LIGHTEN UP YOUR WORKLOAD WITH NAPA
In an automotive shop, the right lighting not only helps you see what you're working on, it also helps prevent mistakes and accidents. Darker garages make it easy to trip on cords, misread the small print chemicals bottles or overfill a reservoir. Luckily, NAPA Auto Parts sells a wide range of lighting equipment to pair with automotive tools, from handheld LED flashlights and headlamps to incandescent droplights and free-standing tripod floodlights. Shop NAPAonline for popular brands like CRAFTSMAN, DeWalt, Energizer, Light-N-Carry, Milwaukee Tool, Performance Tool, Star Warning Systems and more.
Most professional automotive technicians are never without a trusty pen light. These handy little flashlights fit conveniently in an overall pocket, toolbox or glove compartment, and can shine a bright, focused light whenever and wherever you need it. One of the most popular types of garage work lights is the droplight. These utilitarian versions of the pen light use a similar principle, a light at the end of a long cord. Many models feature a hook at the top so you can hang them from the open hood of a vehicle to illuminate the engine bay. Modern droplights are made with LEDs and a convenient spooling feature so you can store the cord safely and prevent tangling.
For a wider range of illumination, a flood light or a work light is a great way to get a brighter overall environment without upgrading the electrical wiring in the walls and ceiling of your garage. Most of the time, you can mount this light to a tripod to illuminate all 360 degrees of your workspace. And many new moveable shop lights are compatible with a mobile phone app, which allows you to control your light levels remotely.
THE BEST LED FLASHLIGHTS, RECHARGEABLE HEADLAMPS AND SHOP LIGHTS
When it comes to handheld light sources in an automotive garage setting, the name of the game is durability. In the past, finding a dependable work light was challenging. Most mechanic work lights used wall sockets, so your range of use was limited by the length of the cord. The brightest work lights usually used incandescent bulbs that could get very hot, a recipe for disaster when working with hazardous fumes and flammable liquids. Not only that, but incandescent lights usually require safety cages, which make them too bulky to fit into the dark recesses of an engine.
Any pro mechanic or devoted hobbyist needs a strong work light with an impact-resistant housing and weatherproof seals that can survive repeated dropping on a hard cement garage floor, as well as high temperatures and oily fingers. The most trusted shop lights are rugged. The housing should feature strong, weathertight thermoplastic polymer construction such as ABS to withstand use in a garage or work environment.
A bonus in modern mechanic work lights is their easy mounting capability. There's no need to drill any holes or glue anything, as most work lights feature magnetized bottoms and durable hooks so that you can mount them to the hood of your vehicle or the side of the engine bay, as well as hang them from the latch mechanism. These magnets are safe to use around metal tools and sensitive electronics.
Many newer flashlight models offer the best in LED lighting, as well as rechargeable convenience with hours of use on a single charge. Thanks to the advancement of LED technology, automotive work lights are now far safer, more efficient, smaller and brighter. The best work lights for mechanics should be rechargeable. You should get at least two hours of bright light; 170 lumens or higher is ideal.
