Need to improve light for bike repair
#1
Newbie
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 9
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4 Post(s)
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Need to improve light for bike repair
I am looking to buy a Standing Light for my Garage Workshop Area so I can see my Bike better to work on.
Every time I work on my bike I have to take out small lights and move them around.
QUESTIONS
1. How Many Lumens will I need? The Garage Workshop Area is minimal, typical homeowner set up & has a couple of Overhead ceiling lights that are not great.
2. Would I be better with Halogen or LED lights? or other?
3. Probably wouldn't want to spend more than about $100 US.
4. Also, would (2) lamps be better or just (1) Lamp on the Light Stand?
I thought having a light on a stand would be the way to go ..., but I am open for Suggestions for other Methods. Thanks ahead for any input.
Attached is the Type/Style of Light I am considering.
Every time I work on my bike I have to take out small lights and move them around.
QUESTIONS
1. How Many Lumens will I need? The Garage Workshop Area is minimal, typical homeowner set up & has a couple of Overhead ceiling lights that are not great.
2. Would I be better with Halogen or LED lights? or other?
3. Probably wouldn't want to spend more than about $100 US.
4. Also, would (2) lamps be better or just (1) Lamp on the Light Stand?
I thought having a light on a stand would be the way to go ..., but I am open for Suggestions for other Methods. Thanks ahead for any input.
Attached is the Type/Style of Light I am considering.
#2
don't try this at home.
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: N. KY
Posts: 5,940
Mentioned: 10 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 974 Post(s)
Liked 512 Times
in
352 Posts
The two head tripod versions are for lighting a whole room -- for painting, etc. The 4000, 5000 lumen ones would light up a whole backyard for a project. I suppose those have dimmer settings?
LED for sure, they don't get hot like halogen.
A single head is easier to deal with for a task light that you might be moving from place to place. I have a cheap 1000 lumen flood that I put on my old tripod from the 500watt halogen days. That works great, and lights up a section of a room effectively. I actually have two of these since they are inexpensive, and it's useful to have light from two directions.
I got a Makita lithium powered portable flood light, no stand, just a frame to hold it and allow tilting. It's 450 lumens on low, 750 on high. I use both settings -- the 750 is too bright if I bring the light within a few feet of my work. The 750 setting can light up a 10 foot x 10 foot area with bright light.
If you have lithium powered drills, and perhaps other tools that use the same batteries, it's very useful to just grab the light and take to where it's needed. I'm glad I have it. (I wouldn't buy a cheap battery floodlight that has built-in batteries -- I'd expect they wouldn't last for very many years.)
LED for sure, they don't get hot like halogen.
A single head is easier to deal with for a task light that you might be moving from place to place. I have a cheap 1000 lumen flood that I put on my old tripod from the 500watt halogen days. That works great, and lights up a section of a room effectively. I actually have two of these since they are inexpensive, and it's useful to have light from two directions.
I got a Makita lithium powered portable flood light, no stand, just a frame to hold it and allow tilting. It's 450 lumens on low, 750 on high. I use both settings -- the 750 is too bright if I bring the light within a few feet of my work. The 750 setting can light up a 10 foot x 10 foot area with bright light.
If you have lithium powered drills, and perhaps other tools that use the same batteries, it's very useful to just grab the light and take to where it's needed. I'm glad I have it. (I wouldn't buy a cheap battery floodlight that has built-in batteries -- I'd expect they wouldn't last for very many years.)
#3
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 2,679
Bikes: too many sparkly Italians, some sweet Americans and a couple interesting Japanese
Mentioned: 10 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 569 Post(s)
Liked 582 Times
in
409 Posts
As rm -rf said LED are the way to go, no doubt and the bigger the better. I have old eyes so my shop is completely LED as is my stand. For me it is difficult to only use the stand with the daylight I get from the door as I do not have clearstories<skylights as I always have to see the back side for various reasons so I suspect have two lamps spread as wide as possible on your stand would help.
#4
Guest
Join Date: Sep 2020
Posts: 2,888
Mentioned: 13 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1346 Post(s)
Liked 3,270 Times
in
1,439 Posts
These are about $15.00 at your favorite local hardware store. I use two, and clamp them where I need them.
#7
Method to My Madness
Join Date: Nov 2020
Location: Orange County, California
Posts: 3,662
Bikes: Trek FX 2, Cannondale Synapse, Cannondale CAAD4, Santa Cruz Stigmata GRX
Mentioned: 4 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1947 Post(s)
Liked 1,469 Times
in
1,018 Posts
I am looking to buy a Standing Light for my Garage Workshop Area so I can see my Bike better to work on.
