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This bulb is found inside a fancy light fixture, I haven’t seen one before and it doesn’t have any markings on it. I need to order replacements.

More images showing the context of where I found this bulb.

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jason
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2 Answers2

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It's a "G9" base Halogen bulb.

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isherwood
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mike65535
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    Just to add: If you use a G9 base halogen (instead of a G9 base LED substitute), be sure not to touch the glass, as the fingerprint may lead to uneven heating and subsequently cracking of the glass, which is a fire hazard. To replace the bulb, place a cloth between your bulb and your fingers. – henning Jan 09 '19 at 14:02
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    You can wipe the bulb with alcohol to remove any residue from touching it. – Jonathon Reinhart Jan 10 '19 at 03:39
  • @henning TIL the reason - I always knew never to touch these bulbs but never knew why. – Muzer Jan 10 '19 at 12:12
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It's a halogen (identified by mike65535 as a G9). You'll want to find voltage and wattage markings for compatibility. Using bulbs with too high of a wattage rating can create a fire hazard.

Look for LED alternatives for energy savings.

isherwood
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    i like LEDs are much as anyone, but i don't think they would save much energy replacing halogens. We use halogen mainly for reading lights (which LEDs aren't great at yet) and for decoration, which is usually lower wattage than primary illumination. If you have a ton of them it adds up, but for a few one-offs, the impact isn't dramatic. – dandavis Jan 08 '19 at 20:26
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    You might be surprised. The 50w equivalent uses 5w. As someone whose descendants will roam this planet for quite a few decades yet, I believe it's worth doing. – isherwood Jan 08 '19 at 20:37
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    @isherwood We had two light fixtures in our living/seating room - each had 10 of these halogen G9's, 10W each, that is, a total of 200W when all lights are on. I replace them with LEDs, which are 3W each. Total energy consumption is down from 200W to 60W - over three times. – Aleks G Jan 09 '19 at 11:29
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    Worth noting that not always can you simply replace halogen with LED. You may need to replace the old-style AC/DC converter with an LED driver (I had to do that to get rid of flickering) – Aleks G Jan 09 '19 at 11:34
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    I've got a ceiling fixture with six of these and replacing with LEDs was, in my opinon, worth it purely for the increased lifetime. – Peter Hull Jan 09 '19 at 12:28
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    Actually, a G9 socket is most commonly used with mains rated bulbs. So a direct replacement is not a problem. If the socket is dimmed on the other hand, the dimmer is probably not rated for LED-dimming and the bulbs would flicker badly and maybe even not work at all except for at full power. – Christian Wattengård Jan 09 '19 at 13:59
  • I have a hard time finding LEDs that are dim enough for evening lighting. Some of the lower output bulbs I've bought have a strobe effect which for me is (literally) nauseating. – JimmyJames Jan 09 '19 at 15:17
  • I'm also sensitive to flicker (remember 60hz CRT monitors?), but with appropriate dimmers it hasn't been an issue. – isherwood Jan 09 '19 at 15:20
  • @dandavis You're right a few one offs don't matter too much ... but if everyone in the world had just one ... it adds up. So if you're replacing, it's better to use LED. – UKMonkey Jan 09 '19 at 15:29
  • @ChristianWattengård other way around - bulbs are rated to support dimming - not the dimmer switch for LED.s – UKMonkey Jan 09 '19 at 15:31
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    It's actually both. Dimmers that are designed for LEDs have different circuitry. – isherwood Jan 09 '19 at 15:42
  • LED's a good idea for power saving, but that 90% power saving is almost completely in heat that doesn't get produced. So an LED fitting is rarely hot to the touch. – Criggie Jan 09 '19 at 18:42