Oh the bulb... Without a source of light, the lamp becomes just another dust collecting nick-knack perched on the table top or night stand. With a little filament and electricity, blam-o! We have light. So then the questions is "Should I Use An A19 or a E26 Bulb on My Vintage Lamp?"
Answer: Why not?
 |
| 47260 - LED Vintage Style Light Bulb, A19, Medium Size (E26) w/Loop Filament |
The problem is the question. The A19 and E26 are unrelated and describe different aspects of the bulb. The A stands for Arbitrary and the 19 is the measurement in 1/8th of an inch. A19 equals and Arbitrary shape with 19/8th or 2 3/8th (2.375 inches) in diameter. What comes after A?
 |
| Source: https://www.lightopedia.com/static/frontend/images/tools/bulb-shapes-and-sizes.gif |
Thanks for the great infographic LightOPedia. And as you can see, there are many different shapes and styles for bulbs, but the A series is the OG. Even Thomas Edison, when asked about the bulb, at one point said "A".
Notice in this chart, there is no E Series. The E of the "E26" in the light bulb description stands for Edison and the 26 is the measurement in millimeters. E26 equals Edison style (screw type base) with 26 millimeters width (about 1 inch).
The E26 socket is the most common size lamp socket in North America for table lamps, ceiling fixtures, bathroom lights, hallway lights, and many other applications. Another term for E26 is Medium Socket. E12 sockets are also known as Candelabra Sockets and E39 sockets are known as Mogul Sockets.
Join us later as we will take a dive into the energy consumption of bulbs. Watt?
