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Corded lights....obsolete these days?

impactims

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Nov 24, 2011
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Back in the day, that's all we had. Battery powered lights seem to be taking over.

I don't see many on the trucks these days. In fact, I can't even remember the last time I saw one.

I still have a couple that I prefer. Many times, in the middle of a project, the light just straight up dies on me. Very annoying.

What do you think?
 
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TobeyA

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Apr 7, 2021
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TX
I use both in my shop. I have a homemade underhood light that is spring loaded and clamps to the sides of the hood (cost me $40 to make). It uses a corded LED shop light. And I made a light to use under the lift by mounting a corded LED light array to an old shop stool I don't use anymore. And I upgraded the casters. For targeted areas, I have several magnetic battery lights.
 

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wjjeep

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Nov 3, 2021
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Moved into my first and current house 7 years ago. Never purchased one. I like Milwaukee Trueview M18 and M12 LED lights.
 

whateg01

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doo dah, kansas, usa
I have cordless lights but if I'm working at night for very long, I have a 4' LED shop light that I set up on a stand that lights up the whole area.
 
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impactims

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I use both in my shop. I have a homemade underhood light that is spring loaded and clamps to the sides of the hood (cost me $40 to make). It uses a corded LED shop light. And I made a light to use under the lift by mounting a corded LED light array to an old shop stool I don't use anymore. And I upgraded the casters. For targeted areas, I have several magnetic battery lights.
I don't like how that under hood light "grips" the top of the hood like that. What if it leaves a mark or a scratch on the top of the hood? Maybe it's not sharp and maybe the material isn't abrasive or anything, but there has to be a better way. I would be pissed of someone put that on the hood of my car.
 

andys

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Bucks County, PA
I use one of those silver dome heat lamp-looking corded lights at work. It cost about $3 at HD a long time ago and still works just fine. I have magnetic lights to see in concentrated areas but for more extensive under hood repairs I plug in the work light. I may use it 10 times in a week, sometimes only once or twice.
 
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impactims

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And I made a light to use under the lift by mounting a corded LED light array to an old shop stool I don't use anymore. And I upgraded the casters.
Under the lift shop stool...

Having a hard time understanding the use of this.
 

bonneyman

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Desert SW
Sounds like the same argument as with the corded tool vs. cordless tool debate. I do love my collection of 9.6v battery Makita flashlights. And LED headlamps are great for hands free illumination. But I've got some reliable corded droplights I've used for years.
 

larry_g

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oregon
Corded lights or tools or whatever are not obsolete. They get used regularly in my shop. However I also have some battery powered hand tools. Just because you have a choice nowadays does not mean that you have to trash the corded tools and replace them with the latest and greatest battery tool.

lg
no neat sig line
 
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impactims

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Corded lights or tools or whatever are not obsolete. They get used regularly in my shop. However I also have some battery powered hand tools. Just because you have a choice nowadays does not mean that you have to trash the corded tools and replace them with the latest and greatest battery tool.

lg
no neat sig line
So if you take a light like this...

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Then compare it to this...

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The first light doesn't look very attractive considering all the cord spaghetti plus the fact that the battery powered light puts out the same amount of light, is smaller, weighs less. The ONLY thing the first light has going for it is that it likely won't die on you out of nowhere. Unless I am missing something. Under a hood or under a car, that cord spaghetti can be VERY inconvenient. The Snap on, MAC and Cornwell dealers I see, claim to have not sold a SINGLE corded light is years...

Maybe not "completely" obsolete, but...

I just ordered a corded light that sits on a stand that will see very limited use unless I get it and discover something out of this world about it. In all likeliness, it will be a go-to for motorcycle work and undercar work.
 

Steel_Rain

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Apr 23, 2024
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I still have a caged, corded drop light somewhere…I think it’s a Klein.

I’ve moved to everything cordless these days. I have a few at work and many (to many) at home.

I favor buying dual power lights that can use power tools batteries for portability, but 110v plug in for long term use.

Makita DML809-

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Also Hercules-

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I have several more…FLEX tower lights, maybe another Makita Im forgetting. Really like the dual power stuff because the light can still be useful long after the battery platform is discontinued and if I’m working on an all day project, I can just plug it in.
 

KnurledNut

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Then compare it to this...

download (2).jpg

I use that 761 every week and love it! The magnetic battery boot accessory is a must. It’s got a spotlight on the tip, adjustable brightness main light and it flashes when the battery is low instead of just shutting off. Extremely rugged and lightweight too.
 

zendriver

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Dec 10, 2014
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Indiana
Just ordered one of these. Not in my possession yet.

2000 lumen, led, corded.

download.jpg
As I get older, I’ve discovered there is no such thing as “too much light” when working on something.

I have two just like this, one I moved to a folding telescoping stand, that the original led light broke when it fell. Can have light from different angles at once.

Also use the newer HF corded led drop light that moves in close. All three just plugged into a strip to easily switch on off

purchased the icon rechargeable magnetic ”puck” lights and the base frame that hooks under the hood. The lights are great to attach anywhere metal.(or just hold) The frame is nice but I have not done a lot of under hood work recently.

The light you have looks like the sturdy one. I have had mine for years purchased from menards

Let there be light! :rolleyes:
 

Hakeem

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Jan 22, 2024
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Chicago
I use a corded trouble light and I love it. Mainly because I’m liable to forget the cordless variants and they’ll drive away stuck to the vehicle, never to be seen again.

Beyond that, they provide unlimited light, no need to charge, and mine has an outlet at the bottom that’s handy for a heat gun or induction heater. Worrying about battery life is just one more thing on my mind. I still wear a headlamp but when I’m working in one spot for a couple hours, I always break out the trouble light. My shop is dark and more light is always welcome.
 

