Syslites (two of them) - 5 days owned, 3 days on job sites

[Administrator_JSVN]

Steve,

I know you want some kind of bundle with the SysLite, a charger and one or more batteries. There are no current plans for that. When I talked about bare tools, I was talking about the Carvex and/or TI15 impact being offered as bodies only, without a battery, just to clarify.

Shane

 

[Steve R]

It might be reaching to say it is a bare tool.

It does have a battery, just not a large removeable one.
It does have a charger - in fact two, one that plugs into mains and one that plugs into an automotive charger.

I understand you point, but as professional tool that I need to work for me all day.... it falls down.

Let me ask you would you buy a drill that would run only 18% of the day and accept the answer that you just need to buy 5.6 drills to get through an 8 hour day?

If you are working on site and the site is not yet connected to the main..... and you can't drive your vehicle in to the room your working in.... the supplied chargers do nothing for you. If you need light all day to do your work.

The flaw I see in design is that the internal battery is really only enough run time to allow you to charge the external batteries twice with a bit of slop in the average day.  

Festool is a great company, and they set the bar high. USA Festool seems to set the bar even higher...

To keep my light running all day I need to spend more then $350 to keep my already purchase of $350 for two SysLites running all day.... and then buy a systainer to keep it all in ....... and cut my one insert foam...

Look at all the posts about SysLites..... every one of them who have professional users using them wants a two light kit with two external batteries, charger and mini tripods.

Cheers,
Steve

 

[Administrator_JSVN]

Look at all the posts about SysLites..... every one of them who have professional users using them wants a two light kit with two external batteries, charger and mini tripods.

I don't know that I've seen requests for this set up, but in all fairness I haven't read every post. But, in all fairness these items can be purchased individually. The point of offering the Carvex and TI15 as bare tools is so that guys don't end up with multiple chargers and dozens of batteries.

I think what you're saying is that you want a discount to purchase extra batteries and a charger. To reiterate, there are no plans currently to offer a bundle.

 

[Steve R]

Let me just add the lights are great and once you have them you will use them more and more.....thus...run time is an issue.

The current price of a one syslite is not $175 but more like $409+ tax if  you are a pro.

Cheers,
Steve

PS... Shane I know you are talking about other tools. My point is the syslites are 90 minute run time tool with a 3 hour charge time as is...  as a remodeled working 8+ hours a day that just doesn't add up... I'm going to end up spending over $400 dollars and spending some time making a kit that keeps my two lights going all day, and protected for travel.  I'm not complaining about the cost... I'm more complaining that Festool hasn't put this together to save me the time to do this. Comments like mine have been issued from Australia, USA, and all over Europe. This is not just my concern... We all hope Festool Germany steps up and sees the issue and answers the need and demand.

 

 

[Brice Burrell]

Steve, I hear you but I think you're probably one of the few that would use the Syslite(s) all day without power to the jobsite on a regular basis and not already have one or more Festool drills.  Frankly, I don't think the Syslite is ideally suited for all day, everyday, general jobsite lighting.  You feel differently, and that's okay.  However, have a little understanding when Festool isn't chomping at the bit to accommodate the minority your type of use fits into. 

Now I'm not saying you're on the wrong track with the idea of a package deal and I know others have expressed some interest in a bundles or packages as well.  Remember this is a newly released product and Festool will have to see how these things do before committing to bundles/packages.

In the mean time post an ad on the classified section here on the FOG explaining your plan to sell a brand new bare drill and line up a buyer before you buy a drill.  Also, please keep your feedback coming, it's been very good so far.   

 

[Laminator]

The Pelican RALS might possibly work if you need long running light and have no a/c power but they come at a price! I carry a generator on my van so I'm never without a/c power no matter what. 

I haven't done any run times yet to find out how long a small "Jumpstart/air compressor/battery" will run the syslite but I guess it would be several hours and there are much larger ones than the one I have.  This might be a better option than the festool batteries and maybe not.    I do wish the cord on the 12v charger was as long as the one on the a/c charger but understand why it is not, as it was made with auto recharging in mind and not as a power lead from a portable power pack.

