IP44 Oval Cage Bulkhead - White

An oval cage bulkhead in white, with a clear ribbed lens sitting behind a protective guard that wraps over the front of the fitting. It takes a separate E27 Edison screw lamp, the larger of the two common screw caps, so you choose the brightness and the colour of the light yourself rather than being tied to a fixed output. The retail pack states IP44, which means protection against splashing water from any direction. Ribbing of this kind scatters light across the face of the lens instead of letting a single bright spot show through, which is part of why this shape has stayed in service for so long.

Bulkheads earn their place where a light is likely to get knocked: garages, workshops, sheds, cellars, plant rooms, stores and covered entrances. The guard takes a blow before the lens does, which is why this pattern has long been fitted in stairwells, boiler rooms and workshops. White works well against a painted or rendered wall and beside white trunking and a plastic consumer unit, and it keeps the fitting visually quiet in a domestic garage or utility room. Mounted at head height beside a door, it puts usable light on the step and the lock.

Check the cap before you buy a lamp for it: E27 is the wider of the two common screw caps, and an E14 bulb will not thread into it. Because the lamp sits separately, the wattage, the output and the colour temperature are all decided by the bulb you choose, and so is whether the light can be dimmed; the manufacturer prints no dimming information for the fitting itself. It is sold singly, with a minimum order of one, and it sits alongside our wider range of bulkheads, which includes the same oval cage shape in black, a round outdoor bulkhead and a rectangular outdoor bulkhead.

What type of bulb does this take?

It takes an E27 Edison screw lamp, the larger of the two common screw caps. LED, halogen and filament lamps are all made in E27, so the output is your choice.

Should I use a standard LED bulb in it?

Many LED lamps carry a note saying they are not suitable for enclosed fittings, because trapped heat shortens their life. Read the lamp box and pick one cleared for enclosed use.

Does a lamp come with it?

The manufacturer does not state whether a lamp is supplied, so we would budget for an E27 bulb separately rather than assume one is in the box.

Can it be used outside?

The retail pack states IP44, which covers splashing water from any direction. That is the usual rating for a wall fitting in a sheltered outdoor position such as a porch or a car port.

Is it dimmable?

Nothing on the pack addresses dimming. With a separate lamp the answer depends on the bulb and the switch, so fit a dimmable lamp and a compatible dimmer if you want that control.

Will the guard cast shadows on the wall?

Anything solid in front of a light source throws a shadow, so expect faint bars on a nearby surface. The ribbed lens softens them by spreading the light across its face.