4 Post Lift Lighting

[Higgins]

I have a 4 post lift, and I'm getting tired of all the misc. light / lamps I have as most of them are inadequate to use under the lift to light up the work area!

I'm looking at possibly installing some LED light strips to the lip on the side rails. So far I haven't found anything for this type of installation as of yet. So I thought I would if anyone has solved this lighting issue yet!

Thanks! - AL

 

[ForceFed70]

I would think some LED under cabinet light strips would work well for this.

 

[kert]

I'm in the process of wiring my barn which will have a 4-post lift and wondering about lighting around the lift as well. I've considered mounting 4' fluorescents low on the wall, but I'm worried they would be easily damaged. Haven't decided what I'm going to do yet.

 

[Stuart in MN]

I haven't seen this in person but it looks interesting in the catalog: http://www.e-conolight.com/led-products/led-flexible-cable-strip-lighting/led-cable-kits.html

 

[river1]

At the recent Goodguys car show they had a lift seller in the vendor tent. They had a car up onthe lift and this type lights magnetically hooked to the lift. http://www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=1486822&cp=12450739.1259064 you'd have to rig the magnetic hook up but it put a lot of light up under the car. My buddy who has a lift thought they would work great.

Later jim

 

[Hawke]

I put 4' fluros on the posts of my two post lift, along with 4' fluros at floor level. They were just simple waterproof sealed lamps that didnt cost a lot.

With the white floor, they reflect enough light up to light up anything under any car.

Very simple, works well.

 

[buzz4041]

I have been looking for this also. Rope lights is what I want but can't find them bright enough to do what I want. If you have any luck please post. I have rolling bridges so they have to be low profile to work.

Anybody got feedback on the econo light posted by Stuart ? Might be a little pricy but could be the solution even if need to run 2 rows down the rail.

 

[Higgins]

I've tried florescent tube lights mounted on the side wall and that didn't work, as the light just didn't eliminate the work area under the car. I also bungee-corded a light to the lift column and that really didn't work well, same as lights mounted to the wall!

I've tried some LED kits that really didn't work as the LEDs were not that bright. There is an issue with securing the lights to the diamond plate side rails.

There is aprox 1/2" + clearance between lip on the ramp and the jack bridge, so whatever is installed will have to have a low profile!

Eagle does have a light kit for the 4 post lift @ $399. I thought it was a little pricy, but I may be wrong, is it's has magnetic strips to attach to the side rails. So this may be the best answer to the problem!

I'm still hoping to finding someone who has successfully added lights to their lift, and are happy with them!!!

Below are the features and specs for the Liftlytes Under Lift LED light System

Featuring two 140 inch (11’8”) directional LED strips magnetically attached to your 4 post lifts runways with powerful permanent magnets and including everything else you need to install it. Magnetic attachment allows your LIFTLYTE to be moved to another location or lift or use lift accessories such as transmission jack supports or drip trays.

Special LiftLyte Features

- Full area illumination.
- No shadows.
- Plug and Play installation. No hand tools required.
- Magnetic attachment allows easy repositioning to another location or lift.
- Eliminates lamp or filament breakage in demanding work applications.
- Over 30,000 hours of lamp life resulting in lower maintenance costs.
- Resists vibration, impact, sudden movements and shock.
- Efficient light transmission and emission.
- Pre‐determined light emission pattern for maximum effectiveness.
- Environmentally protective coatings for maximum durability and long life.

I painted the lower garage floor over 12 yrs ago, and love it!

Part of the answer may be paint the area under the floor WHITE and that could help with reflective light.

AL

 

[Cabriolet70]

I took a piece of composite wood 1" by 4" cut to length to slide in the track of the lift. Added a 3' two tube florescent fixture with cord and plug. Just leave on the lift and slide to where I am working.

 

[aka Larry]

I put 4' fluros on the posts of my two post lift, along with 4' fluros at floor level. They were just simple waterproof sealed lamps that didnt cost a lot.

With the white floor, they reflect enough light up to light up anything under any car.

Very simple, works well.

Got any pics?

 

[my58]

Here is a product made for this purpose. It is called lift lyte. It is way pricey but everyone I have spoken to says they are great. There are a number of videos on you tube showing them. below is a link to the company that sells them. You may be able to find them cheaper elswhere. They are not the same as the 13.00 rope lights.

After I win the powerball lottery I will get a set for myself and a bunch for the rest of you guys here!

http://www.lumenytesecurity.com/ind...1003&vmcchk=1&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=11

 

[my58]

I took a piece of composite wood 1" by 4" cut to length to slide in the track of the lift. Added a 3' two tube florescent fixture with cord and plug. Just leave on the lift and slide to where I am working.

Can you show a pic or describe what you did a bit more?

I was thinking of making a jack tray in reverse (sort of like a trough)were the opening was up instead of the flat surface and putting a light in there. It sounds similar to what you are saying. I was concerned about safety and wondering if a clear piece of plexi would protect the bulbs without messing up the light.

