detailed instructions:
(click for simple instructions)
(click for advanced features)
Enter as much data in as many search fields as you like. The more you enter the narrower the search, less you enter the broader the search. Press
button on search form to start the search after entering data in search field(s).
data variations... Bulb data contained on my website originates from many sources. Often different sources contain variations. For example, one source might list a bulb's voltage at 12v while another says 12.8v for same bulb. Another more common situation is line voltage bulbs. In USA, line voltage ranges around 110 to 130 volts depending on where you live. Some manufactures print on their bulbs 115v, while others print 120v or 125v (or some other close voltage number). These are all basically the same bulb. Good news is I have created easy ways to locate bulbs with variations from data which you might be expecting to find.
volt:
Close search: Enter bulb voltage value into volt field. Example, enter 12.8v to find bulbs close to 12.8v (volt). All 12.8v bulb will be located including bulbs which are close in voltage to 12.8v. Another example; 120v to find bulbs around 120 volts, including 110 to 130 volt bulbs. Doing Close search basically locates bulbs within +/-10% of your entered value. I recommend Close search in most instances. This is the basic default and most useful type of search.
Exact search: If you know that my website lists your bulb as exactly 12.4v, you might try including an "=" (equal) by entering =12.4v. Only bulbs which exactly match 12.4v will be located. For most VOLTAGE searches I don't recommend using exact searches as data variations (explained above) can make exact searches fail. Instead use Close search (above) or Range search (below).
Range search: To search a range of values, include a "-" (dash) between two values. 11.5 - 14.5v will locate all bulbs from 11.5v through 14.5v. Range searches can be very useful.
Percentage search: The Close search (described above) automatically searches about +/-10% of the value you enter. You can choose your own +/- percentage by including a "%" (percentage) after a number. For example, if you want to search for bulbs near 12 volts allowing a +/-1% range, enter 12v 1% and all bulbs with voltages listed in database 11.88v through 12.12v will be found. The smaller the percentage value, the more narrow your search.
Greater-than search: Include a ">" (greater-than) with value then all voltages more than your entry will be located. >12.4v will locate all voltages over 12.4v (but not 12.4v itself.)
Greater-than Equal search: Include a ">" (greater-than) and "=" (equal) with a value and all voltages equal to and more than your value will be located. >=12.4v will locate all voltages 12.4v and higher.
Less-than search: Include a "<" (less-than) with a value and all voltages less than your value will be located. <12.4v will locate all voltages under 12.4v (but not 12.4v itself.)
Less-than Equal search: Include a "<" (less-than) and "=" (equal) with a value and all voltages equal to and less than your value will be located. <=12.4v will locate all voltages 12.4v and lower.
Entering data limiter "v" (volt) in above examples is not required. Case of letter irrelevant. All other letters / punctuation ignored.
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Detailed examples of Bulb Data Search volt field entries: 120V 12.8V =12.8V 11.5-14.5v 12v 1% >12.4v >=12.4v <12.4v <=12.4v |
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similarity examples: (choose your flavor)
=10v (exact search) is same as 10 - 10v (range search) is same as 10v 0% (percentage search) 5 - 15v (range search) is same as 10v 50% (percentage search) 0 - 10v (range search) is same as 5v 100% (percentage search) is same as <=10v (less-than equal search) |
amp / watt / cp:
The amp / watt / cp field works same as volt field (described above), except you'll want to enter a (amp), w (watt), or cp (candle power) after your value to limit the search to either amp or watt data. For example =10a will locate only bulbs which are listed exactly as 10a (amp). Or, 100w will locate bulbs rated 100w (watt) and close to 100w. Observation... amp, watt, and cp printed data seem to have less variation, so using Exact search (see above) for this field could be helpful.
Entering a (amp) or w (watt) isn't required, but you should enter to distinguish between amp and watt to narrow search.
cp (candle power)... Older automobile bulb types and some miniature bulbs occasionally have a candle power rating printed on them. Add cp to your value entered into the amp / watt field to search for bulbs which specifically list candle power. For example entering 32cp will locate bulbs rated 32 (and close to 32) candle power. When doing candle power searches; cp data is shown in place of amp data. Published candle power ratings generally have fewer variations, so it could be useful doing an Exact search (see above). Most bulbs don't have a published candle power rating, so don't try searching for non-candle power published bulbs using this feature!
