is measured
using 60C (ambient temperature of 30C) as
the temperature for preventing discolouration
and deterioration of fibres and other materials.

Terms used to describe the properties of light

Term

Unit of
measurement

Meaning

Luminous flux lm (lumens)

Amount of light emitted from a lamp.

Luminous
intensity

cd (candela)

Strength of light (amount of light emitted in a unit solid angle in a given direction).

Illuminance

lx (lux)

Brightness of surface being lit. Used as a basic guideline in lighting design.

Luminance

cd/m2
(candelas/square
meter)

Intensity of an object as seen from a given direction. (Where illuminance expresses how
much light is reaching a given unit of area, luminance expresses the resulting visible
brightness when seen from given direction.)

Terms used to describe lamps

Term
Rated lamp
power
Lamp
efficiency
Rated
lifetime

Unit of
Meaning
measurement
W (watts)

The power consumption of a lamp. Used on labeling and catalogues.

lm/W
Value derived by dividing the lamps total lumious flux by its power consumption (1amp power).
(lumens/Watt) This property indicates the luminous flux (measured in lumens) generated by 1 Watt of power.
h (hours)
Lifetime published in catalogues, derived by average rating the lifetimes of multiple lamps
tested under stipulated testing conditions. These stipulated test conditions vary by lamp type

and are based on several standards, including the average operating time that elapses until
the total luminous flux reaches a stipulated percentage and the operating time that elapses
until a stipulated percentage of lamps stop working during a period of continuous operation.
Amount of light discharged by the light source in all directions. Total luminous flux figures given
Total
as initial characteristics indicated the luminous flux following 0 hours of operation from
lm (lumens)
luminous flux
standard and halogen bulbs, or following 100 hours of operation for bulb fluorescent lamps,
fluorescent lamps, and high-intensity discharge lamps.
Numerical representation of the colour of the light generated by the light source. Colour
temperature values decrease as the light
Colour
K (Kelvin)
becomes redder and increase as the light becomes bluer. Light from different light sources
temperature
may differ slightly (ie: appear to have a stronger red or blue cast), even if the colour
temperatures are the same.
Numerical representation of the reproductibility (way of seeing) of the colour generated by the
Average
light source. This property serves as an indicator of how faithful the colour appears when
colour
Ra (rendering
compared to the reference illuminant (Ra 1000) established by the JIS standard. The Ra unit is
rendering
average)
not synonymous with a colours desirability; pleasant colours may have low Ra values. 168
index
INDEX Photometric Data Guide

Calculating illuminance from product data

The illuminance of an illuminated surface is inversely

proportional to the square of the distance from the light
source.
Axial luminous intensity (cd) Square of distance (m) =
Illuminance (lx)
Illuminance at point A 3.600 22 = 900 (lx)
Illuminance at point A 900 2 = 450 (lx)
(1/2 illuminance at point A)
Illuminance at point C 3.600 32 = 400 (lx)
Illuminance at point D 400 2 = 200 (lx)
(1/2 illuminance at point C)

Direct Horizontal Illuminance

One-half illuminance angle

Top half of the graph

Indicates the spread of light when

a light is shone downward onto a
horizontal surface, the 1/2
illuminance angle refers to the
angle at which illuminance directly
under the light is reduced by 1/2.
Left side of the graph
Indicates the relationship between
the spread of the fixtures light and
its illuminance (lx). The angle and
light spread shown in the graph
indicates 1/2 illuminance, indicating
the 1/2 illuminance angle () and
the centre illuminance for each
height level.
The graph indicates that for a light
source of 2m, illuminance directly
under the fixture is about 950lx,
with a 1/2 illuminance of 2550 x
2080.

Indicates the lamp used for

measurements
and the total luminous flux
(lm) per fixture.
Right side of the graph
The direct horizontal
luminance data indicates
the range within which the
horizontal illuminance
expressed by the curve can
be obtained, using distance
from the fixture as the Xaxis and horizontal distance
from a point directly
underneath the fixture is the
Y-axis.
The graph indicates that for
a light source height of 2m,
an illuminance of at least
500lx can be obtained in an
area with a radius of 1.2m.
This graph expresses the
relationship between light
spread for an upward facing
fixture such as an outdoor
floodlight and horizontal
luminance (lx). (Hotizontal
luminance differs from
vertical luminance.)

