What are Zero Watt Bulbs ?

A Zero Watts Bulb is a bulb with low light output.  It is frequently used as a night lamp and other applications requiring low intensity lights such as.  It is called a zero watts bulb as it consumes relatively low power, around 15 W.

When all the appliances were switched off at night and only the zero watts bulb was switched on, the power consumed in the house was too small to be measured by the older electro-magnetic meters.  Hence, the moniker "zero watts".

Zero watts bulbs are increasingly being replaced by more efficient CFL bulbs which are also last longer.