Which light bulb to use

By continuing to browse you consent to our use of cookies. You can understand more and change your cookies preferences here. In this article. The light bulb market has gone through enormous change since traditional incandescent bulbs were removed from the market and replaced with energy-saving bulbs. Below, we walk you through what you need to know to buy the best bulb for your needs.

Once you've narrowed down your choice of size, type and brightness, head to our reviews section where our independent lab tests reveal our Best Buy light bulbs. Many a shopping trip has been thwarted by the lack of this critical piece of information.

There are an awful lot of fittings to choose from so, if you can, take the old bulb you are replacing to the store with you. But if you can't do that, then use the graphic above, which shows some of the most common fittings. You will need to write down the fitting reference number and take it along to match with the packaging on the box of your new bulb. They could save you hundreds in the long run. There are three main types of regular light bulb — CFLs compact fluorescent lamp — the standard type of energy-saving light bulb , halogens or LEDs.

CFLs are cheap and widely available in a range of sizes and outputs. Some older CFLs were slow to brighten, but this has improved considerably in recent years. They are four times more efficient than incandescent bulbs and quickly pay for themselves in energy savings — but not everyone likes the light they emit. Light from a halogen bulb is similar to an incandescent in colour and quality, as both use a tungsten filament. With an expected life span of less than two years, a halogen bulb is unlikely to pay for itself before it fails.

LEDs are usually more expensive to buy, but should last up to 25 years. In the long term they are the cheapest option. Decide what type of light you'd prefer.

This breaks down simply into brightness, otherwise known as watts or lumen output; and the colour of the light, measured on the Kelvin scale. In the past, when nearly everyone filled their homes with incandescent bulbs, brightness was measured in watts — which is actually a measure of power. Since the introduction of energy-saving bulbs, this is a less useful measure of brightness, as new bulbs use a lot less power to produce the same amount of light. So, instead, light output is measured in lumens.

The higher the number of lumens, the brighter the light. Use this chart to see equivalent watt and lumen output for old-style incandescent and the three types of energy-saving bulbs LEDs, halogens and CFLs. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. By using our site, you agree to our cookie policy.

Cookie Settings. Learn why people trust wikiHow. Download Article Explore this Article methods. Tips and Warnings. Related Articles. Article Summary. Method 1. All rights reserved. This image may not be used by other entities without the express written consent of wikiHow, Inc. Take the old bulb out of the fixture to find the type of base you need to buy. If you already have a bulb in the fixture, remove it to inspect the threading, size, and shape. You can use this as a reference or take it into the store with you when you go to buy your new bulb.

Since light fixtures typically come in three different sizes, you can use a coin to determine what type of bulb you need. Grab a quarter, dime, and a penny. Hold each coin over the opening for the bulb on a light fixture to determine the size of the bulb you need. You can always measure the opening if you prefer. Intermediate bulbs are roughly the shape of a dime. These bases measure 17 mm in diameter. These small bases measure 12 mm in diameter.

If your fixture looks like two pins slide into it, you have a bi-pin, twist-lock, or plug bulb. For example, a G9. Read the instruction manual for your fixture or look on the back of the fixture for a sticker listing the maximum wattage. If you had a bulb in the fixture that worked fine, you can assume the maximum wattage on the bulb is identical to the maximum wattage of the fixture. This will eventually destroy the fixture, but it can even cause a fire if you leave the light on for too long.

This information is often printed on the inside of the base for the bulb on the fixture. Next to the maximum wattage information, look for a voltage. In the vast majority of cases, indoor lighting fixtures require volt bulbs. Outdoor fixtures often require or volt bulbs, although smaller indoor lights may require these lower voltages as well. Fixture wattages are typically based on incandescent light, which is mostly being phased out over time for energy reasons. This is due to the fact that different types of bulbs produce different amounts of energy.

Method 2. Opt for an LED bulb for a standard, energy-efficient option. LED bulbs are popular and easy to find. They also last longer than other types of bulb and a single lightbulb may work for years.

You find LED bulbs in almost every type of lighting fixture. Pick a CFL bulb if you want an efficient, whiter light. CFL is short for compact fluorescent.

They are often color adjusted to produce light close to real sunlight. They tend to get very hot if you leave them on for a long time. Compact fluorescent light bulbs are commonly used in desk lamps, floor lamps, under-cabinet lamps, table lamps, linear strips, and sconces. CFLs have basically made fluorescent tube lighting entirely obsolete. If you really like the look of those old fluorescent tubes, get a CFL bulb. The feel of the light tends to be extremely similar.

