What is your go-to work light?

[FL911SC]

What is your go-to work light when working on your car?
Over the weekend I was working under the dash in my car and finally got so fed up with my light that I almost tossed it 3 doors down the block. A few days earlier I was changing my spark plugs and spent just as much time fiddling with the light as I did turning the wrench.

I have a couple of different lights, some small and some big but all with the same problem; I can put them were I need them! Let’s face it, there are few flat services on these car and I have a tough time finding a place where the magnetic lights will have a firm hold. As Murphy’s Law would have it, if I do find a place there the magnet will hold, the light is not pointing where it needs to be.
Clamps just don’t cut it since they are too big and too difficult to place. And stuffing a light in your mouth is only good for about 2 minutes until your jaw is numb.

At the moment, my light of choice is an LED light which is worn on my head (like a camping light). It is small and easy to point in the right direction. However, there are places which even that doesn't work so well, so I ask…

So what is your go-to light?

I have found I prefer the LED lights since they are bright and don’t get as hot. Also, because they are power efficient, you can lose the cord which makes placement a lot easier.

So let’s see what you have and please let us know where you got it.

[JHinOH]

I use this in the garage, works very well. Pelican mag, LED flex light...

Pelican 2365 LED Flex Neck Flashlight

[TheSt|G]

Combination of a Petzl headlamp and some Sears rechargeable LED light bars. Frankly though, I always want a bit more.

[NY65912]

DW904 12V Cordless Pivoting Head Flashlight | DEWALT Tools

[RD911T]

Sub'd. This is a constant frustration of mine too.

[chrisbruck]

I've got 4 different lights I use depending on what I'm doing. Here's the list in order of most usage.

1). The Ryobi rechargeable work light that came with my drill. Light head pivots around and sits nice on the ground. Easy to point, good light, easy to move around. Perpetually greasy handle and switch from constant usage.

2). Some gimmicky little infinitely adjustable flexible leg tripod style light with magnetic feet (maybe 6" tall). Runs on a couple AA batteries. Great focused light and the magnetic feet are way more handy than I thought. Eats batteries.

3). Long fluorescent bulb work like that dangles from a retractable cord reel on my garage ceiling. Not really bright but lights a large area and is nice for under car work late at night.

4). Std hand held shop light with a 60w bulb. Metal reflector gets super hot, super bright, always hangs opposite the direction you need and the bulb explodes when dropped after burning your hand. Wouldn't have it any other way. Ideal for leaky fuel lines.

[DougZ]

If I work under the car I prefer to use a head band strapped LED light. It lights up exactly what you are looking at. It's not heavy at all. It has couple of modes. Wide and narrow pattern. It even has red flashing light option. I think it was designed for bike riders. I also used my rechargeable lantern flash light from Bosch kit.

[grizzfan]

I use one sort of like this from Sears:

Sears.com

But I like the idea of a head-mounted LED. Thanks for the tip!

Tom

[Charles Freeborn]

Ray O Vac indestructable. If you buy it at batteries plus and break it they give you a new one free. forever.

[porsche930dude]

I use the free ones you get from harbor freight. The big square blue ones work pretty good. For bigger stuff I have an old craftsman florescent light that has held up well and genrally frustration free

[jlex]

I use a standard trouble light on a retractable cord for lots of work. I use one of the low heat fluorescent/ mercury bulbs rather than an incandescent to keep the heat down.
For a lot of work, though, I use a very small LED light that I carry around constantly. I highly recommend the Fenix E05. It takes a single AAA battery, is only 2.5" long and puts out a whopping 27 lumens (they make much stronger ones, but you can get too bright for working on a car). The thing is so light, I've gotten into the bad habit of holding the thing in my mouth while doing something on the car.
Gave one to my mechanic about 3 years ago who has become addicted to using it & he now carries it around constantly.
I've carried the thing in my pocket for the last 7 years & can't live without it. Get Nimh rechargeable AAA's to go with it and you'll never be without light.

[Jerome74911S]

I have long been frustrated with this problem, too.

But, I am very happy with a lamp I found that offers a solution for me.

It's an LED desk lamp from IKEA, cost about $10. It has a heavy round base (a slab of cast metal 5 inches in diameter) and a very long (22 inches) thin and flexible 'neck'. I can plop it down on the floor if I'm under the car and aim the light where I want it, and if I want to work on the engine's top side I can stick the base wherever it fits and the long neck will reach most everything.

I'll post a photo of it if anyone is interested. The thing is bright, too, and plugs into AC.

[Boatman]

I mostly use the standard retractable drop cord with metal cover. Only change I make is using a bright led bulb, equivalent to 60 watts. There is hardly any heat from this bulb and it takes very rough use. Can be dropped if inside the metal cover and will not break. Of course 'can be dropped and will not break' is subjective, I use it in terms of comparison to an incandescent bulb or a CFL bulb or an incandescent rough duty bulb. I'm sure if it is wacked hard enough it would break.
I have been doing some work behind the CIS intake on my 1983 911SC and had to take the metal cover off the lamp to get it behind the equipment. The low heat made the lamp easy to use in the confined space.

[kodioneill]

I almost died ( well, caught on fire) in 1977 using a incandescent bulb drop light when removing a gas tank from a vw beetle. The light was on the floor near r/f tire. When I pulled the tank upwards to remove it from the trunk it caught on something and because the fuel level sender was out the fuel sloshed all over me and the drop light. I got lucky, it did not break open and start a fire but it was crackling. I was young and a little reckless but I learned my lesson. No incandescent bulbs ever. Flashlights and head lights from then on even back then. Working in shops almost all my life I've seen many fires from gas and drop light accidents.

[Dpmulvan]

[walt]

After burning a hole in my forehead with an incandescent bulb I switched to 100 W fluorescent. Stays cool and can take some beating.

[Darkmoon]

I have all of these.
I'm thinking of using a gooseneck mic stand and wrapping my ryobi around that haha

[Jcslocum]

A good LED headlamp. I have 2. one has a zoom feature and it rechargeable.

My latest new light is a Milwaukee LED 12v rechargeable. Very nice, right side, right shape. Pricey bugger... Works really well and lasts for hours.

[Bob Kontak]

Originally Posted by TheSt|G

Combination of a Petzl headlamp.........

These look awesome. What model do you have?

There is a circa $80 one that appears to be a flame thrower. Batteries can be upgraded to some super duty jobbies beyond lithium ion.

They are mountain climbing lamps (as you know) and throw the focused beam well over 100 feet.

From a value perspective, I will pay real money to see what I am working on.

Thank you.

[rusnak]

I use the LED Lenser rechargable headlamp.

Don't cut corners and skimp on your work light. It's just not smart.