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G40 E12 (C7) Globe Bulb SMD - Plastic
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$494.00
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Built for installers. Used on real jobs.
This is the gear working contractors run on real rooflines. C9 and C7 LED bulbs, socket wire, clips, plugs, and complete pro light kits at contractor wholesale pricing. Most orders ship same day if placed before 2 PM ET. Free shipping over $349.
The 4-sentence answer
The G40 E12 (C7) Bulb SMD — Plastic is a 0.5W LED bulb on a G40 body (1.5″ diameter (smaller, classic patio look)) with an E12 candelabra base. Polycarbonate lens with SMD LED chip — shatter-resistant. It fits any E12 socket — standard C7 socket wire, patio string light sockets, custom-built socket sets. IP65 wet-rated; rated for outdoor cold-climate operation. Best for: outdoor patio strings, commercial venues, child-friendly indoor displays. Pick the glass version for premium aesthetic + 20,000-hour rated life; pick plastic for shatter-resistant commercial environments.
Verified specifications
Every value below is pulled from the printed bag label and the C7 cluster spec source. No marketing inflation.
| Bulb shape | G40 (1.5″ diameter (smaller, classic patio look)) |
|---|---|
| Lens material | Plastic |
| Wattage per bulb | 0.5W |
| Voltage | 120V AC line voltage |
| Base type | E12 (candelabra) |
| Color temperature | 3000K (Warm White) — bestseller |
| Lifespan rating | 15,000 hours |
| IP rating | IP65 (wet location rated) |
| Certification | cETLus listed |
| Dimmable | No (use G40 for TRIAC dimming) |
Who this bulb is built for
Outdoor Patio Strings — primary use case
The G40 Plastic bulb shape is the volume seller in outdoor patio strings installs. Polycarbonate lens with SMD LED chip — shatter-resistant, designed for 0.5W of warm-white output per bulb.
Commercial bistro / patio installations
The G40 form factor pairs well with bulk E12 patio string socket sets. Wholesale by the 25-pack or case for restaurant patios, hotel pool decks, and outdoor event venues.
Hybrid setups with C7 stringers and G40
Mix and match: run G40 Plastic on the patio strings and step up to G40 on the dimmable feature lines. Both fit E12 sockets — the only differentiator is the dimming circuit and the lens form factor.
What this bulb works with
- Sockets
- C7 SPT-1 or SPT-2 socket wire. The socket is E12 candelabra (NOT the E17 used by C9). Don’t cross-mount a C7 into a C9 socket — the base diameters are different. Shop C7 socket wire
- Clips
- C7 Wedge Tuff Clip (dual shingle + gutter), C7 Tuff Clip Original (Shingle Clip), C7 Tuff Clip Flex Clip (sealed enclosed design). Clip families mirror the C9 lineup but sized for the smaller C7 base. Shop C7 clips
- Plugs
- Match the plug to the wire jacket (SPT-1 plug for SPT-1 wire; SPT-2 plug for SPT-2 wire). Don't cross-match — the slide-on plug must match the wire jacket spec. Shop plugs
- Timers / controllers
- Any 120V outdoor timer rated for LED loads. C7 Minleon V2’s TRIAC dimming requires a TRIAC-rated dimmer (not a generic ELV dimmer). Lutron Caseta and Insteon LED dimmers are confirmed compatible.
- Will NOT work with
- C9 sockets (E17 base — different diameter). Mini-light strings (those use even smaller bases). Pre-2005 incandescent dimmer switches without LED retrofit.
G40 E12 (Plastic) vs G40
| Spec | G40 (Plastic) | G40 |
|---|---|---|
| Bulb shape | G40 (1.5″ diameter (smaller, classic patio look)) | C7 (1.25″ diameter, classic) |
| Lens material | Plastic | Polycarbonate |
| Wattage | 0.5W | 0.6W |
| Voltage | 120V AC | 120V AC |
| Lifespan rating | 15,000 hours | 15,000 hr |
| Dimmable | No | Yes (TRIAC) |
| Base | E12 | E12 |
| Best for | outdoor patio strings | Dimmable C7 roofline + accent installs |
See all C7 bulbs side by side →
How to install
- Pick the spacing + lay out the C7 stringer wire. Most C7 installs use 6″ or 12″ spacing — tighter than typical C9 because the C7 bulb is smaller and the eye reads a denser pattern. Measure the eave or tree-wrap length, cut the C7 socket wire to length, install the SPT plug at the supply end.
- Twist a C7 LED bulb into each socket. E12 base into the C7 socket. Hand-tight only — over-tightening cracks the nickel-plated base over multiple seasons. Pre-bulb the stringer at the shop, NOT on the ladder.
- Mount and walk-test at dusk. Snap C7 clips onto each bulb base, snap the clips to the eave or branch. Plug into a GFCI outlet, walk back 30–40 ft, confirm the line is straight and every bulb lights. Mid-install bulb swaps cost 4x the time of pre-mount swaps.
Certifications and compliance
- UL Listed indoor/outdoor — Tested for both interior and exterior seasonal lighting use. Insurance carriers verify on denied-claim reviews.
- cETLus mark — Tested as part of the cETLus-listed seasonal lighting system (Intertek file 5019711). Equivalent to UL Listed for code-compliant installations in the US + Canada.
- IP65 wet location rating — Direct rain + sleet + snow contact. Not submersible.
- Polycarbonate lens — Doesn't yellow, doesn't crack in freeze-thaw cycles. Acrylic lenses on cheap C7 LEDs yellow within 2 seasons of direct UV.
Warranty
5-year limited warranty on C7 Minleon V2 LED bulbs from Christmas Lights HQ. Covers manufacturing defect and premature failure.
Not covered: dropped bulbs, cut socket wires, mis-wired AC (180V+ surges from generator over-voltage), running over the rated socket count per circuit, animal damage.
Full warranty terms → | Warranty claim contact →
Questions contractors actually ask
Will the G40 Plastic bulb fit a standard C7 socket?
Yes — the E12 base on the G40 matches a standard C7 socket. Any C7 socket wire stringer, patio string socket, or custom E12 socket fixture accepts this bulb. The shape (1.5″ G40 / 2″ G50) is the visible difference vs a classic C7 (1.25″).
Is the Plastic lens going to break in storage or transit?
Polycarbonate plastic lenses are shatter-resistant — they survive drops onto concrete and packed-tight wholesale storage. The plastic is UV-stabilized to resist yellowing across multiple seasons.
How many of these bulbs can I run on one circuit?
At 0.5W per bulb, a standard 15A residential circuit (1800W usable) handles roughly 2880 bulbs per code (80% of capacity). Most installs split runs at 200-500 bulbs per line for serviceability.
Does this bulb work in cold weather (below freezing)?
Yes — LED bulbs run BETTER in cold than warm because junction temperature stays lower. Plastic lens material is rated for outdoor cold-climate. Polycarbonate plastic does not crack in subzero temperatures and does not become brittle in cold storage.
Is this bulb dimmable?
No — the G40 E12 SMD bulbs in this collection are non-dimmable. For TRIAC-dimmable C7-base bulbs, step up to G40 which is the dimmable C7 in the Christmas Lights HQ lineup.
Customer reviews
Build the complete G40 E12 line
Orders placed before 2 PM ET ship the same day. Free shipping on orders over $349. Most orders arrive in 2-5 business days via UPS or FedEx Ground.