Light Fittings Types – Traditional Light Bulbs

When we think of a light bulb, we used to refer to an incandescent or tungsten filament lamp with a round sphere at one end or a candle lamp that is long and thin. Nowadays we talk more about LEDs, since LED bulbs are more energy efficient, cheaper to run and better for the environment. Most light bulbs have round metal caps with either a screw or bayonet type fitting

At Lyco, we sell a wide range of traditional light bulbs as well as more specialist types, and we understand that knowing which type you need is not as simple as it once was. With this in mind, we have put together a quick guide to fitting types, and traditional light bulbs.

 

traditional light bulb gls

 

Standard Fittings & Effects

The types of lamp available with screw and bayonet caps have broadened greatly in recent years, and now include LED bulbs. With traditional cap fixtures, you get great flexibility and a wide choice of lighting effects.

 

Domestic Bulbs

In the UK, bayonet and screw caps are the most commonly used type of light bulb. When it comes to which type is better, there isn’t a huge amount of benefit in opting for one or the other – the only exception is that bayonets are less likely to work loose from their fixture unintentionally, and there are no threads to be accidentally stripped or removed.

 

Bayonet Bulbs

There are two different types of bayonet cap – standard and small. Standard bayonet is by far the most popular and is perhaps the most common light bulb of all in the UK.

The bayonet cap type fitting (BC) is perhaps the most well-known lamp fitting in the UK today. Invented towards the end of the nineteenth century and utilising a mechanism originally developed for bayonet rifles, the BC consists of a spring and two contacts with bayonet mounts on either side.

To fit a bayonet light bulb, simply depress the lamp into its holder, twist under the lugs and the bayonet mounts are retained by the springs, thus ensuring optimum contact. It is a simple push and twist motion that most of us are familiar with.

 

Size Variations

The most common sizes of bayonet cap fittings are BC or B22d, (where 22 refers to the diameter, in mm of the lamp base) and small bayonet cap – SBC (or B15d). For insulation and safety purposes, these types of fitting typically feature a plastic or metal skirt.

 

Common Uses

It is most common to find bayonet fittings in pendant lights, batten holders, wall and ceiling lights designed for domestic use. BC fittings can be enclosed in some very decorative luminaires and traditionally incandescent tungsten filament lamps are used. Nowadays, there are also low energy lamps with bayonet caps, which mean you can keep your existing fittings and reduce damage to the environment at the same time.

 

GU10 bulbs

This type of bulb has a twist and lock mechanism, and so tend to be classified as a type of bayonet bulb. G means that the bulb has a bi-pin, or double pin base, and the pins are 10mm apart, and protrude 7mm from the base of the bulb. GU10 bulbs tend to be found in spotlights, kitchens and bathrooms, directional downlights and recessed lighting.

 

Screw Cap Bulbs

Screw caps are available in four common sizes – Micro (MES), Small (SES), Standard (ES) and Goliath or Giant (GES).

Another very popular fitting type for domestic lighting purposes is the screw cap – invented by Thomas Edison in 1909 and trademarked under Mazda.

Using the metal screw as one contact and a single base as the other, the lamp simply screws into the fitting. Contact is made when the lamp screw is almost home, thus making the screw part both the physical and electrical contact that makes the circuit.

 

Screw Cap Reliability

The screw fitting is considered by some as easier to maintain, particularly as there are no springs involved which can fail over time. However, there is a small drawback in that it is possible to cross-thread, which can be a problem when the bulb needs to be replaced, or there may not be a secure flow of electricity.

 

Size Variations

The most common type of screw cap in the UK is the ES or Edison Screw E27, (where the number relates to the diameter of the screw). This size of screw cap bulb tends to be the one that is found in standard light fixtures in homes.

There are other, smaller sized screw light bulbs, such as SES or Small Edison Screw (E14), Giant or Goliath Edison Screw GES (E40) and MES or Miniature or Micro Edison Screw (E10). These tend to be used in decorative lighting where the bulb is exposed, and so needs to be smaller for aesthetic reasons.

To find your ideal bulb by shape or cap try our Light Bulb Finder

Although the Edison Screw is the most popular choice for domestic fittings, there are now many more Small Edison Screw lamps available. This is because retailers are sourcing light fittings from Europe and the US, where this type of fitting is far more common.

