Corded lights....obsolete these days?

[Sumboodie]

It was a joke. I used to use that old-school **** as well.

I remember I had a rough service bulb. The light fell and hit something sharp. It broke the glass, but the filament continue to burn for like 10 seconds or so.

I remember thinking “ that looks real safe”

I melted the carpet in the back of the back seat of a Jeep I had with one like 20 years ago.

Didn't think about it being that hot, generally wasn't THAT bad, but had it setting there too long (seat was folded down)

 

[TobeyA]

@TobeyA
The homemade underhood light is interesting, how did you spring load it?

It's a screen door spring from Lowes. I used 1/2" and 1" PVC. The spring is held by two little bolts, one in the 1/2" side and one on the 1" side. At rest, there is only a tiny bit of tension on it. I should have taken a picture or two when assembling it, but I didn't think about it. The shop light came from Lowes.

 

[pelletman]

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

Blasphemer!

 

[Bert_]

I use one occasionally. This is the one place I like to use the ****** plastic led bulbs.

 

[pelletman]

I have a bunch of the HF folding lights, from the first editions to the current ones. I like the original style better than the new cool colored ones. I love them and use them most, I also have a fluorescent hanging on a reel with an outlet in it, mostly used as an extension cord lately. I also have an M12 underhood which I really like. I got rid of the drop lights a while ago

 

[PZ 1]

I still use corded trouble lights and have 3 of them on reels. Flashlights/cordless lights are one of the most misplaced and hunted-for things when you need it around a shop, and the great thing about a trouble light is that it is ALWAYS going to be on the end of that cord.
Plastic bulb LEDs are more durable than rough service bulbs and are cooler.

 

[impactims]

I've had one of those for years... it's great but funny enough Sometimes it's too Bright.

So, how old is this model? When was it for sale, new?

 

[redwrench60]

I still have a couple hanging on the garage ceiling. I use modern plastic LED bulbs in them. They are always convenient and ready to provide unlimited light and also function as an extension cord that’s never tangled up.

 

[NHtoolguy]

RS are still filament bulbs LEDs are plastic, the diodes don't stop working when dropped/bumped just like RS bulbs and they are cooler to the touch so no burns on the arm.

I can see how a cooler-running bulb would be beneficial. I didn't realize LED bulbs were shock-resistant. I would have expected the circuitry to be more fragile. Thanks for the tip!

 

[tradesman]

I use a couple of these, good lights 1000 lumens, and a couple Snap on cordless with magnetic base, also good lights.

 

[tube_guy]

Over the past few weeks, I've been putting in 8 to 10 hour days out in my driveway undercoating cars for the winter weather that's coming shortly. And during every single one of those days, I've been able to outwork my cordless lights by about a factor of 1.5 to 2. After they die, I'm always falling back on my old corded droplight. It just works when the cordless stuff doesn't. And with a 100 watt equivalent LED bulb, it doesn't get hot enough to burn me and it's brighter than the cordless lights, too.

 

[Kscardsfan]

Both have their place. But I'd say in my life cordless outnumber corded by a solid 5 to 1 at least. Corded is nice if I'm in the basement or the shop and won't be moving around a lot. Magnetic and cordless is great in the field and when I need to focus my light in an area without it being in the way. I am also a tool hoarder so I justify the reasons for owning so many of different things like this.

 

[SILVERPLATE]

I use a corded drop light in my small brick housing my well is in during the winter to heat up the area.

 

[niget2002]

I've gotten to where I wear headlamps if I'm needing light while working on something.

I do still have an older dual-halogen light on a stand if I really need to light something up. We only bought it to process screens for screen printings with the wife, so it gets used once a year or so.

 

[micromind]

I use a corded drop light in my small brick housing my well is in during the winter to heat up the area.

I had to fix a bunch of plumbing for a guy who did that and replaced the incandescent bulb with an LED........

 

[micromind]

My favorite corded light is a 1500 watt halogen fixture mounted on top of an 8' stick of 1 1/2 EMT with 4 - 3/4 IMC legs about 2' long.

It's 240 volts, not a problem in my garage as there are a bunch of 240 volt outlets.

 

[John T]

So, how old is this model? When was it for sale, new?

Oh man... yer testing my brain now...

My wife picked it up at Costco... HAD to be over 10 years ago. I wanna think it was about $30.00

I did a quick search online just now and found this pic.

Not sure if that's the deal she got.

 

[John T]

I was using the light today, replacing the heater blower motor in the jeep.