Light distribution curve

This graph indicates the light distribution when the spread and
strength of the light from the fixture are the same in all crosssections.
The light distribution curve is a graph that expresses strength
(luminous intensity) of light from the fixture in all directions.
Values read from this graph are for a lamp with a luminous flux
of 1,000lm; the actual luminous intensity can be calculated
using the following formula:

Indicated luminous intensity X Lamp luminous flux

(Luminous intensity)

1,000

(cd)

Wall luminance distribution (incl. Wall washer models)

This graph indicates illuminance distribution for a fixture installed 0.9m from a wall, as shown in the diagram to the right.

Utilisation factor

The utilisation factor table indicates how

much of the luminous flux produced by the
lamp in the fixture enters the work plane
under a variety of conditions.
Room index = W x L
(W L) x H
W : Width (m)
L : Depth (m)
H : Height of light source from work plane

The room index obtained from the above

formula is used in combination with the
reflection rates of the ceiling, walls and
floor to obtain the utilisation factor from
the utilisation factor table.
The following formulas are used to
calculate average illuminance and
the required number of lights for a given
set of conditions using the lux
method.
Average illuminance E = F x N x U x M
A
Required number of lights N = E x A
FxUxM
E : Average Illuminance (lx)
F : Lamp luminous flux (lm)
U : Utilisation factor
A : Floor area (m2)
N : Number of lamps
M : Maintenance factor

Click To View Full Size

Introduction to Lighting Design
How To Read A Photometric Report

Published: May 2010

By Craig DiLouie

In a perfect world, a lighting manufacturer would respond to interest in one of their

products by assuming the cost of installing samples in an exact mockup of the
actual space being designed. Then, the manufacturer would hire people to work
there for a while and conduct a postoccupancy survey on their satisfaction with the
lighting.

In the real world, we have photometric reports. Commonly available for

specification-grade lighting products, these reports are found on the catalog sheet.
What a report says about a lighting fixture can be used to predict how it is likely to
perform in a given application and help us choose the right fixture. Specifically, we
can determine how the light is distributed, how efficiently it is distributed and how
likely it is to produce glare or unwanted patterns.
What are the basics that we need to know, so we can properly read and interpret
photometric reports? The most important items on the report are the candela chart
and the candela distribution curve, which give us a picture of the fixtures
distributed lighting pattern. All the other items on the report, such as zonal lumen
distribution, fixture efficiency and fixture spacing criteria are derived from the
numbers in the candela charts table.
(Note that this article focuses on Type A photometry, which covers indoor general
light fixtures, not Type B photometry, which is used for floodlighting and other
outdoor fixtures.)
Fundamentals
Imagine that we are looking directly at the cross-section (end) of a pendantmounted linear direct/indirect lighting fixture in an open office. The fixture has a
vertical axisan imaginary line running through its center from nadir at 0 (a point
on the ground directly below the fixture); up to 180 (a point on the ceiling directly
above the fixture). It also has a horizontal axis that runs through its center from 90
to 270. From our position at the end of the fixture, we can take measurements of
light intensity, measured in candelas, at any angle of elevation from 0 to 180,
which are called vertical viewing angles. In practice, these measurements are taken
in manufacturer or independent testing facilities using a device called a
goniophotometer.
We have now determined the light intensity values for a single vertical plane
intersecting the cross section of the fixture at its center. If the fixture emits light in a
perfectly symmetrical pattern in all directions, this would be enough to evaluate the
fixtures lighting distribution. But most fixturesfrom 2-by-4 troffers to linear
direct/indirect pendants to wall washersdo not.
This means we need to repeat the process of measuring light intensity at 0 to 180
from different positions around the fixture to create more vertical planes and get
the complete story. Instead of looking at the fixture from the side, now we must look
at it from the top and draw an imaginary line through its center. Typically,
measurements are repeated at an angle parallel to the lamp axis (0), 22.5, 45,
67.5 and perpendicular to the axis (90), with 0, 45 and 90 being the primary
angles. These are the horizontal viewing angles. Ninety degrees gets us a quarter of
the way around the fixture and is enough to give us a complete picture if the fixture
has a standard symmetrical geometric shape.