 

[Brice Burrell]

The Pelican RALS might possibly work if you need long running light and have no a/c power but they come at a price! I carry a generator on my van so I'm never without a/c power no matter what. 

I haven't done any run times yet to find out how long a small "Jumpstart/air compressor/battery" will run the syslite but I guess it would be several hours and there are much larger ones than the one I have.   This might be a better option than the festool batteries and maybe not.    I do wish the cord on the 12v charger was as long as the one on the a/c charger but understand why it is not, as it was made with auto recharging in mind and not as a power lead from a portable power pack.

I agree.  Imagine leaving the Syslite in your vehicle in the winter months and you get a flat tire one night.  You know the internal lithium battery is going to be too cold to work and that five foot cord isn't going to reach the back of my truck to get the spare. [sad]

 

[Laminator]

LOL, Where I'm located,  You don't have to worry about freezing too much, but it might "red light" in the summer months!

 

[Stone Message]

This may seem a bit late for this thread but...

I went across to the workshop this morning to continue my work. The sun was shining, almost horizontally, through my french window and illuminated a large flat piece of oak that I had sanded yesterday. I was horrified by the rough appearance and then realised that the light coming from such a low angle was highlighting the flaws. In normal overhead light (and to the touch) one could not tell that there was a problem.

I then thought about the syslite (which I do not have) - what a great tool to use to check out the quality of surface finish, not just lumps of wood but , say, after using the planex.

I am sure that someone has mentioned this before - if they have forgive me.

Peter

 

[Timtool]

I then thought about the syslite (which I do not have) - what a great tool to use to check out the quality of surface finish, not just lumps of wood but , say, after using the planex.

I am sure that someone has mentioned this before - if they have forgive me.

Peter

Actually that is what i did last week, i was sanding an oak table for a very picky customer, so i had the sander in one hand and the syslite in the other shining almost horizontally on the surface highlighting all the defaults and swirls. And i kept on sanding until the surface was perfect.
In normal overhead light the surface looked nice at first, but once you shine the syslite horizontally on it you could see that it was covered with imperfections. Now i am certain the customer won't find anything negative to say, because she looks very closely!

 

[RONWEN]

This may seem a bit late for this thread but...

I went across to the workshop this morning to continue my work. The sun was shining, almost horizontally, through my french window and illuminated a large flat piece of oak that I had sanded yesterday. I was horrified by the rough appearance and then realised that the light coming from such a low angle was highlighting the flaws. In normal overhead light (and to the touch) one could not tell that there was a problem.

I then thought about the syslite (which I do not have) - what a great tool to use to check out the quality of surface finish, not just lumps of wood but , say, after using the planex.

I am sure that someone has mentioned this before - if they have forgive me.

Peter

I'm quite sure your're correct that it's been mentioned but the Syslite does work great for checking surfaces, moving it around to different angles etc.  [thumbs up]

(Whoops, double posts).  [unsure]  [unsure]

 

[Stone Message]

Excellent Tim. I will be doing a sanding video in the New Year and will try to borrow a syslite in order to demonstrate the priciple.

Peter

 

[t18skyguy]

Well I just got a new bathroom vanity with the extra large bowls, so I gotta lay on my back and install two three hole faucets in that little bitty totally dark space. I looked at everything that Grainger had to offer, so I decided to bite the bullet and pay the $175.00. I was bitching at myself all the way to Woodcrafter's over the price. Bought it, go home and charged for three hours. What I can say is if you can afford it, this is probably the best portable area light you can get. I set it on it's back in the corner of the cabinet, and with the light on the low setting is way bright enough for general work like plumbing. To give you an idea of how bright it is on the high setting, I shined it on my wife during the daylight and she yelled at me lol. It did give me several hours of great light on low setting, and right before it go out it dims a bit to warn you. But when it dims you only have about 30 seconds before it goes out, so you don't want to be in the crawl space as you only light cause you won't have time to get out with it. They do give you a nice carrying case, but my only complaint is once you snap the AC adapter prongs in place it really doesn't want to fit the case anymore. So I would like to see a bit bigger case for the money. Otherwise, this is my go to portable light for everything now.