This old light has been kicked/dropped and run over.... and still working great.
The stand got mangled when I ran it over so I mounted it on a piece of 1" pine.

slides across the racedeck floor real nice...

 

[mikey03]

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.

I think you either using too small a battery or too old a battery or you aren’t recharging the batteries before use or you doing some realllly long projects

 

[M635_Guy]

Cordless lights were among my first 'cordless tools' and are another great example of where losing the cord makes things so much easier. I have an M18 light that will take a cord, which has been handy. Modern LED's give off so much light that is 'good light' too. I've had some close calls with bad burns on OG work lights.

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.

You should make a YouTube video about the underhood light and set up a "buy me a coffee" fund so people can throw a couple bucks your way when they use your idea. Seriously - that thing looks tidy.

 

[tarbellb]

I was using the light today, nice...

Ha I've got 4 of these from way back when Costco sold them for $10

They've been great, but I'm totally ready to cut the cord.

 

[bonneyman]

I think you either using too small a battery or too old a battery or you aren’t recharging the batteries before use or you doing some realllly long projects

You just need to feed the mice a little more cheese.

They've been great, but I'm totally ready to cut the cord.

I think my mom said something like that when I was born!

 

[Meursault74]

Yes, it's a Land Grenade!!

Song about the Pinto..........

Headlights On A Hand Grenade

no, it's about DUI, but it's not too often I have a chance to slam Pinto joke in edgewise.


on topic I have corded and battery lights. Just depends what I'm doing.

If it's going to take a while and the cord won't be in the way I'll used the cord. Exception likely being under the sink though. There's I'll stick with battery.

 

[impactims]

I think you either using too small a battery or too old a battery or you aren’t recharging the batteries before use or you doing some realllly long projects

In any of the above scenarios there exists the inconvenience of the light going out spontaneously. Something that would not occur with a corded light.

 

[whateg01]

In any of the above scenarios there exists the inconvenience of the light going out spontaneously. Something that would not occur with a corded light.

It's not really spontaneous if it's because you ran the battery down.

 

[308guru]

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.

Sweet DIY setup for the underhood light. Do you have a tension spring between the two arms down the middle to pull them together?

 

[Wrench97]

In any of the above scenarios there exists the inconvenience of the light going out spontaneously. Something that would not occur with a corded light.

I have not had one yet that didn't blink first.
Using LED cordless every day rarely is there a day I have to grab the second one because the battery went dead when left to charge overnight.

 

[impactims]

It's not really spontaneous if it's because you ran the battery down.

In the middle of a job, it's not exactly hot on my mind. So, when it dies, it definitely catches me off guard and not always at the most convenient time.

 

[impactims]

I have not had one yet that didn't blink first.
Using LED cordless every day rarely is there a day I have to grab the second one because the battery went dead when left to charge overnight.

My LED headband lights are good for about 4 hours (Cornwell). These have gone out on me many times.

Maxxeon "Cyclops" lights are 720 lumens = 2 hours, 360 lumens = 5.5 hours, 180 lumens = 10 hours. This seems to be the norm for similar lights. I have had these die on me.

I do have some big, bulky Coast headlamps that can go for 12+ hours on high. Never had these go out on me.

 

[Firebrick43]

I almost never use a corded trouble light anymore, has been years.

Last week when it was 20 degrees out, the grillo was still out in the barn instead of the garage, and had snowed so I thought to myself

"self, get the trouble light and set it on the engine of the snowblower to warm it up and make it easier to start"

So I uncoiled it and plugged it in only to remember, ohh yea, I put a florescent bulb in it last time I used it so its worthless at generating heat, and I don't have an incandescent bulb on the place anymore

 

[whateg01]

I almost never use a corded trouble light anymore, has been years.

Last week when it was 20 degrees out, the grillo was still out in the barn instead of the garage, and had snowed so I thought to myself

"self, get the trouble light and set it on the engine of the snowblower to warm it up and make it easier to start"

So I uncoiled it and plugged it in only to remember, ohh yea, I put a florescent bulb in it last time I used it so its worthless at generating heat, and I don't have an incandescent bulb on the place anymore

Light the cordless lights battery on fire and use it to warm the engine. And everything else.

 

[TobeyA]

Sweet DIY setup for the underhood light. Do you have a tension spring between the two arms down the middle to pull them together?

Yes. It's a simple screen door screen from Lowes.

 

[zimman]

My Milwaukee Stadium Light with 1 million lumens. I've had the neighbors call the police because this light turns night into day. LMAO.
It's a lot of money but really really good.
Zim