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.

LED replacement bulbs and their uses

LED replacement bulbs

When your existing bulbs expire it is now generally recommended that you invest in LED replacement bulbs. This is because they offer numerous benefits, the more attractive of which are vastly reduced energy consumption and lifespans that sometimes extend into decades.

In this article we look at thirteen different types of LED retrofit bulb: a baker’s dozen that should save you some serious dough. We also note areas where LED replacements may cause problems.

Phillips MasterLED Candle Bulb

Types of LED replacement bulb

LED Candle Bulbs are tricky for designers because the bulbs they replace were often intended for show. The clear incandescent candle was used with chandeliers and other decorative fittings and admired for its scintillating light. Clear LED candles are ornamented for this reason, with silver or ivory-effect bodies and, in some cases, special lenses.

Kosnic HaloLED GU10 BulbsLED GU10s need attention when installed in confined light fittings, with some manufacturers warning of reduced lifespan in this type of application. GU10s are also used with track lights, bar lights, wall lights and outdoor spotlights. Some use COB LEDs, which are densely packed LED chips that produce an exceptionally even light. Typically a COB LED is wide beamed and recessed into the lamp for an authentic halogen reflector effect (most LED spotlights are reflectors only by name).

Crompton LED GLS BulbLED GLS Bulbs replace the everyday pear-shaped bulbs we all know. Many have an opal finish, which conceals unappealing LED chips but also helps to smoothly disperse light. Manufacturers like Crompton and Megaman go to some trouble to replicate the look and feel of incandescent bulbs.

LED Globe BulbsLED Golf Balls and Globes are usually meant to be seen. Golf balls in particular are used with a clear glass finish in chandeliers and decorative pendants, so manufacturers try to make LED retrofits look attractive. Some golf balls and most globes have a translucent finish, which produces less sparkle but is good for soft, flattering light.

LED Low Voltage MR16 Spotlight BulbsLED Low Voltage Spotlights are natural replacements for dichroic cool-beam 12V halogen spotlights, since they don’t project IR heat. One thing to note about all LED spotlights is their available choice of colour temperatures, which is impossible in halogen lamps. You can use this to accentuate different colours in display items. The little MR11 comes in LED form, as does the popular MR16.

LED Double-D BulbsLED Double D Bulbs offer savings of up to 60% over their fluorescent equivalents, whilst also boosting lifespan. Lesser known LED advantages include zero warm-up time, superior cold temperature performance, negligible UV output, shock-proof, vibration-proof and no mercury content. Many of these characteristics are beneficial for the type of use these lamps will see.

LED Par Reflector BulbsLED PAR Reflectors are used in a diverse range of applications, from swimming pool lighting to retail display or task lighting. Far more energy efficient and longer lasting than filament rivals, the wide choice of form and colour in these lamps makes creative lighting easy.

AR111 LED BulbsLED AR111 Reflectors replace halogen equivalents, which are often used in retail display lighting and domestic fittings. You’ll see a variety of designs, including the Edit 12W LED COB ES111, which emulates halogen lighting with its sunken COB LED module. Note that the ES111 is a mains-powered version of the AR111. Lyco sells a selection of both.

LED T8 TubesLED T8 Tubes are a replacement for the popular T8 fluorescent tube, which itself replaced the phased-out T12. Our LED tubes use 40-60% less energy than fluorescent rivals, whilst also outlasting them. In some cases LED tubes are rotatable for precise illumination, which avoids wasted light. Other benefits include zero warm-up time, no mercury content and little or no UV output to attract insects or fade artworks and fabrics.

LED G4 Capsules
LED Capsules are useful for everyday applications like desk lamps and wardrobe lights. They tend to be bulkier than halogen equivalents, so the size of the lamp housing should be checked before purchase. High-powered halogen capsules for specialist projector and theatre applications are not replaceable by LED.

LED Colour GU10 BulbsLED Colour Lights are great for enlivening retail displays, social events, and swimming pools.

LED Double Ended LinearLED Double Ended Linear bulbs replace the powerful elongated halogen bulbs often used in floodlighting applications. Bulkier than the bulbs they replace, these offer astounding levels of luminous efficacy and are vastly more energy-efficient.

LED Pin Fitting BulbsLED Pin Fittings replace non-ballasted CFLs, saving about 50% in energy costs. You’ll typically have to bypass or remove the ballast from a fluorescent fitting during installation. Like LED tubes, one way these lamps save energy is by not wasting light. For example, the Goodlight 8W LED allows 180° of adjustment for perfectly aimed illumination. Note that most of our LED pin fittings are non-dimmable, which may affect a decision when replacing 4-pin CFLs.

Watts versus lumens

One cause of confusion when switching to LED lighting is the abrupt uselessness of watts as a means of comparison. You can use “equivalent watts” as a guide to replacing incandescent bulbs, but you can’t use watts to compare LED products.

Lyco encourages use of lumens as a measurement of light output. Lumens measure the total amount of light produced, regardless of direction, whereas candelas measure light intensity in a specific direction. The second are more relevant to spotlights.

