8W IP65 Tamper Proof Bulkhead - White

This is a round bulkhead rated at 8W and IP65, finished in white. The photograph shows a shallow circular back body with a deeper translucent white cover seated on top, held by a screw at the rim rather than by clips. Tamper proof is the manufacturer's own wording, and that screw is what you can see of it. The specification runs to three facts and stops: 8W, IP65 and the brand, with nothing on lumen output, colour temperature or dimming. We would rather tell you that than borrow a figure from a similar fitting.

A bulkhead earns its keep where a fitting has to sit flat against a wall or ceiling and take the odd knock. Garages, workshops, plant rooms, cellars, stores, stairwells, lobbies and the corridors of shared buildings are the usual homes for one. The round white body is plain on purpose, so it reads as part of a painted wall rather than as something to look at. The screwed cover counts for most in spaces other people pass through, because a cover that needs a screwdriver stays where you put it. Along a corridor or a long store, fittings like this are usually spaced evenly rather than centred on the room.

IP65 reads better as two digits than as one number. The 6 means dust tight, so the inside of the fitting stays clean in a workshop or a dusty store, and the 5 means protected against water jets, the reason fittings at this rating go where a wall gets washed down. Care is simple: isolate the supply, undo the screw, and wipe the cover with a damp cloth, since a film of dust costs more light than most people expect. Wiring is a job for a qualified electrician. It is sold singly, so order one unit for each position you are lighting.

Is this bulkhead dimmable?

The manufacturer does not say. Nothing in the specification covers dimming, so we make no claim either way and would treat it as non-dimmable until the maker confirms otherwise.

What does the IP65 rating actually protect against?

The first digit, 6, means dust tight. The second, 5, means protected against water jets. Together they suit dusty working spaces and walls that get washed down.

What colour temperature of light does it give?

No colour temperature is stated in the specification and no Kelvin figure is printed on the item in the photograph, so we cannot quote one for you.

Does it come with a lamp, or is this the housing only?

The maker lists it as a bulkhead body and does not state the light source or whether a lamp is supplied. Please ask us before ordering if that matters.

Can I mount it on a ceiling as well as a wall?

The flat back of the body allows either, but the record does not state the permitted mounting positions, so follow the instructions supplied in the box.

How do I clean the cover without damaging it?

Isolate the supply first, undo the retaining screw and wipe the cover with a damp cloth. Let it dry fully before you refit and switch back on.