Glossary
Lampholder (portalámparas: E27, E14 and GU10)
The part of a light fitting into which the bulb screws or clips and which carries the current to it. The usual ones in Spanish homes are the large E27 screw, the small E14 screw and the two-pin GU10. In US English it is a lamp socket.
What a lampholder is
The lampholder (lamp socket in the US) holds the bulb and connects it to the circuit. Inside there are two contacts, one for the live (phase) wire and one for the neutral. Screwing or clipping in the bulb closes the circuit and it lights up.
Types you will find in Spain
- E27: the large Edison screw used in ceiling and floor lamps. Many UK homes use bayonet caps, so bring screw bulbs, not bayonet ones.
- E14: the small screw, typical of wall lights, table lamps and cooker hoods.
- GU10: two pins with a twist, common in 230 V recessed spotlights.
- GU5.3 (MR16): two straight pins for 12 V spotlights, which need a transformer.
- G9 and G4: small capsules for decorative lamps.
When you switch to LED, just buy a bulb with the same cap. If you replace 12 V spotlights with 230 V LED ones, the transformer comes out and a GU10 holder goes in.
Why lampholders scorch
A blackened or deformed lampholder usually comes from a poor contact, an old incandescent bulb above the rated wattage or a loose wire in its terminals. The bad contact heats up, makes the light flicker and can end in a short circuit.
Replacing one safely
- Switch the circuit off at the consumer unit: turning off the light switch is not enough.
- Check there is no voltage.
- On screw holders, the live goes to the centre contact so the outer metal thread is never live.
If there is a burning smell or the fault keeps coming back, have the installation checked. See handyman electrician in Seville, Spain.
Related services
Light fitting installation
A lighting electrician in Seville, Spain to hang your pendant lights, ceiling lights, wall lights and designer fittings: we fix them securely to the ceiling or wall, connect them with their earth and check that everything works. It is the job most requested when moving into a new home, because new builds in Spain are handed over without light fittings.
Handyman electrician and small jobs
We take care of those small electrical repairs in Seville, Spain that keep getting put off: replacing sockets (outlets in the US) and switches, hanging ceiling lights and wall lights, mounting the TV on the wall, replacing a power strip with a fixed socket or adding one more, and taking the old material away. All in a single visit, with a fixed price and the same care as a large installation.
Burning smell
A burning smell from a socket, smoke from a box or a melted cable are warnings of a possible electrical fire. Switch off the power at the main switch and call an electrician: we find the source, replace the damaged cables and switches and check that your installation is safe again.
Need an electrician in Seville, Spain?
Call us or send a WhatsApp message with a photo of the job. You get a fixed quote before any work starts.