Giant Edison Screw fittings are generally not suitable for domestic use and more suited to specialist street lamps and industrial fittings. MES fittings are less common and ideal for use in very small or battery powered light fittings.

 

Pin & Push-Fit Base Bulbs

This type of bulb is fitted in the exact way that it sounds like it does – it gets pushed into the fixture, without needing to be screwed or twisted. The base on this type of bulb will have a number of pins, usually two, of a variety of lengths and types of pin. Incandescent, halogen or fluorescent lamps tend to have bi-pin fittings.

Pin and push-fit bulbs don’t have integrated control gear, which means that they need a ballast, transformer, or driver in order to regulate the bulb.

 

Halogen Bulbs

Halogen spotlights tend to have push-fit pin bases, and are often shaped in order to stop the wrong type of bulb being used in a fitting.

 

Fluorescent tubes

Fluorescent tubes tend to have two pins at either end of the tube, as do LED strip lights. Standard size T8 (25mm), and T12 (38mm) fluorescent tubes use the G13 fitting, while smaller fluorescent tubes like the T5 (16mm) use the G5 fitting.

 

Strip Lights

Strip lights are a form of incandescent lighting with unique double-ended sprung fittings. They are commonly used for picture lights, and this type usually has a 15mm diameter S15 fitting, while others have two S14 connectors at either end of the lamp. Other applications have tended to be superseded by linear fluorescent tubes as they are more reliable.

 

Wedge Base Bulbs

Wedge base bulbs can be thought of as similar to bi-pin bases, but rather than pins, they have wires that go from the inside of the bulb into the fixture. Care needs to be taken with this type of bulb, as it requires force to be inserted and removed. Their most common use is in Christmas tree lights and fairy lights, and today due to the fact they are so inexpensive to manufacture, customers tend to replace the whole set of lights rather than single bulbs.

 

light bulb types and fittings gls gla LED

 

Other Light Bulbs

In addition to the common bulb fitting types there are many other less common types available, typically for more specialist use. Whatever type of bulb you are replacing, it is important to remember that you should always replace like with like.

 

Heater & Catering Bulbs

Catering light bulbs come in variety of types, from doubled ended (strip light / linear halogen fittings) to Edison screw and bayonet fittings.

 

PAR Lamps

PAR (parabolic aluminized reflector) lamps are frequently used where directional beams are required and are common in many different types of setting. They tend to be of the sealed beam variety, with a curved mirror (the parabolic reflector) behind one or more filaments. With LED PAR bulbs, there is often a different type of optical system, or there may be individual LED reflectors.

Some PAR lamps have a screw terminal for better electrical contact, while others have a GX160 2 pin cap with ceramic base. The fittings are usually porcelain to take the high heat output. Retrofit equipment is sometimes available where LED bulbs are required to be used in place of PAR bulbs.

 

Professional Light Fittings

For high intensity luminaries (for film, stage, and TV use for example), professional fittings such as the T and A types are most commonly used. Caps are two pin, being either GY9.5 or P28S.

 

How To Choose The Best Light Bulb For Your Needs

Now we’ve gone through some need to know information about light bulbs, let’s talk about how to choose the best type for your needs. You might still be confused – and that’s OK, there are a lot of things to think about! Fitting, function, and format are the three things to consider, as well as finance – so let’s take a look.

 

Make Sure You Know The Type Of Fitting You Need

Most of us will have been there at some point – you get to the shops, with ‘light bulb for [room]’ on your list, and you realise that you have forgotten to check which type of fixture you need. The best way to ensure you get the right one is to take the old one with you – but sometimes that isn’t possible.

If it isn’t practical to take the old bulb to the shop with you, then take a couple of photos of the fittings, and any numbers printed on the bulb on your phone before you set out. Trust us – you’ll thank us when you’re stood in front of what seems like hundreds of different types of bulbs!

If you end up in that situation though, don’t get stressed – you can head home and order the exact bulb you need from us, with delivery direct to your door.

 

Know What The Function Of The Bulb Is

Light bulbs are just to produce light – right? Of course that is the primary thing, but there is a whole lot more to consider when choosing the best bulb. Aside from knowing whether the light is for functional, ambient or accent lighting, the brightness and the colour of the light being produced is really important when choosing a bulb for your home, since you’ll need the right type for different spaces.

