Wol

Help!

We've just unpacked a nice crystal chandelier that we last saw 3 years ago when we left the USA. I had imagined that the small ES caps on the bulbs would be a common size and that I could just buy 240v ones here - but the Crompton small ES candle-type "trial" one that I bought just doesn't seem to screw in. It appears to be a tiny fraction too large.

Anyone know whether the US ES fittings are different in physical specs to Oz ones? (I know the voltage is different but a 25w lamp takes 25w regardless of its - correct - voltage so the wiring should be OK.)

sasbear

Hey we had the same problem we bought an antique cabinet original from Canada or the States recently. There was a light fitment inside for 4 bulbs but after weeks of searching we couldn't find the bulbs to fit. They were smaller than the normal size and screw in in the end...hubby ripped out the guts and replaced with oz light fitments.

Wol

Oh dear!

Sounds like the same problem: trouble is, our chandelier has mostly brazed arms going to integral bulb holders - impossible to redo!

The Bloke

Sounds like you'll have a nice ornament. Try painting the bulbs a real bright yellow to simulate the light.

If all else fails, ask a sparkie.

sasbear

My only advice would be to go a specialist shop and get them to order in for you. This will mean ordering around 10-20 bulbs to make it worth your while and the shipper. Bit pricey but if the chandelier is a nice piece it would be a shame not to use it.

DagBoy

I googled and wikipedia tells me the following:

In each designation, the E stands for Edison, who created the screw-base lamp, and the number is the diameter in millimeters. (This is even true in North America, where designations for the actual bulb glass diameter are in eighths of an inch.) There are four standard sizes of screw-in sockets used for line-voltage lamps:

* candelabra: E12 North America, E10 & E11 in Europe
* intermediate: E17 North America, E14 (SmallES) in Europe
* medium or standard: E26 (MES) in North America, E27 (ES) in Europe
* mogul: E39 North America, E40 (GoliathES) in Europe).
* There is also a rare "admedium" size (E29), incompatible with standard and used to frustrate thieves of bulbs used in public places; and a very miniature size (E5) generally used only for low-voltage applications such as with a battery.

I am pretty sure the Aus globes follow the Euro/UK standards, so they will be wrong by a couple of mm.

Cheers,

DagBoy

andrew63

Lots of on-line US bulb shops that ship overseas. Eg, www.lightbulbsdirect.com
(just search e12 from their site)
Good luck

Andrew

Wol

Thanks to all!

My local wholesale electrical shoppe, whom I have just returned from, put me right: the C10 (American) 25w chandelier bulb is available in Oz in 240v but is called the E10 just to be different.

Unfortunately it only comes in hundreds at $2 plus a shot!

The chandelier only takes 21, Mrs Wol has a chandelier which needs another half dozen or so.

So; if there's anyone out there who would like to share an order we could get together and take a batch!