Detail lighting suggestions

[05RLS2]

I am getting ready to purchase some sort of tripod dual lighting to use for detailing in the garage to supply more light for machine polishing. I know there's halongen, fluroscent, and LED style lamps, but which ones really work the best when it comes to showing any kind of defects? I want something that mimics natural daylight, since I ususally polish at night and don't want to have to wait until morning to take the car outside just to make sure that all defects have been taken out. Is there any kind of wattage minimum I should be looking at? If you all could, please post which kind you all use and a link to where you purchased your lighting from

[-Longhorn-]

I prefer the 1400 green halogen lights at home depot. They show everything. You will not regret it.

They look like these except two on a tripod.

Designers Edge 700 Watt Double Bulb Single Head Halogen Worklight - L-5500 at The Home Depot (http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-202765367/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053)

[Flannigan]

I second some high wattage halogens. They work great in a garage to show the defects. I don't have that exact model, but one very similar that I got off of amazon several years ago.

[LegacyGT]

Halogen is great light quality, but puts off a lot of heat (good in the winter).

LED has some of the most pure light, but is very expensive, and rare to find anything that has equivalent lumen to incandescent / florescent.

I just put in some 8' florescent fixtures in my garage (mounted) and love them. I still use the green halogen tripod lights and a tactical LED flashlight.

[TLMitchell]

Halogen is great light quality, but puts off a lot of heat (good in the winter).

LED has some of the most pure light, but is very expensive, and rare to find anything that has equivalent lumen to incandescent / florescent.

Someoneoranother somewhere posted recently about finding some tripod LEDs at Menard's for 99 bucks. I went to look at them and was dissapointed that they were only 30-watt total.... 15 watts per side on a twin tower setup. Yeah, it's tough to judge lighting in a brightly lit store... but these things were just anemic compared to the 1000-watt stand next to 'em.

I spied some 1200 and 1400 watt halogen setups and gave 'em a look. Since both of my 1000-watt towers have a single 500-watt bulb in each side I was expecting to see higher wattage bulbs. Nope. Both the 1200 & 1400 watt setups had double bulbs in each side.. which means two 350-watt bulbs in each side of the 1400-watt tower.

My question is, are you getting more usable light from two 350-watt bulbs than a single 500-watt bulb, assuming no other variables?

I wouldn't know a lumen if it walked up and smacked me in the kisser.

TL <--- the dim bulb

[LegacyGT]

In theory more watts will be more light, but using lumen is better, because some lights are just really inefficient (heat). For example your 27 Watt CFL bulb puts out as much light (lumen) as a 100 Watt filament bulb.

If you are only talking about halogen, 2x350's (700) would be more light than a single 500.

[IID]

Someoneoranother somewhere posted recently about finding some tripod LEDs at Menard's for 99 bucks. I went to look at them and was dissapointed that they were only 30-watt total.... 15 watts per side on a twin tower setup. Yeah, it's tough to judge lighting in a brightly lit store... but these things were just anemic compared to the 1000-watt stand next to 'em.

I spied some 1200 and 1400 watt halogen setups and gave 'em a look. Since both of my 1000-watt towers have a single 500-watt bulb in each side I was expecting to see higher wattage bulbs. Nope. Both the 1200 & 1400 watt setups had double bulbs in each side.. which means two 350-watt bulbs in each side of the 1400-watt tower.

My question is, are you getting more usable light from two 350-watt bulbs than a single 500-watt bulb, assuming no other variables?

I wouldn't know a lumen if it walked up and smacked me in the kisser.

TL <--- the dim bulb

I don't know about the LED's looking anemic (they're a different type of light) but I have both halogens (3-1000 watt'rs and the LED's and the LED's will show some defects that the halogens don't pick up.
It was me that found the LED tripod set-up:
http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/auto-detailing-tools-accessories/36155-my-new-2-light-l-e-d-detailing-lamps.html

[john b]

i got a tripod dual halogen set up for 35$ at menards 500 watt a peice but they will roast your head off-thinking about getting another set and move them farther out so i dont melt my face off

[Bunky]

A typical 500W halogen puts out 8000 to 10000 lumens so 2 500W is cranking out up to 20,000 lumens.

A typical (most often found) 8' F40T12 (40W) florescent puts out about 3000 lumens. An 8' High Output T8 (86W) puts out 8000 lumens.

So. it would take 6 to 7 F40T12's to give equivalent light but the light is less directed (not focused like the halogens) but consuming only 240 watts.

