{"id":3428,"date":"2026-09-29T00:50:38","date_gmt":"2026-09-28T16:50:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.family4paws.com\/blog\/?p=3428"},"modified":"2026-09-29T00:50:38","modified_gmt":"2026-09-28T16:50:38","slug":"what-is-the-energy-rating-of-ornaments-light-4b00-e024fb","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.family4paws.com\/blog\/2026\/09\/29\/what-is-the-energy-rating-of-ornaments-light-4b00-e024fb\/","title":{"rendered":"What is the energy rating of ornaments light?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hey there, if you\u2019ve ever stared up at a string of twinkling ornaments lights during the holidays, or when you\u2019re sprucing up your backyard for a summer party, and thought, \u201cHow much juice is this thing actually using?\u201d \u2014 you\u2019re not alone. I get asked this question all the time<\/em> as an ornaments light supplier. Folks want to know if these little bulbs are going to hike up their energy bills, if they\u2019re eco-friendly, or even if they\u2019re worth splurging on vs. those cheap knockoffs from the grocery store. Let\u2019s break this down, no fancy jargon, just real talk about what energy rating for ornaments lights actually means. Ornaments Light<\/a><\/p>\n

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First off, let\u2019s get one thing straight: energy rating isn\u2019t a random number they stick on a box to confuse you. It\u2019s basically a way to measure how much power a light uses (in watts, duh) and how efficiently it turns that power into light (not wasted heat). For ornaments lights, this rating is super important because unlike your big living room TV that runs once a day, ornaments lights often run for hours<\/em> \u2014 sometimes all night, for weeks at a time. I\u2019ve had customers tell me they leave their outdoor tree lights on 24\/7 for the whole holiday season, and they\u2019re shocked when their electric bill comes in. That\u2019s where knowing the energy rating comes in handy.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s start with the two main types of ornaments lights you\u2019ll find out there: incandescent and LED. If you\u2019re old school, you might remember the big, blobby incandescent bulbs that get so hot<\/em> you could burn your hand touching them. Those are basically tiny little heaters that happen to make light. LEDs? They\u2019re the cool (literally) kids on the block, and their energy ratings are night and day. Let\u2019s do a quick example: a standard incandescent C9 ornament bulb uses about 15 watts each. A LED C9 bulb that puts out the same bright light uses only 1.5 watts. That\u2019s 10x less power! I see customers all the time who go from incandescents to LEDs and think their electric meter is broken. Spoiler: it\u2019s not \u2014 it\u2019s just using way less energy.<\/p>\n

Now, what\u2019s the actual energy rating label for ornaments lights? In most countries (US, EU, Canada, etc.), you\u2019ll see two main things: the wattage per bulb (or per string) and sometimes a star rating or efficiency class. In the US, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) requires light bulb manufacturers to list the wattage, lumens (that\u2019s how bright the light is, not watts \u2014 important!), and energy use. For strings of ornaments lights, they\u2019ll usually give a total wattage for the entire string. Like, a 100-bulb incandescent string might be 40 watts total, while a 100-bulb LED string is 5 watts total. That\u2019s a huge difference.<\/p>\n

Wait, but why does wattage matter more for ornaments lights than other things? Because most people don\u2019t use one string \u2014 they use multiple. I had a customer last year who put up 20 incandescent strings around his house for Christmas. Each string was 40 watts, so 20 x 40 = 800 watts. If he ran those for 8 hours a day for 30 days, that\u2019s 800 watts x 8 hours x 30 days = 192,000 watt-hours, which is 192 kilowatt-hours. At the average US electricity rate of $0.15 per kWh, that\u2019s $28.80 just for the lights. For LEDs? 5 watts per string x 20 strings = 100 watts total. Same usage: 100 x 8 x 30 = 24,000 watt-hours = 24 kWh, which is $3.60. That\u2019s a massive difference, and that\u2019s all because of the energy rating.<\/p>\n

