LED Light Bulb GuideA Buyers Guide for LED Light Bulbs

The Basics1. Bulb Shape

2. Bulb Base

3. Brightness

4. Color Temperature

Bulb Shapes• All light bulbs have a designation made up of letters

and numbers.

• The letters describe the bulb type while the number is an indication of the maximum diameter.

Shape Diameter

Bulb Shapes Continued• LED bulbs can be broken down into four primary

categories of shapes: A-Shape, Reflector, Decorative and Specialty.

A-Shape Reflector Decorative Specialty

Bulb Shapes: A-Shape• A-Shape LED light bulbs

are the most common shape available and are commonly referred to as standard shape LED bulbs.

• This is because they have an arbitrary shape with a maximum diameter listed in 8ths of an inch.

For Example: An A19 Bulb is an A-Shape bulb with a diameter of 2 and 3/8th inches (19/8 = 2 3/8th)

Bulb Shapes: A-Shape Cont.• The A19 shape is commonly used to replace 40 or

60-watt incandescent bulbs.

• LED replacements for 75 watts or higher typically have a slightly larger A21 shape.

• You may also find some LED bulbs which use the smaller A15 or A17 shapes for lower wattages.

Bulb Shapes: Reflector• Reflector LED light

bulbs are most commonly referred to as flood or spot lights due to the reflective coating used to create a wide or narrow beam angle of light.

Bulb Shape: Common Reflectors• Reflector LED bulbs have the letter R in their bulb

shape designation.

• PAR shaped bulbs can be used both indoors and out, while R and BR are rated for indoor use only.

Bulb Shapes: Decorative• Decorative LED light bulbs are smaller than A-Shape

LED bulbs and come in three different shapes, Straight Tip, Globe, and Flame Tip.

Bulb Shapes: Specialty• Specialty LEDs contain several uncommon shapes

since they are only for specific applications. Straight Sided and Tubular are the most common types.

S = Straight Sided. Used in signs, marquees and patio string lights.

T = Tubular. Used to replace small halogen and xenon lights in automotive, instrument or landscape lighting

This doesn’t cover every single LED bulb shape out there but it covers a large majority of what’s available.

Types of Bulb Bases• LED light bulb bases fall into three main

categories. As with shapes, bases are also denoted by Letters and Numbers.

E 26Shape Size

(millimeters)

1) Edison

2) Bi-Pin

3) Bayonet

Types of Bulb Bases: Edison• In addition to designation, Edison base bulbs have

several common names.

E12 = Candelabra baseE14 = Small Edison Screw baseE17 = Intermediate base

E26 = Medium baseE39 = Mogul base

Types of Bulb Bases: Bi-Pin• Bi-pin bases are denoted by the letter G.

G4 BaseGU10 Base

(Twist and Lock)GU5.3 Base

Types of Bulb Bases: Bayonet• Bayonet base LED Bulbs

have notches on the side of the base which are used to lock the bulb into place.

• There are generally two different kinds of bayonet base bulbs, single contact (SC) or double contact (DC).

Two Contacts = DC Bayonet

Brightness• Lumens are a measurement of brightness while

Watts are a measurement of energy consumed.

Wattage Consumed by Bulb

Lumens Producedby Bulb

Color Temperature: Explained• Matching the right color temperature to the right

room will make them easier to enjoy.

Color Temperature• The visible temperature of a room (whether it looks

warm or cool), is actually based on how yellow the light from your light bulb is.

• Lower values, like the incandescent standard of 2700K, produce a more yellow (warm) light, while higher values like 5000K create a bluer (cooler) light. Most LED bulbs are available between 2700K and 5000K.

Color Temperature: Soft White• Soft White / Warm

White (2700K – 3000K)

Recommended for use in:

• Living Rooms

• Bedrooms

• Rooms decorated in earthy tones (reds, oranges, and yellows)

Color Temperature: Cool White• Cool White (3500K –

4500K)

Recommended for use in:

• Kitchens

• Bathrooms

• Rooms decorated in airy, fresh hues (blues, greens, whites)

Color Temperature: Daylight• Daylight / Full

Spectrum (5000K –6500K)

Recommended for use in:

• Garages

• Offices

• Rooms where productivity is key

Features• Some aspects of light bulbs aren’t as obvious or

urgent. These are features:

• Dimming

• CRI

• Life Hours

• Warranty

Features: Dimming• Unlike incandescent bulbs, not all LEDs are

compatible with dimmer switches. If your room uses a dimmer you should check for a compatible LED before installation.

If your LEDs are humming or flickering, it might be caused by

dimmer incompatibility.

Features: CRI• The Color Rendering Index (CRI) measures color

accuracy reproduced by a light bulb. The higher the number, the closer the bulb is to natural light.

A lower CRI will lower your saturation, leaving you with washed out colors.

High CRI Low CRI

Features: Life Hours• The Life Hours rating is an average time for lumen

depreciation. In simpler terms, it’s the average number of operating hours before a bulb produces only 70% of it’s initial lumen value.

800 Lumens

25,000 Hours

560 Lumens

Features: Warranty• LEDs are substantially less fragile and definitely

longer lasting than any other light bulb. But, they can still stop working. A long-term warranty is the best way to protect your investment in case of driver or electronic failure.

• Every manufacturer has a different method for calling in a warranty, but most do have them and you should always check before just writing the bulb off as a loss.

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Image SourcesAttributable Images not owned by 1000Bulbs.com are as follows:

• Title Image - Ryan Hyde• Socket Guide - Gooddigitalshop.com• Watts vs Lumens - Department of Energy• Color Temperature Spectrum - Dteenergy.com• Color Temperature Rooms - ThinkStock• Dimmable Light Symbol - Philips Lighting• Color Saturation - Wikipedia.org

Arranged by 1000Bulbs.com

LED Light Bulb Buyers GuideArranged by 1000Bulbs.com