Best type of lighting for indoor detailing?

[davey g-force]

Hey pro-detailers.
Im a car lover and detailing enthusiast from way back but dont do it for a living.

I like to detail my cars in my garage with the door closed. It is quite well lit, with a light on the ceiling, a neon light on each wall and a halogen light from above the garage door. When Im detailing, I THINK that i can see all marks / imperfections on the car. However, sometimes when I take the cars outside, I can see new marks or areas which Ive missed, especially on glass.

From your experience, what is the best type of lighting to use when detailing indoors and/or best position of the lights?

Thanx for your help.......

[Accumulator]

IMO it really takes different types of lighting to see everything. I'm using these different light sources: fluorescent for general illumination, halogen and high wattage (2-300W) incandescent (both handheld and ceiling mounted) for swirl-spotting, and natural sunlight for final inspection and glass.

I can't see very light marring under fluorescent. Some people like it for inspecting white, but I see *FAR* more under other light sources (but then I'm not inspecting white these days either). Heh heh, if the marring is so bad that I can see it under fluorescent you can bet it's on somebody else's car

Xenon is the current fad in hand-held lighting for paint inspection, you might want to look into that.

I get the best view of swirls/etc. by turning out all the other lights, so the garage is otherwise dark, and varying the distance and angle of illumination (hence the hand-held light) and also my viewing angle. Get it just right and you can spot the lightest micromarring, even on silver. Magnification can help, too.

But I still find I need natural sunlight to definitely spot light rotary holograms and for the glass.

For windows, I find that I can see stuff the best when the sun is at a rather acute angle (morning and especially in the evening).

[Shiny Lil Detlr]

I have to echo Accumulator -- I have four fluorescent shop lights mounted to the ceiling for general lighting, a couple halogen "tripod" lights, and a couple different types of handheld lights for spot-checking. Natural sunlight is always best for final inspection (usually, with a mist of final inspection!!).

Another thing to consider, is the color temperature of fluorescents you're using. I have found that I can see different types of defects depending on what kind of tubes I've got in my lights. Right now, I have one each of "cool white" and "soft white" in my ballasts -- this gives me a mix of the two temperatures and allows me to get a more complete picture of what I'm working on. Your eyes may vary, and you'll find that one temperature of light may be better for you than another.

[Superior Shine]

I am setting my up garage with mercury vapor lights as well as florescent lights. They will be switched on two curcits so I can have them both on or only one at a time to see different defects.

The final judge is in direct sun light.

[Shiny Lil Detlr]

Originally posted by Superior Shine
I am setting my up garage with mercury vapor lights as well as florescent lights. They will be switched on two curcits so I can have them both on or only one at a time to see different defects.

The final judge is in direct sun light.

How high are your ceilings? I wanted to do the merc. vapor (gas station lights are BRUTAL at showing paint defects) but apparently I can't do it due to a lack of headroom. What units are you using?

[Superior Shine]

I don't know yet. We are going to use two and I am having done.

[Accumulator]

Originally posted by Superior Shine
... switched on two curcits so I can have them both on or only one at a time to see different defects...

That's a good point, the more options the better. Get enough separate switches/circuits so you can try different things. This is the sort of thing you do *not* want to try redoing later

[BJClarke001]

Hey davey g-force,

Below is a thread on here that I asked something similar. I am not trying to Hi-Jack your thread on you but thought it might help for the data you seek. Hope it adds to your thought process.

http://meguiarsonline.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=7695

[davey g-force]

Thanx heaps Brad.
I had a look at your thread and found it very useful.

garagejunkies.net ??!!! That was awsome!! Some of those guys (and you guys) are hardcore! I love it - it makes me feel more normal !! Not many of my friends / family understand my enthusiastic (anal?) love for cars / detailing / all things garage related.

[Sir Michael]

Re: Best type of lighting for indoor detailing?

Is there such a thing as to much light???? 1200w led's, high output halogens? sunbright floursents ???

[wifpd4]

Re: Best type of lighting for indoor detailing?

I'm not sure of too much light, but if arranged to create shadows as you work or if arranged so that you cook when working perhaps might be avoided.

[Superior Shine]

Re: Best type of lighting for indoor detailing?

YES, Too much light will flood the area and make it difficult to see defects.

Here is the perfect way to light up a finish for paint correcting.



The entire area is dark except for one light source.

[Stephan]

Re: Best type of lighting for indoor detailing?

I bought an LED so I wouldn't be surrounded by a pool of sweat (well more sweat than without the heat of halogens). LED's are expensive but if your garage is already 90F and you light up a thousand or more watts of halogens... well, you get the point...

[davey g-force]

Re: Best type of lighting for indoor detailing?

The entire area is dark except for one light source.

I've recently discovered this technique and it really works for showing defects. My Brinkmann and other lighting sources were a bit unreliable previously, until I learnt this from Mike Phillips.