The result is a mapping of light intensities at different combinations of vertical and

horizontal viewing angles. Visually, this three-dimensional pattern would look like an
oddly shaped bubble. Change the fixtures reflector design, shielding and even just
its lamp/ballast combination, and this bubble will morph into a new shape.
The candela chart
All of the above data is available in the photometric reports candela (cd) chart. The
horizontal viewing angles (0, 22.5, 45, 67.5, 90) are the column headings and
the vertical angles (0 to 180 in increments) are the row headings. Figure 2 shows
an example for a direct/indirect fixture. If we are facing the fixture perpendicularly
(90 horizontal viewing angle) with our eyes at a 55 vertical viewing angle from the
fixtures 0 line (nadir), then the relative light intensity at that point is 234 cd. If we
then circle the fixture until we are facing its cross section (the end of the fixture, a
0 horizontal viewing angle) at a 55 angle with the center of the fixture (vertical
viewing angle), then the relative light intensity at that point is 109 cd. At a 55
viewing angle, the fixture emits more than twice the amount of light intensity on a
90 vertical plane than a 0 vertical plane.
The candela chart is important because it can be used for detailed analysis of a
fixtures distribution of light and its impact on lighting levels and potential glare
conditions using lighting design software. For this purpose, many manufacturers
make the data available as downloadable electronic files on their Web sites. These
files are typically based on a standard format created by the Illuminating
Engineering Society (IES), which is why they are often called IES files.
Note that the candela chart is generated based on a specific fixture and lamp
combination, so a three-lamp T8 fluorescent fixture report will not apply to the two
T8 version of that same product, nor will it apply to a three-lamp T5 fluorescent
model. Further, the ballast used in the test is a reference ballastwhich means the
lighting output is reported as though the ballast were delivering 100 percent of the
rated test lamp lumensso the actual ballast factor will have to be applied as a
light loss factor. Similarly, if the lighting output of the specified lamps is different
than those used in the photometric test on which the report is based, further
adjustment will be necessary.
The candela distribution curve is a graphical representation of relative light intensity
for a single vertical plane based on candela readings across the vertical viewing
angles (0180) for a single horizontal viewing angle (see Figure). Since the
distribution of light intensity varies based on the horizontal viewing angle, several
patterns may be overlaid on top of each other; in this example, the pattern at a 90
horizontal viewing angle is shown as a solid dark line, a 45 angle as a lightly
shaded line, and a 0 angle as a dashed line. The lines radiating from the center of
the fixture are the vertical viewing angles from 0 to 180. The concentric circles
represent candle-power, with each progressive outward circle being a larger candela
value.

While not as precise as the candela chart, the candela distribution curve can
provide much of the same useful information and in an at-a-glance visual format.
For example, looking again at Figure 2, suppose we would like to avoid a light
intensity exceeding 300 cd at 55 to 90 vertical viewing angles because of glare
concerns. Doing some simple eyeball estimating, candle-power is around 200 cd at
55 on a 90 vertical plane, 150200 cd at 55 on a 45 vertical plane, and less than
100 cd at 55 on a 0 vertical plane.
Useful interpretations
Looking at the photometric report, probably the easiest thing to note is whether the
fixture is direct (the light is emitted below the horizontal axis), indirect (the light is
emitted above the horizontal axis), or direct/indirect (a mix of the two, and to what
degree). The fixture in Figure 2 emits 64 percent of its light output up and 36
percent of it down.
We can also tell whether distribution is symmetrical (light output is emitted in a
roughly equal pattern on both sides of the fixture) or, as is common with cove lights
and similar fixtures, asymmetrical (light output is restricted to one side or the
other). If the fixture has symmetrical distribution on both sides, only half of the
drawing may be shown, as in Figure 2.
Additionally, we can tell whether the fixture has a spot distribution (narrow pattern),
narrow and medium flood (fuller pattern and a flatter bottom), or wide flood (wide
pattern and possibly a batwing shape where peak distribution is on each side of
the center instead of directly above or below the fixture). We can tell whether the
fixture is likely to produce a smooth light pattern (smooth, rounded candela
distribution curve) or streaking on walls or the floor (striations in the pattern). And
we can tell whether the fixture is likely to produce glare (a high concentration of
direct light intensity is being emitted above a 60 vertical viewing angle). An
experienced eye can learn even more than that at a glance.
Other interesting data in the photometric report are derived from the light intensity
measurements, such as zonal lumen summary and fixture efficiency.
The zonal lumen summary table lists the fixtures light output, in lumens, in specific
zones and then summarizes for all light emitted down (090), up (90180) and
total (0180). These values are used to calculate the fixture efficiency, the
percentage of lamp light output in lumens that exit the fixture relative to the total
lamp lumens that go into the fixture. Fixture efficiency is the sum of all zonal
lumens nominal lamp light output 100. The fixture portrayed in Figure 2, for
example, has an efficiency of 90.4 percent. But while higher efficiency is generally
better, we must consider where that light is going to determine if the emitted light
is actually useful. Unshielded fluorescent striplights can be as efficient as 95
percent, but would be considered a glare bomb by office workers. There is often a
tradeoff between fixture efficiency and optical control: The more the fixture works to

