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Hand Held Shop Lights (LED vs. Fluorescent)

9K views 16 replies 13 participants last post by  41 kustom 
#1 ·
I'm thinking about purchasing a hand held shop light, any preference between LED or Fluorescent bulbs? Advantages vs. Disadvantages?

Thanks in advance....
 
#4 ·
I have a 40 bulb led.. cordless.. great lite and batteries last for up to 8 hours.. thing that sold me was when i asked salesman if it will break when i drop it,, he told me to throw it up in the air... it hit the roof (2 stories tall) then the ground,, and it was still on.. 3 years now ,, and it still works great..
 
#5 ·
History with me and fluorescents is NOT good. I break 'em, no matter what the size. Sometimes they don't even make it home :pain: With the exception of the usual 4' ceiling versions, they are expensive. The heavy service bulbs, same thing. IMHO, the LEDs are the only way to go

Dave W
 
#6 ·
I use a Craftsman electric flourescent light with folding hanger swivel hook and magnet very often.

Not that I really like it. . .

I don't like the folding swivel hook as it will not hold a fixed position.
I don't like the WEAK magnet as it has fallen almost as many times as it's been mounted using the magnet.
I dont like the switch position as I've turned it off almost as many times as I have had if fall because of the weak magnet.
I don't like it being limited by the cord in the way, I have moved it and had it fall because the cord happened to be in the way too many times.

I like that it's almost indestructible, I have driven over it twice, unintentionally, dropped it way too many times, thrown it a couple times more than I should have, and that with all this happening- I haven't had to replace a bulb because roughness on the light caused the element to cease working because it isn't incadescent.

I like it for several applications but would also like very much to add a cordless handheld LED to my tool collection.
 
#7 ·
I'm with M&M my fluorescent has given a couple lifetimes of service. It's not the brightest, most stable, handiest light there is but it works most of the time. If it is too cold to light, it is probably too cold to be out in the garage anyway.

Now the LED's....haha the first 40 led lasted about 4 drops on the floor. Got a warantee one that lasted a few weeks of gentle handling then fell apart. The 3rd one is now dead in the corner by the trash can after about 2 months of carefully placing it just right so it would stay lit. Then put it on the charger after 4 hours of use at best.

My standard lightbulb destroyer actually still works after a millennium of years. It usually eats a bulb every other day of use but it is sometimes nice to have the extra heat on the floor when it is cold. I just have to sweep up the broken glass at the end of the day. haha
 
#8 ·
I gave up on shop lights, even the LED ones are so cheap they don't last long. I have a set of safety glasses with swivelable LED's on them that are really great, I use them all the time because they point where I am looking and are very bright. The fact they protect my eyes at the same time is a bonus, amazingly I haven't broke them in 2 years and are still on the first set of batteries!

I guess the fact they are on my head means I don't bang them into things. :D

Led safety glasses

All kinds of different styles, watch out how much you pay for them...I have seen them for as much as $40 but you can find them for $10 if you look around.
 
#9 ·
I have used several LED lights, some cheap and some quite expensive, and I don't really like any of them because they tend to have a very narrow beam.

I find that fluorescent lights are better in most situations, especially when I'm working under a dashboard, if there's room for it. Otherwise I use a head strap with a 2 AA Maglite.

I really do not like the old standard incandescent drop lights, but I use this type a lot:
 
#10 ·
Two cents worth...... yeah, I know, not much.

I equate the LED work lights to the LED Christmas tree lights. They have a lifetime warranty on the cute little LEDs, but no warranty, none, ziltch, nada, on the cheap chinese wiring or any circuit boards. It's not the LEDs that will fail, it's everthing around them.

I buy LEDs from Hong Kong. 3mm LEDs are $.99 a hundred plus postage and the gal I buy them from throws in the resistors for 12 volt applications. I send her twenty dollars cash to avoid exchange, customs hassles.
 
#11 ·
I've been having good luck with a regular old "trouble" light (very well named, indeed). I have been using the CFL "Tasty-Freeze" bulbs intended for household use. I have been neither extra careful or extra rough on them, and they are holding up well. Yes - they still rotate and shine in the face, but on the other hand, they don't burn your arm.
 
#12 ·
So those compact fluorescents won't break from normal falls? I've never tried them. I just use regular household incandescent bulbs in mine. I go through quite a few of them, there seems to be no rhyme or reason to when they fail, I've dropped them from 4 feet and they've been fine and they've broken when dragging them out from under a car. Has anyone had luck with those high impact bulbs? I've never invested in them, are the worth it?
 
#13 ·
Shop Lights

I have tried the "tuff bulbs" - they seem to have a stronger filament and don't go dark as readily as the "normal" ones, but are still prone to breaking/shattering as easily as the regular ones.

I had one let go when a drop of cold water fell on the bulb when I was under a vehicle and I got glass in my eye and had to have my wife take me to hospital to get it all out

Now I use nothing but the "safety" style which are covered in a thin film of clear rubber. Even if you smash the bulb, it is all contained in the rubber covering - no flying glass.

These are also a "tuff bulb" and last a LONG time in my drop lights, while making me feel a lot safer - glass in the eyes is NOT a fun thing!
 
#14 ·
I haven't broken a CFL - (Yet). Research continues. The Rough Service bulbs do last longer but cost more. The reason I tried the CFL in the first place was to avoid heat and glare. There is no perfect soulution as far as I can see - but natural sunlight is hard to beat - except at night, or when it is snowing.
 
#17 ·
I have a floresent I use in the car when on inside stuff. Won't burn carpet or seats after a while. No more pain the *** to use than any other. Outside the car I use an incodesent in my drop light( aptly named as we all know). They are a lot brighter and outside the car I don't worry about heat. I have a stash as we changed all the lights in the house to CFLs. I'm going to try a CFL in it when I run out of regular bulbs.
 
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