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Edison screw

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230-voltincandescent light bulbwith E27 screw base

Edison screw(ES) is a standardlightbulb socketforelectric lightbulbs. It was developed byThomas Edison(1847–1931), patented in 1881,[1]and was licensed in 1909 under General Electric'sMazdatrademark. The bulbs haveright-hand threadedmetal bases (caps) which screw into matching threaded sockets (lamp holders). For bulbs powered byAC current,the thread is generally connected toneutraland the contact on the bottom tip of the base is connected to the "live" phase.

In North America and continental Europe, Edison screws displaced other socket types for general lighting. In the early days of electrification, Edison screws were the only standard connector, and appliances other than light bulbs were connected to AC power via lamp sockets. Today Edison screw sockets comply with international standards.

Their types are designated as "Exx", such as "E26", where "xx" indicates the diameter of the socket in millimeters.

History[edit]

In the United States, early manufacturers ofincandescent lampsused several different and incompatible bases in the 1880s and 1890s. In designing his screw,[1]Edison copied the lid of a kerosene can in his workshop, even sawing it off to make a prototype in 1880.[2]Another company, theThomson-Houston Electric Company,used a threaded stud at the bottom of the socket and a flat contact ring.[3]: fig.8 TheSawyer-ManorWestinghousebase used a spring clip acting on grooves in the bulb base and a contact stud at the bottom of the lamp.[3]: fig.7 Most smaller competitors had to produce lamps for all three types,[2]and some used their own designs as well.[4]Other lamp bases include thebayonet mountandwedge base.

All three major designs werepatented.Edison himself filed his applications in 1881[1]and 1890.[3]In response to Edison's patent,Reginald Fessendeninvented thebi-pin connectorfor the1893 World's Fair.

After some design tweaks Edison settled upon a screw 1 inch in diameter with 7 threads per inch of length, which much later becameE26.Screw shells produced as early as 1888 had a lighter taper[5]than the modern ones.[6]

In 1892, Edison General Electric Company merged with Thomson-Houston to foundGeneral Electric,which gradually adopted the Edison screw and made it prevalent.[2]By about 1908, the Edison base was most common in the U.S. with the others falling out of use.[7]

Proposals to introduce one or several international standards for Edison screws began in 1918, when France suggested to theInternational Electrotechnical Commission(IEC) to take up the issue of sockets and holders.[8]All IEC attempts to reach consensus by 1925 failed, but lamp makers continued the work in an independent committee and developed two standards—one for Europe, another for Americas—which were endorsed by the IEC in 1930 and 1931 respectively.[9]It was in this period when E-designations of screws first originated in Germany (where sevenDINVDEstandards were enacted in 1924—1925[10]) and then adopted by IEC.[11]

Types[edit]

Three-way E26dlight socket
E26 Edison screw toNEMA 1-15adapter

Specifications for all lamp mount types are defined in the followingAmerican National Standards Institute(ANSI)[12]andInternational Electrotechnical Commission(IEC) publications:

  • Lamp Caps – ANSI C81.61 and IEC 60061-1
  • Lamp Holders – ANSI C81.62 and IEC 60061-2
  • Gauges (to ensure interchangeability) – ANSI C81.63 and IEC 60061-3
  • Guidelines for Electrical Lamp Bases, Lampholders and Gauges – ANSI C81.64 and IEC 60061-4

Generally, the two standards are harmonized, although several types of screw mount are still defined in only one standard.

In the designation "Exx", "E" stands for "Edison" and "xx" indicates thediameterin millimeters as measured across the peaks of the thread on the base (male), e.g., E12 has a diameter of 12 mm. This is distinct from the glass envelope (bulb) diameter, which in the U.S. is given in eighths of an inch, e.g., A19,MR16,T12.[13] There are four commonly used thread size groups for mains supply lamps:

  1. Candelabra: E12 North America, E11 in Europe
  2. Intermediate: E17 North America, E14 (Small ES, SES) in Europe
  3. Medium or standard: E26 (MES) in North America, E27 (ES) in Europe
  4. Mogul: E39 North America, E40 (Goliath ES) in Europe.

