Since the dawn of work, we’ve had to come up with creative ways to illuminate the jobsite. Sometimes the work was done at night, maybe in a mine, or down a hole. We worked by torch or lantern light, with bulbs attached to our hats, and now with LEDs that clip, clamp, telescope, and can even be controlled by apps on a mobile device. But among the more unusual jobsite lighting solutions comes from Southwire’s ProBuilt, inventors of the Wobblelight, and its all-new Wobblelight V3 LED Self-Righting Work Light. There’s no mistaking it for anything other than a light, yet it has a strange form factor. But that form factor reveals its functionality – its signature wobbling ability. Let’s see if the Wobblelight casts a long shadow over other jobsite lights.
Top Features
Base, Material, and Handle
That unusual form comes from the weighted, hemispherical base which allows the Wobblelight to go with the flow when pushed, knocked over, run into, or dropped – and then quickly return to its upright position. It’s like one of those bottom-heavy “socko” or “bopper” toys your kids (or you) had that bounced back when punched. As you might imagine, the Wobblelight’s material is pretty tough to withstand the hits and drops it’s designed to bounce back from.
Output
The Wobblelight V3 LED Self-Righting Work Light is a 15,000-lumen, LED-driven device shining in 360-degrees with a 75-foot range. It’s IP55 rated for dust and water resistance and features an integrated cord and integrated handles.
Design
Unlike other Wobblelight models, the V3’s handle is molded into the tool body as is a loop to lock it up with a chain or hoist it up. At nearly $500, it’s a tempting item for someone to walk away with, so locking it to a beam seems wise. The handles are particularly important because, at 31 pounds and oddly-shaped, the Wobblelight feels a little unwieldy. But it’s the weight (and its imbalance) that allows for its function.
Control Panel
The control panel is quite simple: a power switch and a light that illuminates when the power is on. There’s no half on/half off function like the ProLight 360. It’s just a straight-up plug it in, turn it on, and get to work area light.
Integrated Cord
The cord connection isn’t usually a talking point on most lights. However, the specific design of this one does bump the light’s rating up to IP55 so it’s suitable for wet locations.
Performance
15,000 lumens is a lot of output for any light, but how you harness it makes a difference. The Wobblight V3 is an area light, broadcasting its throw in all directions. With that kind of dispersal, it’s tough to think of this as a solution for a work light – and that’s not what it’s designed to be. Area lights like the V3 are more for safety and security. When you’re ready to get to your specific workspace, turn to the ProLight XLE series.
As an area light, the Wobblelight V3 excels, throwing its 5000K LED light into every corner of our shop. It’s 40′ x 60′ and it provides adequate safety light with just one unit. ProBuilt claims you’ll get up to a 75′ diameter with this model, or roughly 37-1/2′ in any direction from the light.
While it may not be as critical with an area light, the V3 produces 5000K color temperature, so identifying color accurately is easier.
ProBuilt tells us the light produces no hot surfaces, but thermal cameras don’t lie. So what did ours tell us?
After 30 minutes, the hottest point I could find was 123 degrees Fahrenheit. Some of our LED lights get as high as 150 or more, but if you listen closely and place your hand near the top of the LEDs, you’ll hear and feel the fan that’s constantly moving air through the light to keep the temperature down. Now that’s pretty cool.
The Bottom Line
Southwire’s ProBuilt Wobblelight is one of the most recognizable names in the lighting industry and the Wobblelight V3 LED is another win for area lighting. With 15,000 lumens, you can give safety lighting to more than 3,000 square feet. In order to get more than that, you’ll need to move to Southwire’s ProBuilt WobbleLight 36 (111104) – a 40,000-lumen unit that uses a metal halide bulb. But do you really want the hassles of metal halide when there’s an LED option?
With a tough build, well-known self-righting design, and integrated handles, it’s debatable if there’s much room for improvement left. More than 50,000 hours of life on the LEDs? More lumens out of it? Probably the only thing Pros will wish for is a lower price point. At $499, the Wobblelight V3 isn’t cheap. But consider what you get for the money and whether you can find a comparable light for a better price. My guess is that you’ll have to at least double up the number of lights to cover the same area with cheaper options.
So for now, it looks like ProBuilt is the go-to brand for all your LED area and work light solutions when you’re looking for a combination of industrial quality build and extremely high output.
Southwire ProBuilt Wobblelight V3 LED Self-Righting Work Light Features
- Self-righting technology
- 360° lighting
- LED Panel Technology
- IP55 Rated
- Integrated Power Cord
- Integrated Carry Handle
- No Hot Surfaces
- Durable
Southwire ProBuilt Wobblelight V3 LED Self-Righting Work Light Specifications
- Model Number 111303LED
- Lumens: 15,000
- Lighting Range: 75 feet
- Bulb Type: LED
- Lamp Life: 50,000 hours
- Kelvins: 5,000
- Wattage: 200
- Amp Draw: 1.8
- Voltage: 120
- Temperature Range: -40° to 125° F
- Certification: cUL
- Cord Type: 16/3 SJOOW
- Weight: 31 pounds
- IP Rating: IP55
- Price: $499
