Description
This is a clear halogen capsule with a G4 bi-pin base, sold two to a box. It draws 20W and gives 200 lumens, which the manufacturer measures as output in a sphere rather than in one direction, the honest way to rate a capsule: the filament sits in the middle of a small clear envelope and throws light all the way round it. The colour temperature is 2,800K, a warm white with a gentle yellow cast that reads a shade warmer than the 3,000K most LED bulbs are sold at.
G4 is the small two pin base found in low voltage downlights, under cabinet strips, cooker hoods, display cabinets, picture lights and a great many compact decorative fittings. The pins push straight in rather than twisting, so check the lamp you are replacing before you order: the G4 designation means pins 4mm apart, while a G9 has looped pins and a GU5.3 base is wider again. The pack carries an oven icon rated to 300 degrees, which makes this one of the few lamps you can put into a cooker hood or a heat prone housing.
The pack prints a two year lamp life and an energy class of G, which is what halogen technology earns under the current label. In exchange, halogen light comes on instantly at full brightness and renders colour about as well as any light source can, which is why it still holds its place in display and appliance fittings. No dimming information is printed on the pack, so check your transformer or driver rather than assuming. Each box holds two bulbs, and the minimum order is 10 boxes sold in multiples of 10, so a first order brings 20 capsules and a spare set on the shelf. It sits alongside our wider range of B15 candle, golf and pygmy bulbs and B22 GLS bulbs.
Specification
| Fitting |
G4 bi-pin |
| Shape |
Capsule, clear |
| Technology |
Halogen |
| Wattage |
20W |
| Brightness |
200lm |
| Colour temperature |
2,800K, warm white |
| Dimmable |
Not stated by the manufacturer |
| Energy rating |
G, as printed on the pack |
| Lifespan as printed |
2 years lamp life, as printed on the pack |
| Sold as |
Box of 2 bulbs |
| Minimum order |
10, sold in multiples of 10 |
Frequently Asked
How do I know my fitting takes G4 and not G9 or GU5.3?
Pull the old lamp out and look at the base. A G4 has two straight pins set 4mm apart, a G9 has two looped wire pins, and a GU5.3 is a noticeably wider two pin base used in larger reflector lamps.
What voltage does this run at?
The pack does not print a voltage, so check the figure marked on the lamp you are replacing and on your transformer or driver before ordering, as G4 fittings are built for more than one supply.
Can I use it in a cooker hood or another hot housing?
The pack carries an oven icon rated to 300 degrees, so it is built to sit in an enclosure where heat builds up around the lamp, which many low voltage capsules are not.
Is it dimmable?
Neither the specification nor the retail pack says. Dimming a low voltage capsule depends as much on the transformer or driver feeding it, so check what is fitted behind your light before you buy a dimmer.
How bright is 200 lumens in practice, and what old bulb does it replace?
It is a small accent output, right for a single downlight, a display cabinet or a picture light rather than lighting a whole room. No old style wattage equivalent is printed on the pack, so we do not quote one.
Is there an IP rating?
None is printed by the manufacturer, so treat it as an indoor lamp for dry locations and fit it only where it will stay away from water and damp.