Before Lumen and Lux, there was RMS confusion
Do you remember PPI Art Series amplifiers for mobile audio? As you may recall, the RMS watt rating that was on the package is what you got. Then the market started changing. Overseas factories raced to have the lowest cost highest RMS rated amps as possible and we discovered that the RMS wattage that was advertised wasn’t always what you got to your speakers. The same confusion exists today about Lumen and Lux output on lighting products. But have no fear, Race Sport® is here to expose the lies and set the record straight about how to measure light output consistently and in a way that makes the measurement practically valuable. We need to learn from the past.
First, a Story about LUX
Here is a resent example of a similar story in the lighting category. A Race Sport Lighting® sales representative stopped in to check on a local dealer whose sales had dipped. The rep wanted to assist the dealer in reinvigorating their lighting business. When he spoke with the store owner, he discovered that he was considering switching their LED headlight business to a competitor. After a short inquiry into the reasoning for this, the dealer expressed that they could get a 6,000 lumen LED kit from the new supplier compared to our 2,200 Lux Terminator LED kits. The sales rep (having faced this situation before) corrected the dealer on the misconceptions about lumen vs lux and why we at Race Sport Lighting® have been debunking myths about light output for years. We can all breathe easy though, because the dealer made the educated choice to keep his business with us. Below is a breakdown of what that rep shared with that dealer.

Now, for Some Science
Lumen
Lumens are now the most common measurement for lighting companies. The lumen (lm) is a measurement of the total amount of visible light around a light source. Let’s apply this to the LED diodes lighting manufactures like us utilize in building LED products. Each diode is measured in a rage or flux. (Resembling RMS/Peak Wattage on amps) Let’s say each LED diode used in a LED headlight kit has a minimum typical output of 260 lm. With 4 diodes present on the lamp’s circuit board, that means the raw lumen measurement is 1,040 per lamp (2,080 lm per kit). This is how you will see most lighting products measured.
In other words, Lumens are how much raw light is given off from the headlight lamp itself.

Lux
Lux (lx), on the other hand, measures luminance, or the amount of light on a surface. A single lux is equal to one lumen per square meter. Now, any change in distance or bulb type changes the lux level. As an example, if you place a 100-lumen bulb in a flood light that shines on only one square meter of a surface, that surface will be lit at 100 lx. However, if you back the flood light away to shine on four square meters, the surface is now lit with 25 lx. Thus, Lux is how bright your surface will be.
In other words, Lux is the usable light on the road

Finally, the Exposing of Lies
Lie #1- Manufacturers Misdirect with Lumens
We are not claiming that every lighting manufacturer does this intentionally, or even knowingly. What we are exposing is the habit of some to take a cookie cutter LED product from a Chinese factory, slap an unverified raw lumen output on the box and bring it to market. Let’s go back to the 12 volt manufacture who is attempting to branch out into lighting and their 6,000 lm kit we mentioned above. We investigated and found that the diode they are using measures at 270 lm typically. The lamps come with 6 diodes for a total of 1,620 lm per lamp. You can then double this because there are two lamps, for a realistic total of 3,240 lm per kit. Where the 6,000 lm measurement that is on their website and packaging came from, we don’t know. We will let you decide.
Lie #2- High Lumen Does NOT Necessarily Mean More Functional Light
When you are driving at night what matters is the light on the road. Not the raw lumens of the lamp, but the functional lux appearing on the surface. An LED headlight kit advertised with an exceptionally high lumen output doesn’t necessarily mean you will receive a functional amount of light on the surface. So, when we say a kit is 2,700 Lux (GEN3® LED) we are communicating the usable light on the surface (in this case, the road).
Closing Thought
In closing, we believe the automotive and off-road lighting industry needs to change the conversation from lumens to functional lux. Not doing so leaves the opportunity for misdirection and confusion. Race Sport Lighting® has been committed for years to debunking this confusion and communicating the actual usable light output you will see down the road. Thus helping our dealers and end users make the educated choice when it comes to lighting upgrades for their vehicles. All of our products are tested in our lab for Lux output. So, we can deliver to you a high performing solution with real specifications and functional light output. Watch the video below more detailed information about our testing procedures and the complete Race Sport Lighting® advantage.
Related Resources
- Race Sport Lighting Release White LED Version Solar Cab Lights – No Wires, No Holes, No Drilling
- Race Sport Lighting Released HOODKIT1 Hood Brow Lighting System Kit
- Race Sport Lighting Released RSUKIT-C RGB Multi-Color Chasing Aluminum Channel Underbody Kit
- Race Sport Lighting Released AKIT18 18-Piece Ambient Vehicle Lighting Kit
- Race Sport Lighting Released NEW 2018+ Jeep Wrangler JL STAGE Light Kits
- Race Sport Lighting Exhibiting at Knowledgefest – Las Vegas
- Race Sport Lighting Launches NEW IQ Series Quad Optical Auxiliary Lights
- Race Sport Lighting Raising Retailers Profit Margin, Narrowing the Line, and Raising the Bar in 2023
- Race Sport Lighting Released NEW Jeep Wrangler Lighting Stage Kits at SEMA
- Race Sport Lighting Releases NEW Patented Hitch Bar Solution at SEMA Show
- Marine Sport Lighting Exhibiting at IBEX Show 2022 in Tampa, FL
- Race Sport Lighting launches NEW Professional Grade 8-Gang Wireless Power Center
- Race Sport Lighting Names New Vice President of Company
- Press Release – Race Sport Lighting Launches Automotive Partnership with APG dba Premier Performance and Launch Distribution
- Race Sport Lighting Patented Solar Roof Cab Light System – No Wires, No Holes, No Drilling
- Best of 2021 Awards Announced by Race Sport Lighting
- Race Sport Lighting partners with Trent Partners in NY/NJ Territory
- Learn from the Lighting Category Pioneer Race Sport Lighting at KnowledgeFest in Las Vegas
- Race Sport Lighting Exhibiting at KnowledgeFest in Las Vegas
- The Race Sport Lighting 2022 Complete Line up – Extra, Extra, Read All About It
- Race Sport Lighting Patented GEN4® LED Kit is Back and Shipping
- Race Sport Lighting partners with Trends Electronics in Canada
- Race Sport Lighting Launches New P-Series Projector Perfect LED Headlight Kits
- Race Sport Lighting to reveal patented technologies at 2021 K-Fest Indianapolis with two scheduled trainings
- USPTO Office Awards Race Sport Lighting’s GEN4® LED System Second Patent
- Race Sport Lighting Partners with Restylers International Network
- Race Sport Lighting Seeks a Tech Support & Install Specialist in Ringwood, IL
- Race Sport Lighting Introduces Team Progressive to Represent Northern Territory
- Race Sport Lighting launches “CORE” Product Lineup with DAS Companies Inc.
- Now Shipping 2021 Full Line Catalogs to Distributors and Dealers
- Race Sport Lighting launches NEW DemonEye® Version 2 RGB Headlights
- Race Sport Lighting launches High Performance All-in-One Drive Series V2 CANBUS LED Headlight Kit
- Race Sport Lighting Names New MFG Rep Firm for Southwest Territory
- Projector Lens vs. Non-Projector Lens – HID or LED – Which to use?
- Automotive Bulb Cross Reference and Identification
- HID Kits 101: Answering 6 Common Questions