Bulb, bulbs, bulbs. Are they dimmable? Are they the right wattage? Will they fit into this pendant holder? Is it suitable for a bathroom? We receive many queries and conundrums regarding light bulbs, so thought it was high time we put together some information for you to refer to when adding the all important finishing touch to your lighting.

Although there are hundreds of light fittings in existence most homes only have a few different types the most common of which are shown in this blog post. The ‘B’ stands for bayonet and is most commonly used in the UK due to the British Empire. The ‘E’ stands for Edison Screw and is dominant in the USA and Europe due to Thomas Edison.

The vast majority of Jim Lawrence lights will take either a small or standard bayonet bulb. In many cases we can adapt the light fittings to take a screw bulb, but you will need to call us to specify this. Each light will have the bulb information on its product page to give you a helping hand.

The bulb’s shape is not just about how pretty it looks but more importantly, about how it throws its light. Most household lights will require bulbs that direct the light everywhere (omnidirectional) but there are some that are designed to give a focussed light such as reflector bulbs, or Gu10 spot bulbs that often used in recessed ceiling lighting.

1. SMALL BAYONET BULB

Also known as SBC or B15 – has a small twist and push fitting

• Generally lower wattage than larger bulbs. Most are around 5 watts or equivalent to a 40 watt traditional (incandescent) bulb.
• We supply two types of SBC bulbs; our Clear Candle LED Bulb (shown) which has a slightly elongated shape and is the recommended bulb for all wall lights that have fabric shades and our SBC Golf LED Ball bulb which is round.
• Dimmable – all our small bayonet LED bulbs are dimmable if used with a dimmer switch.
• All our small bayonet bulbs have a warm white light.

STANDARD BAYONET BULB

Also known as BS or B22 – has a larger twist and push fitting

• Generally higher wattage than the small bayonet bulbs, but not always. Our standard bulb is a Classic GLS LED bulb that is 7.5 watts or 806 lumens, which is equivalent to a 60 watt traditional (incandescent bulb)
• We supply five different styles of BC bulbs, all LEDs – our Classic GLS LED (7.5W) is the standard ‘pear’ shape, our small Golf Ball LED (4W), which is round, our handsome Squirrel Cage LED (6.5W) which is a large alternative, our Tube LED (5W) for elongated shades and our oversized Globe LED (6W).
• Dimmable – all our standard bayonet LED bulbs are dimmable if used with a dimmer switch.
• All our BC bulbs have a warm white light.

SMALL EDISON SCREW BULB

Also known as ES or E14 – a small screw in fitting that is dominant in Europe and the USA

• Generally lower wattage than larger screw bulbs. Most are around 5 watts or equivalent to a 40 watt traditional (incandescent) bulb.
• We supply one style of ES screw bulb – our 4W ES LED Clear Candle Bulb (shown) which has a slightly elongated shape and can be used as an alternative to the small bayonet bulb for all our wall lights that have fabric shades. Please call us should you need your light fitted to take a screw bulb.
• Dimmable – our Small Edison Screw LED bulb is dimmable if used with a dimmer switch.
• Our Small Edison Screw bulb has a warm white light.

 GU10 SPOTLIGHT BULB

Also known as a spotlight or PAR16 bulb – has two pins with small feet on the end that you push and twist into place similarly to a bayonet bulb

• The GU10 is the most common type of spotlight bulb found in most homes today. Often used in places where a bright, directional light is needed, such as kitchens and workspaces.
• It has the classic spotlight shape, with a narrow base that widens into a flat or slightly rounded aperture.
• Halogen GU10 bulbs are commonly made from plastic, not to be confused with an MR16 bulb that looks identical except for the much smaller, needle-like that will not fit a GU10 lamp.
• We stock a 5 watt LED GU10 that is 345lumens, equivalent to a 50watt traditional bulb.
• Dimmable – our GU10 LED is dimmable if used with a dimmer switch.
• Our GU10 LED has a warm white light

G9 LED BULB

• As an LED, it is incredibly energy efficient, only using a fraction of the energy of a regular halogen bulb and lasting, on average, around 6,000 hours
• Kindly note our G9 bulb is not dimmable
• Warm white in colour
• Instantly lighting to full strength, it has an output of 2.5W, similar to an 18W traditional bulb

Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) have been in common use for over half a century, mainly in electronic equipment, where they’re used as signals and indicators (standby lights, for example). It is only in recent years that LED light bulbs have been widely available. They are an energy efficient, longer lasting replacement for incandescent light bulbs. They light to full strength straight away, emit the same brightness as traditional bulbs and only use a fraction of the power – around 90% less energy than traditional light bulbs.

They also last 10-20 times longer and unlike most energy saving compact fluorescent bulbs, can actually be recycled. When shopping for LED bulbs, remember the wattage doesn’t denote its brightness. A 5W LED bulb is as bright as a 50W incandescent bulb. The lumens (lm) rating of a light bulb is instead the best indicator of its brightness.

Watts (W) – Watts is the measure of energy consumed

Lumens (LM) – Lumens is the measurement of light output

Efficiency – Efficiency is the number of lumens generated for each Watt of energy consumed- Lm/W

Feeling more confident? Take a look at our lighting to decide which gorgeous design you need to pair with our bulbs. If you have any further technical questions regarding your lights, don’t hesitate to call up our knowledgeable customer service team on 01473 826969. Happy shopping!