Light Bulb Base Sizes

If you are looking to find the perfect light bulb base to fit your fixture, you need to know the difference and measurement of the base sizes. When you search on the market, you will get so many light bulb base size options; however, knowing which one will fit your fixture perfectly is crucial.

Light bulbs are nothing new, and having a socket in your house very common. Moreover, every home has a light bulb so that you can work and stay in your home without facing the darkness. However, not every fixture in every house socket is identical, and nowadays, there are many different base sizes available due to the socket measurements.

Shapes of Light Bulbs

The modern-day light bulbs come in various shapes and sizes to fit every socket and are of your facility. Moreover, the bulb’s primary design was to hang from the rooftop in the middle of your home so that one light bulb is enough for the entire room. Although things have not changed that much, you do use a single bulb for one room. However, it has now become more of a decoration piece. For example, people use it to light up the room and various sizes and shapes to go with the interior of the room. Moreover, we use different color light bulbs for attraction and present a static vibe when you enter the room.

Another thing is to consider is the shape of the light bulbs. Now you can get almost any size and shape you prefer or want to install in your house. These shapes are given different letters to recognize the shape easily. Like –

1. A stands for Arbitrary, which is a standard household light bulb.
2. C, which is Conic. It resembles a traditional Christmas tree bulb.
3. The G or Globe shape is more like a round or circular shape.
4. S is the Sign which is straight-sided, and mostly we use it for signs.
5. The straight-tapered or the ST is the vintage Edison-style bulb.
6. T stands for the Tubular, which is a narrow-tube bulb.

Light Bulb Base Size, Shape, and Type

Although there are many shapes and sizes of a light bulb available on the market now, the base remains the same. However, light bulb base sizes differ as it has come to the point where every house fixture does not support the same light bulb base size. Moreover, the base also comes in different variations like – there is the traditional screw bulb, wedge, bayonet, and bi-pin base. But the screw base is what most houses have still now. Each screw base has a descriptive term like medium, intermediate, and candelabra. Here are some screw base shape and sizes –

1. E26/E27 medium – It is a popular base size in Europe. These base size bulbs are interchangeable, and there is a one-millimetre difference in the base’s size. Moreover, they are very popular as it is easy to use and you quickly find them in any stationery shop near you. Another thing is that most houses have a fixture to fit these types of bulbs. That is why their production is massive, and you can get it from anywhere you are living. These types of bulbs are common to use for a standard light fixture, ceiling, can lights, outdoor spotlights, flood light fixtures, vanity lights, and lamps.
2. E12 Candelabra – The E12 base bulbs are ubiquitous to use for decorations. These bulbs are primarily in a chandelier, Christmas lights, restaurant pendant lights, wall sconces, ornamental lights, commercial or residential string lights, and night lights. The E12 mimics the look of a candle in their design. Moreover, you can find these in shapes of

• T8, T6, and T22 which is small tube bulbs.
• C7, C9, CA10, B10 that is the candle flame shape.

3. E14 European –

   Well, the name probably understood that the E14 base bulb is very commonly used in Europe and China. You can see them in the chandelier, restaurant pendant lights, lamps, Christmas lights, Signs, and marque lights. These are A – shape A15 lights, and they also in T8, T6, and T22 small tube bulbs. Moreover, you can also get it in G14, G15, and G50 small globe shape bulbs. The S11 is the marque and sign bulbs.

4. E17 Intermediate – These bulb types mostly come in use for decorations due to their bright and colorful design. For example – you can use it in a chandelier, Christmas tree, wall sconces, ornamental lights, and sign lights. Moreover, these types of bulbs are also in appliances to indicate various functions of the device. You can also use them as a ceiling fan light. The A15 bulb size is famous for decoration and attractions.
5. E39/40 mogul – It is a primarily North American fixture fitting bulbs. These bulbs have an only one-millimeter difference, so it has interchangeable properties. Moreover, the E40 is very powerful, and they give a very high output which is a perfect selection for industrial fixtures, high-bay warehouse lights, parking lot lights, and canopy lights. The LED bulbs which have these type of base are cylindrical like BT and ED HID bulbs. E39/40 mogul comes in PAR20, PAR38, and PAR40, the PAR or parabolic aluminized reflector bulbs. You can also get it in ED17 and ED28 that are the elliptical dome bulbs.

Size Comparison of the base

The different base has a different size, and not all sizes will fit your home’s fixture. So, know and understand the base and fixture diameter to get a perfectly fitting light bulb for your facility.

