B15 (SBC) LED Candle Bulb 4.9W 470lm - Cool White 4000K

A candle bulb that fits the small bayonet cap, B15, also written SBC: the smaller of the two bayonet sizes, with two pins on a 15mm barrel rather than the 22mm of a standard BC lamp. It draws 4.9W and gives 470 lumens, which the pack puts against a 40W conventional bulb. The body is a smooth white candle shape with a diffusing finish, so the light source is spread across the whole surface. The rated colour is 4000K, cool white.

Cool white at 4000K sits between the yellow of a traditional filament lamp and the blue-white of daylight. It reads as clean and neutral, which suits kitchens, utility rooms, home offices, landings and stairwells, and anywhere you want colours and surfaces to look true rather than warm. Candle lamps are the usual shape for chandeliers, multi-arm pendants, wall lights and small table lamps with clip-on shades, where the tapered top is meant to be seen. If you are refitting a fixture with several lamps in it, match the colour temperature across all of them; one warm bulb among cool ones is very noticeable.

This one is not dimmable, so pair it with a plain on and off switch; on a dimmer circuit it may flicker, buzz or fail early. The beam angle is 280 degrees, so light goes out sideways and backwards as well as up, which is what you want from an open shade or an upward facing candle holder. The energy rating is F. The pack prints a 10 year lamp life and 10,000 hours, with more than 10,000 switching cycles, so it takes frequent flicking on and off in a hallway. It runs on 220 to 240V mains, and it is IP20, for dry indoor use. Each listing is one bulb, with a minimum order of five. We also list the same 4.9W candle in warm white 3000K and in daylight 6500K.

My old bulb has a bayonet cap. How do I know if it is B15 and not B22?

Measure the metal barrel across its width. B15 is about 15mm and B22 is about 22mm, so a B22 lampholder will be visibly wider. B15 is the cap most often found on chandeliers and smaller wall lights.

Can I use it on a dimmer switch?

No. This lamp is not dimmable and should be run from an ordinary on and off switch. Fitted to a dimmer it may flicker, hum or have a much shorter life, and the dimmer itself can misbehave with a load this small.

Is 470 lumens bright enough to replace the bulb I already have?

The pack rates it against a 40W conventional bulb, so it is a like for like swap for a 40W candle. In a five arm chandelier that is a useful amount of light for a dining room or hallway.

What does cool white 4000K actually look like?

Neutral and clean, without the yellow cast of 2700K or 3000K and without the blue edge of 6500K daylight. It is a good match for kitchens and work areas where you want to see colours clearly.

Will the light look even in an open shade?

The beam angle is 280 degrees, so output spreads almost all the way round the lamp rather than firing forwards. That suits open holders, fabric shades and chandeliers where the bulb is partly on show.

How many bulbs do I receive?

One bulb per listing, boxed on its own. The minimum order is five units, sold in multiples of five, which is handy when you are relamping a multi arm fitting in one go.