The E26 and E27 are usually interchangeable, as are the E39 and E40, although less so; although there is only a 1 mm difference in thread outside diameter, there is a small difference in pitch; an E40 cap will often fit in an E39 holder but not the other way around. E11 and E12 are not interchangeable. Other semi-standard screw thread sizes are available for certain specific applications.[14]

The large E39 "Mogul" and E40 "Goliath" base are used onstreet lights,and high-wattage lamps (such as a 100 W / 200 W / 300 W 3-way) and manyhigh-intensity discharge lamps.In areas following the U.S.National Electrical Code,general-use lamps over 300 W cannot use an E26 base and must instead use the E39 base. Medium Edison screw (MES) bulbs for 12 V are also produced forrecreational vehicles.Large outdoor Christmas lights use Intermediate base, as do some desk lamps and manymicrowave ovens.[citation needed]Previously,emergency exitsigns also tended to use the intermediate base,[citation needed]but U.S. and Canadian rules now require long-life and energy-efficientLED lamps,which can be purchased inside a conventional Edison base bulb as aretrofit.A medium screw base should not carry more than 25amperescurrent; this may limit the practical rating oflow voltagelamps.[15]

E29 "Admedium" bases are used for special applications, for example UV spotlight lamps in magnetic crack detection machines.[citation needed]

In countries that use 220–240 VoltACdomestic power,standard-size E27 and small E14 are the most common screw-mount sizes and are prevalent throughout continental Europe[a] andChina.[16]

In 120 VoltNorth America,100 VoltJapanand 110 VoltTaiwan,the standard size for general-purpose lamps is E26.[17][18]

E12 is typically used for candelabra fixtures. E14 or E17 are also sometimes used, especially in smalltable lampsand novelty lighting, and occasionally the lights on newerceiling fans.'Christmas lights' use several base sizes: E17 for C9 bulbs, E12 for C7 bulbs, E10 for decades-oldseries-wiredC6 bulb sets[19]in the U.S., and an entirely differentwedge basefor T1¾ mini-lights. For a short time early on, these mini lights were manufactured using E5 screw bases.

A tiny E5 or E5.5 size is only used forextra-low voltages,such as in interiorilluminationformodel buildings,and modelvehiclessuch asmodel trains.These are often called "peabulbs "if they are globe-shaped, but they commonly look like sub-miniature Christmas bulbs, or large" grain-of-wheat"bulbs. E10 bulbs are common onbattery-poweredflashlights,as are bayonet mounts (although those are usually held in with a circularflangelocated where the base meets the glass envelope of the bulb). The E11 base is sometimes used for 50/75/100 Watthalogen lampsin North America, where it is called the "mini-can", and tighter threads are used to keep them out of E12 basenightlightsand other places where they could start a fire.[citation needed]

There are also adapters between screw sizes, and for adapting to or from bayonet caps. A socket extender makes the bulb stick out further, such as to accommodate acompact fluorescent lampthat is too large to fit in arecessed lightingfixture.

Most Edison screws have right-hand threads (lamp is turnedclockwiseto tighten), but left-hand threaded screws are sometimes used, usually for a non-standard voltage or wattage bulb. This prevents the use of an incorrect bulb, which could cause damage.[20]Public locations such as railway trains and theNew York City Subwayhave used light bulbs with left-hand threads to discourage theft of the bulbs for use in regular light fixtures.[21][22]

Fittings[edit]

