60W IP44 Oval Cage Bulkhead - Black

This is an oval bulkhead with a black body and a matching black wire cage fixed over a clear ribbed cover. The cage is the point of it: it guards the cover from knocks, kicked footballs and passing ladders in places where an ordinary wall light would not last long. Behind it sits a single E27 screw lampholder, and the fitting is rated for lamps up to 60W, so the light it gives is entirely down to the bulb you put in. The retail pack states IP44, which is protection against splashing water from any direction.

Bulkheads like this earn their keep in garages, workshops, sheds, porches, side passages and shared stairwells, anywhere a fitting sits at head height and needs to survive being brushed past. The ribbing on the cover spreads light sideways rather than throwing it into one bright spot, which suits a walkway or a doorway better than a bench. Black reads as hardware rather than decoration, so it settles quietly against dark brick, painted timber and rendered walls. The oval shape can be turned to run either horizontally or vertically on the wall, which matters more than it sounds when you are working to an existing cable position.

Choosing the lamp is the only decision left. E27 is the larger household screw cap, 27mm across the thread, and an LED E27 of around 8W to 10W is what most makers sell as the replacement for an old 60W bulb. Check the lamp's length as well as its cap, because a tall GLS or a long filament shape may sit closer to the cover than you would like. No dimming information is printed on the pack, so plan on switching rather than dimming unless the lamp itself says otherwise. One listing is one fitting, ordered singly. It sits alongside the same oval cage bulkhead in white and a round IP44 bulkhead in black.

What bulb does this take?

It takes a single E27 screw cap lamp, the larger of the household screw fittings, rated at up to 60W. An LED, filament or halogen E27 will all thread in, so check the cap marking on your old bulb before ordering.

Can I use it outside?

The pack states IP44, which means protection against water splashing from any direction. That covers sheltered outside positions such as a porch, a garage wall, a covered walkway or an outbuilding. It is not rated for immersion or for jet washing.

Can it be dimmed?

No dimming information is printed on the pack and the manufacturer does not state it, so we cannot tell you either way. With a lampholder fitting, dimming depends on the lamp you screw in and on the switch wired to it.

What colour and brightness of light will I get?

Neither is fixed, because no lamp is supplied. Warm white at around 2700K gives a softer light for a porch or hallway, while cool white or daylight suits a garage or workshop where you want to see clearly.

Will a long LED bulb fit behind the cover?

Measure the overall length of the lamp, not just the cap. A standard GLS shape is the safe choice; very long filament or corn style lamps can sit tight against the ribbed cover inside an enclosed bulkhead.

Which way up should it be mounted?

The oval can run horizontally or vertically to suit your cable entry and the look you want. Fix it flat to a sound wall or soffit and have the wiring carried out by a competent electrician.