 

Brightness

In the past, we used to simply buy bulbs according to how much power they used. That meant that the higher the wattage, the brighter the bulb would be. With newer light bulbs, manufacturers no longer use watts to measure the brightness. That’s because it isn’t as accurate to measure the power according to the brightness – watts measure power, and modern bulbs use far less power than they used to, while providing the same amount of brightness. (That’s also the case for car bulbs!)

Today, bulb brightness is measured in Lumens, and the higher the number of Lumens, the brighter the light. Typically, a reading lamp on a bedside table will be around 400 Lumens, but lighting from a ceiling fixture might be from 1500 Lumens – which you’d get from more than one bulb.

 

Colour

The colour of the bulb that you want will depend on the fixture you’re installing it in, and the function of that light. Bright, or cool white light mimics natural daylight, which will help to increase alertness, while warmer yellow tones can aid with feelings of relaxation and cosiness. That means you’ll want bright white bulbs in spaces where you need to be alert – ideal in home offices – and definitely not in the bedroom, because bright white bulbs will keep you awake.

Bulb manufacturers use the Kelvin scale to measure the colour temperature on light bulbs. The warmth of candle light is around 1,500 Kelvin, with normal daylight somewhere between 5,000 and 7,000 Kelvin. The higher the Kelvin measure, the cooler the light temperature – and a cooler tone can seem brighter than a warmer tone.

If you’re looking for a bulb that gives off about the same colour as an old incandescent bulb, then you’ll want a bulb at approximately 2,700 Kelvin.

 

kelvin colour rendering for light bulbs

 

How Does Colour Rendering Affect Light?

Colour rendering is a way of measuring how well a light accurately shows different colours. For the most part, that won’t be too much of an issue, but if you’re displaying a piece of art with accent lighting or photographing items that you don’t want to have to correct the colour on, then you’ll want a bulb that has a measurement on the Colour Rendering Index of as near to 100 as possible.

 

Decide What Shape Is Best

While as long as you buy a bulb with the correct fixture, it will work, getting the correct shape of the bulb is important aesthetically. The type of shade you’re putting your bulb into will strongly influence the shape of the bulb that you need, especially if the shade or lighting fixture intentionally exposes the bulb for effect, or if you want to avoid it being seen, then you’ll need a smaller bulb.

 

Know The Long-Term Costs

While quality LED bulbs seem like they’re an investment when you buy them, but they really are the most energy efficient type of bulb available at the moment. When you consider that LED bulbs can last up to 25 years, that investment is well worth making, even just for the convenience of not having to change the bulb alone! When you compare the performance of an LED bulb with the cost of a traditional bulb, you’ll save more than £180 in energy through the product’s life span, so it is well worth the investment.

 

Final Thoughts

We hope that this post has helped you to understand light bulbs a bit more clearly, but if you’re still feeling confused about different types of light bulbs, don’t worry – you are not alone! With so many different types, and decisions to be made, it is not surprising that so many people still find it tricky to get the right bulb. Remembering to think about fitting, function, and format is a good place to start – but if you’re replacing an existing bulb, try to replace like with like. Should you have a bulb that you’re absolutely stuck with how to replace, then you can call us on 0345 646 1133, or email the technical team on technical@lyco.co.uk.

If you are looking for traditional bulbs, why not take a look at our extensive range of incandescent light bulbs? Alternatively, our full range of light bulbs includes energy saving and LED options to suit all your needs.

 

Looking for more news, inspiration, or advice? Try our Lighting Advice section.

 

charles author bio

Charles Barnett Managing Director

Charles started Lyco in 1995 with just 4 enthusiastic employees and has grown it considerably over the past 25 years. Charles is also the Managing Director of Lighting Direct and newly acquired Online Lighting. He now has a team of 50 lighting experts working on growing Lyco Group to be the UK leader in lighting for both businesses and homes. Away from the office he is a keen cyclist and is proud to have cycled 1017 miles from Lands End to John O’Groats to raise money for a new residential centre for adults with multiple learning difficulties.

CFL & Tube Code Lookup Charts

CFL & Tube Code Lookup Charts

Updated on 26/03/2020

If you have any questions regarding replacement tubes, please call our sales team on 0800 074 8316.

