If Milwaukee’s New Product Symposium for 2016 was a movie and I was voting for the Academy Awards, I would give Best Actor to the M18 Fuel™ Compound Miter Saw, with the Best Supporting Role going to the M18 Fuel™ Drywall Screwgun. On the production side, Milwaukee’s jobsite lighting solutions would again carry the day.
It’s hard to pick a favorite from the new lighting products so I’ll start with the M18 Radius™ LED Compact Site Light. (2145-20) This light is small and easy to carry and packs a lot of lighting power.
From Milwaukee:
“Aptly named for its ability to fill an entire workspace with 360 degrees of light, the new high-output light provides maximum coverage for task, area, or overhead application.
‘This new-to-world design will fundamentally change temporary lighting on job sites. Just one of these high output lights is able to accomplish the same job as several larger, corded products,’ said Jason Isaacs, Product Manager for Milwaukee Tool. ‘With the launch of the M18 RADIUS™ LED Compact Site Light, our users will no longer have to rely on extensions cords and outdated light technology, such as halogen or metal halide, to light their jobsites.’
Capable of providing 4400 lumens of light, the new M18™ Compact Site Light can illuminate large workspaces for hours on a single charge. The Site Light features TRUEVIEW™ Technology, which utilizes the most advanced LED technology and optical designs to deliver a consistent beam, optimized color temperature, and true representation of colors and detail leading to a more productive work area.
A durable high impact polycarbonate lens design can survive harsh jobsite conditions, delivering superior impact durability. Additionally, with an IP54 rating, the Site Light is protected from dust and water. Similar to all of Milwaukee’s high output LED lights, the new Site Light also features a limited lifetime LED warranty, and a 5-year warranty on the light. Included with every light is a 3.5’ aluminum cable that will allow a user to secure the light in a particular location.“
A feature looked upon favorably at NPS16 was the AC in/AC out that allows for the option of powering the light with an extension cord, and, better yet, connecting a string of M18 Radii with extension cords between each.
The Radius™ has two bays of LEDs. If illumination is only wanted on one side, battery run time can be extended by lighting just one bay. There are three brightness settings: 4400 lumens on High (2 hours of run time), 2100 Lumens on Medium (4 hours of run time) and 1000 lumens (8 hours of run time). The unit weighs 10.7 lb.
Another of the Radius’s features is the number of hanging options available when the light is turned upside down. A fold-out hook is sized to fit over a 2 x 4 or smaller dimensional lumber. It also has a rounded center section for hanging on conduit without sliding to one side. The hook also flips to reveal a shorter loop for hanging from another hook, bent nail or what have you. The light can also be hung horizontally using keyholes that slip over screw heads.
Also from Milwaukee:
“A durable high impact polycarbonate lens design can survive harsh jobsite conditions, delivering superior impact durability. Additionally, with an IP54 rating, the Site Light is protected from dust and water. Similar to all of Milwaukee’s high output LED lights, the new Site Light also features a limited lifetime LED warranty, and a 5-year warranty on the light.”
“For additional utility, the light also includes a carry handle for easy transportation to and from the worksite. Included with every light is a 3.5’ aluminum cable that will allow a user to secure the light in a particular location.”
The M18 Radius™ Compact Site Light is due to launch in July of 2016 with an MSRP of $299, but wait! There’s more!
The M18 Radius™ Compact Site Light with ONE-KEY™ is coming in October. It has all of the features of its sibling but is ONE-KEY™ compatible, giving it the ability to be programmed and controlled with a ONE-KEY™-enabled mobile device.
Milwaukee Assistant Product Manager Jeremy Ross explained the control and programming options to me at the New Product Symposium. He showed how all of the functions of the Radius™ can be accessed through the app, handy when it’s hung out of easy reach. That’s just the beginning; when a series of the lights are “daisy-chained”, all will respond to the commands to the first. The intensity of illumination can be controlled through the app, and lighting schedules can be programmed for convenience and site security.
If you’re ready to replace your large, heavy, noisy “wobble light”, this looks like the way to go. I’ll take a closer look when I put one through its paces in the near future.
-dvl
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