How to Use Portable Lighting Equipment

How to Use Portable Site Lighting

Looking to shine some light on your DIY jobs? Then you have come to the right place because Speedy is the UK’s number one hire company and we have lights available to hire that come in all shapes and sizes.

Lighting may be needed when carrying out DIY jobs in winter, in order to extend the working hours on either side of natural lighting. You may also be working in darker corners, such as under stairs, where mains lighting does not reach. Or, you may be carrying out a renovation project, and the mains electrics aren't safe to use.

Portable lighting can also be used on sites, to illuminate smaller working areas such as accommodation or pathways. They're also common for plasterers and decorators to ensure maximum visibility on the job.

When using any lighting equipment, it is really important to follow the instructions which come with the product. But lighting is often easy to use, just plug it in or insert the battery or other power source, and then switch on to illuminate the chosen area. Move the lighting to where it is needed once it is on, and then when the site is sufficiently lit, start your work.

A couple of good things to remember when hiring from Speedy, all our hire equipment is checked, tested, cleaned and serviced before every hire and will come ready to go. You’ll also notice a folder attached to your product, these are safety and operating instructions, please make sure you read these before you begin your job.

Speedy Top Tip! Please Watch our How to Use Lighting Equipment Video below:

Power Source

Any mains-powered equipment you hire from Speedy can come with one of three types of plug:

• a UK standard domestic plug that can be plugged into any household socket
• a yellow 110v plug which will require a transformer
• a blue 240v plug that will require an RCD unit

But don’t worry, whatever you require your Speedy service centre will provide you with everything you need to power up your equipment. And no matter the shape or size of your transformer or RCD unit, plugging it in will be exactly the same. Just simply lift the flap and push the plug in.

You can also opt for battery-powered lighting, which offers more flexibility on placement and is great for areas where no electricity or fuel is available. Or, fuel-powered lighting is also available. If you're working in a home setting, mains-powred lighting will be the safest option.

Static vs Flexible

Static lighting is fixed to one place, and can't be moved easily. This is common for use on scaffolding, or permanently shadowed areas.

Flexible lighting can be moved where it is needed, such as portable plasterers lights. These are best if work is progressing through different areas, or the light changes throughout the day.

If you're on a permanent site, where work will continue for a few weeks, a mix of both will be required. For shorter-term work, flexible is usually best.

In the Video...

Our small, light and bright Galaxy light unit is perfect for getting light somewhere really quickly and can be moved around with ease, the batteries last ages and a button on the rear of the light allows you to turn it on and choose one of three brightness settings. If required you can also hire a tripod for the lighting unit to sit on, just ask your Speedy hire centre and we will be happy to sort you out.

This Exin light is perfect for lighting up a big area, its nifty design means transporting it is easy, you simply pull the handle and the lighting unit pops up from its case. The unique thing about this lighting unit is that it is able to provide 360-degree lighting in a room. Choosing a setting is easily done with this button here, you can have one lamp on or both. Within the case you will also find a small box that contains the charger, this can be plugged into the rear of the unit where you will see a button which tells you how much battery you have left.

And finally, this is a Plaster’s light. A plasterer’s light is perfect for spreading an equal amount of light across the surface of a wall or ceiling. It comes with a stand which allows you to adjust the head to a vertical or horizontal position. It’s a mains powered light and comes with two additional plug sockets so you can power multiple lights from it. To turn it on, you simply plug it in.

If you have any issues with any of the products you hire from Speedy, just give your local Service Centre a call, as we are always available to help, and remember to always check the safety and operating guidance before you use any hire product.

Ready for more DIY tips?

Thank you for reading our Speedy Services blog, we hope you found this how to use lighting equipment guide and video useful.

For further tips and advice please visit our Skills and Projects page.

You’ll find all the power tools and hire equipment you need right here, start planning your next decorating project today, open a Speedy account online or instore.

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