Atlantic Illumination Entertainment Lighting
                                      
                             AIEL Instructional
                                      
                               STAGE LIGHTING
                                SOCKET GUIDE
                                      
                       This Article will Discuss the
                         Various Socket Types used
                         in Stage Lighting Fixtures
   
                    THE FOLLOWING MAY NOT BE REPRODUCED
                    WITHOUT PERMISSION FROM THE AUTHOR ©
   
                                    Topics
                                      
                      Preliminary     Socket Materials
                                      
                      Socket Types     Reference Table
                                      
   
   
   
   
   
    PRELIMINARY
  
       The most important component of a stage lighting fixture is its
   electrical socket. Without it, most lamps cannot be held correctly,
   and, screw terminals excluded, none would have the electrical
   connections needed to emit light.
   
       Various sockets have been developed over the years to provide the
   proper connection, orientation, and filament height, along with the
   mechanical abilities to hold the lamp and to dissipate some portion of
   the heat transmitted or radiated toward the socket. At least some of
   these different versions were only made because patents of a given
   socket type prevented usage by rival companies.
   
       Here is an initial article that will discuss socket aspects in
   regards to the fixtures that use non-LED lamps. This will be followed
   by a reference table that gives the typical types with their common
   names and their IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission)
   designations.
   
   
   
    SOCKET MATERIALS
  
       Electrical sockets grew out of connectors for some lamps that had
   only screw terminals to attach the lamp to its voltage source. This
   method is still seen today in very rough service situations such as
   marine and railroad applications.
   
       Sockets came about as a way to quickly replace failed lamps, and
   as an alternate method to hold the lamp in place. These sockets were
   originally made from metal strips with a wooden isulator, but then
   were improvrd to be metal with a cardboard insulator. Some very cheap
   sockets that used low-wattage, low-heat sources were made of metal
   that was insulated with wax! (These could still be seen as late as the
   1950s in some parts of the world.) Later, an early type of plastic,
   Bakelite, began to be used; it, or a similar material is still
   employed today in low-wattage, typically residential, fixtures.
   
       However, as light and heat output increased in lamps designed for
   performance and other demanding purposes, socket insulators began to
   be made of porcelain because many materials deteriorated too easily.
   These are often encased partly or completely in metal for strength and
   heat-dissipation purposes.
   
   
   
    SOCKET TYPES
  
       As manufacturers developed different lamps for specific purposes,
   or because they made lamps to fit sockets requested by fixture
   builders, various types have come into the market over the decades.
   The requests came about due to designers that wanted smaller fixture
   bodies with more efficient optics. This was especially true in
   products such as projection and medical equipment, which demanded more
   compactness coupled with new techniques of providing light to where it
   was desired, and by innovative methods.
   
   
   
                              SOCKET REFERENCE
                                      
        This table focuses on sockets used in entertainment industry
     equipment, but will grow to include those from other professions.
     Be aware that sockets will often appear more than once because the
                         table is cross-referenced.
    Note that there are variations of many of these sockets, as used by
         those other professions, and that they have different IEC
                               designations.
     This table will endeavour to include these as research continues.
   
          To directly locate a Socket without scanning the table,
           please use your browser's built-in "Search" function.
                  For information regarding this feature,
                           see Intra-Page Search)
   


                                   Socket
                              Reference Table


  Type                         IEC Designation
 Bayonet: Single-Contact            BA15S
 Bayonet: Double-Contact            BA15D
 Bi-Pin: MR8, MR11                  GU4, GY4, GZ4
 Bi-Pin: Medium                     G9.5
 Bi-Pin: Prefocus                   G29.5
 Bi-Pin: Medium Prefocus            GY9.5


 Candelabra: Miniature (MiniCan)    E11
 Candelabra: Screw                  E12


 Double-Ended                       R7s


 Extended Mogul End Prong           GX16d


 Medium Bi-Pin                      G9.5
 Medium Side Prong                  G16?
 Medium Two-Pin                     GY9.5
 Miniature Candelabra (MiniCan)     E11
 Mogul Bi-Post                      G22
 Mogul End Prong                    GX16d
 Mogul End Prong, Extended          GX16d


 Prefocus, Bi-Pin                   G29.5
 Prefocus, Bi-Pin, Medium           GY9.5
 Prefocus, Candelabra               ?
 Prefocus, Medium                   PS20
 Prefocus, Mogul                    P40s


 Screw, Candelabra                  E12
 Screw, Intermediate                E17
 Screw, Medium                      E28
 Screw, Miniature                   E10
 Screw, Mogul                       E39



                                  --------

 Ferrule Contacts (No actual socket)
 Screw Terminals (No actual socket)
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 Reference:                                             
                                                        
             http://AIEL.chebucto.biz/Market/Socket.html