• G30 – 1.25 inches in diameters with an E12 base.
• G40 – 1.5 inches in diameter with E12 base.
• G50 – 2 inches in diameter with E12 and E17 base.

Difference between Light Bulb Bases

As you know, not all light bulb bases are the same, and they have distinctive shapes and sizes for each one. However, the most famous Edison screw bulb has a standard size, and most houses and facilities use a traditional fixture. Moreover, the screw base is also used on innovative modern lights such as – halogen HID, LED bulbs, and compact fluorescent.

The most common terms in bulb base sizes are medium, intermediate, candelabra, and mogul; moreover, you can also see E26, E12, etc. Here are some standard base sizes according to the base size terms –

• Mogul is E39 or 39 mm diameter bulb.
• Medium is an E26 or 26 mm bulb.
• Intermediate is the 17 mm bulb mostly; we use it for decorations.
• Candelabra is E12 or 12 mm Edison bulb.
• Mini candelabra is a slightly smaller diameter bulb with a one-millimetre difference from the E12. It is an 11 mm bulb.
• Miniature, which is a 10 mm light bulb.
• Midget is the smallest in the group and comes with a 5 mm diameter.

The mogul base has a large base, and it also has a high wattage capacity. You can find it in incandescent and HID bulbs.

How are the Light Bulbs are Named

The light bulbs and lightning lamp’s description goes by their shape, name, and diameter or length code. The manufacturers prefer using codes to name the light bulbs. It is usually the letter-number-letter format that they take for naming the bulbs and their varieties.

The leading letter or the staring letter represents the light bulb’s shape, the number is the diameter or the length, and the last latter is optional. They denote the size by a number of the following shape. For example – in the U.S, the shape numbers indicate the maximum diameter, and it is in eights of an inch. However, other countries prefer millimetre as a measuring scale for light bulb base sizes apart from the U.S. The U.S R20 light bulb is 20/8 inches or 2.5 inches in diameter. On the other hand, other places use A19 which is a typical household incandescent light.

Socket Sizes

Sockets are what the light bulbs go to start. However, it is pervasive that you do not know which bulb will fit in that particular socket. But it is not a complicated process if you know how to take the measurements of the base size and socket size.

Bulbs have three classifications – Shape, size, and type. That is why the bulb’s names go by a pattern of size and base size. Although the U.S uses another matric system than other parts of the country, it is the same.

You can get different bulb shapes for the same socket in your house like – the A19 and G16 both can fit the same socket. One uses a standard measurement scale the other uses the U.S scale ( the eight of an inch).

FAQs on Light Bulb Base Sizes

1. What are the different size light bulb bases?  

Modern innovation has come up with many new shapes and sizes for light bulbs. However, we still have the standard Edison socket in our home, but sometimes we use other light bulbs to match the decor and far variation. If you want to know a different size that the modern light bulb bases have, then –

• E26/E27 Medium – 26-mm or 27-mm Diameter.
• E12 Candelabra – 12-mm Diameter.
• E14 European – 14-mm Diameter.
• E17 Intermediate – 17-mm Diameter.
• E39/E40 Mogul – 39-mm or 40-mm Diameter

2. How do I know what base my light bulb is?

A light bulb’s base size will determine will it fit your household fixture or not. However, first, you identify a screw-type base, a thread around the base, or a pin-type with two points. You will then have to measure the base’s diameter, or if you have a pin-type, then measure the two pin’s distance.

3. What is the difference between E12 and E14?

As we all know the light bulb manufacturers love to use codes to name the lights. They tend to name the device as the first letter being the type and the following number being the size. Like the E12 is Edison type bulb with an 11.2 mm diameter, and the E14 is also an Edison bulb but has a 13.4 mm diameter. It is the basic difference between the E12 and the E14ht bulbs.

4. Do all light bulbs have the same base?

First, you need to look at your fixture, which will help you determine the base size. However, most fixtures use the base size, including your tableside lamps. Household wall socketshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AC_power_plugs_and_sockets mostly have a screw-type base: traditional Edison-type and lamps use a pin-type socket. But the ordinary socket is the traditional one and has the same base.

Conclusion on Light Bulb Base Sizes

If you have an empty socket and want a light bulb there, you will first have to know two things. One is light bulb base sizes, and the other is fixture type. The fixture type will determine which type of light bulb you should buy and the light bulb’s base size.

Most houses have traditional Edison-style fixtures in which you can fit any base size bulb that is Edison’s name with it like – the E14, E12, E22, etc. However, you cannot use an S11 bulb in a traditional socket.

That is the article’s primary purpose of helping you understand the light bulb base sizes and how to find out which will fit your household fixture.