Maybe use low voltage light and run a coiled wire mounted on the side rail so it could stay on the lift full time or put a recessed 110 plug on it and just remove power when not in use but leave unit in place on the slides all the time.

Thanks

 

[Higgins]

Here are a couple of thoughts:

After my last project, I had tools laying up and down both ramps.... and were not where I needed them!

> With some of the comments made here, I'm thinking of making a wooden trolly made out of 3/4" finished plywood, with some small wheels that would ride on the sides or the ramps.
> Then I would place a 1 x 2 or 1x3 on the sides of the trolly so the tools will not go rolling off!
> Then as for lighting..... I would use my existing Dewalt flashlights with the swivel heads and just place the flashlights where ever they needed to be on the wooden trolly to see up into the bottom of the car. These flashlights will work for a couple of hours on a single charge! Cost $0
> An additional light option would be to place some fixed 35W landscape lights on the wood trolly for some general under car lighting.........

Total cost of this could be under $25 or so plus the cost of the landscape lighting....

AL

 

[Jack Olsen]

Here's an alternative you might want to consider.

I stopped worrying about how to engineer lighting under my lift when I finally gave in and got a good quality headlamp. The thing cost me $69 -- which is expensive for a flashlight, but dirt cheap compared to what I was looking at for most built-in lighting schemes.

The great thing about it is that the light goes anywhere -- and exactly where you need it.

The downside is that it looks a little strange. But then, I'm almost always alone when I'm working in the garage, so I don't care how I look.

This is a self-portrait I snapped yesterday. I was jigsawing aluminum, which is why I've got the ear things on. The headlamp is also great for putting light right there on a cutting line when you're using a saw -- no shadows when you change direction.

I'd used cheap headlamps in the past -- and never liked them. But this one has a very wide (120°) disbursement of bright, neutral white light. It's not like you're shining a flashlight around the room; it's like the whole room is just better lit -- and the light gets even better as you get in closer to something.

 

[Luis A.]

I'm with Jack on this one. Got this headlamp on Ebay: http://www.ebay.com/itm/CREE-XML-T6...535?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4ab930cecf

Incredibly bright and will last for hours with a rechargeable battery pack. Cheap enough to buy two if you work longer. Slight downside is the light pattern has a hot spot in the middle but it doesn't really bother me. It outs out an amazing amount of light, always where you want it.

 

[6t8stang]

I have these - don't work half bad.

http://www.tooltopia.com/national-electric-72000.aspx

 

[TheClaw]

First, I'm new here. This is my first post. I'll find the Newbie thread if you have one and properly introduce myself over there so excuse me if I've breached some forum etiquette.

I joined specifically to get some ideas for under lift lighting (and the fact that I love to hang out in my garage). I have a mid-rise scissor lift so i have some obstructions underneath. I was thinking of something that is a little more moveable and cheap! Maybe just a caged fluorescent fixture with a chord attached.


http://tinyurl.com/c5tzgqp


Yea, I know, you risk dropping something on it but bulbs are cheap and it throws a lot of light.

Thank you,
Jeff

 

[Motofixxer]

I just use those plain ole $5 cheap clamp on lamp with the shiny silver reflector with a cfl in it. Clamp it on almost anything underneath and aim it where you need it.

Like these only the cheaper ones. http://m.grainger.com/mobile/details/;jsessionid=FD15B5E9C3986EFD998B2221868A5D18.prlap563?R=2V647

 

[TheJDMan]

I installed a couple of LED light strips on my four post lift to illuminate the underside of the car and I thought some of you might be interested. I have seen kits for sale for around $400 to do this but by purchasing the component parts on Amazon I have around $90 in the lighting project.

Here are the LED strips I used.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MPDA8WK/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Here is the power supply I used.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0034GUEY4/?tag=atomicindus08-20

I attached the LED strips with 3M attachment tape. Here is a picture of the lift lights standing in front of the lift looking toward the back between the car and lift deck.

 

[aka Larry]

I really like your idea, I just wish I had an elegant solution to to the same on my 2-post lift.

 

[buzz4041]

I installed a couple of LED light strips on my four post lift to illuminate the underside of the car and I thought some of you might be interested. I have seen kits for sale for around $400 to do this but by purchasing the component parts on Amazon I have around $90 in the lighting project.

Here are the LED strips I used.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MPDA8WK/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Here is the power supply I used.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0034GUEY4/?tag=atomicindus08-20

I attached the LED strips with 3M attachment tape. Here is a picture of the lift lights standing in front of the lift looking toward the back between the car and lift deck.

JD the lights you referred to are they 600 or 1200 LED per roll ? I understand it to be 600 x 2 rows. Then the power supply would need to be 90 watts to drive a roll as they state 1.5A per meter. I am just trying to clarify as I would need one full strip down each runway and need 180watt output to drive them. Please clarify. Also do you have a photo of the installation without the lights on for comparison ? Thanks