deliver light where it is wanted and block it where it is not wanted, the lower its
efficiency will be.
Initial cost, aesthetics, ability to provide target light levels, and lamp/ballast
efficiency are all important considerations when choosing a lighting fixture. But they
say nothing about how the fixture will actually perform in the space, and what
impact it will have on the people who use the space for work or leisure. What we
really need to know is how the light is distributed, how efficiently it is distributed,
and how likely it is to produce glare or unwanted patterns.
Its all in the photometric report.
DILOUIE, a lighting industry journalist, analyst and marketing consultant, is
principal of ZING Communications. He can be reached at www.zinginc.com.

Luminous Measurement Graphic

Representation
The collection of luminous intensity emitted by a source of light in all directions is
known asluminous distribution. The sources of light used in practice have a more or
less large luminous surface, whose radiation intensity is affected by the construction of
the s ource itself, presenting various values in these scattered directions.
Special devices (like the Goniophotometer) are constructed to determine the luminous
intensity of a source of light in all spatial directions in relation to a vertical axis. If
luminous intensity (I) of a source of light is represented by vectors in the infinite spatial
directions, a volume representing the value for the total flux emitted by the source is
created.
Such a value may be defined by the formula below:

Photometric solid is the solid obtained. Fig. 1 shows an incasdescent lamp

photometric solid.

Figure 1 - Incandescent lamp

photometric solid

If a plane passes through the symmetric axis of a source of light, for example, a
meridional plane, a section limited by a curve, known as photometric curve, or
luminous distribution curve is obtained (See Figure 2).

Figure 2 - Photometric curve for an

incandescent lamp.

By reviewing the photometric curve of a source of light, luminous intensity in any

direction may be determined very accurately. This data are necessary for some
lighting calculations. Therefore, spatial directions through which luminous radiation is
irradiated may be established by two coordinates.
One of the most frequently used coordinate systems to obtain photometric curves is
the C y represented in Fig. 3.

Figure 3 - C
- y coordinate system

Photometric curves refer to an emitted luminous flux of 1 000 lm. Generally speaking,
the source of light emits a larger flux. Thus, the corresponding luminous intensity
values are calculated by a simple ratio.
When a lamp is housed in a reflector, its flux is distorted, producing a volume with a
marked shape defined by the characterist ics of the reflector. Therefore, distribution
curves vary according to different planes. The two following figures show two
examples where distribution curves for two reflectors are represented.
Fig.4 reflector is symmetric and has identical curves for any of the meridional planes.
This is the reason why a sole curve is enough for its photometric identification.
Fig. 5 reflector is asymmetric and each plane has a different curve. All planes must be
known.

Figure 4 (left) - Symmetric photometric distribution curve; Figure 5 (right) Asymmetric photometric distribution curve.

