Just broke the plug in drop light I use for working on my car. I had a couple el-cheapo battery powered LED lights, and they all seem to work fine for awhile, but end up dying too.

What are you all using for a portable/hand held light for wrenching?

this is a good light ($16.99 sears), but the second you bump it against anything, the bulb shorts out
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Led from Costco. If it goes bad, costco takes it back.

Ray, go to an electrical supply and request "rough duty" incandescent bulbs. About 4x's as much but will last when bumped.

Lowes, HD, and even Walmart carry bulbs specifically designed for those. They have thicker glass and almost like a plastic coating over the bulb that protects it. I've had the same problem before and switching to the heavy duty bulbs generally lasts 9-12 months for me.

I use a battery powered LED work/flash light from Home Depot. After using a battery powered LED work light, I wouldn't use a plug-in work light again.

Mostly use a headlight for all work now.

If you are having to use one of those, you don't have enough lights on the ceiling in your garage. Go spend $250 at Cosco and buy the LED shop lights, that look like the fluorescent fixtures, for $35 each. 7-8 of those in a 400 sq. ft. garage and you will never complain about the lack of light to work in the garage again. Make sure your walls and ceiling are also painted white -

I've used a lot of different lights over the years. Virtually ALL drop lights suck IMHO. The light always shines in your eyes, is never where you need it and when it is, you usually step in front of it and your focal point is now in a shadow.

I've tried head lamps, LED lights of all kinds etc, etc. . . For the past 5-6 years I have been using a small single AAA powered Streamlight that I hold in my mouth. Works like a champ and since no one wants to borrow them so I always know where they are. I have about 6-8 re-chargeable batteries that I rotate through a charger and haven't had to buy batteries in years. These things put out an amazing amount of light and it's right where I need it 100% of the time.

Not a super elegant solution, but I would never go back to drop/clip-on/head lamps ever again.

Alll well and good, but under the car, I really need the droplight.

I picked up a couple of these at Costco for $30-35 bucks each for general work and they are bright! Don't look directly at them.
They remind me of the halogen work lamps but without the heat. They get slightly warm but not hot.

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I have a similar looking 300 watt halogen light. Sucker gets so hot I could light a cigarette off it.

Several different LED battery powered lights.

Put a LED A lamp in it Ray.

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My son-in-law bought this for me a few years ago from a Matco dealer. Its great. Lots of light and you don't burn anything. not cheep $100+

Harbor Freight led recharganle lights. $25 and bright as the sun. Small handheld one free with coupon.

Head lamp. Just wish I could mount one on my welding helmet. Velcro?

Agree, use an LED bulb instead of the rough service one. The rough service bulb is far more durable than a standard incandescent bulb, but gets hot as hell (got tired of constantly burning myself!). LED bulb is the wat to go, IMO.

Andys

Petzl LED headlamp for when you need focused light and both hands free:

http://www.petzl.com/EN/Sport/ACTIVE-headl...NT#.ViEfINKrSM8

That is a PITA when welding. I have one of these Mig Light clip-ons for the torch. Works pretty well in conjunction with an auto darkening helmet. Their cheap enough to try anyway.

I simply taped a 1$ led light to my mig gun. Works great.