GX24d LED PLT Bulb 9W 1260lm Non-Dimmable - Cool White 4000K

This is a 9W LED PLT lamp on a GX24d two-pin cap, the flat blade fitting used by the compact fluorescent lamps that sit inside recessed downlights, bulkheads and enclosed wall fittings. Slim tubes rise from a white moulded base in the folded form PL lamps have always used, so it keeps to the compact envelope the fitting was designed around. It draws 9W and gives 1260 lumens, and the pack states that it stands in for a 26W compact fluorescent. The light is 4000K cool white, a neutral white with none of the yellow of a warm lamp.

Fittings that take this cap turn up in kitchens, utility rooms, garages, hallways, stairwells and small offices, usually as recessed downlights or as ceiling and wall bulkheads with a diffuser over the lamp. 4000K suits those rooms: it reads clean against white paint and stainless steel, keeps worktops and paperwork looking true to colour, and avoids the slightly muddy cast a warmer lamp can take on behind an opal diffuser. Check the cap on the lamp you are taking out before you order. GX24d seats on two flat pins; the four-pin versions of this lamp shape carry GX24q or G24q caps, and a four-pin lamp will not sit in a two-pin holder.

The pack marks the lamp as non-dimmable, so put it on a plain switch rather than a dimmer circuit. It also prints a 30 year lifespan and an energy class of D. One thing worth settling before you order a quantity: fittings of this kind run the lamp through control gear, and the manufacturer does not state whether this lamp works with an existing ballast or needs it bypassed, so ask your electrician what is behind the fitting. Each unit is a box containing one lamp, and the minimum order is 10, sold in multiples of 10.

Will this fit the PL lamp already in my fitting?

It fits a GX24d holder, which takes two flat pins. Pull the old lamp out and count the pins first: a four-pin lamp on a GX24q or G24q cap will not seat in this holder.

Does it work with the ballast already in the fitting?

The manufacturer does not state whether it runs on existing control gear or needs the ballast bypassed, so have an electrician check what is wired behind the fitting before you order a quantity.

How bright is 1260 lumens in practice?

That is the output the pack quotes, and the pack puts it level with a 26W compact fluorescent. In a hallway or a small office one lamp is usually enough for general light.

Can I put it on a dimmer?

No. The pack marks the lamp non-dimmable, so wire it to an ordinary switch. Running a non-dimmable lamp on a dimmer circuit can cause flicker, buzzing and a shortened life.

What does 4000K cool white actually look like?

It is a neutral white, brighter and cleaner looking than a 2700K or 3000K warm lamp, without tipping into the blue cast of a 6500K daylight lamp. It suits worktops and work areas.

Is an IP rating given for this lamp?

The manufacturer does not state one, so we quote no figure. Any protection rating that matters comes from the fitting the lamp sits inside, so check the fitting's own specification.