A lot of people ask me, \u201cAre all LED ornaments lights energy efficient?\u201d The short answer is yes, but not all are created equal. Some cheap LEDs you can find online or at the dollar store have really low-quality diodes, which means they might not be as efficient as they claim. I\u2019ve tested a bunch of those \u2014 some \u201cLED\u201d strings that say they use 5 watts for 100 bulbs, but actually use closer to 7. That\u2019s a red flag. The real way to check is to look for a third-party certification. In the US, that\u2019s Energy Star. If a string has the Energy Star label, you know it\u2019s been tested to meet strict efficiency guidelines. I only carry Energy Star certified ornaments lights because I don\u2019t want my customers getting ripped off. In the EU, it\u2019s the CE marking and energy efficiency classes A to G, with A being the most efficient.<\/p>\n

Another thing I get asked: \u201cWhat about solar ornaments lights?\u201d Are those even worth the energy rating?\u201d Solar lights are a whole different ballgame, but their energy rating still matters. A lot of people think solar lights run on \u201cfree energy\u201d so they don\u2019t have to worry, but that\u2019s not exactly true. The solar panel charges a battery during the day, and the light uses that stored energy at night. The energy rating here is usually based on how much power the LED uses, and how long the battery lasts. A good solar ornaments light will have an LED with a low wattage (like 0.5 watts per bulb) and a battery that can last 8-12 hours on a full charge. The cheap solar ones might use a slightly higher watt bulb, so the battery dies after 4 hours. I always tell customers to look for solar lights with high-efficiency LEDs \u2014 that\u2019s where the real savings are, even if you don\u2019t see a monthly electric bill.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s talk about common misconceptions. A lot of folks think \u201clower wattage means dimmer light,\u201d but that\u2019s not true at all. That\u2019s why lumens matter more than watts for brightness. A 100-lumen LED is just as bright as a 100-lumen incandescent, but the LED uses way less watts. So when you\u2019re looking at energy ratings, don\u2019t just look at the watt \u2014 check the lumens to make sure you\u2019re getting the brightness you want. I see this all the time: someone buys a super cheap LED string that says \u201c2 watts\u201d but only puts out 50 lumens, and they\u2019re disappointed because it\u2019s too dim. Then they go back to incandescents, which use way more watts but are brighter. But with a little research, you can find LED ornaments lights that are bright and<\/em> energy efficient.<\/p>\n

Another big one: \u201cDo ornaments lights use more energy if they\u2019re on a dimmer?\u201d That\u2019s a question I get all the time, especially for people who like soft, twinkling lights for their bedroom or patio. The short answer is no \u2014 as long as they\u2019re LED. Incandescent dimmers actually work by reducing the voltage, which wastes more energy as heat, so they might use a tiny bit less, but not much. LED dimmers are different \u2014 they adjust the current, so you get the same efficiency even when they\u2019re dimmed. I carry dimmable LED ornaments lights, and my customers love them because they can set the mood without jacking up their energy bill.<\/p>\n

Now, let\u2019s get into the real-world numbers, because that\u2019s what matters. Let\u2019s say you have a standard 10-bulb string of ornaments lights. If it\u2019s incandescent, that\u2019s 150 watts total. If you run it for 5 hours a day, 30 days a month, that\u2019s 150 x 5 x 30 = 22,500 watt-hours = 22.5 kWh. At $0.15 per kWh, that\u2019s $3.38 per string per month. For LED, same 10-bulb string: 15 watts total. Same usage: 15 x 5 x 30 = 2,250 watt-hours = 2.25 kWh, which is $0.34 per string per month. That\u2019s a 90% savings, folks. Multiply that by 10 strings, and that\u2019s $30.40 vs. $3.40 per month. That\u2019s the kind of difference that adds up over time.<\/p>\n

I also want to touch on eco-friendliness, because a lot of customers ask about that too. Energy rating is directly tied to how much carbon emissions you\u2019re putting out. If your ornaments lights use less energy, that means less power is coming from power plants (even if it\u2019s from renewables, it\u2019s still better to use less). Incandescent ornaments lights have been banned in some countries because of their low efficiency, and that\u2019s not by accident. They\u2019re basically a waste of energy. LED ornaments lights last way longer too \u2014 like 25,000 hours vs. 1,000 hours for incandescents. So you\u2019re not only saving on energy bills, you\u2019re not throwing out bulbs every year, which is better for the planet.<\/p>\n

