Generally, light bulbs use between 2 and 100 watts (W) of electricity, depending on the size and type. Traditional incandescent bulbs use 25 to 100 W, and LED bulbs use 2 to 18 W. Light bulbs draw around 110 volts and usually less than 1 amp.

Depending on the light bulb type, watts and lumens (brightness) vary wildly. For example, an incandescent bulb produces, on average, 14 lumens per watt, a halogen bulb emits 25 lumens per watt, a compact fluorescent produces 63 lumens per watt, and an LED creates at least 74 lumens per watt.

For an LED bulb, producing 1,300 lumens will require around 15 watts of power. However, for a less-efficient halogen bulb, over 60 watts of power are likely to be required to produce the same brightness. Same level of brightness, different amount of power required to produce it.

The easiest way to find out what wattage of the light bulb you need, is to check the label on the lamp. There is always a maximum wattage for lamps that it can safely operate at, and you should not exceed the maximum wattage. Most lamps can accommodate a maximum of 60 watts, so you should be careful about exceeding that wattage.