LED technology is not close to this lumen output. It is not the watts, it is the lumens that counts.

I tried this...

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2564/3998221838_9f48a8ef86_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/37800563@N07/3998221838/)

Maybe looking at this $79

http://www.homedepot.com/catalog/productImages/300/77/77617cde-748b-4f7e-a8ff-fe72c233d7e8_300.jpg

[05RLS2]

So it looks like the halogens are the way to go when it comes lighting compared to the LEDs. I know things can get warm when working around them, since I already have a small handheld single filament fixture, but I can sweat a little if it means being able to see my work in the best light

As far as mounting overhead fluroscents inthe garage, I am planning on moving soon so I don't want to bother with installing fixtures at my current place. I just something that I can adjust and move around to shine on the sides and lower areas of the car when polishing.

Anyone happen to have any of the Craftsman halogens and can comment if they are any good or not? I have a few Sears giftcards and could probably use them for this

[C. Charles Hahn]

I don't know about the LED's looking anemic (they're a different type of light) but I have both halogens (3-1000 watt'rs and the LED's and the LED's will show some defects that the halogens don't pick up.
It was me that found the LED tripod set-up:
http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/auto-detailing-tools-accessories/36155-my-new-2-light-l-e-d-detailing-lamps.html

I went to Menard's the other day and looked at the same LED tripod system you've got and to be honest, I was very underwhelmed. Didn't put out anywhere near the amount of light I was hoping for :(

[TLMitchell]

Anyone happen to have any of the Craftsman halogens and can comment if they are any good or not? I have a few Sears giftcards and could probably use them for this

I've got both the Craftsman as well as the yellow setup you see (don't recall the brand) The yellow stand is a bit more sturdy, the Craftsmans have a two-stage switch that lets you select lower power. My yellow ones also have an extra bulb stashed in the handle, kinda handy. I like my yellow setup a bit better but they both do the job equally well. Craftsman's are about the best price you'll find.

Pick up some extra bulbs.

TL

[TLMitchell]

I don't know about the LED's looking anemic (they're a different type of light) but I have both halogens (3-1000 watt'rs and the LED's and the LED's will show some defects that the halogens don't pick up.
It was me that found the LED tripod set-up:
http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/auto-detailing-tools-accessories/36155-my-new-2-light-l-e-d-detailing-lamps.html

I hadn't considered the type of light vs defects, I merely was figuring brighter=better.


I went to Menard's the other day and looked at the same LED tripod system you've got and to be honest, I was very underwhelmed. Didn't put out anywhere near the amount of light I was hoping for :(

My impression as well, but like I sez, it's kinda tough to see what you need to see in a lighted store. Probably shoulda wheeled the car in and turned off the store lights. :D

This is a subject I've never seen addressed, placement and effect of lighting. I like light from behind in some cases but then you're battling shadows. Light in front on horizontal surfaces reveals defects but then you're fighting glare. Trial and error and people's writeups taught me that halogens or Brinkmann or whatever works best in a darkened garage for pics or inspection. Probably oughta get Mike Phillips off his keister to do a dissertation on the subject, since he's probably just lounging around
Stuart doing nothing anyway. ;)

TL

[05RLS2]

I've got both the Craftsman as well as the yellow setup you see (don't recall the brand) The yellow stand is a bit more sturdy, the Craftsmans have a two-stage switch that lets you select lower power. My yellow ones also have an extra bulb stashed in the handle, kinda handy. I like my yellow setup a bit better but they both do the job equally well. Craftsman's are about the best price you'll find.

Pick up some extra bulbs.

TL
Extra bulbs? Is your Craftsman halogen setup similar to my Craftsman rechargeable flashlights? Meaning that the bulbs blow frequently and can only be bought a Sears

[-Longhorn-]

A typical 500W halogen puts out 8000 to 10000 lumens so 2 500W is cranking out up to 20,000 lumens.

A typical (most often found) 8' F40T12 (40W) florescent puts out about 3000 lumens. An 8' High Output T8 (86W) puts out 8000 lumens.

So. it would take 6 to 7 F40T12's to give equivalent light but the light is less directed (not focused like the halogens) but consuming only 240 watts.

LED technology is not close to this lumen output. It is not the watts, it is the lumens that counts.

I tried this...

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2564/3998221838_9f48a8ef86_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/37800563@N07/3998221838/)

Maybe looking at this $79

http://www.homedepot.com/catalog/productImages/300/77/77617cde-748b-4f7e-a8ff-fe72c233d7e8_300.jpg
Tried those and hated them.