Opt for halogen lights if you really dislike orange and yellow light. Halogen bulbs produce bright, vivid light. The main difference between halogen and other bulbs is that halogen light tends to feel blue.

On top of that, most countries have banned the manufacture of incandescent bulbs. The texture of the light should look nearly identical. Get a 3-way bulb if you have a 3-way lamp that clicks. If you have a lamp with one of those switches that clicks as you turn it, you have a 3-way lamp.

Unlike incandescent and fluorescent light bulbs, LEDs pass electricity between semiconductors, rather than through a filament. Consequently, less heat is generated and more of the energy goes into creating the light.

LEDs have a long lifespan estimated 25, hours because there is less heat and no filament to burn out. An incandescent light bulb is the classic design Edison invented. This makes them very inefficient and increases your electricity bill. The downside is that the filament typically burns out within a thousand hours. In the long run, their replacement costs exceed those of LEDs. Many traditional incandescent light bulbs are being discontinued, due to their inability to meet EISA requirements.

New technological advances, however, have resulted in higher efficiency incandescent alternatives. This is the iconic bulb that most people think of when they picture a light bulb. Its low cost and warm yellow-white light, emitted in all directions, making it a convenient easy choice for many general applications. These are simply incandescent bulbs that contain halogen gas. It produces a brighter and whiter light and is slightly more efficient than traditional incandescent bulbs.

It has an expected lifetime that is twice that of general incandescents roughly 2, hours. Xenon light bulbs operate in the same way as halogens, but last 10, hours. Xenon gas glows when in the presence of an electric current. This enables it to achieve the same brightness while requiring less energy. Unlike halogens, xenon bulbs generate very little heat, while emitting a slightly warmer color light.

Some incandescent bulbs have a reflective coating that focuses their light in one direction. Reflectorized light bulbs put out twice the light of general ones. Parabolic versions control the light with even more precision and emit up to four times the light. They do contain a small amount of mercury, so burnt out fluorescent bulbs should not simply be thrown out in the trash.

Guidelines for proper recycling and disposal can be found on the Environmental Protection Agency website: epa. These new small fluorescent bulbs often have screw bases that fit most lamp sockets and can be substituted for incandescent bulbs. CFL light bulbs also have many advantages over earlier fluorescents. They turn on right away no start-up flicker , are quiet and the light is warmer and color-corrected. HID bulbs create light by sending an electric current between two tungsten electrodes that are housed in a bulb filled with a gas and metallic salts.

The gas helps facilitate the generation of an electrical arc, which heats the metal salts and creates a plasma. This amplifies the light produced by the arc. These bulbs are highly efficient and have long lives, but emit a rather unpleasant light, though it has an almost sun-like luminescence. Contemporary light bulbs are available in a wide variety of shapes and sizes.

This is needed to accommodate the ever-growing number of fixtures, lamps and lighting applications. Each light bulb has its own set of requirements, which can make finding the right one a difficult task. Manufacturers have developed a labeling system to help communicate light bulb requirements and recommendations for their lights. The light bulb base or plug type varies from light to light. You need to double check which is required for the socket, before buying a new light bulb.

Most American home lighting applications use light bulbs with Edison screw bases that simply twist clockwise into the socket. They are designated by the letter E and a number, which represents the diameter in millimeters. This base typically has two male pins on either side that fit into corresponding female slots in the socket and lock with a clockwise twist.

It is the standard in many countries associated with the British Empire and is usually designated by the letters BA, followed by the diameter. Two pins or posts extend from the end of these bases and either plug into the socket or twist and lock. The International Electrotechnical Commission ITC has designated bi-pin base connectors as the international standard for lamps. They are usually designated by the letter G, followed by either another letter extra feature and a number, or just a number that indicates the pin spread in millimeters.

Many small light bulbs utilize a wedge design base. These are similar to Bi-Pin bases, but they have two wires that contact the sides of the socket instead. The wires are typically embedded on the outside of a plastic base that the bulb is mounted on. They are identified by the letter W, followed by other letters which detail the exact type and a number to specify the thickness in millimeters. Many lamps and lighting fixtures can accommodate a variety of light bulbs.

Your choice can be based on factors that may be ecological, financial, aesthetic or functional. Look at the Lighting Facts section displayed on packaging for relevant information and to compare light bulb options. It can be a different story, however, when looking at their labels. With this type of light bulb, wattage is a decent reference point to determine comparative brightness. The higher the number of watts, the brighter the bulb burns.

But newer lighting technologies make that reference point obsolete. Wattage is actually a measurement of energy use and not brightness. The more watts, the more energy the bulb consumes to generate light. But, they still emit equivalent or brighter light.

A lumen is the appropriate measurement for the amount of light i.