Can you replace any bulb with an LED?

Not quite, is the answer. The compact size of LEDs allows them to replace most bulbs, but there are three particular areas you need to be aware where issues can arise:

Light Direction

LED’s naturally directional light isn’t always ideal. To emulate omnidirectional bulbs, LED chips are usually mounted in relatively stout 360° configurations, which is only a problem when replacing skinny light sources like halogen capsules or linear lamps. LED versions of these products are normally broader, and some specialist types are not reproduced.

Heat dissipation

Heat dissipation needs in LED bulbs are significant. If you install a retrofit LED bulb into a confined and sealed fitting such as a fire-rated downlight you run the risk of shortening its lifespan. In some instances, a dedicated LED luminaire may offer a superior long-term solution.

Dimming capabilities

Whether or not an LED bulb is dimmable depends on its driver, and even if it is dimmable you’ll still need an appropriate switch. We have an article to help navigate these choppy waters, here.

Embracing technology

We hope this article has conveyed some of what LED currently has to offer. LED replacement bulbs make more economical sense than ever before, with many options now available at under £10. Why not embrace one of the greatest technologies of our time?

For more inspiration, ideas and advice try our Lighting Advice section.

andrew-author-bio

Andrew Evangelidis Head of Buying

Andrew is an experienced buying professional who takes an entrepreneurial approach to identify new lighting solutions and ensure Lyco have first-to-market ranges for our customers. Having previously worked for well known brands such as Wickes, Carphone Warehouse and Toys R Us, Andrew has now turned his hand to sourcing commercial lighting and ensure our customers receive top brand quality products at marketing leading prices. He manages a team of commercial and decorative buyers who travel the world finding new products that our customers don’t even know they need yet.

LED lighting – an introduction

LED lighting is the most energy efficient form of lighting around today. An LED, or ‘Light Emitting Diode’, uses the movement of electrons through a semiconductor material to create light. Most LED lighting combines a high-brightness blue LED with a yellow phosphor, which acts like a filter to create white light.

LED Lighting: From concept to creation

The blending of blue and yellow light to create white light was first noticed by Sir Isaac Newton in the early 1700s. Almost 300 years later, the 1990s invention of the blue LED by Shuji Nakamura unlocked the possibility of white LED lighting, which has become one of the greatest technologies of the early 21st century.

Benefits of LED

  • LED bulbs and luminaires have exceptionally long lifespans, with manufacturers quoting up to 30,000 to 75,000 hours. By comparison, CFLs and fluorescent tubes are typically rated at about 6,000 to 15,000 hours and halogen lamps at 2,000 hours.
  • LED light bulbs radiate minimal IR or UV light, either of which can damage artworks and other display items by heat damage and fading.
  • An LED lamp is always vastly more energy efficient than any incandescent or halogen equivalent, and usually more energy-efficient than fluorescent.
  • LED lights are particularly resistant to damage by shock or vibration. This is not true of incandescent or fluorescent light sources.
  • LEDs are small, which allows great design freedom for lighting designers, and makes it easy to produce retrofitting lamps.
  • Being relatively cool-running, LEDs do not raise room temperatures and create a need for air-conditioning to be utilised (cooling rooms generally costs more than heating them).
  • LED bulbs offer the user a choice of colour temperature (warm white, white, cool white), meaning you can tailor your lighting for a particular application.

Identifying the right LED bulbs

Many people new to LED lighting will be converting from halogen or incandescent and wondering what to look for when replacing their existing lamps. Lyco usually quote an equivalent in terms of wattage (halogen for spotlights, incandescent for general lighting). For example, 5W=50W might refer to a 5W LED GU10 spotlight with the light output of a 50W halogen equivalent.

Buying LED – FAQs

Is LED bright enough?

Already LED lighting is used in car headlamps and street lighting. It is suitable for many applications where inefficient lighting has previously been the only option, and its versatility will only increase as lumens-per-watt performance goes up.

Are LED lights dimmable?

Many are, though you should take care to pair them with a high quality LED-compatible dimmer switch.

How is LED lifespan measured?

Because LED lifespan is so long, it is calculated using limited data from a large sample selection. The end of an LED’s life is widely accepted as the point of 70% lumen maintenance (when it has lost 30% of its original output), though the benchmark used varies between manufacturers and is not always quoted.

How good is LED colour?

LED bulbs have a minimum CRI 80 rating for colour rendering, which is a good quality for most purposes. Historically, the discontinuous spectrum of LED made it less dependable for colour-critical applications than an incandescent light source but that is a thing of the past. Already there are CRI 90+ products on the market and LEDs are expected to improve further in the very near future.

Benchmark LED products

Its always handy to know what are the best or most popular products are when looking to buy. With this in mind we provide a regularly updated list of the most popular LED light fittings. Being constantly maintained, these articles should always prove to be a great source of reference.

 

Why not browse our extensive LED range including LED bulbs and fittings?

Want to know more about lighting or looking for 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.