How it connects
The lamp's two pins push straight into the socket; spring contacts grip the pins by friction and carry current. No twist, lock or seal.
Male and female halves
Socket/lamp holder is the female half (two pin holes); the lamp base with pins is the male half. This port is the female socket.
Usually connects to
- G5.3-base lamps
- MR11 lamps with GU4/G4 base (in multi-fit sockets)
- GU5.3 / GX5.3 bi-pin lamp base (MR16, MR11 lamps)
Common sizes
- 5.33 mm pin centres, with pins about 1.45–1.6 mm diameter.
- Many holders also accept G4 (4 mm centres) and GY6.35.
Where it is used
low-voltage landscape lightingtrack and recessed downlightsdisplay lightinglandscape and pond lights
Variations
- G5.3
- GX5.3
- GU4 (MR11)
- multi-fit G4/GU5.3/GY6.35 sockets; multi-fit G4/GU5.3/GY6.35 holders
How to recognise it
Small round ceramic block (often with a cut-out profile) with two small holes ~5.3 mm apart in the face, flying leads behind; on fixtures sits behind an MR16 reflector lamp of 50 mm diameter.
Often confused with
| Confused with | How to tell them apart |
|---|---|
| GU10 twist-lock socket | GU10 is mains voltage, 10 mm pin spacing with thick stubby pins and twist-lock; GU5.3 pins are thin, 5.33 mm apart, push-in. GU10 has 10 mm spacing with thick stubby pins and twist-locks; GU5.3 has thin straight pins and pushes straight in. |
| G4 bi-pin socket | G4 pins are 4 mm apart and typically on capsule lamps; GU5.3 is 5.33 mm. G4 pins are 4 mm apart and usually on smaller capsule lamps. |
| GY6.35 socket | GY6.35 spacing is 6.35 mm. |
Also called
G5.3 socketMR16 socketMR16 lamp holderbi-pin socketGU5.3 lamp holderGX5.3 socketbi-pin lamp holder
Good to know
GU5.3 has 5.3 mm pin centres and roughly 1.6 mm holes. Some sockets accept G4/GU5.3/GY6.35 bulbs. Insertion depth varies by socket.
Related connections
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