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Favorite Work Light?

Discussion in 'Garage / Workshop' started by gatrapper, Jul 22, 2018.

  1. Jul 22, 2018 at 2:41 PM
    #1
    gatrapper

    gatrapper [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Senoia, Georgia
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    Hey Y'all,

    I'm needing 1 or 2 good work lights to use while working on the truck and other projects.

    What work lights would y'all recommend?
     
  2. Nov 16, 2018 at 7:37 PM
    #2
    flyby

    flyby Well-Known Member

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    After years of knocking around trouble lights and breaking bulbs, I moved to cordless LED trouble lights, but those batteries are worthless. I've been unable to find a nice CORDED LED trouble light so i picked this up on sale at Lowes...
    https://www.lowes.com/pd/Utilitech-1500-Lumen-LED-Portable-Work-Light/1000297187

    looks like they have a craftsman version on sale right now too.

    I'm satisfied with it for under $20 (sale price).
     
    wilcam47 likes this.
  3. Dec 4, 2018 at 2:30 AM
    #3
    ecoterragaia

    ecoterragaia Everyone lives downstream.

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    I keep looking at these when I go to Costco, but have a hard time justifying it because it uses 8 AA batteries and only has 3-5 hrs of runtime.

    https://www.costco.com/CAT-2-pack-LED-Worklight-with-Magnetic-Base.product.100385557.html

    It would be a great light for short projects due to its slim size and magnets, but having to change batteries part way through a longer project is not ideal.

    I have an older Craftsman led drop light that I use under the vehicle. It's also a pain in that the light bar is lighter than the cord, so if you bump the cord it unhooks from whatever you had it attached to.
     
  4. Dec 5, 2018 at 1:42 AM
    #4
    TK-422

    TK-422 Toyota! Oh what a feeling.

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    shakerhood likes this.
  5. Dec 6, 2018 at 10:54 AM
    #5
    mwrohde

    mwrohde Well-Known Member

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    Sugar Hill, GA
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    For working on the truck I've got two of these. Freaking love them. They have a magnetic base, are plenty bright, rechargeable, and pivot 90 degrees.
     
    PapaBear likes this.
  6. Dec 6, 2018 at 11:11 AM
    #6
    SportsmanJake

    SportsmanJake Well-Known Member

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    This is the best value. I love mine and swapped in a 3500 mah 18650 in palce of the 2200 one it comes with.
    There are frequent coupons making it under $20.
     
  7. Dec 7, 2018 at 10:18 PM
    #7
    Jh5370

    Jh5370 Well-Known Member

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  8. Dec 7, 2018 at 10:32 PM
    #8
    PapaBear

    PapaBear Never test how deep the water is with both feet.

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    Soft Suspension Hard Rubber ®
    These are the shit, I bought 2 extra OG Sony VTC6 batteries (don’t buy fakes, they’re everywhere)
    They work great in this light. Buy them from LIION Wholesale
    https://liionwholesale.com/collecti...at-top-wholesale-discount?variant=28023263057
    Comes with a free little case for them when not using in the light.
    Have to buy VTC6, they are 15-30amp which is exactly what you need at 3.7v, plus they send you this little charger/fan thing. Comes in handy when you run out of juice in one battery but want to charge the battery separate from the light. The stock battery the light comes with is just a little longer but the shorter size of the vtc6 still works because of how long the spring is.
     
    Rob Daman likes this.
  9. Dec 9, 2018 at 7:13 AM
    #9
    Wyoming09

    Wyoming09 Well-Known Member

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    No matter how many lights you have they never work in all the places you need them

    I like Headlamps in some places

    I have florescent those curly ones in reflector clamp on lights.

    I have some florescent in a plastic tube light great for welding as the sparks don`t hit the bulb I must have had then since the late eighties
     
  10. Dec 9, 2018 at 9:35 AM
    #10
    SportsmanJake

    SportsmanJake Well-Known Member

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    The HF 390 lumen slim bar will run on protected and unprotected 18650s. Harbor freight ships this light with a protected 18650. Protected 18650s cost more than unprotected 18650s. Since HF is all about the bottom dollar, I wonder if they are including a protected cell with the light because the light itself does not have low voltage protection, or if it is just added security.

    This is something to keep in mind if you are swapping batteries. If you use unprotected cells + a flashlight without a low voltage cutoff, it is up to the operator to turn off the light before the the voltage drops and damages the battery. Just 2 cents to think about.

    Also, the batteries you linked to are 3000 mah, at a similar price, you can get 3500 mah (the physical limit of the 18650 style) batteries. I have about a dozen of the Sanyo 18650 NCR18650GA 3500mAh High Discharge Flat Top I use in various lights. My protected cells are 18650 KeepPower 3400mAh Panasonic NCR18650B Protected Button Top. I place all my cell orders with illumn.com as they have a good selection of cells and lights.

    If this stuff interests anyone, check out:
    r/flashlights, r/18650MasterRace, or BudetLightForum.com
     
    PapaBear[QUOTED] likes this.
  11. Dec 15, 2018 at 1:22 AM
    #11
    Shoxg

    Shoxg Well-Known Member

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    None
    Those little Larry magnetic lights work great
     
  12. Jan 16, 2019 at 11:22 AM
    #12
    Jooeee!

    Jooeee! Active Member

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    OC Cali!
  13. Jan 22, 2019 at 8:56 AM
    #13
    ejl923

    ejl923 Well-Known Member

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    costco sells a two pack of coast headlamps, ive been really gravitating towards headlamps as you dont need to move them, the light is where youre looking. For longer lasting wider light, i use the run of the mill wired single bulb lights with the cage around it, but use an led bulb.
     
  14. Feb 6, 2019 at 5:50 PM
    #14
    Taco_Coma

    Taco_Coma That's a lovely accent you have. New Jersey?

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    This is my favorite work light. throws so much light, and will stick to just about anything i need it to
     

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