E14 LED Filament Golf Bulb 4W 470lm - Warm White 2700K - Energizer

This is a golf ball bulb with a small screw E14 cap, often marked SES on a fitting, and it draws 4W to give 470 lumens. Inside the clear glass sit slim LED filament arcs, so the lit part of the bulb is something to look at rather than something to hide behind a shade. The light is 2700K, the warm white end of the scale, which reads as a soft yellow tone close to the old incandescent bulbs rather than the crisp blue-white of a daylight lamp. The pack gives it as the replacement for a 40W bulb.

E14 is the narrower of the two common screw caps, so check the old bulb before ordering: an E27 cap is noticeably wider and will not thread into the same lampholder. Golf ball bulbs are the usual choice for multi-arm chandeliers, small wall lights, bedside lamps and pendants with narrow shade rings, where a full size GLS bulb would either sit too low or press against the fabric. Because the glass is clear and the filaments are on show, it suits open and half open fittings, glass shades and anywhere the bulb itself is part of the look.

This one is non-dimmable, so put it on a plain on and off switch; on a dimmer circuit it may flicker, buzz or refuse to run at the lower settings. Light spreads across 320 degrees, near enough all round, which is what a shade throwing light in every direction wants. The energy rating is E, and the retail pack prints a 15 year lifespan at 15,000 hours. It is rated IP20, so keep it to dry indoor fittings. One unit is a single bulb, with a minimum order of 12. It sits alongside our other LED bulbs in B15 (SBC) candle and GU10 fittings.

My fitting is marked SES. Is that the same as E14?

Yes. SES stands for small Edison screw and E14 is the same cap written as a measurement, the thread being 14mm across. Either marking takes this bulb.

Can I run it on a dimmer switch?

No, this one is non-dimmable. On a dimmer it may flicker, hum or fail to strike at low settings, so wire it to an ordinary on and off switch instead.

How much light does 470 lumens actually give?

Roughly what an old 40W filament bulb gave. In a five arm chandelier five of these together make a comfortable main light for an average sitting room or dining room.

What does 2700K look like once it is lit?

Warm and slightly yellow, the tone people associate with older tungsten bulbs. It flatters wood, brass and warm paint colours and suits evening rooms better than a cooler white.

Will the filaments be visible through a clear shade?

Yes. The glass is clear and the filament arcs are on show, which is the point of this style, so it works best where the bulb is meant to be seen.

Can I mix it with older 40W bulbs in the same fitting?

It will work, but the colour and brightness will not match perfectly across the arms. Changing every lamp in a multi-arm fitting at once gives a far more even result.