Another method to represent luminous flux distribution is the isocandela curve diagram
(Fig. 12). According to this diagram, luminaires are supposed to be in the center of a
sphere where exterior surface points with the same intensity are linked (isocandela
curves).
Generally, luminaires have, at least, one symmetric plane. This is the reason why they
are only represented in a hemisphere.

Figure 6 - Isocandela curves

This representation is very comprehensive. However, more experience is needed to

interpret it.
The flux emitted by a source of light provides surface lighting (illuminance) whose
values are measured in lux. If those values are projected on the same plane and a line
links the ones with the same value, isolux curves are formed (Fig. 7).

Figure 7 - Isolux curves

Finally, luminance depends on the luminous flux reflected by a surface in the

observers direction. Values are measured in candelas per square metre (cd/m2) and
are represented by isoluminance curves (Fig. 8)

Fi
gure 8 - Isoluminance curves

Luminous measurement summary chart

Chart 1. Luminous measurement summary

SOURCE: Lighting Engineering 2002 Indalux

Lux to Total Lumens or Foot-Candles to Total Lumens

Converter:
Need to Convert Foot-Candles to LUX or LUX to Foot-Candles Instead? Click on
THIS link for That Converter.

Click on this Link to Use Converter and/or Download

Converter

NOTE: Converting between geometry-based measurement units is difficult and should only
be attempted when it is impossible to measure in the actual desired units. You must be
aware of what each measurement geometry implicitly assumes before conversion. Any
results with this converter must be considered approximate.

Image from Chapter 7 - Measurement Geometries - Light Measurement Tutorial

STEP 1: Enter the ORIGINAL measurement taken in lux or foot-candles with your light
meter and sensor. This number can be entered in decimal format (i.e. "0.000341") or in
scientific notation (i.e. "3.41e-04"). Select what units (foot-candles or lux) the
measurement was taken in.
STEP 2: Enter the MEASUREMENT DISTANCE at which the reading in Step 1 was taken,
in this box. This number can be entered in decimal format (i.e. "0.000341") or in scientific
notation (i.e. "3.41e-04"). Select whether the distance is in meters or in feet. If you are
measuring in units less than meters or feet (i.e. millimeters or inches) you will have to
convert these numbers up to meters or feet first.
STEP 3: Enter the SHADOW DEGREES (solid angle) in the numerical stepper here. This
is the solid-angle of light that is occluded or blocked by the lamp base.This angle can be any
number between 0 (perfectly isotropic source) to 120 degrees. This can be a difficult
property of a light source to measure, which is a contributing factor for why any conversions
done with this calculator are to be considered approximate and should only be used as a last
resort when measuring lumens in an integrating sphere is not possible. In many cases, the
default of 30 degrees is sufficient for the expected accuracy of this conversion process.
OUTPUT: This is the APPROXIMATE TOTAL LUMEN OUTPUT of the lamp. Again, this
calculator makes several assumptions which directly affect the accuracy of the conversion.
Since this is a measurement geometry conversion - this cannot be helped. This calculator
assumes that the light source is a point-source and is isotropic (output is the same in all
directions) in nature with the exception of the losses due to the lamp base which are again,
assumed, to be about 30 degrees solid-angle. The lamp is also assumed to have a clear
envelope. Variances from these assumptions will lead to additional error in the conversion
process and could invalidate any results (i.e. in the case of trying to convert an illuminance
reading from an area source).

What today's consumers need to know

about lumens
The term lumen is a measurement of light output which consumers have a need to become more and
more aware of.
Back in the day, we went to the store and bought light bulbs. We had become used to what a 60 watt or
100 watt light bulb looked like and how much light they provided. We weren't concerned with lumens and
didn't have to be. Things began to change with lower wattage incandescent lamps which provided the
same light output, but with a bit less power consumption. Fluorescent tubes have been around for a long
time, but when they were introduced in a form that could be used in a table lamp, we saw even lower watt
consumption levels for equivalent light output.
At last, the LED light bulb arrived on the scene. Now we are talking even lower power
consumption for a comparable light output and those watt consumption numbers
continue to go down. "Wattage" is no longer a valid reference point. "Lumens" is
however, a valid reference point. That is a stable measurement of light output that will
not vary as LED light bulbs continue to get brighter and more efficient. Lumens per watt
is even more important. How much light output are you getting from a product and how many energy
dollars (watts paid for on your electric bill) do you need to spend to get that light output? So here are
some numbers for you to keep in mind when shopping for LED light bulbs. It won't be long before
referencing incandescent bulbs is totally a thing of the past, so learn your lumen numbers now. The
higher the number, the brighter the bulb.