Finding the exact linear fluorescent tube or pin-fitting CFL that you need is rarely a straight-forward task, especially when faced with numerous product codes and reference numbers. Here at Lyco we stock a wide range of great value fluorescents at competitive prices and as well as offering most of the popular tubes types available, we also stock many compatible alternatives.

If you have a reference code but can’t find exactly what you need, why not take a look at our reference charts below? Simply use the links and find the code on the relevant sheet, or for a quick cheat, press Ctrl+F and search for your desired code. Once you’ve found it, click the Lyco equivalent link at the start of the row to be taken to the appropriate fluorescent that you need.

Fluorescent Tubes

T5 High Efficency Tubes T5 High Output Tubes Mini T5 Tubes T8 Tubes

Compact Fluorescent

2-Pin CFL 4-Pin CFL
2-Pin Single 4-Pin Single
2-Pin Double 4-Pin Double
2-Pin Triple 4-Pin Triple
4-Pin Long

 

Fluorescent Tube Manufacturer’s Number Lookup Chart

 

T5 High Efficency Tubes

Lyco GE OSRAM PHILIPS HAVELLS SYLVANIA
Equivalent T5 LongLast™ High Efficiency Lumilux T5 HE Master TL5 HE T5 Luxline Plus FHE
72952 F14W/T5/835/LL FH 14W/835HE
72953 F14W/T5/840/LL FH14W/840HE 14W/840 FHE14W/840
10308 F14W/T5/865/LL FH14W/865HE 14W/865 FHE14W/860
72954 F21W/T5/835/LL FH21W/835HE
72955 F21W/T5/840/LL FH21W/840HE 21W/840 FHE21W/840
10309 F21W/T5/865/LL FH21W/865HE 21W/865 FHE21W/860
72956 F28W/T5/835/LL FH28W/835HE
72957 F28W/T5/840/LL FH28W/840HE 28W/840 FHE28W/840
10310 F28W/T5/865/LL FH28W/865HE 28W/865 FHE28W/860
72958 F35W/T5/835/LL FH35W/835HE
72959 F35W/T5/840/LL FH35W/840HE 35W/840 FHE35W/840
10311 F35W/T5/865/LL FH35W/865HE 35W/865 FHE35W/860

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T5 High Output Tubes

Lyco GE OSRAM PHILIPS HAVELLS SYLVANIA
Equivalent T5 LongLast™ High Output Lumilux T5 HO Master TL5 HO T5 Luxline Plus FHO
72960 F24W/T5/835/LL FH24W/835HO
72961 F24W/T5/840/LL FH24W/840HO 24W/840 FHO24W/840
10312 F24W/T5/865/LL FH24W/865HO 24W/865 FHO24W/860
72963 F39W/T5/840/LL FH39W/840HO 39W/840 FHO39W/840
10313 F39W/T5/865/LL FH39W/865HO 39W/865 FHO39W/860
72964 F49W/T5/835/LL FH49W/835HO
72965 F49W/T5/840/LL FH49W/840HO 49W/840 FHO49W/840
10314 F49W/T5/865/LL FH49W/885HO 49W/865 FHO49W/860
72966 F54W/T5/835/LL FH54W/835HO
72967 F54W/T5/840/LL FH54W/840HO 54W/840 FHO54W/840
10315 F54W/T5/865/LL FH54W/865HO 54W/865 FHO54W/860
72968 F80W/T5/840/LL FH80W/840HO 80W/840 FHO80W/840

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Mini T5 Tubes

Lyco GE OSRAM PHILIPS HAVELLS SYLVANIA
Equivalent T5 Miniature Standard Energy Saver (Basic) T5 short TL Mini T5 Standard
1315 F4W/T5/35
1317 F6W/T5/35
1319 F8W/T5/29 F8W/129
1320 F8W/T5/35
1321 F8W/T5/33 L8W/640 8W/33-640 F8W/133

