Choosing Halogen Spotlights | Lightbulbs Direct

The most common halogen spots are either low voltage push fit (GU4 or GU5.3) or mains voltage twist and lock (GU10) versions.

Halogen GU10 Spotlights (aka PAR16 or GU10)

The GU10 has two studs at the bottom and has a twist-lock action to insert and remove from the fitting. This measures 50mm across the face of the light bulb. It is a 240V mains halogen and is quite different from the 12V versions. You may wonder what the 10 in GU10 stands for – well, it means that there is a 10mm distance between the centres of the two studs.

Halogen MR16 Bulbs (aka MR16 or GU5.3)

The MR16 has 2 sharp pins on the bottom of the light bulb that are simply pushed into the fitting, which is why this kind of light bulb is commonly referred to as a ‘push-fit’. This is a 12V lamp which requires a transformer and is quite a bit larger than the MR11. It measures 50mm across the face of the light bulb. The 5.3 in GU5.3 means that there is a distance of 5.3mm between the two pins.

If you would prefer to upgrade your Halogen MR16 to LED equivalents, make sure you read our guide to replacing halogen MR16 spotlights with LED.

Halogen MR11 Bulbs (aka MR11 or GU4)

The MR11 has 2 sharp pins on the bottom of the light bulb and is classed as a ‘push-fit’ light bulb. It is a 12V lamp which requires a transformer, but what makes it different from the MR16 is its width, which measures 35mm across the face of the light bulb. The 4 in GU4 means that there is a distance of 4mm between the two pins.

Don’t forget to catch up on the terminology of beam angles – helping you choose the right style spotlight for your room.

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