Finding LED Light for Ikea Lamp
 

I have picked up some nice Ikea lamps at the thrift store, but they often use an unusual bulb base incandescent (which seems to have a short life), or tiny CFL bulb which isn't bright enough for my purposes.

It turns out that the name for the unusual base is 'intermediate screw' also known as 'E17'.

I found nice LED bulbs that would physically fit the lamp (but not the lamp socket) at most any big-box home improvement store.


The most common LED bulb configuration that suits my use is called 'MR16', which is shaped like the small reflector-type bulbs used in commercial lighting. The specification for the base is 'GU10' which is a 120V base. So the call-out is a 'MR16 LED bulb with a GU10 base'.

Next problem is a way to bridge from the odd E17 socket to a GU10 bulb...

It turns out that you can't get there from here... at least without making a couple of stops in China.


So there is a Chinese adapter which will go from the E17 to E14 (AKA: European candelabra).


It also turns out that there is a Chinese adapter that goes from E14 to GU10 (AKA: Twist Lock).

So,

• First the lamp,
• Then the E17 to E14 adapter
• Then the E14 to GU10 adapter
• Then the MR16 LED bulb with a GU10 base

Voila! Lamp happiness... and I found the places that had the lowest prices ,too.


Regards,

-AC_Hacker

As an after note, the required parts have arrived and once the adapters and bulb were assembled, the bulbs stuck out too far.

So the end result I had in mind did not work out.

However, in hunting down parts, I did hear from some Ikia employees that a long-life led bulb is in the works for Ikea lamps. Don't know yet if it is the E17 base like so many Ikea lamps that are marching toward the landfill.

Short bulb life and a non standard bulb base is the curse of these otherwise nice products.

-AC_Hacker

Just a thought: I once had a small job installing a free standing Ikea stainless steel kitchen sink unit, and the plumbing connections were all European/metric. I was able to find the pieces I needed at West Marine, a lot of pleasure boats are of Asian manufacture, and West Marine carries a large inventory of replacement parts and supplies. It would not suprise me if they had just what you're looking for, and they would likely have a "rough service" version.

After thought: found a site, ledlightscanada.com, and scrolled through their product gallery. They probably have what you're looking for, and although they're Canadian I'm sure they'll be able and happy to help you.

As a final word on this thread, Ikea is now selling 3.5 Watt LED bulbs with an E17 base for $10 a pop. I bought 4 of them to try out.

They have a nice warm white look, not too yellow.

The dispersion is wider than I was getting with the other bulbs.

So the little Ikea goose neck lamps that I like so much with the impossible to find E17 bulbs are now a reality.

You can get them with a thumb tightening base, a screw to the wall base and with some minor hacking, a magnetic base for critical lighting of precision machine tools.

Finally, a dandy light... Forget the adapter-thing I posted before, just not worth the effort.

-AC