 

[Alan m]

welcome sky guy

i would love a syslite
i have a floresant light for my dewalt batteries. when that gives up i will buy one

 

[peter halle]

Well I just got a new bathroom vanity with the extra large bowls, so I gotta lay on my back and install two three hole faucets in that little bitty totally dark space. I looked at everything that Grainger had to offer, so I decided to bite the bullet and pay the $175.00. I was  at myself all the way to Woodcrafter's over the price. Bought it, go home and charged for three hours. What I can say is if you can afford it, this is probably the best portable area light you can get. I set it on it's back in the corner of the cabinet, and with the light on the low setting is way bright enough for general work like plumbing. To give you an idea of how bright it is on the high setting, I shined it on my wife during the daylight and she yelled at me lol. It did give me several hours of great light on low setting, and right before it go out it dims a bit to warn you. But when it dims you only have about 30 seconds before it goes out, so you don't want to be in the crawl space as you only light cause you won't have time to get out with it. They do give you a nice carrying case, but my only complaint is once you snap the AC adapter prongs in place it really doesn't want to fit the case anymore. So I would like to see a bit bigger case for the money. Otherwise, this is my go to portable light for everything now.

Alan beat me to it - Welcome  [welcome] Welcome to the FOG!  The Syslite grows on you like many of the Festools.

Peter

 

[3PedalMINI]

You guys really need to stop making me spend money  [scared]

After i get my new drill the Syslite is next on my list 

 

[Scott B.]

The world kind of does need a video that shows the syslite in a bunch of real world, on the job inspection tasks. Would be great as a finish inspection light too.

 

[johninthecamper]

if you face the light away from the divider,undo the velcro,the plug can stay attached,with the prongs at the velcro

 

[BravoRomeo]

I have two Syslites. On low, the Syslite is similar in output to my 13W CFL desk lamp (OTT-Lamp brand). On high, perhaps twice as bright. That makes sense, as we're talking 18W of LEDs. Don't forget that LEDs do generate some waste heat, which absolutely must be conducted away from the LED chips, or they will cook themselves. Thus, the metal sides of the Syslites appear to be the heat sink, along with a temperature sensor.

The color accuracy is good, which helps your visual acuity. I'd say they are close to indirect noon-day sun, say from a north facing window.

I also think they are priced appropriately for a German-made 18W LED ruggedized cordless work lamp. It is not a $2 HF plug-in trouble light... though one could arguably get similar lighting output with an 18W CFL in said $2 light fixture, you will sacrifice durability, convenient size, and cordless attributes (let alone, you won't be docking your extra drill battery in said $2 fixture). The Syslite has more in common with the high-end LED video lights sold in photography shops... and even then, Festool didn't cheap out on the LEDs, where-as all the video lights I saw are still messing around with massive arrays of cheap 5mm white LEDs... you can bet out of a hundred or so LEDs in an array, there will eventually be failures.

For comparison, the $60 under cabinet LED lamps I just installed output similar light using SMT LED chips, but are already showing poor engineering choices with one LED chip fading, probably from insufficient cooling and overdriving. On the other extreme, I just dropped $360 each (!) on two articulated counterbalanced reading lamps for the living room. Similar level of light output, halogen, made in China, yet none of cordless, ruggedized, or portable attributes... but very nice for what they are. Do you know how hard it is to find decent reading lights? So much junk out there.

What is better than a Syslite? Two of them.

Perhaps I'll post some photos of using the Syslights. I think Festool's photos are already fairly representative of what to expect, though.

 

[Administrator_JSVN]

The world kind of does need a video that shows the syslite in a bunch of real world, on the job inspection tasks. Would be great as a finish inspection light too.

Like these?  [poke] If not, ahem, what are you waiting for Scott?  [big grin]



You can even mow the lawn with it...





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