The minican base isn't like a regular screw-in base at all. It has very tiny threads which are different enough that nothing else could possibly fit into that socket. The minican E11 base halogen stands for "minicandelabra" which as you could guess is slightly smaller than a standard candelabra base. Be aware that there are many kinds of halogen bulbs that look similar, but many times they can be very different, so it's important that you know what you have. Among halogen lamps, this type may be the widest category and encompasses everything from low wattage bipin lamps to higher wattage minican E11 base halogen bulbs, so it can be a little overwhelming. But when you look at these bulbs, there are different bases, bulb sizes, finishes, voltage and, of course, the wattage. The applications and light fixtures that these have been used in are almost endless. The most common lighting task for these are high areas such as auditoriums or churches; in those cases they're usually in a recessed light fixture. There are also things like simple task lighting or outdoor flood lighting which makes it ideal for good light control.
When trying to identify your minican E11 base halogen, one of the best places to obviously start is at the base of the lamp; the part where it makes its electrical connection. Here is how to tell the difference between various types of bases and so on. One type of single ended halogen has one of several bases which would be the minican (MC) which we're talking about here, DC (double contact bayonet) or Candelabra (E12). These are the lamps which typically have a higher wattage but some are lower as well. Minican base halogen light bulbs are available in wide variety of bulbs and wattages as low as 50 watt all the way up to 1000 watts. On our web site, we have them listed with a MC but if you have an E11 code, that's fine too. The designation would be like the following, 75Q/MC, 100Q/MC, 150Q/MC, 250Q/MC and 500Q/MC. These also come in a clear or frosted glass and the preference is yours, but sometimes people prefer the frosted when they need to break the light up a bit.
Like all halogen bulbs, these should not be touched with your skin in any way and sometimes the packaging comes with a foam or paper wrapper to prevent this. If they are touched, the life span of the bulb will be greatly reduced. In case you ever do touch a bulb, wipe it thoroughly with a soft cloth. Most commonly, they are put into an enclosure but be aware of touching a halogen capsule itself directly, is not a good idea as it will shorten lamp life.
From flood lighting, task lighting or in a large commercial space, you will most likely find minican base halogen lamps used in many kinds of lighting applications. The compact size of these halogen lamps make it possible to put them in almost any small space and produce high illumination. By clicking the link above, you'll be taken to a page that has our full offering of this lamp type. If you're having trouble identifying your bulb, please call us and one of our friendly customer service people will help you!
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