BulbCollector Forums

BULB DISCUSSION BOARDS => Modern Electric Lighting => Topic started by: Zelandeth on September 26, 2005, 07:11:54 pm

Title: Bulb shapes...reference page anywhere?
Post by: Zelandeth on September 26, 2005, 07:11:54 pm

Okay, this is probably a silly question, and the answer's staring me in the face...but I sure can't find it!

What I'm looking for is basically a page somewhere which shows diagrams of as many types of different standard bulb shapes as possible - preferably including newer ones too (i.e. the styles of cover major manufacturers are using to cover the tubes of CF lamps too)

This is one area where I really have no knowledge whatsoever to call on, but being able to put the lamp shape on my site's pages would be a distinct plus in my view.

So, can anyone help me out with this one?

Title: Re: Bulb shapes...reference page anywhere?
Post by: Chris W. Millinship on September 27, 2005, 03:16:43 pm

The ever knowledgeable James Hooker gave me a copy of the following a few years ago. I have it in a printable-ish larger resolution too, but am not sure who holds the original copyright as regards making further copies.

I don`t think this is all the bulb shapes out there especially as it`s a few years old, but most of the common types you`ll come accross are there...

(http://bulbmuseum.net/glassbulbshapes.gif)

(this is a photographic copy of the original paper print which is not in great condition, I don`t have an original electronic version)

Title: Re: Bulb shapes...reference page anywhere?
Post by: Zelandeth on September 27, 2005, 03:45:59 pm

That certainly helps out a lot compared to the couple of scribbly sketches I had here!

So...next question.  What unit are the numbers after those prefixes measured in?  Or does that depend on which type of lamp you're talking about?

Title: Re: Bulb shapes...reference page anywhere?
Post by: Chris W. Millinship on September 28, 2005, 01:18:07 pm

In the UK, the suffix numbers in bulb shapes are the measurement in millimetres at the widest part of the glass. A standard 100 watt lamp would be PS60 - P (pear), S (straight section at the neck), 60 (60mm at the widest point).

To confuse things, Americans do things differently. The system in use Stateside is to measure the widest part in 8ths of an inch. So the standard US 100 watt lamp would be A19 - A (Arbitrary - continuous curved shape), 19 (19 8ths of an inch).

And no matter where in the world you are, reflector lamps get measured in 8ths of an inch always. So the standard 12 volt halogen spot lamp is a MR16 - M (mirrored), R (you get the idea...)

There may be exceptions of course, but nothing jumps out at me right now.