When it comes to jobsite work lights it seems there has always been a frustration to get a decent quality light source that can handle the abuse of the job. Halogen work lights have been the staple because they are cheap and put out a lot of light. Unfortunately the bulbs also break super easily and the whole units get so hot they cause hundreds if not thousands of fires and injuries each year. These are also mostly for task lighting when it comes to portable lighting for an entire shop or jobsite there are even fewer options. The IN360LIGHT ($249-269) was developed by a team with over 25 years of construction background with the simple goal to make a light that is bright, easily portable and can hold up to tough jobsite conditions.
The unit is designed to use 8x Compact Florescent Lights 42W (150W equivalent) included of course and which are readily available if they should need replaced. The polycarbonate shell it a tough housing which can handle typical jobsite wear and tear or shotgun shells as evident in the history of IN360LIGHT below.
Internally the florescent lights sit in a full suspension which further protect the bulbs (the weakest link) of these lights. While all the components from the light are fully covered with a manufacturer’s lifetime warranty the bulbs are not coverage and will break from a high enough drop. Good news is an easy swap out of the bulbs and you’re back in business.
When looking at the competition for a true 360 degree jobsite solution the only other real option is the WobbleLight which we know guys really like. Their florescent WobbleLight option is around $140 but only puts out 5000 lumens so would not be a very close comparison. To get a better apples to apples we’d look at the WobbleLight 175W Metal Halide which puts out 15,000 lumens and sells for $269 at home centers, which is the same price as the IN360LIGHT with 8’ tripod stand bundle. The advantage with the IN360LIGHT would be an 8’ light source vs 3’, 25% higher lumen output, half the weight, the light is a more natural “daylight” color and in the future it could be easily switched over to LED. The WoobleLight can definitely take some serious abuse and does have a 400W Metal Halide version with 40,000 lumen output but the price tag hits $350-400 range. See the Concord Carpenter’s review on the WobbleLight in the video below.
Dave from IN360LIGHT also shared with us that there are plans in the works for a IN360LIGHT LED version as well as a battery powered LED version which might run off of common 18V power tool batteries. LED would make these lights more durable and even more energy efficient but no word yet on when that might happen or what the pricing might be for those options.
We love to see a start-up Ohio based business have an idea, build a business and succeed like this! Not only is the light assembled in Ohio but case and many of the components are also manufactured right here in Ohio. Of course the product is UL rated, approved for use on the job and backed with a lifetime warranty. For any questions on any jobsite work lights or lighting applications contact the pros at Ohio Power Tool 800-242-4424 and they will be happy to help you find the right tool for the job!