What What's Watt demonstrates - Configuration 1

The idea behind this display is for the viewer to guess which of two lamps is using the most energy. One lamp is an energy saving lamp and the other an ordinary lamp. Both lamps are permanently lit, but the energy saving lamp is much brighter than the ordinary lamp which is relatively dull in comparison.

Many people might think the energy saving lamp is using more energy because it is burning brighter. In fact, both lamps are using an almost identical amount of energy since the ordinary lamp is a 10 Watt lamp and the energy saving lamp is an 11 Watt lamp, just a mear 1 Watt of difference!

As a result of its considerably greater efficiency when compared to the ordinary lamp, the energy saving lamp gives an equivalent light output to a 60 Watt ordinary lamp despite only using 11 Watts. This is why the energy saving lamp appears very much brighter than the ordinarly lamp. The less efficient 10 Watt ordinary lamp is much poorer at converting the electricity into light which is why it appears so dull in comparison to the efficient 11 Watt energy saving lamp.

How it works

On the control panel in front of each lamp there is an energy meter and a press-button. When a press-button is operated by the viewer the corresponding meter indicates the energy being used by the associated lamp. The display information board asks the viewer to press the button for the lamp they think is using the most energy and once they have noted the energy value, press the button for the one they think is using the least (both buttons can be pressed at the same time if the viewer wishes). The result is that each meter indicates almost the same level of energy being used, which may be a surprise to some!

Within the plastic domes that cover each lamp there is a small dial thermometer indicating the temperature inside the domes. Since most of the electrical energy consumed by both the ordinary and the energy saving lamp actually results in the production of heat and not light, the thermometers, which indicate almost identical temperatures serve to confirm that each lamp is in fact consuming approximately the same amount of energy. The display therefore shows clearly that the energy saving lamp is so much more efficient at producing light and is hence more economic and environmentally less damaging.

Find out how to make a booking for this display.

What What's Watt demonstrates - Configuration 2

The idea behind this display is to show the viewer the difference in energy required to light an ordinary 25 Watt filament lamp and a 5 Watt energy saving lamp.

When in use at an awareness event, both lamps are permanently lit and appear to have very similar brightness since the 5 Watt energy saving lamp has a 25 Watt equivalent light output.

Many people might think the two lamps are using the same amount of energy since they are both of similar brightness. In fact, the energy saving lamp is using only one fifth of the energy being used by the ordinary filament lamp.

The lower energy consumption of the 5 Watt energy saving lamp (with 25 Watt equivalent light output) is a result of its greater efficiency when compared to that of an ordinary lamp.

How it works

On the control panel in front of each lamp there is an energy meter and a press-button. When a press-button is operated by the viewer the corresponding meter indicates the energy being used by the associated lamp. The display information board asks the viewer to press the button for the lamp they think is using the most energy and once they have noted the energy value, press the button for the one they think is using the least (both buttons can be pressed at the same time if the viewer wishes). The result is that the meter for the energy saving lamp indicates just one fifth of that for the ordinary filament lamp.

Within the plastic domes that cover each lamp there is a small dial thermometer. The thermometers indicate the temperature inside the domes. The temperatures indicated relate directly to the energy being used by each lamp. It can be seen that the ordinary filament lamp runs about 10 degrees higher than the energy saving lamp. This confirms the ordinary lamp is consuming much more energy to produce a 25 Watt light output when compared to the energy saving lamp

In actual fact, most of the electrical energy consumed by both the ordinary and the energy saving lamp results in the production of heat and not light!

The display therefore shows clearly that energy saving lamps are so much more efficient than ordinary filament lamps and are hence more economic and environmentally less damaging.

Find out how to make a booking for this display.