HF Braun Slim LED Worklight

[milwaukeephil]

I ordered two Braun lights in January and got the dreaded "backordered" email a few months ago. When I called, they said they'd be back in stock in July.

Lo and behold, they showed up out of the blue yesterday. Real nice quality. I've been using the Astro ones (40SL and 40SL Max) and love them. We'll see how this one compares.

Incidentally, I also bought the $10 40SL knockoff that's all over eBay a while back. Functionally, it's been the same as the Astro. Fit and finish wise, you can tell the plastic isn't as high quality and the molding isn't as detailed. It's like they put the 40SL in a 3D scanner and cut the injection mold tool from that.

 

[paulsomlo]

I just used mine for the 1st time, doing some auto work. It's bright, the switch is easy to actuate, and the magnet is strong, very impressed so far. And when left on for a bit, one press of the switch turns it off, don't have to cycle through settings, a really nice surprise. If it holds up, it'll be a winner.

The only thing I can't figure out, is how to make it rotate around the base - does it do that?

 

[vjquan]

The only thing I can't figure out, is how to make it rotate around the base - does it do that?

It turns right below the swivel. It's a little tight.

 

[paulsomlo]

It turns right below the swivel. It's a little tight.

You're right - I just wasn't using enough force, thanks!

 

[mfewtrail]

After about 6 months, my light has developed an issue with the switch. I went to use it and it would not turn on. I figured out by rotating the little switch button ever so slightly and trying to turn the light on that eventually I get to a spot where it will work. Once I found this spot I also figured out that if I place pressure on the left side of the button while pressing it on the lower right side(4 o'clock position) I can get the light to turn on pretty much every time - I taped over the button to hold it in this specific position. I assume the button has a membrane underneath it and it has shifted, worn, or something. Once I get another light, I might try to take this one apart to make a more permanent fix. I suggest anyone with a non-working light give my method a try. It's annoying as **** to get it to work, but if you do, you at least have a somewhat usable light again.


Has anyone disassembled one of these yet?

 

[WhataTool]

My coworker has now gone through 3 of them out his 4 having button problems.

 

[Mr_B]

Both of mine good and been in daily use for 6 months . 3 out of 4 seems bad odds, button looks a weak spot but expect could be repaired.
wonder if any of newer batch has different sourced parts due to big orders from HF

 

[bert1913]

$19.99 coupon: http://www.hfqpdb.com/best_coupon/BRAUN+390+LUMEN+SLIM+BAR+FOLDING+LED+WORKLIGHT

i bought 2 lights using this coupon.

 

[Alpine4x4]

Got my second this weekend, absolutely love this little light.

 

[70chevellegsp]

Bought a Bayco from Lowes for $27, and it's not 1/2 the light the Braun from HF is. The Bayco is not very bright and pulsates for some reason, plus it's all plastic.

 

[D.Sobek]

After 4 moths of use and abuse, I.E only used a few times and treated with kid gloves my light stop working. Pretty sure it's the switch, i have managed to get it somewhat disassembled.

https://imgur.com/a/G1neD7z

https://imgur.com/a/G1neD7z

I might have to make a tool to get the metal ring out. I heated it up with a soldering gun to try and burn off any thread locked they may have used.So far it's about half way out.

 

[pwhittle]

I was rebuilding the hydraulic pump on our Motorhome and had 10 gals of hydraulic fluid in a tub

My Braun fell, of course, into the fluid. I fished it out and while there was a little hydraulic fluid behind the lens over the LED, it still worked so I kept using.

I forgot it under there and drove the 5 Miles to the storage lot where we keep it. I figured it was a goner.

Two weeks later I brought it home. Another week later I thought to see if it was still attached. To my delight it was still attached and, even better, the light part was angled down so any remaining hydraulic fluid had drained out from behind the LED lens.

I pressed the power button and it lit up. Right now I have it on the charger.

I doubt it will ever rust.

Paul


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[kythri]

Would a pair of straight-nosed snap-ring pliers fit in there?

 

[dnschmidt]

Hey Mr. B. If you're in the UK how the hell do you know so much about Harbor Freight? The one eyed monster hasn't made it there yet has it?

 

[kythri]

I asked him the same thing a while back - he apparently hangs out here in the US for a fair amount of his day.

 

[jimreed2160]

Well I have all sorts of rechargeable lights in the workshop but my Braun never made it that far. It sits on the wire rack by my chair and I use it for reading the newspaper. BEST READING LIGHT EVER.

