100W IP65 Outdoor Rectangular Bulkhead

A bulkhead is the plainest piece of outdoor lighting there is, a sealed enclosure fixed flat to a wall and built to shrug off weather rather than to be looked at. This one is rectangular, with a clear diffuser moulded in two patterns, fine vertical ribs down one edge and a deeper prismatic grid across the rest of the face, which breaks the light up instead of letting it leave as one hard point. The body behind sits dark against the clear front. The manufacturer rates the fitting at 100W and gives it an IP65 rating.

That rating is the reason to pick a fitting like this one. The first digit, six, means the enclosure is fully sealed against dust. The second, five, means it will take water jetted at it from any direction, so rain driven sideways against a gable end or a hose run over a yard wall is well within what it is built for. The manufacturer also states that it is suitable for use in bathroom zones 1 and 2, but not zone 0, which puts it on the wall of a shower room or above a bath rather than inside the bath itself.

One thing to settle before you order. The manufacturer states the wattage and the sealing but does not state the lamp cap this fitting takes, or whether a lamp comes with it, so check the holder against the old fitting before you buy anything to go in it. Nothing is printed about dimming, colour temperature or output either, and none of those should be assumed. It is sold as a single fitting, with a minimum order of one. It sits alongside our wider range of bulkheads, which runs to round and oval cage shapes in black and white, tamper proof versions and LED gear trays.

What does IP65 actually protect against?

The 6 covers dust, so nothing powdery works its way inside, and the 5 covers low pressure water jets from any direction, which includes rain driven hard against an exposed wall.

Can I put this in a bathroom?

Yes. The manufacturer states it suits zones 1 and 2, but not zone 0, so it can go above a bath or in a shower room, never inside the bath itself.

What lamp does it take?

The manufacturer gives a 100W rating but does not state the cap it takes, and does not say whether a lamp is included, so check the holder before you order one.

Is it dimmable?

Neither the specification nor the retail pack says anything about dimming, so nothing can be promised either way. Ask us to check with the manufacturer before you plan it onto a dimmed circuit.

How bright is it, and what colour is the light?

The manufacturer states neither a lumen output nor a colour temperature for this fitting, so the 100W rating is the only output related figure printed for it.