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T8 Tubes

Lyco GE OSRAM PHILIPS HAVELLS SYLVANIA
Equivalent T8 Polylux XLR™ LongLast™ Lumilux XT T8 Master TL-D Xtra
72594 F58W/T8/840/POLYLUX/LL L58W/840XT 58W/840
T8 Polylux XLR™ Lumilux T8 Master TL-D Super 80 T8 Luxline Plus
10264 FF15W/T8/835 POLYLUX
10265 F15W/T8/840/POLYLUX L15W/840 15W/840 F15W/840
1701 F18W/T8/830/POLYLUX L18W/830 18W/830 F18W/830
50205 F18W/T8/835/POLYLUX L18W/835 F18W/835
1696 F18W/T8/840/POLYLUX L18W/840 18W/840 F18W/840
8150 F18W/T8/860/POLYLUX L18W/865 18W/865 F18W/860
10266 F30W/T8/830/POLYLUX L30W/830 30W/830 F30W/830
10267 F30W/T8/840/POLYLUX L30W/840 30W/840 F30W/840
1702 F36W/T8/830/POLYLUX L36W/830 36W/830 F36W/830
50202 F36W/T8/835/POLYLUX L36W/835 F36W/835
1697 F36W/T8/840/POLYLUX L36W/840 36W/840 F36W/840
8610 F36W/T8/860/POLYLUX L36W/865 36W/865 F36W/865
1703 F58W/T8/830/POLYLUX L58W/830 58W/830 F58W/830
50203 F58W/T8/835/POLYLUX L58W/835 F58W/835
1698 F58W/T8/840/POLYLUX L58W/840 58W/840 F58W/840
8843 F58W/T8/860/POLYLUX L58W/865 58W/865 F58W/860
50204 F70W/T8/835/POLYLUX L70W/835 F70W/840
1699 F70W/T8/840/POLYLUX L70W/840 70W/840

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Compact Fluorescent Manufacturer’s Number Lookup Chart

2-Pin CFLs


Lyco GE OSRAM PHILIPS HAVELLS SYLVANIA
Biax™S 2pin Dulux S PLS Lynx-S
71283 F5BX/827 DULUX S 5W/827 PL-S 5W/827/2P Lynx S 5W/827
71290 F5BX/840 DULUX S 5W/840 PL-S 5W/840/2P Lynx S 5W/840
71284 F7BX/830 DULUX S 7W/830 PL-S 7W/830/2P Lynx S 7W/830
10290 F7BX/835 Lynx S 7W/835
71285 F7BX/840 DULUX S 7W/840 PL-S 7W/840/2P Lynx S 7W/840
10291 F9BX/835 Lynx S 9W/835
71287 F9BX/840 DULUX S 9W/840 PL-S 9W/840/2P Lynx S 9W/840
71288 F11BX/830 DULUX S 11W/830 PL-S 11W/830/2P Lynx S 11W/830
10292 F11BX/835 Lynx S 11W/835
71289 F11BX/840 DULUX S 11W/840 PL-S 11W/840/2P Lynx S 11W/840

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Lyco GE OSRAM PHILIPS HAVELLS SYLVANIA
Equivalent Biax™D 2pin Dulux-D PL-C Lynx-D
71299 F10DBX/830 DULUX D 10W/830 PL-C 10W/830/2P Lynx D 10W/830
10293 F10DBX/835 Lynx D 10W/835
71300 F10DBX/840 DULUX D 10W/840 PL-C 10W/840/2P Lynx D 10W/840
71301 F13DBX/830 DULUX D 13W/830 PL-C 13W/830/2P Lynx D 13W/830
71302 F13DBX/840 DULUX D 13W/840 PL-C 13W/840/2P Lynx D 13W/840
71303 F18DBX/830 DULUX D 18W/830 PL-C 18W/830/2P Lynx D 18W/830
10295 F18DBX/835 PL-C 18W/835/2P Lynx D 18W/835
71304 F18DBX/840 DULUX D 18W/840 Lynx D 18W/840
71305 F26DBX/830 DULUX D 26W/830 PL-C 26W/830/2P Lynx D 26W/830
10296 F26DBX/835 Lynx D 26W/835
71306 F26DBX/840 DULUX D 26W/21840 PL-C 26W/840/2P Lynx D 26W/840

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Lyco GE OSRAM PHILIPS HAVELLS SYLVANIA
Equivalent Biax™T 2pin Dulux T PL-T Lynx-S
72071 F13TBX/830/A/2P DULUX T 13W/830 PL-T 13W/830/2P
72072 F13TBX/840/A/2P DULUX T 13W/840 PL-T 13W/840/2P
72073 F18TBX/830/A/2P DULUX T 18W/830 PL-T 18W/830/2P Lynx T 18W/830
72074 F18TBX/84O/A/2P DULUX T 18W/840 PL-T 18W/840/2P Lynx T 18W/840
72075 F26TBX/830/A/2P DULUX T 26W/830 PL-T 26W/830/2P Lynx T 26W/830
72076 F26TBX/840/A/2P DULUX T 26W/840 PL-T 26W/840/2P Lynx T 26W/840

