Ceiling light shade compatibility

unsurewut · 19-03-2026 11:41PM #1

hi all

I have weird lights from the ceiling that have three bulbs in one. I really don’t want to change the fixtures themselves

can Someone here look at the image and see if I can just buy a ring to make it compatible with most shades or whether I need certain specific ceiling shades only

thanks!

10-10-20 · 20-03-2026 09:38AM

So that, in my mind, is the remnants of a broken cylinder fixture. It has the wrong bulbs fitted for a start, but the main challenge is that the shade mount (the part on top of the rising tube) is not a standard pendant type, so you will need to get a "ring reducer" to fit the existing fitting.

This is the type, but I'm not convinced that it will fit what you have:

https://www.woodies.ie/shade-reducer-ring-1159983

As for the bulbs, try get some short golf-ball E27 (ES) (I think it's an ES style bulb, but it could be a B22/Bayonet) units as they will give better lighting and allow a shorter diameter shade to be fitted.

https://www.futureled.ie/vintage-led/1150-xled-g45-e27-45w-5905339296252.html

Hope it helps.

unsurewut · 20-03-2026 08:44PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124326222#Comment_124326222

Thanks for the response. Are you sure its a broken fixture as they are throughout the apartment? Also, the bulbs are correct. Well, when I say they are the right bulbs, they are E27 and they screwed in perfectly. The reason the lighting looks weird is they are hooked up to my smart lighting and were dimmed at the time

10-10-20 · 20-03-2026 10:46PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124327943#Comment_124327943

I'm pretty sure as the lamp holders are white and the boss are a different colour. Example of how it may have looked here:

In terms of the bulbs, that style isn't optimal for an even light distribution, plus a bit long in form, but I mean that in nothing more than a friendly observation.

Smart lighting all the way!

unsurewut · 20-03-2026 11:18PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124328389#Comment_124328389

I'm not entirely following you as I'm not familiar with some of the terms ("boss" etc). Here is a picture of what the lampshade looked like before i moved in, no idea if this helps at all.

Am i correct in understanding that i might need to change the 'lower fitting'?

10-10-20 · 21-03-2026 11:52AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124328553#Comment_124328553

It's the land of confusion then! 😆

So you're missing the lamp shade on all your lamps leaving you with that hanging pendant? ie someone took the shades and made off with them when moving out? Or am I misunderstanding you and you actually have the shades dismounted?

The boss (as I call it) is the central silver/metallic piece which connects all three white lamp holders.

With this style of fitting/pendant the shades can typically only be removed by disassembling the whole fixture as they are held in place by being screwed onto the rising tube, see photo:

So how or why somebody removed the shades and seemingly reassembled the fitting as they appear to have done, I don't really understand.

😀

unsurewut · 21-03-2026 06:53PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124329283#Comment_124329283

Wow!

Ok, so when I moved in, there were no shades left on any of the lights in the apartment. But they all had bulbs. I changed the bulbs only for philips hue bulbs.

But then my question is, if they made off with the shades, why can't I just buy the same shades? Surely they will fit then? There is one of the shades left, in the hallway, but the fitting looks different as its one of those rosebud fittings, but i can see that the shade is the same as what was in the lounge and living room.

10-10-20 · 21-03-2026 07:38PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124330373#Comment_124330373

Sadly because they are a single assembled unit not designed for repair or upgrade. But again, would somebody go to that effort that I described to just take the shades? Its a mystery!