Often, when it is time to replace a light bulb the easiest course of action to take is to look at the bulb that you take out and simply replace it.Spot Vs FloodSpot or a flood often used in recessed cans each have varying degrees of swath of light. If you are using a compact fluorescent the number will be more like 16w. You'll often see this shortened and will see the abbreviation look like this: 100W or 100w. Bulb ShapeWith Philips Lighting, for example, there are at least 50 bulb shapes in incandescent light bulbs. Spots are a narrower beam and flood light bulbs have a larger beam of light.By grasping these simple indicators, most will be able to figure out what kind of light bulb they are holding. It might be 10(degrees), 25, 32 or 40 or any number around this range. If you have put a 120V light bulb in a table lamp and you’ve blown a couple pretty quickly, you most likely need a 130V light bulb. Candelabra base is the much smaller base that is used mainly in sconces, chandeliers and some small portable lamps. In Philips Fluorescent and Compact Fluorescent groups there are at least 38 bulb shapes.
This is indicated in either 120V or 130V. In the same family of light bulbs (like incandescents) the higher the wattage the brighter the light is. All of these numbers are the different colors that Philips compact fluorescent plug ins come in. VoltageVoltage should be chosen based on the voltage of power that is coming into your home. Good luck to you. Examples of bulb shapes: BT15, BR40, PAR38, T4, G25, A19 and so on. If you live in California, you might be surprised to know that the state requires contractors of new construction to insert certain fixtures that only use compact fluorescents.Base TypeThe most common base types are Medium base and Candelabra base.ColorSometimes you will see on your bulb a number like 827, 830, 835 or 841. The overall length may vary a little but the basic shape of the light bulb will be the same. This is not all the shapes but you get the idea. G are globe light bulbs commonly used in vanity wholesale airplane packaging boxes factory lighting.If you are using a PAR38 in your recessed lighting, that same bulb shape is available in an incandescent, halogen, compact fluorescent or metal halide.How do you know what bulb shape you have? The letters used aren’t really abbreviations.WattageWattage is the amount of energy the light uses per hour. F, B & BA Shapes are used generally in chandeliers and sconces.