For those of you who want to delve into the definition of lumens in a more detailed, technical manor, here
is an article written for us some time ago by a professor, Robert (Doc) Bryant. It's entertaining while still
very informative.

Lumens, Illuminance, Foot-candles and bright shiny beads .

In defining how bright something is, we have two things to consider.
1. How bright it is at the source- How Bright is that light?

2. How much light is falling on something a certain distance away from the light.
Lets' do some definitions now
Foot-Candles - We're in America, so we are going to talk about
units of measurement that concern distance in feet and inches. So,
we will use some terms that folks in Europe don't use. We're going
to talk about "foot-candles". This one's simple. Get a birthday cake
candle. Get a ruler. Stick the candle on one end of the ruler. Light
the candle. Turn out the lights. Sing Happy Birthday to Doc. It was
his 47th on the 23rd. OK, quiet down. Enough of that nonsense. One foot-candle of light is the amount of
light that birthday cake candle generates one foot away. That's a neat unit of measurement. Why? Say
you have a lamp. You are told it produces 100 foot candles of light. That means at one foot from the lamp,
you will receive 100 foot candles of light.
But here's where it gets tricky. The further away you move the light from what you want to illuminate, the
less bright the light seems! If you measure it at the light, it's just as bright. But when you measure at the
object you want illuminated, there is less light! A Physics teacher is going to tell you that light measured
on an object is INVERSELY PROPORTIONAL to the distance the object is from the light source. That's a
very scientific and math rich way of saying, the closer you are to the light bulb, the brighter that bulb is.
Or, think of it this way. You can't change how much light comes out of your light bulb. So, to make more
light on an object, you have to either move the light closer, or add more lights.
Now, lets get to LUMENS.
A LUMEN is a unit of measurement of light. It measures light much
the same way. Remember, a foot-candle is how bright the light is
one foot away from the source. A lumen is a way of measuring how
much light gets to what you want to light! A LUMEN is equal to one
foot-candle falling on one square foot of area.
So, if we take your candle and ruler, lets place a book at the opposite end from the candle. We'd have a
bit of a light up if we put the book right next to the candle, you know. If that book happens to be one foot
by one foot, it's one square foot. OK, got the math done there. Now, all the light falling on that book, one
foot away from your candle equals both.1 foot candle AND one LUMEN!
Ahh, we've confused you. Let's split off from this and talk about the difference
between RADIANCE and ILLUMINANCE.
RADIANCE is another way of saying how much energy is released from that
light source. Again, you measure it at the source. Unless you're talking about
measuring the radiance of something intensely hot, like the Sun. Then you
might want to measure it at night, when it's off.
ILLUMINANCE is what results from the use of light. You turn your flashlight on
in a dark room, and you light something up. That's ILLUMINANCE. Turning on a light

in a dark room to make the burglar

visible gives you ILLUMINANCE. It

also gives you another problem when you note the burglar is pointing your duck gun at your bellybutton.
Illuminance is the intensity or degree to which something is illuminated and is therefore not the amount
of light produced by the light source. This is measured in foot-candles again! And when people talk
about LUX, it's illuminance measured in metric units rather than English units of measure. To reinforce
that, LUX is the measurement of actual light available at a given distance. A lux equals
one lumen incident per square meter of illuminated surface area. They're measuring the same thing, just
using different measurement units.
Pretend you're an old photographer, like O. Winston Link, or Ansel Adams. These two gods of black and
white photography (and a print made by either can fetch quite a hefty sum of money these days) used a
device called a light meter to help them judge their exposure. (There is another way of judging exposurethat's when someone whispers in our ear at a cocktail party, "You silly twit, your fly's come undone!").
These light meters were nifty devices. You could use it to show how much light was falling on an object,
light from the sun, and reflected light energy from every thing else. Or you could use it to show how much
light energy was reflected off the object itself.
All this brings back two points. Well, three.
The first point is if we measure the output of a light at the source that gives us one thing.
The second point is that we use an entirely different unit of measure if we are measuring the results of
that light's output.
The third point is the instructor is right off his trolley, isn't he?
Now back to the book at the end of the ruler.
We've measured two different things. We have a unit of measure for how much light is produced. We
Yankees express that as a foot-candle. Being lazy, we use it all over the place.
More Confusion! Candlepower!
Candlepower is a way of measuring how much light is
produced by a light bulb, LED or by striking an arc in a
Carbon-Arc spotlight. Is it a measure of how much light falls
upon an object some distance away? No.
That's illuminance. Is it a measure of how well we see an
object that is illuminated by that light source? No. That's
something all together different, and we are not going there!