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4-Pin CFLs

 

Lyco GE OSRAM PHILIPS HAVELLS SYLVANIA
Equivalent Biax™S/E 4pin Dulux-SE PLS Lynx – SE
72053 F5BX/827/4P DULUX S/E 5W827 PL-S 5W/827/4P Lynx SE 5W/827
72054 F5BX/840/4P DULUX S/E 5W/840 PL-S 5W/840/4P Lynx SE 5W/840
72055 F7BX/827/4P DULUX S/E 7W/827 PL-S 7W/827/4P Lynx SE 7W/827
72056 F7BX/840/4P DULUX S/E 7W/840 PL-S 7W/840/4P Lynx SE 7W/840
72057 F9BX/827/4P DULUX S/E 9W/827 PL-S 9W/827/4P Lynx SE 9W/827
72058 F9BX/840/4P DULUX S/E 9W/840 PL-S 9W/840/4P Lynx SE 9W/840
72059 F11BX/840/4P DULUX S/E 11W/840 PL-S 11W/840/4P Lynx SE 11W/840

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Lyco GE OSRAM PHILIPS HAVELLS SYLVANIA
Equivalent Biax™D/E 4pin Dulux-DE PL-C Lynx-DE
10297 F10DBX/830/4P/EOL DULUX D/E 10W/830 PL-C 10W/830/4P Lynx DE 10W/830
10299 F10DBX/840/4P/EOL DULUX D/E 10W/840 PL-C 10W/840/4P Lynx DE 10W/840
71315 F13DBX/830/4P/EOL DULUX D/E 13W/830 PL-C 13W/830/4P Lynx DE 13W/830
71316 F13DBX/840/4P/EOL DULUX D/E 13W/840 PL-C 13W/840/4P Lynx DE 13W/840
71317 F18DBX/830/4P/EOL DULUX D/E 18W/830 PL-C 18W/830/4P Lynx DE 18W/830
10301 F18DBX/835/4P/EOL Lynx DE 18W/835
71318 F18DBX/840/4P/EOL DULUX D/E 18W/840 PL-C 18W/840/4P Lynx DE 18W/840
71319 F26DBX/830/4P/EOL DULUX D/E 26W/830 PL-C 26W/830/4P Lynx DE 26W/830
10302 F26DBX/835/4P/EOL Lynx DE 26W/835
71320 F26DBX/840/4P/EOL DULUX D/E 26W/840 PL-C 26W/840/4P Lynx DE 26W/840

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Lyco GE OSRAM PHILIPS HAVELLS SYLVANIA
Equivalent Biax™T/E 4pin Dulux T/E PL-T Lynx- TE
10303 F13TBX/835/A/4P/EOL
10304 F18TBX/835/A/4P/EOL
10305 F26TBX/835/A/4P/EOL
10306 F32TBX/835/A/4P/EOL
72077 F13TBX/830/A/4P/EOL DULUX T/E 13W/830 PL-T 13W/830/4P
72078 F13TBX/840/A/4P/EOL DULUX T/E 13W/840 PL-T 13W/840/4P
72079 F18TBX/830/A/4P/EOL DULUX T/E 18W/830 PL-T 18W/830/4P Lynx TE 18W/830
72080 F18TBX/840/A/4P/EOL DULUX T/E 18W/840 PL-T 18W/840/4P Lynx TE 18W/840
72081 F26TBX/830/A/4P/EOL DULUX T/E 26W/830 PL-T 26W/830/4P Lynx TE 26W/830
72082 F26TBX/840/A/4P/EOL DULUX T/E 26W/840 PL-T 26W/840/4P Lynx TE 26W/840
72083 F32TBX/830/A/4P/EOL DULUX T/E 32W/830 PL-T 32W/830/4P Lynx TE 32W/830
72084 F32TBX/840/A/4P/EOL DULUX T/E 32W/840 PL-T 32W/840/4P Lynx TE 32W/840

