Lighting is always important while doing repairs. Some lights, however, such as halogens, get too hot, while smaller tungsten-filament trouble lights are, in fact, troublesome. After they have been on for a while, the filament heats up and becomes fragile. The slightest jolt to the fixture can break the filament, and the bulb goes out, even so-called “rough-duty” bulbs.
To avoid this problem, I’ve switched to compact-fluorescent screw-in bulbs for all my trouble lights. Having dropped them and knocked them about, I can testify that these compact-fluorescent bulbs can take some abuse and still work. They cost a little more than tungsten-filament incandescent bulbs, but they provide plenty of light, use a quarter of the energy, and last 10 times as long. They also stay cool, which is helpful in some situations, such as working inside a cabinet or in other tight quarters with the light close to your face or hands.
Pete Duffy, Mundelein, IL
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