Nowadays we use the term CANDELA instead of candlepower. Candlepower, or CANDELA is a

measure of how much light the bulb produces, measured at the bulb, rather than how much falls upon the
thing you want to light up. Further confusing the matter is beam focus. That's how
much candlepower can be focused using a reflector/lens assembly. Obviously, if you project all your light
bulbs intensity at a given spot, or towards something, it will be more intense, and theilluminance will be
higher.
And here comes the confusion! A candlepower as a unit of measure is not the same as a foot-candle.
A candlepower is a measurement of the light at the source, not at the object you light up.
And a candela is the metric equivalent of the light output of that one candle, based on metric calculations.
And since using a candle is rather imprecise, the definition was amended to replace a light source using
carbon filaments with a very specific light source, see the following: The candela is the luminous intensity,
in a given direction, of a source that emits monochromatic radiation of frequency 540 x 1012 hertz and
that has a radiant intensity in that direction of 1/683 watt per steradian. The above from the National
Institute of Standards Reference on Constants, Units, and Uncertainty.
Candlepower is a measure of light taken at the source-not at the target. Foot-candles tell us how much
of that light is directed at an object we want to illuminate.
Now, lets convert the lumens, a metric unit of light measurement, to candlepower.
We understand a candle radiates light equally in all directions, its output, in this consideration is not
focused by any mechanical means (lenses or reflectors). Pretend for a moment that a transparent sphere
one meter in radius surrounds your candle. We know that there are 12.57 square meters of surface area
in such a sphere. Remember your Solid Geometry classes?
That one candle (1 Candlepower/Candela) is illuminating equally the entire surface of that sphere. The
amount of light energy then reflected from that surface is defined thusly:
The amount of energy emanating from one square meter of surface is one lumen. And if we decrease the
size of the sphere to one foot radius, we increase the reflected energy 12.57 times of that which fell on
the square meter area.
LUX is an abbreviation for Lumens per square meter. Foot-candles equal the amount of Lumens per
square feet of area.
So, that one candlepower equivalent equals 12.57 lumens.
And for you figuring out LED equivalents, first you must know how many lumens your LED's each
produce. Then divide that value by 12.57 and you havecandlepower of the LED. You don't have footcandles, remember foot-candles are illuminance. And we are measuring radiance.
Summing it all up:
Candlepower is a rating of light output at the source, using English measurements.
Foot-candles are a measurement of light at an illuminated object.
Lumens are a metric equivalent to foot-candles in that they are measured at an object you want to
illuminate.

Divide the number of lumens you have produced, or are capable of producing, by 12.57 and you get
the candlepower equivalent of that light source.
We've now converted a measurement taken some distance from the illuminated object, converted it from
a metric standard to an English unit of measure, and further converted it from a measure
of illumination to a measure of radiation!
This has been an ideal proof of the superiority of the metric system. Then again, the metric system is a
product of those wonderful folks that brought us:
Renault, Peugeot, Citroen, and Air busses. Not to mention simply awful Bordeaux.
And, if you're happy with this, send those little gems to:
Robert H (Doc) Bryant 3408 Thomas Ave Midland, Texas 79703-6240
I hope you have enjoyed this as much as I have. You ought to see me up in front of a classroom. My
classes are absolute laugh riots. But people learn!
Doc Bryant is not an employee of TheLEDLight.com