Every time I work on my bike I have to take out small lights and move them around.
...
I thought having a light on a stand would be the way to go ..., but I am open for Suggestions for other Methods.
Every time I work on my bike I have to take out small lights and move them around.
...
I thought having a light on a stand would be the way to go ..., but I am open for Suggestions for other Methods.
Likes For SoSmellyAir:
#8
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 5,992
Mentioned: 26 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2495 Post(s)
Liked 738 Times
in
522 Posts
Most (many) bike headlights have adapters so they can mount on helmets and even your bare head. My MagicShine LED lights do. Lowest power level is great for projects.
#9
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: Long Island, NY
Posts: 2,109
Bikes: Trek 800 x 2, Schwinn Heavy Duti, Schwinn Traveler, Schwinn Le Tour Luxe, Schwinn Continental, Cannondale M400 and Lambert, Schwinn Super Sport
Mentioned: 14 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 809 Post(s)
Liked 1,022 Times
in
665 Posts
I am a big fan of using light only where needed as @SoSmellyAir suggests, however, sometimes it is good to light your work area. I like diffused light whatever the source for working on things. Work lights are often point source lights that can cast shadows right where you are looking Usually it is you hands, arms or head that gets in the way. Diffused light doesn't cast shadows. I tend to like fluorescent LED replacement bulbs, however, I notice that they strobe at 60Hz. Slow enough for your eye to pick up. The good thing with them is that they are inexpensive. There a few ways to go on these. With ballasts, without ballasts. With ballasts is the easiest, and has worked for me.
My office lights are ideal. I would like to get these at home. They are thin, efficient and unfortunately more than I want to pay with everything costing so much more and my pay remaining the same.
If you can swing the cost this would be my recommendation or something similar:
LED Light Panel
I would love to do this to my whole basement. I don't have a dropped ceiling either. Just exposed beams, but there must be another way to hang them.
My office lights are ideal. I would like to get these at home. They are thin, efficient and unfortunately more than I want to pay with everything costing so much more and my pay remaining the same.
If you can swing the cost this would be my recommendation or something similar:
LED Light Panel
I would love to do this to my whole basement. I don't have a dropped ceiling either. Just exposed beams, but there must be another way to hang them.
Likes For Velo Mule:
#10
Method to My Madness
Join Date: Nov 2020
Location: Orange County, California
Posts: 3,662
Bikes: Trek FX 2, Cannondale Synapse, Cannondale CAAD4, Santa Cruz Stigmata GRX
Mentioned: 4 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1947 Post(s)
Liked 1,469 Times
in
1,018 Posts
I second Velo Mule 's suggestion above. My garage is fairly well lit, so I only bought these:
Artika Stream LED Under Cabinet 3-Light Set | Costco
I had assumed that Rollwithit has sufficient ambient lighting and wanted spot lighting to better see the details of what he is working on. I am not in any way suggesting to use a headlamp as a sole light source when working on one's bike (or anything else).
Artika Stream LED Under Cabinet 3-Light Set | Costco
I had assumed that Rollwithit has sufficient ambient lighting and wanted spot lighting to better see the details of what he is working on. I am not in any way suggesting to use a headlamp as a sole light source when working on one's bike (or anything else).
Last edited by SoSmellyAir; 06-24-22 at 04:18 PM.
#11
Junior Member
Join Date: Jun 2019
Posts: 143
Bikes: Trek Domane SL5
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 25 Post(s)
Liked 41 Times
in
28 Posts
I replaced the light bulb in the garage ceiling with a screw in LED fixture. It makes a world of difference in the garage. I placed a second fixture in the basement for bike work.
Costco sells them as a two pack.
Costco sells them as a two pack.
#12
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Posts: 33,656
Bikes: '96 Litespeed Catalyst, '05 Litespeed Firenze, '06 Litespeed Tuscany, '20 Surly Midnight Special, All are 3x10. It is hilly around here!
Mentioned: 39 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2026 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1,096 Times
in
742 Posts
I have a 4-foot two-tube LED "fluorescent" fixture over my work bench hung from short chains on hooks in the rafters. It provides a very bright but diffused light that is great to work with. These things are available at Home Depot, Lowes and Amazon at fairly low cost, like $50 or less.
