Headlamps do help, but honestly, I've found the cheaper ones tend to slip or dim unexpectedly—had a nasty bump once when mine flickered at the wrong moment. Now I just clip a small rechargeable LED work light onto the cabinet door or pipe. It's steady, bright enough, and no surprises mid-job. Costs a bit more upfront, but worth it to avoid mishaps and bruised foreheads...
Totally agree about the headlamps slipping—I had one slide down my forehead right when I was tightening a tricky fitting. Not fun. I've started using a magnetic LED lamp that sticks right onto pipes or brackets. It's stable, bright, and frees up both hands. Costs a little extra, but honestly, avoiding another scraped knuckle or worse is worth every penny...
"I've started using a magnetic LED lamp that sticks right onto pipes or brackets."
That's a smart workaround, but have you checked if the magnets interfere with any sensitive electronics nearby? I've had a couple of close calls where strong magnets messed with digital gauges or sensors. Maybe I'm overly cautious, but it's worth double-checking placement before relying on them fully. Still beats fumbling around in the dark though...
I've used those magnetic lights too, and haven't run into any issues yet—though my plumbing's pretty basic, no fancy gauges or sensors around. But I did have a magnet accidentally wipe out a cheap digital thermometer once...lesson learned. Now I just keep magnets clear of anything electronic. Still, the convenience of hands-free lighting under the sink is worth it for me. Beats holding a flashlight in your teeth, that's for sure.
Totally agree on the convenience of magnetic lights—beats juggling a flashlight any day. But honestly, I've always been a bit wary about magnets near plumbing setups, especially with newer smart valves or flow sensors becoming common. Had a buddy whose magnetized work lamp messed up a pressure sensor reading...took forever to troubleshoot. Guess it depends on your setup, but I'd still be cautious. Maybe I'm just overly paranoid, but better safe than sorry, right?
