Buying the Right Bulb

Here at enviro-lights, we aim to make the purchase flow as easy as possible. Below is a quick-guide to ensuring you buy the correct bulb.

Step 1 - Determine The Bulb Type

We stock a wide range of different bulb types, simply navigate through the left hand menus to find the appropriate section.

Step 2 - Select Your Fitting

Bayonet Cap: the omnipresent bayonet cap bulb or 'BC' bulb features the familiar push, twist and lock mechanism. A standard bayonet cap bulb is 22mm in diameter with two lugs to locate. A smaller bayonet cap bulb is also available which is 15mm in diameter.

Standard Bulb; BC or B22d
Smaller Bulb: SBC or B15d

Edison Screw: the 'other' omnipresent bulb is the edison screw which features a fairly self-explainatory srew fitting. The Edison or 'ES' bulb is 27mm in diameter (at the base) for the standard bulb. There are also 2 other smaller bulbs available - the small edison screw 'SES' which is 14mm in diameter and the mini edison screw 'MES' which is 10mm in diameter

Standard Bulb; ES or E27
Small Bulb: SES or E14
Mini Bulb: MES or E10

Halogen Light Bulbs: normally come as capsules or spotlights. The two most commonly used spotlight fittings are the push-fitting GU4 & GU5.3 and the push,twist & lock fitting GU10 bulbs. Halogen capsules are used in low voltage & childrens lighting and the fitting type is determined by the size of the gap between the two locating pins - G4 and GY6.35. The 240 voltage capsule is G9.

Strip Lights: Normally used for wall lights and similar have an S15s fitting which is 15mm in diameter.

Fluorescent Tubes: Tubes have a 2 pin fitting which is commonly available in 3 sizes, G5 or G12. These fittings are used on the T5, T8 and T12 tubes.

Compact Fluorescent Tubes: CFLs without integrated control gear generally use push-fit square or rectangular fittings. Those with integral starters use 2-pin fittings those for use with electronic control gear and/or dimmers have 4-pin connectors.
Two-pin Triple turn CFLs use the GX24d-1/2/3 fitting.
Four-pin Triple-turn CFLs use the GX24q-1/2/3/4.
2D lamps use either the GR8 (2-pin) or GR10q (4-pin) connector.

Step 3 - Select Your Wattage

Choosing the correct Wattage for your bulb is important. A Watt is a measurement of power, the higher the wattage - the more energy it uses to produce light. These days the wattage is no longer an indication of how bright a lamp will be with the birth of the energy saving lamp and even halogen lamps.

Below is a chart that shows the correspondance between the old incadescent bulbs and the latest energy saving bulbs. (information taken from the energy saving trust).

Step 4 - Choose your Finish

When you have the correct bulb - you may then have the option of selecting the finish to your bulb. The most common choices of finish are clear and pearl.

Some popular bulb searches:

12v G4 Bulbs