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My Shop Light Situation Sucks - Looking for Recommendations

moparedtn

I got your Staff Member riiiight heeeere...
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Location
On the Ridge, TN
As the title says, I've about had it with the collection of el cheapo little battery-eating
lights I've been gifted over the years - and I'm for SURE done with the old standby
drop light and all the skin-searing, get-in-the-way-always lack of functionality those
bring to the party.
I'm not a big fan of the Chinesium LED fad, either - that sort of light is hard on my old
eyes, frankly.

I'm not concerned about stand-mounted lighting, still have a bunch of that stuff from
old work site days if/when the rare occasion presents itself for the hassle of dragging
those out.

So...what do YOU all recommend for a decent under-the-car on your back sort of work
light? How about an underhood one?
YES, I want to hear if there's any you'd specifically recommend AGAINST as well!
Pics are helpful as always, along with source/price info if known.
Thanks!!
 
Ed, Thanks for posting this subject. I thought I was the only one bothered by this problem. It is really hard to get good lighting under the car or lid to see what's going on. Constant adjustments get very irritating. I'll be watching this post to see what gets suggested.
 
As the title says, I've about had it with the collection of el cheapo little battery-eating
lights I've been gifted over the years - and I'm for SURE done with the old standby
drop light and all the skin-searing, get-in-the-way-always lack of functionality those
bring to the party.
I'm not a big fan of the Chinesium LED fad, either - that sort of light is hard on my old
eyes, frankly.

I'm not concerned about stand-mounted lighting, still have a bunch of that stuff from
old work site days if/when the rare occasion presents itself for the hassle of dragging
those out.

So...what do YOU all recommend for a decent under-the-car on your back sort of work
light? How about an underhood one?
YES, I want to hear if there's any you'd specifically recommend AGAINST as well!
Pics are helpful as always, along with source/price info if known.
Thanks!!
There are many choices of LED lights now. Can light inserts I use have 5 color and 3 brightness settings, from blue to the old yellow incandescent style. Bulbs are the same, just pick your color preference. The bulbs don’t get near as hot and they actually put out a lot of light for a lot less wattage. I’m not sure but I would think work lights would have comparable light configurations as far as color, yellow to blue. We’ve used LEDs for all our projects and no one has complained. Did have a plastic surgeon have us step down his in color to more yellow, said it reminded him of the operating room. We did add 16 cans to his house, just added 31 to another job. Hope this helps.
 
Ed at our shop we have tried many styles and brands of drop lights, we have went back with a standard old style drop / trouble light but with a led bulb.
Plenty of light and stays cool , bulbs are tuff as hell, we use Duracell brand bulbs.
Cordless lights were allways going dead at exactly the wrong time.lol
We converted our ceiling fixtures to led also. Shop has white steel inside that helps a bunch.
 
I bought one of those headband lights with rechargeable battery. It angles and has high and low beam. Which ever way you look and turn your head you SEE. Elastic band. I got it at an outdoor camping store for hikers $45 bright as hell on the top notch.
 
Ed,
I use a Snap-On rechargeable battery magnetic LED's but when I wanted more I could not find them. So I ordered these and they are just about the same. They have two brightness settings and a battery life indicator. May be a little too bright even on the lower setting. Could always use a plastic filter to tone them down a bit.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/233713469746

lights.jpg
 
I get tired of the portable LED lights that have that stupid "strobe" feature, as well as the lower "dim" settings that you have to click through when turning it off and on. WTF is that strobe supposed to be for??
 
I get tired of the portable LED lights that have that stupid "strobe" feature, as well as the lower "dim" settings that you have to click through when turning it off and on. WTF is that strobe supposed to be for??
aint-dat-da-troof.jpg
 
Ed at our shop we have tried many styles and brands of drop lights, we have went back with a standard old style drop / trouble light but with a led bulb.
Plenty of light and stays cool , bulbs are tuff as hell, we use Duracell brand bulbs.
Cordless lights were allways going dead at exactly the wrong time.lol
We converted our ceiling fixtures to led also. Shop has white steel inside that helps a bunch.
Those round screw-in jobbers they sell at WallyWorld now that supposedly replace the old school
incandescent ones? Are they impact resistant?
 