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Lyco GE OSRAM PHILIPS HAVELLS SYLVANIA
Equivalent Biax™L 4pin Dulux-L PL-L Lynx L & Lynx-LE
72061 F18BX/830 DULUX L 18W/830 PL-L 18W/830/4P Lynx L 18W/830
10285 F18BX/835 PL-L 18W/835/4P Lynx L 18W/835
72062 F18BX/840 DULUX L 18W/840 PL-L 18W/840/4P Lynx L 18W/840
72063 F24BX/830 DULUX L 24W/830 PL-L 24W/830/4P Lynx L 24W/830
10286 F24BX/835 PL-L 24W/835/4P Lynx L 24W/835
72064 F24BX/840 DULUX L 24W/840 PL-L 24W/840/4P Lynx L 24W/840
72065 F36BX/830 DULUX L 36W/830 PL-L 36W/830/4P Lynx L 36W/830
10287 F36BX/835 PL-L 36W/835/4P Lynx L 36W/835
72066 F36BX/840 DULUX L 36W/840 PL-L 36W/840/4P Lynx L 36W/840
72067 F40BX/830 DULUX L 40W/830 PL-L 40W/830/4P Lynx LE 40W/830
10288 F40BX/835 PL-L 40W/835/4P Lynx LE 40W/835
72068 F40BX/840 DULUX L 40W/840 PL-L 40W/840/4P Lynx LE 40W/840
72069 F55BX/830 DULUX L 55W/830 PL-L 55W/830/4P Lynx LE 55W/830
10289 F55BX/835 PL-L 55W/835/4P Lynx LE 55W/835
72070 F55BX/840 DULUX L 55W/840 PL-L 55W/840/4P Lynx LE 55W/840

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Still need help?

If you still can’t find what you are looking for and would like some help, please do not hesitate to give our customer services a call on 0800 074 8316 and they will be pleased to go through your options and requirements.

Looking for more advice? Try our Lighting Advice section.

Charles Barnett Managing Director

Charles started Lyco in 1995 with just 4 enthusiastic employees and has grown it considerably over the past 25 years. Charles is also the Managing Director of Lighting Direct and newly acquired Online Lighting. He now has a team of 50 lighting experts working on growing Lyco Group to be the UK leader in lighting for both businesses and homes. Away from the office he is a keen cyclist and is proud to have cycled 1017 miles from Lands End to John O’Groats to raise money for a new residential centre for adults with multiple learning difficulties.

High Frequency Lighting – what is it?

Think of fluorescent lighting, especially in an office, and your first thought will probably be of harsh strip lighting, flickering slightly, and with a faint buzz that’s almost outside the range of hearing, but not far enough so that it doesn’t irritate. While that fluorescent buzz and flicker is great if you’re Michael Mann, and are looking for atmospheric urban effects for your latest film, they’re not so good if you have to live with them every day while you work.

Flicker no more!

You don’t need to put up with that flicker and buzz any more, as high frequency lighting produces strong, steady light that doesn’t visibly flicker, and eliminates hum and buzz completely within the human aural range.

High achievers

High frequency lighting achieves these results by doing exactly what it says on the box – increasing the frequency of the electric charge to the tube. Standard fluorescent lighting operates at a frequency of around 50-60Hz, while high frequency lighting boosts that to 30 KHz. As well as reducing flicker and hum, this also increases light output, and that’s not all. They also start up much more quickly, offering full light output within one second – no more hanging about waiting for the light to get bright enough to be able to do anything.

No added expense

You might think that all these benefits come at a much increased energy cost, but you’d be wrong. High frequency lighting actually improves energy efficiency by about 10%. They also maintain peak light output for longer than a standard fluorescent tube, and have a longer life-expectancy, so they more than cover the initial outlay involved in fitting them.

Less symptoms

There are potential benefits for the many people who find that they suffer from headaches and eyestrain if they spend a great deal of time under fluorescent lighting at work or school, particularly migraine sufferers. Published studies have shown that under high frequency lighting reported symptoms of headaches and eyestrain were more than halved, and that people were more likely to use the lighting when conditions required it. As well as making users happy, switching to high frequency lighting could also improve efficiency and reduce sick days.

