What light for under hood and interiors?

[bcgreen]

What light do you use and like for working under the hood and working on the interior?

[Lonnie]

There are SOOOOO many good LED trouble/work lights out there. Are you looking for one that will be used or turned "ON" for many hours, then a rechargeable or even a batter-powered one my not be your best choice and obviously a electrical-corded one is better suited to that.
How bright does it have to be? Does it need to be dimmable? How big does it have to be? (some small ones are pretty bright these days!) How often will you use it?; Daily? Weekly? How much money do you want to spend? Does it need to be more "robust" and rugged?

My suggestion? Go to Harbor Freights and look at what at they have.

Scangrip makes a nice Scangrip I-Match 2 that may suite your needs, but it is pricey. If you want something more "industrial", Mac Tools or Snap-On may suite that need, but like the adage goes, "You want to run with the Big Dogs, you gotta pay like the Big Dogs."

Me? I have a hand-held (3)-AA batter-powered CHEAP trouble light of about 200 lumens with a hooked flexible neck and magnetic base by Smart Electrician Model 83776 for $10.00 (Menards in the Midwest). Batteries last about 4 hours before it gets too dim. For a hobbyist who only needs this part-time and not for a long work time, its fine.

[Accumulator]

Hmmm...I might oughta keep an eye on this thread, I find I need more/better lighting these days and while LEDs are sure an upgrade over old-tech, my rechargeables just keep dying in one way or another.

[mobiledynamics]

Going into cordless, one is -investing- in a battery system - which then goes into the tool lineup that matches.
Love the Milwakuee on all fronts

https://www.milwaukeetool.com/Products/Lighting/Specialty-Lights/2125-21XC

I`m sure there are cheaper corded options out that but on a former box full of corded tools......the cordless has replaced me even touching my corded Metabo grinders, corded Hilti hammerdrills, etc. Cordless rules ...for the most part

[Coatings=crack]

I got this and its been super useful. Also good for paint correction cri 95 colormatch. Sure theirs better but it’s been awesome for me



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[wannafbody]

You can decently bright LED work lights at WalMart for $20.

[Accumulator]

IME it`s the *switches* on cheaper lights that eventually becomes a problem. I`d expected it to be the batteries, that they`d quit taking/holding a charge, but nah..the switches get wonky, especially after the light gets wet numerous times (I probably end up using them to illuminate the undercarriages more than anything else).

[Accumulator]

Coatings=crack- How is that ARCLUSA for spotting *VERY* light issues such as holograms?

I don`t care about the CRI/color-matching accuracy as I`ve never found that to matter for swirl-spotting, but I *have* had lights I`d expected to be good for that (and that others thought were great) that didn`t show *ANYTHING* *for me* when I tried `em.

[Coatings=crack]

Coatings=crack- How is that ARCLUSA for spotting *VERY* light issues such as holograms?

I don`t care about the CRI/color-matching accuracy as I`ve never found that to matter for swirl-spotting, but I *have* had lights I`d expected to be good for that (and that others thought were great) that didn`t show *ANYTHING* *for me* when I tried `em.

I don’t know if i’ve every encountered a hologram. It work well on finding light swirls tho. Other than maybe the gyeon light to find high spots for coatings i feel no need for a more expensive light. My plan was to try this or the Astro and if not happy with it then buy a scangrip.

This was only $35 when I bought it. So choice was easy. I think I’d go Astro for $60. More hand held


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[Accumulator]

Coatings=crack- Ah, good, thanks. I`ll have the Astros on my short-list should I decide to get serious about this.

If you`ve never encountered a hologram it sounds like there are no rotary-dummies in your area! Lucky you :D

I`ve always put off buying a ScanGrip if only because I`ve had people PM me (not wanting to get flamed by posting it publicly...which I find sad, but anyhow..) that they spent plenty for a certain ScanGrip only to find it unimpressive. At least two people said the earlier models (n/a these days) were infinitely better. (And of course, other people say the new ones work great..)

[Coatings=crack]

Coatings=crack- Ah, good, thanks. I`ll have the Astros on my short-list should I decide to get serious about this.

If you`ve never encountered a hologram it sounds like there are no rotary-dummies in your area! Lucky you :D

I`ve always put off buying a ScanGrip if only because I`ve had people PM me (not wanting to get flamed by posting it publicly...which I find sad, but anyhow..) that they spent plenty for a certain ScanGrip only to find it unimpressive. At least two people said the earlier models (n/a these days) were infinitely better. (And of course, other people say the new ones work great..)

Oh no i’ve seen them but i only work on my and friends cars


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[Accumulator]

Coatings=crack- Ah, OK..copy that. You`re lucky you haven`t had to deal with them, for something so shallow and seemingly easy-peasy, well...not always!

[mobiledynamics]

I don`t think the LED`s work as well as a old school bulb for that sorta application. Not that I`ve given much thought into the -science- of it all. I`ve got alot of lights. One of my Milwaukee Floodlights goes up to 3K Lumens. I still tend to grab my lower 800/1500Lumen Floodlight if given the same options.

Same principle when it comes to paint for me or maybe I`m just school school. I want a halogen source lower lumen source for that

[Accumulator]

mobiledynamics- I agree about not wanting Inspection Lighting to be too bright. Even a ceiling-mounted 60W incandescent can show stuff pretty much the same as those "gas station/parking lot lights at night".

The LEDs and the 3M SunGun are the only lights that I see holograms with, period (besides natural sunlight, and even that has to be at the right angle some times).

While I do find incandescents *GREAT* for spotting swirls, my halogens are OK for it too, especially when used in a dark environment/

Same ol` same ol`...Dark Environment Point-source Illumination for virtually all marring, just gotta use the right kind of that illumination to see holograms.

Just don`t try to see anything except texture/orange peel/broad prep flaws under fluorescents, although IME, on rare occasions they do work surprisingly well on white for some reason.

[mobiledynamics]

Old school (A19) for me works when . It`s all the casting of the light

Back on topic, you guys use/need a light for Interior work ? Can`t recall me ever needing a light for interior work