B.RAD Posted January 12, 2016 Share Posted January 12, 2016 Hang on to your hats, it's update time! I ordered two of these based on Mike's post above (he's not bad with electrickery right, must be worth a go?) https://www.mrbeams.co.uk/lights/ceiling-light/ I ordered them on Sunday morning, they just arrived. Great packaging and included the necessary 8 C batteries (extra cost but price wasn't bad). Total cost was £52.33 - included free delivery as over £50 and a 5% discount. Installation was incredibly easy, comes with rawl plugs and screws and the whole design is intuitive and straightforward, no reading of instructions required. Grabbed my trusty Worx SD cordless driver (on offer at homebase at the moment, go buy one, awesome bit of kit and has made home DIY so much easier! http://www.homebase.co.uk/en/homebaseuk/worx-4v-max-sd-multi-bit-screwdriver-304927 ) and wondered down to my rented garage. Fitted one to the rearmost beam and one to the second beam from front. Didn't use the rawl plugs, just screwed the supplied screws straight into the wood. They arrived at 2.10pm as I returned from a meeting, I thought I might as well take a lunch break (lunch break? What's one of them?) and have a crack at them straight away and I was back home putting the kettle on at 2.50pm. It's taken me longer to write this! Outcome - I'm impressed. The spread of light is very good, although two in a garage is perhaps best to light the whole space (you could get away with one in the centre but the ends of the garage would be in lowest light, typically where you need it). The 100 lumen light is decent enough, nowhere near a traditional light bulb but definitely bright enough to see what you're doing. I wouldn't recommend them as a source of light to work by though, they're much more of a "see where you're going" light. This is perfect for me though as I don't tend to work in the garage, just need to be able to see what I'm doing as I drag the trailer in and out. Would be decent enough if I needed to do an emergency job though and spot on for those late Sunday returns from a sprint weekend. The motion sensing is set very well, not so sensitive I'm worried about spiders/mice/unholy daemons of the dark night setting them off, but good enough so that they trip within a reasonable proximity. They turn off when light is good enough too so won't power on unnecessarily. I tried to take some pictures to show the impact but not sure they've come out very well. Before: After: So there you go, perhaps the most comprehensive review of some £50 battery powered lights! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lyonspride Posted January 12, 2016 Share Posted January 12, 2016 All you need now is some white masonry paint down those walls Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B.RAD Posted January 12, 2016 Share Posted January 12, 2016 Ha ha! Yes that would help too, but as it's rented (hence the restriction on power) it won't be getting any such treatment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kit Car Electronics Posted January 12, 2016 Share Posted January 12, 2016 Think I fancy one for the shed now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B.RAD Posted January 12, 2016 Share Posted January 12, 2016 Yep would be perfect for a shed, I'll be getting another to go under the cabinets in my home garage to light up the workbench. Thanks again to Mr T for promoting this! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin (Mr T) Posted January 13, 2016 Author Share Posted January 13, 2016 Yep would be perfect for a shed, I'll be getting another to go under the cabinets in my home garage to light up the workbench. Thanks again to Mr T for promoting this! Thanks for the feedback! I am now going to order a couple and I am going for a nice white interior! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Castlecroft Posted January 14, 2016 Share Posted January 14, 2016 just purchased and installed some Mr Beams spot lights with remote control - so that i can turn all the lights on with 1 controller. Makes a great difference (pictures don't actually do justice to the improvement) sufficient light to work on the car now before after 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
W Shep Posted January 15, 2016 Share Posted January 15, 2016 Mr T I have a solar panel on the roof of the garage onto a large battery then two 5mtr lengths of 12volt leds. Gives similar lighting to approx 60watt bulb with coverage from back to front of garage and continually on charge. Simples!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
W Shep Posted January 15, 2016 Share Posted January 15, 2016 Photo of above set up. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin (Mr T) Posted January 15, 2016 Author Share Posted January 15, 2016 Photo of above set up. Love that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin (Mr T) Posted January 15, 2016 Author Share Posted January 15, 2016 Photo of above set up. Can I ask what solar panel, controller and battery you are using? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAFKARM Posted January 15, 2016 Share Posted January 15, 2016 ^that is brilliant! (comment was merely an excuse to roll out an old pun) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
W Shep Posted January 15, 2016 Share Posted January 15, 2016 Can I ask what solar panel, controller and battery you are using? The solar panel is the largest Halfords do (approx £35) measuring approx 20x14inch. The battery is a spare 12volt battery and the LED's (300led's per 5mtr length) are from e-bay at approx a tenner a length. The panels fixed to the roof and attached to the battery via the crocodile clips and the lights are fixed to a square wooden frame I knocked up and secured to the garage roof supports, these were then also clipped to the battery (when needed). My garage (pictured) is approx 21 foot long by 9 foot wide, might need a head torch for intricate work but otherwise ample light and so far not had any problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin (Mr T) Posted January 15, 2016 Author Share Posted January 15, 2016 The solar panel is the largest Halfords do (approx £35) measuring approx 20x14inch. The battery is a spare 12volt battery and the LED's (300led's per 5mtr length) are from e-bay at approx a tenner a length. The panels fixed to the roof and attached to the battery via the crocodile clips and the lights are fixed to a square wooden frame I knocked up and secured to the garage roof supports, these were then also clipped to the battery (when needed). My garage (pictured) is approx 21 foot long by 9 foot wide, might need a head torch for intricate work but otherwise ample light and so far not had any problems. To use the current vernacular, that's the nuts! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
W Shep Posted January 15, 2016 Share Posted January 15, 2016 To use the current vernacular, that's the nuts! Thanks very much Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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