OccupantRJ

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May 15, 2009
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Eastern North Carolina
I have a few pull-down corded "trouble" lights with rough service incandescent bulbs. Other than them being hot when used, I do like them. I also use a few different types of LED handheld lights, depending on what I am doing.
If you change the bulb out to LED you can solve the heat issue. I did this with mine.
 

bonneyman

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Apr 22, 2010
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Desert SW
Where do you find/buy incandescent bulbs from?
I went to spiral flourescent bulbs in my drop lights. A bit more sturdy than regular incandescent.

But I still find the old bulbs at thrift stores, Goodwill, estate sales, etc. Though they're getting a bit more sporadic of late. I was at an Ace store some years ago and they had this box of 60 watt incandescent bulbs on the counter. Apparently some customer brought the whole thing in as he was upgrading to LEDs. Thought the store could sell them. They couldn't due to liability issues, so they GAVE them to me. (Plus I snag the various wattages I use around the house when I find them). I'm stocked for years. :lol_hitti
 

Steve_P

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Sep 15, 2010
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I have a corded engine bay type long fluorescent light that clamps to the sides of the hood that I still use. If I was buying today, I'd get the cordless DeWalt version since I have plenty of batteries, and this would give me the option to use it outside in case of an emergency. Otherwise, everything else is cordless- multiple DeWalt and HF options.
 

driftpin

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Dec 22, 2016
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Miami-Dade/Broward Co. Florida
I use both in my shop. I have a homemade underhood light that is spring loaded and clamps to the sides of the hood (cost me $40 to make). It uses a corded LED shop light. And I made a light to use under the lift by mounting a corded LED light array to an old shop stool I don't use anymore. And I upgraded the casters. For targeted areas, I have several magnetic battery lights.
Like you, I use both. Here's my $0.00 cost corded shop light, also made from things on-hand. An old film camera tripod, very adjustable, and it can be raised to 68" if that was necessary. Most of the time, if I need-to, I'd adjust the legs to full-extension, ~55" and leave the single central pole fully retracted, which makes the unit less-'tippy.' Leaving the three double-length adjustable legs fully retracted shown in pic #1 is probably the most-stable, though here I show the central adjustable pole at full-extension.

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Are there alternatives to the old hanging trouble light - yes. Old trouble light obsolete - no.
I am in-agreement.
Corded lights or tools or whatever are not obsolete. They get used regularly in my shop. However I also have some battery powered hand tools. Just because you have a choice nowadays does not mean that you have to trash the corded tools and replace them with the latest and greatest battery tool.

lg
no neat sig line
Another 'in-agreement' post.

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A single home-made lamp can light a large area. Yeah, it's cluttered. The Snap-On roller seat is one of the few things of that brand I own. I bought it from the shop owner who ran Blais Motorcycle in Dania Beach FL. He had a dyno that saw many bikes over the years. When he closed shop, he gifted the dyno to his employee who was going to open his own shop.

Working underneath a car, which was on jack-stands, I used a HFT LED 4 ft. shop light, which was very rugged and easily-positioned. It's the one in a round plastic sleeve, and no steel/aluminum shroud.

I have a lot of the HFT giveaway blue plastic battery-powered rectangular lights, I call 'em, 'bars of soap' lights; which are handy to keep around the house in various places so you don't need to go to the garage for one. The ones w/the newer-style LED lamps are really-bright.

I also have a HFT Icon hinged magnetic stick light which I find very useful, as it can be positioned numerous ways. It also has multiple elements, w/variable output, so the battery lasts longer. In the background are a couple of the HFT 'bars of soap' lights.

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The Husky top toolchest, w/the deep measurement in the background? I bought that a few years ago, after reading about a GJ 'Hot Deal' announcement, that the toolchest was on-sale. I went to the local Home Depot closest, and had to get an employee to pull one off the inventory stacked up in the rafters above the floor-level display. While I was waiting for that, another person showed-up and I suspect he may have been a GJ member himself, as he was looking for the same item. They only had two, and the employee said, "If you want them both, tell me and they're yours." I decided I didn't wany to do a re-sale online, so I declined. Nice of him to ask me. The other shopper was happy to get the last one.

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decableguy2000

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Nov 4, 2012
Messages
651
I have a corded engine bay type long fluorescent light that clamps to the sides of the hood that I still use. If I was buying today, I'd get the cordless DeWalt version since I have plenty of batteries, and this would give me the option to use it outside in case of an emergency. Otherwise, everything else is cordless- multiple DeWalt and HF options.
The Dewalt one is excellent for emergency lighting as it will free stand. I do use it under the hood quite a bit, works well for that. Also have the hand held DCL050 for under the car. I still use an old corded cheapy with and LED bulb at times to. I reach for the cordless more often
 

liliysdad

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Jul 18, 2008
Messages
5,383
I have one of the super cheap super Chinese Amazon LED lights that use my Dewalt batteries. Its incredibly useful. It will run 20+ hours on a 5ah battery, has a hook to hang, adjustable light head, two brightness levels, and a USB port to use as a battery bank if need be.

I need to order a couple more.
 

GaryM909

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Apr 11, 2016
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Location
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Just ordered one of these. Not in my possession yet.

2000 lumen, led, corded.

download.jpg
I bought one at Costco quite a few years ago and it has worked well. I took it over to my daughters house when I helped her paint the walls and it's still there. There is an old trouble light hanging on the wall that I haven't used for years. I still haven't converted to cordless lights because that would require to plan ahead and have a couple batteries charged up.
 
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