Utility and Trouble Lights
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 38
Likes: 1
Utility and Trouble Lights There are a ton of opptions out there and they span a vast price range. I am just curious if anyone on here has opinons on which work best. Are the expensive ones really worth the money? I just want to get something that will make it easy to work under the car and inside the engine bay at night. Any recomendations? Thanks.
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 3,148
Likes: 12
From: Downers Grove, IL
I like the smaller fluorescent(sp?) ones that are ~ a foot long. The older incandescent ones are ok but they get hot to the touch with anything over a 25W bulb and I constantly drop or knock them and kill the bulbs. I have yet to kill a fluorescent(sp?) one yet. The longer 24" ones are ok, but I find the shorter ones more convenient because they are just like a regular incandescent trouble light and easy to fit into whereever your working.
I work at a movie theatre, and we get like 3 foot fluroescent bulb sticks in the cardboard standees to light them up. I use thouse since we seem to have an assload of them floating around.
I recently picked up a 500Watt utitliy light up at harbour frieght good deal for $12, haven't gotten a chance to use it yet.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=30858
edit I guess I got it on sale, I remember seeing a special sticker on it.
I recently picked up a 500Watt utitliy light up at harbour frieght good deal for $12, haven't gotten a chance to use it yet.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=30858
edit I guess I got it on sale, I remember seeing a special sticker on it.
Halogens get too hot to work closely to. They are great on a stand (propped floodlights), but I refuse to crawl under a car next to one. Been there, done that. 
I too use the dual fluorescent lights (the bulb is about 6"-8" long). I have one that has a ~12 ft cord, and one with a 6 ft cord. The 12 footer is MUCH more convenient. I shouldn't have purchased the 6 footer.
I did break one... when I got pissed off and threw it across the shop.
Hey, 5 bucks for a new bulb and it was back in business. The thing is at least 8 years old, is beat to hell, but it's still working. 8 years of use being dragged around my shop is a LOT of abuse. 
And only one replacement bulb in all that time - because of me. 
I too use the dual fluorescent lights (the bulb is about 6"-8" long). I have one that has a ~12 ft cord, and one with a 6 ft cord. The 12 footer is MUCH more convenient. I shouldn't have purchased the 6 footer.
I did break one... when I got pissed off and threw it across the shop.
Hey, 5 bucks for a new bulb and it was back in business. The thing is at least 8 years old, is beat to hell, but it's still working. 8 years of use being dragged around my shop is a LOT of abuse. And only one replacement bulb in all that time - because of me. Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 38
Likes: 1
Originally Posted by Camaroholic
Halogens get too hot to work closely to. They are great on a stand (propped floodlights), but I refuse to crawl under a car next to one. Been there, done that.
I too use the dual fluorescent lights (the bulb is about 6"-8" long). I have one that has a ~12 ft cord, and one with a 6 ft cord. The 12 footer is MUCH more convenient. I shouldn't have purchased the 6 footer.
I did break one... when I got pissed off and threw it across the shop. Hey, 5 bucks for a new bulb and it was back in business. The thing is at least 8 years old, is beat to hell, but it's still working. 8 years of use being dragged around my shop is a LOT of abuse. And only one replacement bulb in all that time - because of me.
I too use the dual fluorescent lights (the bulb is about 6"-8" long). I have one that has a ~12 ft cord, and one with a 6 ft cord. The 12 footer is MUCH more convenient. I shouldn't have purchased the 6 footer.
I did break one... when I got pissed off and threw it across the shop.
Hey, 5 bucks for a new bulb and it was back in business. The thing is at least 8 years old, is beat to hell, but it's still working. 8 years of use being dragged around my shop is a LOT of abuse. And only one replacement bulb in all that time - because of me. I have no idea of the brand, and all markings are gone. 
sorry. I think it's from Home Depot.
You can see it in the background of this picture:
https://ls1tech.com/forums/attachmen...chmentid=81860
And that was about 2 years ago. It's even dirtier now.
sorry. I think it's from Home Depot.You can see it in the background of this picture:
https://ls1tech.com/forums/attachmen...chmentid=81860
And that was about 2 years ago.
It's even dirtier now. Trending Topics
Ive sold a lot of lights and I think the best Ive seen is the Freedom LED light. You can get them a few places. Battery is advertised to last longer but Ive talked to guys that say they last longer. It is also tough as hell and if the lense gets scratched up you can get replacements for 10 bucks. They are kinda pricey but for a good Cordless LED light they are hard to beat
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for price I just bought 3 double 4ft flourscent lights for $7/ea. and the bulbs are 40w and only cost $6 for 2. I only spent a total of $40 and come change brand new at Home Depot. I wanted to add some light around my work bench in my shop.
Originally Posted by Armyman2445
for price I just bought 3 double 4ft flourscent lights for $7/ea. and the bulbs are 40w and only cost $6 for 2. I only spent a total of $40 and come change brand new at Home Depot. I wanted to add some light around my work bench in my shop.
Yep... "I like the smaller fluorescent(sp?) ones that are ~ a foot long. The older incandescent ones are ok but they get hot to the touch with anything over a 25W bulb and I constantly drop or knock them and kill the bulbs. I have yet to kill a fluorescent(sp?) one yet. The longer 24" ones are ok".
I have both, 12 & 24. They are on reels, and are on the ceiling.
The SERIOUS downside to the incandescents was recently observed. A local "mechanic" was taking a gas tank out of a Camaro. He was using an incan drop lite. There was some gas spilled. The lite was knocked to the floor. The bulb broke, the gas lit, and the shop was history.
The moral of the story... There are NO incan lites in my shop.....
I have both, 12 & 24. They are on reels, and are on the ceiling.
The SERIOUS downside to the incandescents was recently observed. A local "mechanic" was taking a gas tank out of a Camaro. He was using an incan drop lite. There was some gas spilled. The lite was knocked to the floor. The bulb broke, the gas lit, and the shop was history.
The moral of the story... There are NO incan lites in my shop.....