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Detailed examples of Bulb Data Search amp / watt / cp field entries: 100W 1w 7.5w 0.80w .6w =75w 75w-100w 75w 5% >75w >=75w <75w <=75w 10A 5a 1.8a 0.92a .05a =8.2a 11a-13a 4a 5% >20a >=20a <20a <=20a 32CP 8cp 1.5cp =8.2cp 20cp-40cp 55cp 8.5% >55cp >=55cp <55cp <=55cp |
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NUMERIC fields special search characters: (volt, amp / watt / cp) (number value) close search (about +/- 10%) 12.8v in volt matches 12v, 12.8v, 13.55v ... (close to 12.8v) 12.8v in volt won't match 6v, 18v (not close enough to 12.8v) = (equal) for exact search =50w in amp/watt matches 50w only =50w in amp/watt won't match 50.1w (not 50w) - (dash) range search between two numbers 120 - 130v in volt matches 120v, 123.19v, 125v, 130v ... (between and equal to 120v and 130v 120 - 130v in volt won't match 119.9v, 130.1v ... (not between 120v and 130v) % (percent) percentage search 12.8v 5% in volt matches 12.5v, 13v, 13.4v ... (within +/- 5% of 12.8v) 12.8v 5% in volt won't match 12v, 13.5v (not within 5% of 12.8v) > (greater-than) more than entered number >20a in amp matches 25a, 50a, 75a ... (greater than 20a) >118v in volt matches 118.1v, 130v, 200v ... (greater than 118v) >118v in volt won't match 118v (must be greater than 118v) >= (greater-than and equal) more than entered number or equal >=20a in amp matches 20a, 25.5a, 50a, 75a ... (equal or greater than 20a) >=118v in volt matches 118v, 118.1v, 119v, 200v ... (equal or greater than 118v) >=118v in volt won't match 117v (must be 118v or greater) < (less-than) less than entered number <20a in amp matches 0.8a, 5a, 15a ... (less than 20a) <118v in volt matches 6.6v, 14.1v, 92v, 117.9v ... (less than 118v) <118v in volt won't match 118v (must be less than 118v) <= (less-than and equal) less than entered number or equal <=20a in amp matches 0.8a, 5a, 15a, 20a ... (equal and less than 20a) <=118v in volt matches 6.6v, 14.1v, 117.9v, 118v ... (equal and less than 118v) <=118v in volt won't match 118.1v (must be equal or less than 118v) regular search characters: any number (which can include a "." (period), and a letter: v in volt, and, a or w (or cp) in amp/watt = valid search character other punctuation is ignored case of letters is ignored |
base:
Click the
button (on search form) and then click on the picture most resembling your bulb's base. The search code for that bulb base is automatically entered into base search field.
glass:
Click the
button (on search form) and then click on the picture most resembling your bulb's glass shape. The search code for that glass shape is automatically entered into glass search field. (works similar to the BASE field described above)
filament:
Click the
button (on search form) and then click on the picture most resembling your bulb's filament design. The search code for that filament design is automatically entered into filament search field. (works similar to the BASE field described above)
BASE / GLASS / FILAMENT:
Upper or lower case letters doesn't matter as case is ignored; so, any of the following base entries will be successful; BA15S, Ba15S or ba15s.
Dashes are ignored; if looking for glass shape T-6; entering either T-6 or just T6 will be successful.
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ALPHA-NUMERIC fields special search characters: (base, glass, filament) ! = forced start or end of data word s! in base matches BA15s base and all other bases ending with S (will not match BA15d) !c2! in filament matches only C-2 filaments # = wildcard NUMBER single number character ba#1 in base matches BA21s, BA21d @ = wildcard LETTER single letter character ba@1 in base matches BAY15s, BAY15d ... ? = wildcard ANY single character b???d in base matches BA15d, BA20d, BA22d ... * = wildcard run of zero or more characters g*3 in base matches G5.3, GX5.3, GY5.3, G6.35, GX6.35, GY6.35, G38 ... g*5.3 in base matches G5.3, GU5.3, GX5.3, GY5.3 regular search characters: any letter, number, . (period), or / (forward slash) = valid search character other punctuation is ignored case of letters is ignored |
Mix and match special search characters as needed for advance searches. For example entering !@@##@! (start, letter, letter, number, number, letter, end) in base matches BA15s, BA15d, BX22d, PX15d, BA22d, GX16d, etc.
DATA RESULTS... Every bulb type (up to 50 maximum results) matching your search criteria will be displayed. Searches are performed on groups of bulb types and shown in this order... Top of list are bulbs in stock ready to ship (indicated by green background), special order bulbs not in stock (indicated by blue background), and then bottom of list are bulbs which I don't have in stock nor have a current supplier for (indicated by red background).
Final consideration: Not every bulb on my website has full specifications entered yet. If bulb's data is incomplete bulb will be difficult or impossible to find using this feature. Good news is my database expands and accuracy improves daily!
Enjoy! - Don Schnapp