Erm...lightbulbs...wattage...science...help?

[GoodyGoodyGumdrops]

If I use three 6W 400lumen bulbs in a light fitting, will that give me 1200 lumens of light?

Given that a 6W 400 lumen bulb gives the same amount of light as an old-style incandescent 40w bulb, would the three LED bulbs in one fitting comfortably light a room?

1200 lumens is a little less than the light of a single old 100W incandescent lamp.

I've known people light a not-very-big room such as a bedroom or a bathroom with a single 100W lamp on a central pendant. But it needs bedside lamps if you want to be able to read in bed. 400 lumen can be adequate for a bedside lamp.

The three lamps you mention would give a more relaxed comfortable lighting in a larger room, for example if you had three table lamps while watching TV or loafing, but a bit dim for reading. If you have a central lamp I think 1200 lumens is a bit low.

You will lose light if the lamps are in an opaque shade, or bouncing off the ceiling.

LEDs can be very small and give a bright spot of light which can cause dazzle, so IMO are better in a shade or diffuser. I like the big globe lamps but they are not common. "A" shaped pearl bulb enclosures are common.

I want to use this lamp in a playroom. It doesn't get a huge amount of natural light.

It looks like it takes an SES candle bulb. This is quite small. I don't know if there is a slightly more powerful lamp you can fit if you find it a bit dim.

Oops, lost the rest of my post:

It takes 3 x E14 400lu candle bulbs. They're 6W bulbs.

yes, E14 is SES. I can see candles at Tesco rated at 470 lumen, but that's not much more. LEDs run very cool so I expect the shade would not take any other sort. I can't see a more powerful one at a trade supplier. The yellow shade will presumably cut the light output a bit.

www.tesco.com/groceries/product/details/?id=284606022

It's the plastic of the shade that dictates the wattage of the lamps you can instal, because of the heat they generate, isn't it? If so, maybe I'll buy the shade and see whether I can modify it to be mounted further away from the lightbulbs.

For anyone who finds trying to figure out what bulbs to get these days a challenge - I know I am one of them - there are several handy guides on Pinterest including comparison charts. I have found that Wilkinson's has one of best selections of different bulbs available.