Likes For HillRider:
#13
SE Wis
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Milwaukee, WI
Posts: 10,515
Bikes: '68 Raleigh Sprite, '02 Raleigh C500, '84 Raleigh Gran Prix, '91 Trek 400, 2013 Novara Randonee, 1990 Trek 970
Mentioned: 40 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2747 Post(s)
Liked 3,395 Times
in
2,056 Posts
30 feet of LED goodness. Somewhere around 40K lumens if you can believe the manufacturer claims.
Likes For dedhed:
#14
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: San Diego, CA
Posts: 3,673
Mentioned: 10 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 837 Post(s)
Liked 1,061 Times
in
745 Posts
If you have fluorescent tube fixtures already you can just replace the tubes with LED versions, mentioned above, with a very simple wiring mod that just requires clipping a wire or two and re-connecting in a different configuration with wire nuts. Easier than wiring a wall switch. Sometimes the LED bulbs come with instructions to do this or plenty of YouTube vids.
#15
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Ottawa, Canada
Posts: 777
Bikes: Raleigh Classic 15, 84; Miyata 912, 85; Miyata Ridge Runner SE, 85; Miyata 610, 86; Miyata 100M, 86; Miyata Valley Runner, 88; Miyata Triple Cross, 89; GT Karakoram, 90; Miyata Elevation 300, 91; Marinoni Touring, 95; Long Haul Trucker, 2013
Mentioned: 9 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 159 Post(s)
Liked 133 Times
in
80 Posts
There are "plug and play" tubes that don't require rewiring, and then there are "ballast bypass" tubes that require, well, bypassing the ballast. If you're not replacing fluorescents, I'd say led strips are the way to go. I agree that directional lights can cast hard shadows that are less than ideal.
There are a number of "LED garage light" options that screw into existing sockets that might be good to look at.
There are a number of "LED garage light" options that screw into existing sockets that might be good to look at.
Likes For John Nolan:
#16
Happy With My Bikes
Join Date: Sep 2020
Location: Oklahoma
Posts: 2,186
Bikes: Hi-Ten bike boomers, a Trek Domane and some projects
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 884 Post(s)
Liked 2,307 Times
in
1,117 Posts
Those clamp on lights that Rolla suggested have been around longer than I can remember. They worked fine back in the day even though the bulbs were prone to getting broken due to being pretty much unprotected and the reflectors would get hot enough to burn down the shop if you weren't careful. Now with modern LED daylight bulbs which are often plastic and quite bright, they are a great, simple solution for many lighting needs.
And just looking at the picture reminds me of my dad. I think I'll go get one today.
And just looking at the picture reminds me of my dad. I think I'll go get one today.
__________________
"It is the unknown around the corner that turns my wheels." -- Heinz Stücke
"It is the unknown around the corner that turns my wheels." -- Heinz Stücke
#17
Method to My Madness
Join Date: Nov 2020
Location: Orange County, California
Posts: 3,662
Bikes: Trek FX 2, Cannondale Synapse, Cannondale CAAD4, Santa Cruz Stigmata GRX
Mentioned: 4 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1947 Post(s)
Liked 1,469 Times
in
1,018 Posts
#20
SE Wis
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Milwaukee, WI
Posts: 10,515
Bikes: '68 Raleigh Sprite, '02 Raleigh C500, '84 Raleigh Gran Prix, '91 Trek 400, 2013 Novara Randonee, 1990 Trek 970
Mentioned: 40 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2747 Post(s)
Liked 3,395 Times
in
2,056 Posts
There are "plug and play" tubes that don't require rewiring, and then there are "ballast bypass" tubes that require, well, bypassing the ballast. If you're not replacing fluorescents, I'd say led strips are the way to go. I agree that directional lights can cast hard shadows that are less than ideal.
There are a number of "LED garage light" options that screw into existing sockets that might be good to look at.
There are a number of "LED garage light" options that screw into existing sockets that might be good to look at.
I've bought a number of the cheap shop lights on sale and replaced all my fluorescent fixtures in the garage and basement with LED. It was often cheaper than bulbs for the old fixtures and reduced weight for hanging. I think the only incandescent bulbs in my house now are a couple outdoor flood lights and the oven.
https://www.menards.com/main/lightin...8502864&ipos=5
Likes For dedhed:
#21
Junior Member
There are "plug and play" tubes that don't require rewiring, and then there are "ballast bypass" tubes that require, well, bypassing the ballast. If you're not replacing fluorescents, I'd say led strips are the way to go. I agree that directional lights can cast hard shadows that are less than ideal.
There are a number of "LED garage light" options that screw into existing sockets that might be good to look at.
There are a number of "LED garage light" options that screw into existing sockets that might be good to look at.
Likes For ToledoTom: