B15 (SBC) LED Candle Bulb 4.9W 470lm - Daylight 6500K

This is a small bayonet candle bulb, the B15 cap with two little pins on the sides of a slim metal barrel rather than the wider B22 fitting found on most ceiling pendants. It draws 4.9W and gives 470 lumens, which the pack rates as the equal of a 40W conventional candle bulb. The light is daylight white at 6500K, the coolest and bluest of the usual domestic options, and the opal outer shell softens the LED behind it so the bulb reads as an even glow rather than a row of bright points.

Daylight at 6500K is a working light rather than a relaxing one, so it suits the places where you need to see clearly: a desk lamp, a reading lamp beside a chair, a hallway chandelier or a landing wall light. It is a poor match for a sitting room where the other lamps are warm white, because two colour temperatures in one room are obvious the moment both are switched on. The 280 degree beam throws light almost the whole way round the bulb, so it works in open shades, half shades and clear glass fittings where the whole bulb is on view.

The bulb is not dimmable, so keep it on a standard on/off switch; wired to a dimmer it may flicker, buzz or fail early. It carries an F energy rating and an IP20 rating, which means indoor, dry positions only. The pack prints a 10 year lamp life. One unit is a single bulb in its own box, and the minimum order is five, sold in multiples of five, which covers a five arm fitting in one go. We also list the same B15 candle in warm white 3000K and cool white 4000K, plus a brighter 7.3W 806lm version.

How do I tell a B15 cap from a B22 before I order?

Pull the old bulb out and look at the base. B15 has two pins on a narrow barrel about the width of a pencil, while B22 is noticeably fatter. B15 is often called SBC, or small bayonet cap.

Is 470 lumens enough to replace the 40W candle bulb I have now?

Yes. The pack rates this 4.9W lamp as the equal of a 40W conventional candle bulb, and 470 lumens is the usual output for that swap in a wall light or chandelier arm.

What does 6500K daylight actually look like once it is switched on?

Crisp and slightly blue, close to bright overcast daylight. It makes colours and small print easy to read, but it will look stark next to warm white lamps in the same room.

Can I put this on a dimmer switch?

No. The specification lists it as non-dimmable, so it needs a plain on/off switch. On a dimmer circuit a non-dimmable LED can flicker, hum or fail well before its rated life.

How long should it last, and how often can it be switched?

The retail pack prints a 10 year lamp life. LEDs are unaffected by frequent switching in the way old filament bulbs were, so hallway and landing use is no problem.

Will the light spread right round the bulb in an open shade?

Close to it. The beam angle is 280 degrees, so light leaves the sides as well as the tip, which suits open shades, half shades and clear glass where the bulb is visible.