Wattage
Noun
Definition of Wattage
Wattage is the measure of how much energy a marine light produces or uses, measured in watts (W).
You may be wondering what the difference is between watt and wattage.
Well, wattage is used to measure the energy consumed or produced, while watt is the unit of measurement used to express the wattage.
It’s similar to how you measure (or guesstimate) the distance a boat travels. So, if someone were to ask, “How far did you sail?” you might respond, “About 50 miles.”
The distance traveled can be compared to the wattage, and the measurement used to quantify the distance, the miles, is equivalent to the watts.
For example, the SeaBlaze LED underwater light requires 60 W to operate; hence, its wattage is 60 W.
Wattage is an important consideration when choosing light fixtures, as it affects the overall power consumption on your boat’s battery. A higher wattage bulb doesn’t necessarily mean more brightness, but it does cost more to run.
With LED lights, you can get highly efficient fixtures that have a high light output but use less power.
The Lumitec Kraken Underwater Dock Light, for instance, has a wattage of 60 W with a light output of 6,000 lumens. In contrast, a traditional incandescent light with a wattage of 100 W has a light output of 1,600 lumens.
Example of Wattage in a Sentence
"The wattage of a light fixture is 50 watts, which means it consumes 50 watts of electrical power to produce light."
Synonyms: power rating
Related Terms for Wattage