From left to right: E27, E14, and E10 bulbs
E27 (230 V / 200 W) and E10 (2,5 V / 0,5 W)
Designation Base major diameter
(thread external) 		Pitch
mm[23] 		Name Applications IEC60061-1
standard sheet
E5(E5.5)[24] 5.5 mm (0.217 in) 1 Lilliput Edison Screw (LES) Indicator lights, decorative lights 7004-25-3[25]
E10 10 mm (0.394 in) 1.81 Miniature Edison Screw (MES), C6 Flashlights, bicycle lights 7004-22
E11 11 mm (0.433 in) — Mini-Candelabra Edison Screw (mini-can) 120 V halogen mini-candelabra 7004-06-1
E12 12 mm (0.472 in) 2.6 Candelabra Edison Screw (CES), C7 120 V candelabra/night lamp 7004-28
E14 14 mm (0.551 in) 2.82 Small Edison Screw (SES) 230 V candelabra/chandelier, night lamps, some pendant lights 7004-23
E16 16 mm (0.630 in) 2.5
E17 17 mm (0.669 in) — Intermediate Edison Screw (IES), C9 120 V appliance, decorative lights 7004-26
E18 18 mm (0.709 in) 3.0
E26 26 mm (1.024 in) — (Medium one-inch) Edison Screw (ES) Standard 120 V lamps 7004-21A-2
E27 27 mm (1.063 in) 3.62 (Medium) Edison Screw (ES) Standard 230 V lamps 7004-21
E33 33 mm (1.299 in) 4.23
E39 39 mm (1.535 in) — Single-contact (Mogul in America) Goliath Edison Screw (GES) 120 V 250+ W industrial 7004-24A-1
E40 40 mm (1.575 in) 6.35 (Mogul) Goliath Edison Screw (GES) 230 V 250+ W industrial 7004-24


Three-way lamps have adsuffix to indicate double contacts, usually E26d or E27d, or rarely E39d. The second contact is used for the lower-wattage filament of the two inside the lamp. This extra contact is a ring located around the main contact. Unlike bayonet sockets, three-way and regular lamps are interchangeable, although the low filament or low setting does not work if mismatched.

The small Edison screw has ninethreads per inch,or apitchof1⁄9in or 2.8222 mm per thread.

The medium Edison screw has seven threads per inch, or a pitch of1⁄7in or 3.6286 mm per thread. In the U.S., theEnergy Independence and Security Act of 2007requirement for greaterenergy efficiencyonly applies to the medium Edison screw, all other being considered "specialty" lamps.[26]

Diazed fusesDII uses the same E27 thread as standard 230 V lamps, but have a longer body and cannot be screwed into a lamp holder (socket). A lamp base is too short to contact the bottom terminal of a fuse holder. However it is possible (but not useful) to screw a DII fuse holder without a fuse in an E27 lamp holder.

Other uses[edit]

A 1909 toaster with Edison plug

The Edison screw socket was used as an outlet (such as fortoasters) whenmains electricitywas still mainly used forlighting,and before wall outlets became common.

In North America,fuseswere used in buildings wired before 1960. TheseEdison base fuseswould screw into a fuse socket similar to Edison-base incandescent lamps.

Some adapters forwall outletsuse an Edison screw, allowing a light socket to become an ungrounded electrical outlet (such as to install Christmas lights temporarily via aporchlight), or to make apull-chainswitch with two outlets, or to split it for two lamps. Another adapter can make a wall outlet into a lamp holder (lamp socket).

Various other accessories have been made, including asmoke detectorthatrechargesover a few hours and lasts for a few days or weeks thereafter, and still allows the attached lamp to operate normally. There have also been electronics that stick onto the end of the screw base and allow the attached lamp to flash, for example, to attract the attention of arriving guests oremergency vehicles;others function as adimmerortimer,or dim gradually in a child'sbedroomin the evening.

Somevacuum tubes,such as certain rectifiers, use an Edison screw base.

See also[edit]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ The BC orbayonet mountfitting is the most common light bulb fitting in the UK and many British Commonwealth countries, and is found in older installations[citation needed]in some other countries, including France and Greece.

References[edit]

