# help with lightbulb replacment



## carfaxius (Jul 20, 2015)

Hello all, 

I have a desk lamp that I am pretty sure is a halogen but unfortunately the lamp has no indicators on it to help me replace the bulb so I took a picture in hopes that someone with more experience might be able to help out I have purchased a small two prong bulb that looks like it should fit but it doesn't go more than a quarter of the metal prongs length into the lamp. any help is greatly appreciated.


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## poiihy (Jul 21, 2015)

That lamp looks like it uses a standard G4 halogen capsule. But you need to find out the max wattage so you know how big of a bulb you can put in. Are there no markings anywhere on the lamp? Not even on the bottom?

If there are, then get a bulb that is less than or equal to the max. So if the max is 50w, you can put in a 50w or anything less like a 20w or 10w.


Are you sure you are putting the pins in the right way?


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## broadgage (Jul 24, 2015)

Looks to me like a lamp holder intended to accept either a G4 base lamp OR the next size up GU/GX 5.3, that is why one hole is slightly larger so as to accept lamps with slightly different pin spacing.

G4 lamps are often 5 watts, 10 watts or 20 watts, though other wattages exist.
GU 5.3 lamps are often 35 watts, 50 watts, or 75 watts, but again other wattages exist.

These lamps are made in various voltages, but the great majority are 12 volts. If the desk lamp is intended for line voltage use, it will therefore incorporate a transformer usually either built into the base of the lamp or as a wall wart. This should be marked with the proper wattage lamp to use.


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## carfaxius (Jul 24, 2015)

Alright thanks for the help I found the transformer for it and it says that's it's 50 watt maximum output but it also says for use with 12 volt halogen bulbs now I just need to get the proper ones and put them in my buddy tried one and it looks like he got it working briefly then the bulb started smoking so we shut it down until I got answers from someone with more knowledge than we possess so thank you folks.


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## broadgage (Jul 24, 2015)

A 12 volt 50 watt halogen lamp with a GU5.3 base should be just fine, or a lower wattage 12 volt lamp , but not higher than 50 watts and it must be 12 volts.
These are very common.

Whilst the emitting of smoke is a bit worrying, it was probably just dust, dirt or grease from your fingers. These halogen lamps run very hot and any trace of dirt will burn away. Do not touch the lamp with bare skin, insert it by holding it in the packaging or a clean tissue etc.


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## poiihy (Jul 24, 2015)

If you do get it dirty then you can wash it with soap & water and isopropyl alcohol after that.


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## more_vampires (Jul 25, 2015)

Agree, have burned many bulbs with oil contamination. They just burn.


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