Abstract: A socket for a compact fluorescent lamp which includes two or more parallel tubes that share a common base, said base including at least two terminal pins and retaining means for engagement with the socket, has a housing including a back wall, a front wall, with top and bottom walls and two side walls extending from said back wall and forward of said front wall, thereby defining a front opening for receiving said lamp base. Channels are formed in said housing enclosing conductive terminals for receiving each of said terminal pins in electrically conductive engagement. Said front wall defines openings through which the terminal pins project for engagement with said conductive terminals.

Abstract: A socket for fluorescent lamps includes in a side wall, at least one integral resilient flange having an inward facing hook shaped for establishing reversible locking engagement with a retaining hook on the lamp's base. At least two such inward facing resilient flange hooks are preferred. An access opening at the bottom of the socket is provided for molding each hook integral with the socket and for air circulation to the lamp's base. Lips on external walls are provided to protect the lamp pins from contact by foreign bodies when the lamp base is installed in the socket. A key slot on a socket wall for mating with a key protrusion on the lamp base assures that the desired specific wattage lamp is installed in the socket. Snap-in-lock flanges are alternatively provided for base, side and top mounting of the sockets. Flange mounting is also provided.