  1. ^abcU.S. patent 0,251,554(applied 1881, awarded 1881) Two examples of screw system appear, including the kerosene-can lid, but their overall formations are incompatible with today's Edison sockets. No explicit claims for the screw system. Beware patents.google.com's preview mode lacks several pages, must download full PDF.
  2. ^abcOatman-Stanford, Hunter."Let There Be Light Bulbs: How Incandescents Became the Icons of Innovation".Collectors Weekly.Retrieved7 September2020.
  3. ^abcU.S. patent 0,438,310(applied 1890, awarded 1890) A lamp base that is compatible with 3 competing socket systems (Edison, Westinghouse, Thomson-Houston). This patent is not about Edison system itself. It rather is an enhancement to the already existing Edison system. Beware patents.google.com's preview mode lacks several pages, must download full PDF.
  4. ^Jenkins, John."Early Incandescent lamps".SPARK Museum of Electrical Invention.Retrieved7 September2020.
  5. ^"American Standard for Threads for Lamp Sockets and Bases".ASA Bulletin.3(2). American Standards Association.: 83 1932.Retrieved7 September2020.
  6. ^Historical American standards:
  7. ^"20".Interior wiring.I.C.S. Reference Library.Vol. 4B. New York: ScrantonInternational Textbook Company.1908 [1905]. p. S43 p41 (web 215/632).Retrieved8 September2020.
  8. ^"(p256)".The Engineer (UK magazine).No. 127. Morgan-Grampian. 14 March 1919. p. 256.Retrieved8 September2020.(snippet)
  9. ^Yates, JoAnne; Murphy, Craig N. (30 March 2021).Engineering Rules: Global Standard Setting since 1880.JHU Press. p. 108.ISBN978-1-4214-4003-3.Retrieved7 September2020.
  10. ^Dettmar, Georg (13 March 2013).Wegweiser für die vorschriftsgemäße Ausführung von Starkstromanlagen: Im Einverständnis mit dem Verbande Deutscher Elektrotechniker(in German). Springer-Verlag. p. 130.ISBN978-3-642-47446-0.Retrieved7 September2020.
  11. ^"(drawings of screw threads)".IEC Report of Plenary Meetings.International Electrotechnical Commission. 1935. p. 160.Retrieved8 September2020.Medium screw cap E 27
  12. ^ANSI C81 series:
  13. ^"Lamp Size Reference".lightopedia.com.Retrieved23 April2017.
  14. ^"Light Bulb Shape and Size Chart".Bulbs.com.Reference charts.Retrieved5 February2018.
  15. ^Incandescent Lamps (manual). General Electric. 1976. p. 12. publication no. TP 110.
  16. ^ "Đăng phao loa khẩu quy cách, đăng phao đích tuyển cấu kỹ xảo".Sưu phòng võng gia cư trang tu(in Chinese).Retrieved28 February2017.Tối trường [ thường ] [sic] đích sử dụng đích loa khẩu đăng phao quy cách thị: E14 hòa E27
  17. ^"FAQ".LED waves (ledwaves.com).Retrieved5 February2018.The E26 is the standard 120 Volt American base.
  18. ^"E26: – bàn điện cầu, ボール điện cầu の đa くがこのサイズ.".support pages. Sharp Japan. Archived fromthe originalon 10 February 2015.Retrieved30 January2015.
  19. ^"C6 bulb sets".lamp evolution. Archived fromthe originalon 20 October 2006.
  20. ^Eisenbraun, Blair (24 March 2011)."Left handed incandescent light bulbs?".eLightBulbs (lightbulbs.com)(blog).Retrieved27 July2016.
  21. ^McManus, Chris (2004).Right Hand, Left Hand: The origins of asymmetry in brains, bodies, atoms, and cultures.Harvard University Press.p. 46.ISBN978-067401613-2.Retrieved25 January2015.
  22. ^Schneier, B.(2003).Beyond Fear: Thinking sensibly about security in an uncertain world.Springer Science+Business Media.p. 221.ISBN978-038702620-6.Retrieved25 January2015.
  23. ^Edison thread
  24. ^"E5.5" designation does not exist in IEC 60061 database. Examples of usage:
  25. ^"IEC 60061 International Standard – Lamp caps and holders"(PDF)(in French and English) (3.51 ed.).Geneva:IEC.December 2014. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 16 April 2013.Retrieved22 March2015.(subscription required)
  26. ^Formisano, Bob."2007 Energy Bill – Are They Phasing Out or Making Incandescent Bulbs Illegal? Incandescent Exemptions: Where You Can Still Use Existing Bulbs".About.com. Archived fromthe originalon 27 April 2009.Retrieved22 March2015.

External links[edit]

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