Harbor Freight 'Braun' Work Light - WOW! (1 Viewer)

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Spike Strip

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I don't usually shop at HF, but once and a while they just get it right at a price that can't be beat.

390 Lumen Magnetic Slim Bar Folding LED Worklight

Can be had for $25 with coupon (bought today 12/14/2018)

This thing is GREAT!

Magnetic base. Super Bright w/ high/low setting and a flashlight function on the end. Aluminum base and head.

Best of all, USB-rechargeable so you can keep it in the truck and charge with a cig-lighter plug. Uses a standard replaceable 18650 type battery as opposed to most other cordless work lights that have the battery wired in. I have a lot of the 18650 batteries for my head lamps, so it was a no-brainer. Comes with a battery and USB cord.

Cheers.


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I like the idea of user-replaceable rechargeable batteries. I wish more manufacturers did that.
390 lumens is not that much nowadays though.
Is the magnetic bit at the end of the handle?
 
Maybe not for a flashlight, but for under hood or under dash or under car, it's plenty. Mag in base, yes, and a surprisingly strong mag, too.
 
I meant to pick one of these up the other day but forgot. I have the Astro work light they compare it to and it's awesome @ $50 tho. The downside is that once it's dead it's dead until recharged. I didn't know the HF has replaceable battery. Will def grab one thanks for the heads up.
 
so that mag is strong enough that you could hang it upside down from a raised hood?
 
Replaceable 18650. Bottom unscrews, out drops the old battery, pop in a new fully charged battery. I have a few 3500 mah 18650 for my headlamps and they work great, so far in this light. Comes with a 2200 mah battery.

Magnet is very strong. I have it hanging upside down in the garage now.

The Astro has a higher lumen output, but at twice the price and the inability to swap batteries, I think this HF wins.

The flashlight function, also, has come in handy as it allows you to stick the thin light into tight spaces.

Also, the USB charging wins vs the wall-wart type charger with the Astro.
 
BBQ'd outdoors last night and found another great use for the light!

Attached it to the metal railing for the side tray and I could see for once what I was cooking!
 
Yup have had one for a little while and love it. Battery doesn’t last that long, maybe 2hrs in high setting, 3-4hrs on low. Charges fairly quickly though so not a huge deal breaker and love that the battery is replaceable. Magnetic is super strong and holds it upside down perfectly. Have used it under my rig a few times.
 
Yeah, 2200 mah batt is ok, fine for most jobs, but with the 3500 battery, I got about 4 hrs on high, last night... I just wanted to see how long it would last and if it would over-heat.

If you buy x-tra 18650B batteries

Ebay LINK
 
Yeah, 2200 mah batt is ok, fine for most jobs, but with the 3500 battery, I got about 4 hrs on high, last night... I just wanted to see how long it would last and if it would over-heat.

If you buy x-tra 18650B batteries

Ebay LINK
Awesome... was actually going to hit you up for a link for some of the batteries. I am sure that the batteries that are provided are par at best, more than likely sub-par. Still really like the light though.
 
Those Panasonic are consistently rated best 18650 - but have to be careful, a lot of fakes sold as Panasonic.
 
I’m putting this on my list next time I’m there. This time of year underhood lighting is a must to work in driveway after work.
I’m a believer that a lot of their stuff is pure s*** but like you said there are can’t beat the price type things that get bought. I have been buying their tools (socket, wrenches,etc) lately exclusively trying to break them since they have a lifetime warranty. Nothing has broken so far. My tool kit that will build and then remain in my new build is all HF crap.
 
I have the HF Braun LED also. The LEd is bright ad the magnet is strong.
 
I’m putting this on my list next time I’m there. This time of year underhood lighting is a must to work in driveway after work.
I’m a believer that a lot of their stuff is pure s*** but like you said there are can’t beat the price type things that get bought. I have been buying their tools (socket, wrenches,etc) lately exclusively trying to break them since they have a lifetime warranty. Nothing has broken so far. My tool kit that will build and then remain in my new build is all HF crap.

Yeah there are lots of things that they sell that really are pure #$%*. But then there are things that really keep on ticking... Like my $20 4 1/2" grinder with deadman switch, that thing has seen so much body work, metal cutting, grinding, etc that I am really surprised it has lasted the 5yrs that I have owned it. Same thing with my "premium" $10 1500w heat gun. And if you catch the deals, you can get some of their lower grit flap discs (36-80grit) for $0.99/ea with a max of 10 each at times. I have an employee that frequents the one that is next to our office almost on a daily basis, and really he has turned me on to a few things that they are great for (like finding buffing compounds, gloves, small other tools, etc.) Then they have their sales on their all metal ammo cans and the "pelican" style cases that you can get for stupid cheap with the right coupon. Hell just check YouTube and you can find plenty of the "What you should DEFINITELY BUY" type videos for HF stuff. I just painted my entire 60 with their cheapo $9 purple HVLP gun (modded one to be a primer gun) and they worked just fine (for my application that is). When I go to do some touch-up stuff in the spring/summer I will probably toss the main purple gun (or donate to a friend) and purchase their "professional kit" with the detail gun AND normal gun for $45.
 
Like my $20 4 1/2" grinder with deadman switch, that thing has seen so much body work, metal cutting, grinding, etc that I am really surprised it has lasted the 5yrs that I have owned it.

I always found it interesting that they always (at least used to) threw a spare set of motor brushes in the box. I've never worn out a set of motor brushes on anything even after years of use.

I typically stayed away from battery powered tools back in the day, but their higher end stuff now is awesome ($250 1/2" high end impact is simply incredible) and obviously the work light in this thread.

Their sandpaper is junk, cutting grinding stuff is fine.
 
20 Ton press and Bearing/race driver set are still my top two things that I use all the time with no issues.
 
I like the idea of the bar to work under the hood .. but batteries scare me. So far I'm stuck with Dewalt lights which share the same as the tools obviously they lack the magnetic feature although ..
 
I picked up the Braun light the other day. As Spike said it's not quite as bright as my Astro light but bright enough.

Already spent plenty of time under my Tacoma. The magnet is every bit as strong as the Astro. Can be annoying as it will suck tools in.

The only thing I have to get used to is the push button for on off. I've found myself hitting the button on accident and shutting the light off. Not a big deal tho.
 

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