Technical Drop light/trouble light, any good ones?

It's been quite a streak of POS trouble lights recently & a drop cord with a 3 prong outlet would be ideal. Is it possible to find one NOT made in China? Something that will not fail in a mater of weeks? Best one I ever had lasted about 15 years. Maybe those days are gone.
Maybe there is still a Christmas miracle out there...
Thanks.

 

I don't know if one light is the answer but I use the crap out of my rechargeable dewalt with the swivel head.

 

There out there, try industrial supply but whatever you find consider an LED bulb, I find they last longer.

 

A friend has a cordless one that impresses me. Made by a company called Neico or Neiko. I have used it for a days worth of work and it was still shining brightly. About 18" long less then 2" in diameter. I looked them up about $60 if I recall. LED. I would guess it was made west of San Francisco.

 

Another thing I use is a 4 foot led shop light but like most leds , they dont like being dropped.

 

I'm not much help because I can't find the manufacturer's name on mine. I bought it at the Rocky Mountain Street Rod Nationals a few years ago from a vendor there. When I walked by his booth he threw the light onto the floor and kicked it across the booth, sold. I've been using it about every day since.

 

http://www.jegs.com/i/Eastwood/352/30989/10002/-1


I have 2 of them best ever...

 

Don't buy harbor freight drop light........

 

Like 51norm said. Bought my l.e.d. drop light at a swap meet after the guy slammed it around. Three years ago and still flawless and doesn't get warm. Similar to this only it fits inside the original metal hood.

 

I've been through about 15 yellow plastic LED units and I always break 'em. Now I have an old traditional metal bulb-type [almost threw it away many times] but with a cool LED bulb. It's hooked to a retractable reel attached to the ceiling right in the middle of my little garage. Love it!

 

The best one I have found is the Bayco Fluorescent work light,I have had it for about 8 years and it hasn't failed me yet,got it at Ace Hardware. HRP

 

Try to keep away from the old mains voltage type which used a normal bulb, when the bulb breaks, you have a lovely live (hot) terminal where filament was, ready to "bite" you.
I chucked out all of mine, and replaced them with 12v transformer type LED type. Cheaper to run, and last a lot longer.

 

Been using one of these for years. It's been kicked, tossed and banged around it's whole life. Should be in pieces by now. Still working! They don't call it the 'bounce light' for nothin'!

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Central-12...062623?hash=item5d23e3611f:g:7~gAAOSwXYtY3U2d

 

This is what I use in the shop. However if your looking for a cordless I use the kobalt cordless tools and they are great! The saws and drills I use at work and have outlasted my dewalt tools. They are made in America. And the 24v batteries have great run time as well as being half the price of the top brands.the 18v and 20v tools/ batteries are cross compatible and if you have someone with access to a 3d printer they can make an adapter for the 24v to work in then as well. (The older tools have motors and switches rated to handle the voltage) point of that ramble was the great deal to be had on a warrantied tool that's American made and get tool line up. Lol git a little distracted there

 

The design is a great concept, nearly perfect.

However the one I have is/was junk. The plastic is thin and very brittle. The rotating sleeves shattered on 3rd use with no apparent trauma - I duct tapped it back together. No problems with the tape. The minimum grab range is too wide for a lot of under car places. Across a hood, door jambs and such it's fantastic. The amount of light is phenomenal but the battery is fast to fade and is slow to charge.

It's a great idea, needs/deserves a revision. Even if it has to cost more to cover those revisions it could still be a great light.

 

I don't have a picture!!!!! MATCO tools (you can find it on there web site) sells a portable/rechargeable/magnetic base/two power brightness/tilting base tough little light. I use it when welding and everywhere else when needed. No cord and small enough in size. It ain't cheap, but based on you particular need/project $$$$$, its worth it weight in Gold.

 

Or to ignite something like that leaky fuel pump you're wedged under the car replacing.

 

Just got one. 25 ft, 12/3, sturdy metal case. Came from China via Rural King I think. I'll let you know if it's worth a shit or not.

 

I bought one of these and made it into a work-light for a vertical band saw....works great.

 

I bought the same one at Lowes https://www.lowes.com/pd/Voltec-Industries-LED-Portable-Work-Light/50433094 It works great. The old conventional drop lights would either burn me, or blind me. This one provides lots of light and it does not heat up.

John

 

I've got a 6" fluorescent that came from Walmart several years ago, that thing has been through hell, dropped, kicked, left out in the rain, still going strong. I say that, next time I plug it in and it will blow.
I've also got a LED about the same size, had it for 4-5 years, used it for hours, and it still has the same batteries in it that came with it!
Also been using some small LED flashlights the wife picked up at Tractor Supply a while back. 3.5" long and 1" diameter running off of 3 AAA batteries, those little lights will light up the world! Just small enough to get into tight places yet light up a large area.

 

kind of expensive, but search ebay for a McGill drop light, and have fun! The wooden handle will impress your traditional buddies.

I've been using a foot long fluorescent Sears drop light for a long time, it's ok, but not the best by a long shot.

 

One thing I noticed was just how completely shitty conventional lightbulbs have become. Spare me the Public Service Announcement about how light bulbs are old tech. I use LED where they make sense, but they have all the ambience of a fucking arc welder, and in terms of heat output a conventional bulb is 100% efficient.

Anyway, a "rough service" light bulb - designed for auto trouble lights - lasted at least 4 or 5 years (I'm not sure!) in constant use at a bedside table lamp. Typical bulbs sometimes last only 4 or 5 days.

 

yep up here in Canada a hot bulb is your friend.

 

I've been using bulbs like thesehttps://www.ebay.com/itm/2PK-15W-11...zIAAOSwbsBXlpBs:sc:USPSFirstClass!67068!US!-1 The school shop class where I work will not allow incandescent trouble lights because of heat and fire I don't know how many tines they have been doped in the last 2 years but not one has had to be replaced.

 

Prolite Electronix, the best light I've ever had, recommended!!
https://www.walmart.com/ip/LED-Retr...rage-Work-Light-1000-Lumens-5030AHS/938094976

 

If you want to stay with the old school trouble light with a screw in bulb, WalMart still sells rough service bulbs for a reasonable price. I have several of the old type with rough service bulbs and they work fine for me.

 

Hell, I'd be happy to get the new POS bulbs to even work right out of the package.

 

any bulb that puts out heat can easily cause a fire if gas, etc gets onto bulb - not likely to happen!? - friend could have been very injured if another friend did not help get him out from under a Hot Rod that caught fire due to gas hitting a drop light bulb

 

I suppose anything is possible. Ya pays yer money and takes yer chances.