 

[gungatim]

my battery died on mine, left it on by accident and now it won't take a charge. after a few days, the light turned green, but won't work unless plugged in. I ordered a pair of replacements off amazon for $15 so hopefully it will be back in business.

on a side note, anyone try the smaller version of these lights that use 3 AA batteries? no flex head but they seem just as bright, and only $4.99. I snapped up 2 of them and they work real well. super bargain IMO...

 

[Benito]

my battery died on mine, left it on by accident and now it won't take a charge. after a few days, the light turned green, but won't work unless plugged in.

Happened to both of mine eventually, shows charging red then turns to green but no longer does anything once unplugged.

I mean $40 for 2 light was cheap, but now I own $0 worth of lights.

Anyone have recommendations for a similar light that will last a couple years?

 

[rpcraft]

I have one made by another company off amazon and swapped one of the cells you are talking about and it works fine. Also has a much longer shelf life because the battery doesn't degrade like alkaline ones. I wish I could find direct AA and AAA replacements in these style batteries. I get tired of finding a remote or something with Alakaline batteries in it with corrosion from the batteries going dead.

 

[rlitman]

Happened to both of mine eventually, shows charging red then turns to green but no longer does anything once unplugged.

I mean $40 for 2 light was cheap, but now I own $0 worth of lights.

Anyone have recommendations for a similar light that will last a couple years?

Just buy some more batteries. Does your car become worthless when the battery dies? Look for a "protected 18650" cell.

 

[Benito]

Just buy some more batteries. Does your car become worthless when the battery dies? Look for a "protected 18650" cell.

Assuming the battery is 100% the problem, and not the charging system in the light which is currently saying the battery is charged. Instead of buying stuff to make my 4 month old lights work again, I think I'll just buy something made to be used without killing itself.

 

[rlitman]

Assuming the battery is 100% the problem, and not the charging system in the light which is currently saying the battery is charged. Instead of buying stuff to make my 4 month old lights work again, I think I'll just buy something made to be used without killing itself.

Well, if you're tossing the lights, I'll send you my address for "recycling".
Personally, I have an 18650 charger, and have never charged a battery in any of my four Braun lights. I just swap the cells with one fresh off the charger when the button turns red. That way, I don't have to wait for it to charge.

Here's two batteries PLUS a charger for $10.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FPAY76S/?tag=atomicindus08-20

It's probably a **** charger and **** cells, but I'm betting it will be good enough for your purposes.

edit: as for the charging system saying the battery is charged; I would expect that just means that it will not charge a bad cell. That's a good safety precaution, and is probably not indicative of the charger going bad.

 

[66HertzClone]

Well, if you're tossing the lights, I'll send you my address for "recycling".
Personally, I have an 18650 charger, and have never charged a battery in any of my four Braun lights. I just swap the cells with one fresh off the charger when the button turns red. That way, I don't have to wait for it to charge.

Here's two batteries PLUS a charger for $10.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FPAY76S/?tag=atomicindus08-20

It's probably a **** charger and **** cells, but I'm betting it will be good enough for your purposes.

Thanks for providing this, I have been charging mine using the cable but I am in the middle of a long interior job and the battery dies before I've finished for the day. Going to order this right now.

 

[aka Larry]

Personally, I have an 18650 charger, and have never charged a battery in any of my four Braun lights. I just swap the cells with one fresh off the charger when the button turns red. That way, I don't have to wait for it to charge.

Same here. I bought a pair of batteries and charger from Amazon and have never charged any of the batteries using the light itself.

 

[rlitman]

Thanks for providing this, I have been charging mine using the cable but I am in the middle of a long interior job and the battery dies before I've finished for the day. Going to order this right now.

Again, I'm not saying those are good batteries, or that that is a good charger. That was just the cheapest option I saw at the time. FWIW, these 18650 deals are coming and going daily.

I use a Nightcore D2 charger, that I'm REALLY happy with. It charges a number of different types of cells for me.

And for the Braun lights, I bought a 4 pack of 18650 cells for $15 that works for my purposes. Others here will point out that you can get better cells that will offer longer run time. If that's important to you, then that may be a better choice. For me, I don't mind swapping cells, so I went with the better price value.

 

[D45]

My two are still going strong, no issues with them at ALL

 

[Bobioz1]

Happened to both of mine eventually, shows charging red then turns to green but no longer does anything once unplugged.