Wait, but what about if you\u2019re using ornaments lights for a one-time event, like a wedding or a party? Should you even care about the energy rating? Yeah, actually. Even if it\u2019s just one weekend, if you\u2019re running 20 strings for 10 hours a day, that adds up. And if you\u2019re renting those lights, the rental company should be using efficient ones for you anyway. I\u2019ve had event planners come to me asking for the most energy-efficient lights because their clients don\u2019t want to pay a huge electric bill for a weekend event. It\u2019s a thing now, and it\u2019s going to become even more common as energy costs keep going up.<\/p>\n

Let me also bust a myth about extension cords and energy use. A lot of people think if you plug a bunch of ornament light strings into a long extension cord, that uses more energy. No, that\u2019s not how it works. Extension cords have a tiny amount of resistance, but for the short lengths most people use for ornaments lights, it\u2019s negligible. The energy use is all in the bulbs themselves, so that\u2019s what you need to focus on. Just make sure you use outdoor-rated extension cords if you\u2019re putting lights outside \u2014 that\u2019s a safety thing, not an energy thing.<\/p>\n

Now, as someone who\u2019s been in the ornaments light supplier game for years, I can tell you that the biggest mistake people make is just grabbing whatever string looks pretty at the store, without checking the energy rating. I\u2019ve had customers come back to me saying they switched to my LED lights and their electric bill dropped by $50 a month during the holiday season. That\u2019s a huge win, right? Especially with how much people are paying for energy these days.<\/p>\n

So, what should you actually look for when buying ornaments lights, energy rating-wise? First, check if they\u2019re LED \u2014 not all LEDs are equal, but they\u2019re way more efficient than incandescents. Second, look for Energy Star (US) or CE A\/B ratings (EU) to make sure they\u2019re actually efficient, not just labeled as such. Third, don\u2019t just look at wattage \u2014 check lumens to make sure you\u2019re getting the brightness you want. Fourth, if you\u2019re using them for long periods (like holiday lights), calculate the total wattage of all your strings and do a quick math check on your electric rate to see what you\u2019ll be spending.<\/p>\n

At the end of the day, the energy rating of ornaments lights is just a way to tell you how much they\u2019ll cost you to run, and how eco-friendly they are. It\u2019s not rocket science, but it\u2019s important to pay attention to, especially since we use these lights so much. I always tell my customers: invest in good, energy-efficient ornaments lights now, and you\u2019ll save money on your electric bills for years. Plus, you won\u2019t have to replace bulbs every year, which is a hassle.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re in the market for ornaments lights and want to chat about energy ratings, what type is best for your space, or just get a recommendation, hit me up. I\u2019m here to help, not just sell you lights. I\u2019ve tested dozens of different strings, know the ins and outs of their energy use, and can point you to the ones that will work best for your needs, whether you\u2019re decorating a small apartment tree or a whole house for the holidays. Don\u2019t just go for the cheapest option \u2014 the energy rating is worth paying attention to, trust me.<\/p>\n

Light Up Wreath<\/a> References:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. U.S. Department of Energy. (n.d.). Lighting Facts: What to Know Before You Buy. Retrieved from energy.gov<\/li>\n
  2. European Commission. (2021). Energy Labeling for Light Bulbs and Luminaires. Retrieved from ec.europa.eu<\/li>\n
  3. Energy Star. (n.d.). Ornamental Lighting: Energy Efficient Options. Retrieved from energystar.gov<\/li>\n
  4. Pacific Gas and Electric Company. (2022). Holiday Lighting Energy Savings Guide. Retrieved from pge.com<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
    \n

    Taizhou Dacheng Lighting Co., Ltd.<\/a>
    We’re well-known as one of the leading ornaments light manufacturers in China. With abundant experience, we warmly welcome you to buy discount ornaments light from our factory. If you have any enquiry about customized service, please feel free to email us.
    Address: 4th Floor, Building 3, Shuoda Electric Appliance, Hengxi Village, Datian Sub-district, Linhai City, Taizhou City, Zhejiang Province
    E-mail: Nancy@dachenglighting.com
    WebSite:     https:\/\/www.dachenglight.com\/<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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