Non garbage work lights

[vibenation]

Yea! I soon will have my own garages! Will be moving into a house next weekend that has them just waiting for closing, super excited.

The lighting in the garages ****, but before I can even tackle that I need to fix up / paint / doll up my current townhouse for sale, and to do that I will need some work lights that do not ****.

Over the years I have bought many lights similar to these:

http://www.tractorsupply.com/designer-s-edge-1000-watt-halogen-twin-head-tripod-work-light-3206833

Different brands, different stores, etc and they have all sucked, died, and fell apart.

Does anyone know of a decent alternative that is not prohibitively expensive that I can use to fix up the townhouse, and then have be useful down the road in the new shops and not fall apart after being used twice? I did a google search and did not come up with anything good, and did not find anything here on GJ either.

I am not dead set on halogen, and would consider led or florescent as well, hoping to find the following features:

BRIGHT
Heads can easily be separated from the tripod and wall mounted / adapted to other purpose down the road.
Not cost more than about say 100 bucks.

Looking for quality, anyone have any / seen any?

 

[Danglerb]

Best cheap option I've seen are some of those aluminum light fixtures with the wire clamps and put 30 watt or so CFL spiral bulb in them.

 

[Greatbear]

I have both a Kobalt and a Husky fluorescent version of the worklight you posted. They have both been decent. I prefer fluorescent over halogen because of the fraction of the heat dissipated, the 500w halogen version I have has scorched flooring and burned me on occasions. The fluorescent versions don't burn out when jostled. The Husky comes with a stand, the Kobalt didn't.

 

[dankicksass]

I like the dimmable Craftsman units with the magnesium body. Had a bunch of Cooper fluorescent 65w work lamps and the circuitry in them all went bad, now I keep it simple with halogen only for this sort of lamp. Big fan of fluorescent overhead and task lighting, but for portable illumination nothing really beats old halogens.

 

[Danglerb]

I figure I'm actually going use a work light for long periods, so I can't get past the 500w per bulb with Halogen. Here in SoCal, thanks to Enron, we pay 26/Kwhr.

 

[el tanque prohibido]

NAPA 7825078

I have this one with a 100W florescent bulb and I like it a lot.

 

[Danglerb]

NAPA 7825078

I have this one with a 100W florescent bulb and I like it a lot.

Are you talking 100 real watts or light equivalent watts? The real 100w CFL bulbs I've seen are like $45 each and mogul based.

The problem I have with a CFL, is if it breaks, its a mess, mercury etc.

OTOH one of my regular use lights is a plastic version with a 25w or so CFL in it, and I just use some care with it.

 

[capnrob97]

$15 bucks at Pep Boys

 

[el tanque prohibido]

Are you talking 100 real watts or light equivalent watts?

100W equivalent. I think it's only pulling in 26W.

 

[vibenation]

Was actually thinking of the tripod mounted lights, and thanks for all the replys. I do plan to eventually sort out some sore of handheld work light, maybe on a reel, but for now it seems like for the cost it is hard to beat the 500w cheapie halogen setups.

 

[W650Mike]

I have a couple of those 500W Dual Halogens on tripods and very rarely use them. The light is harsh, too shadowy, and they generate serious heat. The CF "bulbs" in a number of clamp-on fixtures would be much better in terms of light quality - and not burn up the AC.

Let's see you setup when done!

 

[vibenation]

Nowhere near ready to show pictures yet, looking more like a warzone than a properly sorted out garage

I did get my move done this weekend and ended up running over to Lowes and buying a single clamp light to make sure I did not trip over too many boxes, but went with a flood lamp I will later put in one of the house motion lights down the road. Going to go with a few more clamp lights in the four corners of the garage and will try out the CFL bulb option. Maybe a week or two and then we can talk pictures

 

[NotEnough]

They are kind of expensive, but they are supposed to be great job site lights. They have different bulb options / light output....wobble light

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000I2MVJI/?tag=atomicindus08-20