Options

Since the introduction of LED, problem with flickering have become less and less common. When replacing standard switch-start fluorescent lighting, we would recommend strip lights and recessed light fittings in offices and corridors . Stylish external lighting can also be fitted thanks to  brick lights, which look absolutely stunning alongside a swimming pool, garden path or in a car port, among many other uses.

There are a number of options if you want to fit lighting that won’t annoy users with noise and flicker, and will also save you money if continuous use is required. These include emergency recessed fittings, golf bulkhead fittings and low energy bulkhead fittings, which are ideal for stairwells and walkways.

Take a look at our collection of High Frequency Lighting.

Looking for more news, information or inspiration? Try our Lighting Advice section.

Charles Barnett Managing Director

Charles started Lyco in 1995 with just 4 enthusiastic employees and has grown it considerably over the past 25 years. Charles is also the Managing Director of Lighting Direct and newly acquired Online Lighting. He now has a team of 50 lighting experts working on growing Lyco Group to be the UK leader in lighting for both businesses and homes. Away from the office he is a keen cyclist and is proud to have cycled 1017 miles from Lands End to John O’Groats to raise money for a new residential centre for adults with multiple learning difficulties.

T12 Fluorescent Tubes – Production Stops April 2012

From 13th April 2012, T12 fluorescent tubes will cease production. Final stocks are starting to be delivered and we are already seeing an increase in demand as users of the older tubes start to stock up. Inevitably as stocks fall and demand continues prices will increase.

Not sure which tubes you have? T12 fluorescent tubes are 1.5” (38mm) in diameter and have unique wattages compared to other fluorescent tubes: 20W, 40W, 65/80W and 75/85W.

One option is that you could stock up on T12 tubes now and make sure you don’t have to pay the higher price later. Alternatively, you could replace your T12 tubes with the more energy efficient T8 fluorescent tube without a visible output in light reduction. However the third, and far more energy efficient, forward-thinking option is to start using T5 tubes and fittings.

So what’s the difference between the T12, T8 and T5 tubes and how can you change from one to another? The “T” number is the diameter of the tube, measured in eights of an inch e.g. a T8 tube is 1” in diameter, while a T5 is 0.6”. The narrower the fluorescent tube, the more energy efficient it is.

An important point to note is that due to the different sizes of the fluorescent tubes, the lumen outputs are different. Lumens indicate how much visible light is produced by a light source – the higher the lumen output, the brighter the light will appear to the human eye. T12 tubes have a higher lumen output than T8 and T5 tubes, meaning that in some cases it may be required to feature more T8 and T5 tubes in an area to get the same light levels that your T12s were providing. The stated lumen output of a T12 tube is rather deceptive however, as it doesn’t take long for the light to deteriorate.

*Measurements shown are estimates.

T8 Fluorescent Tubes

T8 tubes are designed to fit into most T12 light fixtures. They are more energy efficient than T12 tubes, have a longer life and the lumen output deteriorates at a slower rate.

Browse our range of T8 fluorescent tubes.

T5 Fluorescent Tubes

T5 tubes are the latest and by far the most efficient. They will save you up to 60% off your lighting costs compared with T12s and provide higher lumen-per-watt efficiency than T8 tubes too. They last up to 30,000 hours – three times as long as T12 tubes and twice as long as T8 tubes – saving on maintenance costs. An additional benefit is that they generate less heat, reducing the need for air-conditioning in warm environments.

Replacing your existing fittings for T5 tubes now means you will be prepared for the future. It also allows you the opportunity to make sure your light levels are of the same or a better standard.

Browse our range of T5 fluorescent tubes.

Whatever your decision, our team of experts is on hand to advise you on how to make the switch… just give us a call on 0843 317 7820.

For more news about Lyco Direct try our Lighting News section, alternatively try our Lighting Advice section for some great lighting ideas and guidance.

Charles Barnett Managing Director

Charles started Lyco in 1995 with just 4 enthusiastic employees and has grown it considerably over the past 25 years. Charles is also the Managing Director of Lighting Direct and newly acquired Online Lighting. He now has a team of 50 lighting experts working on growing Lyco Group to be the UK leader in lighting for both businesses and homes. Away from the office he is a keen cyclist and is proud to have cycled 1017 miles from Lands End to John O’Groats to raise money for a new residential centre for adults with multiple learning difficulties.