Work lights - Any interest in 23W CFL rough service bulbs?

MikeWhitney · **Joined:** Wed Aug 20, 2003 9:15 pm **Posts:** 4724

I have tried a lot of different under-car lighting and I am finding that the only acceptable option I have found is the plain old clamp-on screw-in bulb trouble light:

It's the only light I have found that is bright enough (with a 100W bulb) and light enough to clamp anywhere. It's also the only style of light that can be directed at the thing being worked on without any glare in the eyes.

Trouble is, the incadescents throw off a lot of heat, and tend to get broken pretty often. I have been using "rough service" bulbs which have generally been great but still hot.

Long story short, finally there is a 23w CFL rough service bulb on the market, but I have only found one place selling them individually, and with high shipping costs. Home Depot sells them by the 12-pack for about $100.

http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/sto ... -100653107

Any interest in buying some bulbs? I'd like to keep 4 and will sell the other 8 at cost, about $9 each. If I can find buyers for 4 or more I'll probably do the order.

If anyone has other ideas/experiences with bright, directable, cool, clamplights, I'd love to hear it.

Arthur McDonald · **Joined:** Fri Aug 29, 2003 1:54 am **Posts:** 2052

Sign me up for two.

Dustin Fredrickson · **Posted:** Fri Sep 04, 2009 12:14 am

Sure, 2 here

BretLuter · **Posted:** Fri Sep 04, 2009 8:58 pm

Mike,

I saw 100w-equivalent CFL's at Lowe's today for ~$4.50 each.

They weren't "Rough service", but as long as you don't actually break the glass, I would think they would last a long time without a traditional filament to break. ????

Any idea what makes these that you're considering "rough service"???

Carl Fisher · **Posted:** Sat Sep 05, 2009 12:36 am

I don't know, but it would make sense to use thicker glass...

MikeWhitney · **Joined:** Wed Aug 20, 2003 9:15 pm **Posts:** 4724

BretLuter wrote:

Mike,

I saw 100w-equivalent CFL's at Lowe's today for ~$4.50 each.

They weren't "Rough service", but as long as you don't actually break the glass, I would think they would last a long time without a traditional filament to break. ????

Any idea what makes these that you're considering "rough service"???

They have a rubberized coating on the glass, so stray/flying nuts have a lower chance of breaking the bulb. Plus if it gets dropped and does break it should make less of a mess.

I am hoping that the internals are beefier too, but that's probably hopeful.

I'll be placing an order for the bulbs soon, we're all gonna be part of a fun experiment

clinehall · **Posted:** Tue Sep 08, 2009 1:31 pm

ill take 2 if still available

Keith Quistorff · **Posted:** Tue Sep 08, 2009 1:38 pm

I went through an insane number of incandescent bulbs in my garage drop light over the years - they seem to burn out almost as quickly as I change them. Then I recently switched to a standard (not these 'rough service' type) CFL bulb and, so far, am impressed with their durability. Granted, I haven't put a whole lot of hours on this CFL yet, but it has made we wish I had switched a lot sooner. I don't doubt the 'rough service' version is better for drop lights, but standard CFLs also appear to be a huge improvement over incandescents for this type application.

Dustin Fredrickson · **Posted:** Tue Sep 08, 2009 1:43 pm

Keith Quistorff wrote:

I went through an insane number of incandescent bulbs in my garage drop light over the years - they seem to burn out almost as quickly as I change them. Then I recently switched to a standard (not these 'rough service' type) CFL bulb and, so far, am impressed with their durability. Granted, I haven't put a whole lot of hours on this CFL yet, but it has made we wish I had switched a lot sooner. I don't doubt the 'rough service' version is better for drop lights, but standard CFLs also appear to be a huge improvement over incandescents for this type application.

Likewise, my garage door openers eat light bulbs - even the ones designed for garage door applications. I put standard CFL's and have been going strong since.

MikeWhitney · **Joined:** Wed Aug 20, 2003 9:15 pm **Posts:** 4724

Ordered. Total was $110 so $9.17 each. Just pay $9 or $10 each, whatever you have in your wallet

Art - 2
Dustin - 2
Cline - 2
2 available

MikeWhitney · **Joined:** Wed Aug 20, 2003 9:15 pm **Posts:** 4724

MikeWhitney wrote:

Ordered. Total was $110 so $9.17 each. Just pay $9 or $10 each, whatever you have in your wallet

Art - 2
Dustin - 2
Cline - 2
2 available

Guys the lights came in, I like them! Been using for a few days. Even "tested" one, clamplight dropped 4ft onto concrete with no issues.

Let me know how/when you'd like to get the bulbs.

Also FYI I upgraded my Home Depot clamp light to one of these -- I was going through a clamp light every year or so when the screw-on reflector threads would get deformed and no longer tighten on the base. This nicer clamp light is one-piece and very sturdy. Unfortunately there isn't an on/off switch. Maybe I'll install a Clapper

http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/items/ ... ng-_-2V648

KendtEklund · **Joined:** Tue Mar 27, 2007 7:29 pm **Posts:** 1204

I'll take the last 2 if nobody has dibs

MikeWhitney · **Joined:** Wed Aug 20, 2003 9:15 pm **Posts:** 4724

KendtEklund wrote:

I'll take the last 2 if nobody has dibs

SOOOLD!

clinehall · **Posted:** Wed Sep 23, 2009 8:35 pm

you want us to pay pal you the money?.

BretLuter · **Posted:** Wed Sep 23, 2009 8:53 pm

MikeWhitney wrote:

Ordered. Total was $110 so $9.17 each. Just pay $9 or $10 each, whatever you have in your wallet

Art - 2
Dustin - 2
Cline - 2
2 available

Guys the lights came in, I like them! Been using for a few days. Even "tested" one, clamplight dropped 4ft onto concrete with no issues.

Let me know how/when you'd like to get the bulbs.

Also FYI I upgraded my Home Depot clamp light to one of these -- I was going through a clamp light every year or so when the screw-on reflector threads would get deformed and no longer tighten on the base. This nicer clamp light is one-piece and very sturdy. Unfortunately there isn't an on/off switch. Maybe I'll install a Clapper

http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/items/ ... ng-_-2V648

Mike,

looks like a perfect place to use one of those thumbwheel on/off switches that you clamp around the power cord. Or, I'm sure you could engineer a twist switch on the back end of the reflector.

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Work lights - Any interest in 23W CFL rough service bulbs?

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