Near Perfect Mechanics Companion!
As a mechanic I am provided with satisfactory, but less than ideal, inspection lighting by my employer, so this was a purchase to make my life easier. This is truly excellent product. It is a very sturdy construction, I’ve dropped it several times already from head height in one week, but it still works perfectly, no sign of scratches or dents.
You cannot have everything, especially at this more than reasonable price, but I was very surprised at how thoroughly conceived and manufactured this product is! You buy cheap, you end up replacing often? You pay more, you get good quality and durability but must justify the price against your need in order to part with your cash? This is the perfect middle ground. This will last years in my opinion!
I purposely bought this as my old one broke and I had to replace the crank shaft position sensor on my car, a BMW... from underneath no less, to save time, a notoriously frustrating job! This worked perfectly for me during this task, I got it into all the positions I required to enable me to see what I was doing. This little gem made the task a lot less frustrating that it could have been!
No pros or cons as it’s damned near perfect and so useful, only a few minor points to note for potential buyers;
• initial charge time was approx 3hrs to full, (I have used it for approx 3hrs pretty much ‘straight’ and it hasn’t dimmed yet),
• the head only swivels 180* one way and then back, not 360*, this was not mentioned in the description but makes little difference as you can rotate the base of the torch as required,
• it comes with a very tough, fabric braided, USB charging lead, a very nice touch for in a mechanical workshop,
• the base magnet is very strong, no worries even if you knock it,
• the side magnets are less strong, but if you place them both on a flat metallic surface you will have little issue with that,
• the LED strip is incredibly bright! Enough to blind you if you turn it on facing outwards as I first did whilst charging it,
• it does also work whilst on charge, if you wanted to use another longer USB cable with it for a long job,
• the inspection torch is not fantastically bright, but more than enough to light up any dark crevices you are inspecting,
• the item itself is quite slim to aid inspection purposes,
• the head itself is slim enough to reach through very small gaps in a chassis or superstructure,
• the base magnet is especially useful for magnetising your tool tips, as it is that strong,
• the body and torch button are rubberised and seem at the very least water resistant, if not water proof,
• the charging points are all rubber filled with dust proof caps, possibly water resistant also.
I don’t usually write many reviews, only if I deem the product (un)worthy enough and I feel the need to spread the word, and I certainly feel that this one is. All in all, a very worthwhile purchase! I would definitely recommend it to any professional, let alone amateur, mechanic.
Anyone who has had/decided to replace a crank shaft position sensor on a BMW, from underneath will tell you, just how frustrating it can be when you cannot see what you are doing! This little light made it all the less annoying! A definite win!
Tell your friends, tell your local mechanic, shout it from the rooftops, people even write blogs these days... do that, and tell them to buy this product if you work in auto-motives, in any capacity!
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