Yes, I've pissed away too much money on various shop/work lights. I needed light in my car "palace" and discovered 4ft. V LED tubes from LED My Place. I can get you more info when I'm more awake. They are about $15 each and are linkable up to 4. they are I think 5000 lumens - plenty bright. They have been really good. While trying to find a good under hood light, I took one of these plugged it in to an extension cord and used that. A bit awkward but really bright.
When I worked in a body shop, we had a really good cordless LED light that was rechargeable. There were about half a dozen on chargers so if one went dead you just got another one. I bought one for myself from an auto body supply house and coughed up $65. Good light but the charger failed within a year and the charged light doesn't work any more. I'm using a charger from something else and it's working but was hesitant about buying another one.
I was at Oriellys and happened to see a light that is identical to the $65 one for $20. I bought it. It's great! I bought 2 more so have extra on charge all the time. They work great. I also am trying a slim LED light, one large one small I got from Interstate Battery. I haven't really used them yet so can't really testify to how well they work but am very impressed with Interstate.

I've been using the 4ft tubes in the shop area over work benches and they are good. I found a shop light at HF that is a 10000 Lumen light - BRIGHT which is what I need when painting, working on parts etc. They are a good deal at $50.
General note to all who read/respond here:
I'm not talking about overhead lighting in the garage here - I have several 2x4 commercial fixtures full of
what I call "office lighting" (because that's where they came from - drop ceiling renovation gigs).
As their ballasts fail, I've been replacing them whole hog with $20 LED fixtures they sell at WallyWorld.

@QOTHL - Can you link to the work lights your refer to here? Provide pics or something to go by?
 
I bought one of those headband lights with rechargeable battery. It angles and has high and low beam. Which ever way you look and turn your head you SEE. Elastic band. I got it at an outdoor camping store for hikers $45 bright as hell on the top notch.
Thanks, but headlights and I don't get along.
Reasons... :)
 
Ed,
I use a Snap-On rechargeable battery magnetic LED's but when I wanted more I could not find them. So I ordered these and they are just about the same. They have two brightness settings and a battery life indicator. May be a little too bright even on the lower setting. Could always use a plastic filter to tone them down a bit.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/233713469746

View attachment 1165879
Thanks, I was eyeballing something like these (may have even been these) on Amazon last night
and they intrigue me - but can anyone explain to me why a work light would be USB rechargeable?
Mechanics got USB ports all over the shop now?
 
Those round screw-in jobbers they sell at WallyWorld now that supposedly replace the old school
incandescent ones? Are they impact resistant?
Morning Ed.
I'm not sure what ones Wally world sells.
The Duracell LEDs we buy come 6 to a box and we have sourced them from our parts man here.
Right above the threaded alum base is a white plastic collar then the bulb.
These get dropped several times and live through it.
I will find a link for you.
 
I've been using the same drop light for 40 years, its the old metal caged type, only thing is that i put a led lamp in it so it doesn't burn me.
I gave a couple of cheap little led ones for quick jobs too
 
Morning Ed.
I'm not sure what ones Wally world sells.
The Duracell LEDs we buy come 6 to a box and we have sourced them from our parts man here.
Right above the threaded alum base is a white plastic collar then the bulb.
These get dropped several times and live through it.
I will find a link for you.
https://www.googleadservices.com/pa...psfR8fvyAhV7kmoFHbr_D0U4ChDCD3oECCMQNA&adurl=
Ed those in the link are dimmable the ones we get are not,
They do come on higher watts.
Anyhow, same looking box ect. They are tough.
 
I've been using the same drop light for 40 years, its the old metal caged type, only thing is that i put a led lamp in it so it doesn't burn me.
I gave a couple of cheap little led ones for quick jobs too
Yeah, I got a drop light someone gave me (might have even been Pop a long time ago).
Instead of proper metal though, the damn thing is made entirely of orange plastic.
I stick impact-resistant incandescent bulbs in it and that sucker gets HOT!
That type of light always gets in the way and there's never a good place to hook it on, seems like.
I guess if I'm gonna keep the thing (I've tossed it in the trash in anger more than once :) ), I guess
I need to fetch some of those LED bulbs y'all are talking about.
 
I grew up with corded drop lights, and still have 3 in my garage. I can always guarantee ONE thing... Whenever I hang it, or try to use it under a dash, the darn things always turn and shine the light right into my eyes!
 
I grew up with corded drop lights, and still have 3 in my garage. I can always guarantee ONE thing... Whenever I hang it, or try to use it under a dash, the darn things always turn and shine the light right into my eyes!
Again, AMEN! Right in the eyes, every time!
 
Those round screw-in jobbers they sell at WallyWorld now that supposedly replace the old school
incandescent ones? Are they impact resistant?
Actually they are glass but they are not as fragile as the old filaments. They’ve come way down in price.
 
I've been using the same drop light for 40 years, its the old metal caged type, only thing is that i put a led lamp in it so it doesn't burn me.
I gave a couple of cheap little led ones for quick jobs too

I have a "curly fry" bulb in mine. Takes a couple seconds to warm up to full brightness but I like it.
 
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