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This is becoming very important in the LED category as there is almost no direct connection between the bulb wattage and the light output. Lumens: Lumens are the amount of light the bulb emits. If your equipment is using a high intensity discharge or Xenon bulb you must use the exact same bulb and you are not able to replace it with a bulb that has different specifications unless you consult with the equipment manufacturer or one of our lighting specialists. What type of bulb you will use in your application is a matter of a personal preference and cost as LED’s are more expensive. With the CFL and LED we are able to select different color temperatures which was not available in the incandescent and halogen as much. Since the introduction of the CFL and LED into the market we have more options when it comes to bulbs type. Bulb type: Bulbs come in few key types Incandescent, Halogen, Fluorescent, LED, High Intensity Discharge and Xenon (in each of the above types you may have subtypes as well). You measure the diameter of the bulb in inches and multiple it by 8, this formula is correct for most of the bulb unless they have a decorative shape.
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The biggest question we are asked is, “how do I know what is the size or shape of my bulb?” This question has a very simple answer. Bulbs come in many varieties of shapes and in many cases it is more of personal taste and look you would prefer to match than the fixture needs or requires. Bulb Shape: Once we were able to find the correct bulb with the right voltage, wattage and base you are almost good to go, this is where the bulb shape comes into play. To find the size of you base you need to measure the width of your base in mm, the number you get is the size of your base. If you choose the wrong base the bulb will not fit, you should never force the bulb into the base of your fixture it should fit very easily. Base: Bulbs come in a huge variety of bases and in some categories can be very confusing, for instance, in the plug-in-Fluorescent the bases all look the same and the only difference is a location of notch on the base of the bulb. You should never use a higher wattage bulb than your application requires because it will damage your equipment or fixture. If you will use a lower wattage bulb in your fixture you will have less light than before, choosing a lower wattage bulb is fine as long you understand that you are compromising on light output (this statement is correct only for incandescent and halogen bulbs). Wattage: Wattage is the amount of energy is used by a lamp or light bulb. On the other hand if you plug a 120 volt bulb into a 12 volt fixture the bulb will not turn on, and vice-versa is you plug a 12 volt bulb in a 120 volt fixture the bulb will be permanently damaged.Ī good indicator to know what light bulb to use is also your lamp / fixture socket as in most cases you will not be able to plug in a wrong voltage bulb, so knowing the bulb base can be also helpful for choosing the correct bulb. The cons are lower lumens output (not as bright) and lower color temperature.
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There is a voltage ratio you are able to go up or down from the voltage you need but it is always recommended to use the correct voltage or higher within the allowed ratio.įor example 120V and 130V bulbs are interchangeable and the pros in using a 130 Volt bulb are: cooler burning bulb, less energy use, longer life and better handling of voltage surges. While the above are the main light bulbs voltage for home and garden application there are bulbs used for special application that operate at different voltage as 6v, 24v, 36v etc. and many of them look the same. This is why we need to make sure to start with understanding what is the operating voltage of the bulb we need to replace.Ĭhoosing the correct voltage is crucial for the bulb operation. The bulbs are divided by voltage in 2 main categories:
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