I mean $40 for 2 light was cheap, but now I own $0 worth of lights.

Anyone have recommendations for a similar light that will last a couple years?

Mine did this at about 2 weeks old. I cranked the cap tighter (by hand) and it’s worked perfect ever since.

 

[gungatim]

I shoulda bought the charger with the batteries...put the new one in and it worked, plugged it in to fully charge and now the battery is dead. none of the batteries will charge though the light will work on the power cord. so the electronics inside must have died....now I gotta buy a charger and deal with keeping batteries charged all the time. all in all, though I initially loved the light, for the nearly $60 i'll have into it, not such a good deal...

 

[Mr_B]

My 2 still working fine after almost 7 months daily auto shop use .
I charge offboard and via inbuilt charging at times and still got original batteries in use as well as pair of 3000mah cells .
I think some of recent stock in high demand times likely less quality if parts sourced different or QC drops lower than normal to get volumes out the factory .

 

[Benito]

I shoulda bought the charger with the batteries...put the new one in and it worked, plugged it in to fully charge and now the battery is dead. none of the batteries will charge though the light will work on the power cord. so the electronics inside must have died....now I gotta buy a charger and deal with keeping batteries charged all the time. all in all, though I initially loved the light, for the nearly $60 i'll have into it, not such a good deal...

This is what i don't get, the appeal for me was the $20 light. Here everyone is saying how I should buy this and this to mod my $20 light.
How about a product that works as expected? How much for one of those? If this was an Amazon item it would have 3-3.5 stars w/ several poor reviews and few buys - but since its HF everyone shrugs their shoulders.

 

[rlitman]

This is what i don't get, the appeal for me was the $20 light. Here everyone is saying how I should buy this and this to mod my $20 light.
How about a product that works as expected? How much for one of those? If this was an Amazon item it would have 3-3.5 stars w/ several poor reviews and few buys - but since its HF everyone shrugs their shoulders.

I'm not shrugging my shoulders because it's HF.

I'm shrugging my shoulders because the PRICE is HF. Find something in comparable lumens from Milwaukee for $20. LOL. I'm not sure what sort of expectations you have for $20, but the USB chargeable Milwaukee light is $60, and takes a proprietary battery.

 

[emeraldcoupe]

both of mine are working fine, and they have been dropped on the concrete and showered with welding and grinder sparks, no issues.

 

[ex-x-fire]

Watch it around brake fluid fellows, the plastic around the pivot won't tolerate it. Mine crumbled there.

 

[sgf13]

Has the price on these lights gone up a lot in a month? $20.00 seems to be what the most recent buyers mention paying but my catalog from yesterday lists the Braun slim bar led light item 63958 for $34.99. Even with a 20% off coupon that is still $27.99. Maybe the $20.00 buyers are using a coupon specific to the light?

Sent from my SM-T710 using Tapatalk

 

[rijndael]

Has the price on these lights gone up a lot in a month?

It was recently on sale with a coupon:

 

[Fedwrench]

Has the price on these lights gone up a lot in a month? $20.00 seems to be what the most recent buyers mention paying but my catalog from yesterday lists the Braun slim bar led light item 63958 for $34.99. Even with a 20% off coupon that is still $27.99. Maybe the $20.00 buyers are using a coupon specific to the light?

Sent from my SM-T710 using Tapatalk

You are correct. There was a coupon just for the light that made the price $19.95 but, those coupons seem to be gone with the latest HF flyer.

 

[rlitman]

You are correct. There was a coupon just for the light that made the price $19.95 but, those coupons seem to be gone with the latest HF flyer.

Looking on hfqpdb, I see a coupon that expired on 7/22. My guess is that there will be another coupon again.

 

[sgf13]

Looking on hfqpdb, I see a coupon that expired on 7/22. My guess is that there will be another coupon again.

Thanks guys. Since it isn't' a need it now kind of thing I'll hold out and see if another coupon comes. I checked the July & Aug. catalogs but it's normal price. My HF store is 45 min. from me so I try to get everything in one trip, but this price difference is worth the wait.

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[Mr_B]

The base price went up this month so if coupon comes out it likely be 24.99 .
Was a good buy at 19.99, I got 3, 2 in use and one spare. They done over 8 months daily use fine for me so far .

 

[rijndael]

It's on sale through 7/31

$19.99 with coupon 33760378