Ryobi USB Lithium LED Clamp Light Kit
Ryobi USB Lithium LED Clamp Light Kit (FVL57K)
The new USB Lithium LED Clamp Light Kit has many features in common with the other Ryobi USB Lithium lighting solutions, including: clamping capabilities, magnetic mounting, multiple power settings, and really intense LED illumination. At the same time, the Ryobi Clamp Light stands out and is proof that good things can come in small packages!
Specifications
- Features a fully adjustable head
- 3 brightness settings—high, medium, and low
- 1,000 lumens on high, 300 lumens on medium, and 75 lumens on low
- Magnetic 1.25” clamping base and LINK wall storage
- Featuring a 360° rotating and 180° pivoting head
- Dust and water resistance with an IP54 rating
- Includes a 21” USB-C cable
- Powered by the Ryobi USB 2Ah lithium battery
- 2-year limited warranty
- Available for $49.97 at The Home Depot
Well-Designed Package
My wife called the Ryobi USB Lithium LED Clamp Light the “most versatile” light of those that I have been testing. I can certainly see why based on its physical footprint and features.
The Clamp Light is not necessarily small, but it is still quite portable. It is 3.75 inches wide, 6.75 inches long, and 3.25 inches tall. At this size, it will certainly pack inside your tool bag, backpack, or car’s arm rest.
Ryobi again integrated several of their popular design features inside the 1-1/4″ magnetic clamping base. There are 5 separate magnets on the flat base, which is one more than on their USB Lithium LED Flip Light. These magnets were very secure when I used it on metal surfaces. Also on the base are 3 integrated holes on each arm that allowed me to hang it from a nail inside my shed. Finally, the 1-1/4″ clamping base provides you with a very stable mount on any “2-by” piece of wood. It will of course also clamp to anything else you can find in your house: a chair back, a kitchen cabinet door, the top of a door, etc. Multiple mounting options really accentuates the flexibility of the Clamp Light.
Powering It On
The Ryobi USB Lithium LED Clamp Light has 20 intense LEDs built-in. On the top of the head is the power button. Being slightly recessed, there is little chance of hitting the power button by accident. You can achieve the high, medium, and low brightness settings through successive presses of the power button. The area around the light head is “rubberized” to facilitate a better grip and it provides extra protection to the light panel’s face.
The USB Lithium battery compartment is on the right side of the light. When you remove the battery cover, the battery is still very secure in the light and it requires you to pull it out to remove it. This is true for all of the Ryobi USB lighting solutions, which is nice since the battery won’t fall out by accident.
This Ryobi Clamp Light does also offer dust and water resistance with an IP54 rating. That rating certainly increases the usefulness of the Clamp Light as a work light in a variety of weather conditions.
The base of the Clamp Light is also compatible with Ryobi’s LINK Wall Storage system, which gives you a very handy place to store the light for quick and easy access when you need it.
Twist It, Turn It, Rotate It
This USB Lithium LED Clamp Light Kit has a fully adjustable head that makes it highly customizable. With a 360° rotating and 180° pivoting head, you are provided with so much mobility.
It twists and turns with ease and it will remain in that exact position until you move it again–the arm is super secure.
No matter how you choose to mount it or stand it up, the light can be directed perfectly into the dark crevices you need to illuminate. I really liked how flexible it was to position.
Intense LEDs
In the current Ryobi line-up of USB Lithium lights, the Ryobi USB Lithium LED Clamp Light is by far the brightest. On the high setting, it manufactures a massive 1,000 lumens of light! With 1,000 lumens, you can turn a pitch-dark room into a bright oasis. That much light from a battery powered light is hard to imagine, and it’s almost impossible to look directly at. When you really need light in a dark space, you are going to appreciate these concentrated 1,000 lumens at your back. You will be absolutely blown away by how bright this light is!!
When powered at the medium level, the Clamp Light is still a very bright 300 lumens. That number of lumens will bring you all the light you need to illuminate a dark room. At low power, the Clamp Light can produce 75 lumens, which is still more than many handheld flashlights. By offering 3 different power modes, Ryobi allows you to choose the amount of light you need, while also balancing your battery consumption.
Battery Usage
Like with so many of the other Ryobi LED solutions, I bet most users will utilize the high setting most often. It is the default when you turn it on and certainly the brightest when you are in need of a well-lit workspace. I used the Clamp Light multiple times on high to see how long the battery could last. On average, the USB Lithium battery would provide me with 95-100 minutes of light on high power. Most home projects could easily be completed in 95 minutes, so that length of battery power is quite impressive in my opinion. Since the batteries are so small (roughly 3 inches long by 1 inch across) and easy to carry, having an extra 2Ah Lithium battery nearby for a quick swap is certainly doable.
When used on medium power, I averaged 3 hours and 45 minutes of power. With almost 4 hours of 300 lumens at your disposal, you are assured you have the time to get work done or to use it for more relaxing pursuits, like reading a book outside or taking a walk with your stroller. On the low power mode, you more than double your time with close to 10 hours of 75 lumens of light.
On all settings, when the battery is nearing the end of its charge, the light will blink to alert you. I really like this since it’s such an obvious alert. Less than 5 minutes later it will shut itself off. You can turn it on again at least one more time to get a short gasp of power before changing out the battery.
The Ryobi USB Lithium LED Clamp Light Kit arrives with a 2Ah lithium battery that has a built-in fuel gauge—this is not true for all of the Ryobi USB Lithium tools that I have been testing. On the battery there is a button that you can depress to get an estimate for the remaining battery charge. I liked having the ability to gauge the remaining time based on the green, orange, and red LED indicator. You will need to remove the battery from the Clamp Light to engage this battery fuel gauge button, as well as to recharge it. Like the other lithium batteries that I have tested, the battery that arrives with the Clamp Light charges in a little more than 95 minutes.
So Many Uses
The Clamp Light offers great versatility and so many possible uses in and around the house. I found it mounted perfectly to the frame of our 2 grills for late night cookouts. It worked perfectly on the hood of our car when I was checking the oil and adding windshield washer fluid. When I was staining my back stairs, it mounted to the balusters with ease after I waited for the sun to go down.
While attached to a 2×4 in my shed, it provided targeted light when I was cleaning out all of the grass debris left on the floor by my lawnmower. I actually used it as a lamp on the handlebars of my bike one evening, though not on high power. When taking your infant for a walk in a stroller, having the Clamp Light mounted to the handle could definitely provide you with a safer walking experience. The uses for this light are endless.
Final Thoughts
The Ryobi USB Lithium LED Clamp Light Kit (FVL57K) is all about versatility, flexibility, and mobility. With magnetic mounts, clamping arms, an IP54 dust and water resistance rating, and a substantial 1,000 lumens of light output, the Clamp Light would be a tremendous asset to anyone looking for a portable lighting solution.
Ryobi has recently released many different USB lighting solutions that use 2Ah lithium batteries. These lights each can satisfy a unique need in your home, office, or workshop. While the LED lighting solutions have many similarities, each one has its own niche. I encourage you to have a look at some of these other lighting solutions here:
- Ryobi USB Lithium LED Compact Area Light
- Ryobi USB Lithium Compact LED Flashlight
- Ryobi USB Lithium LED Flip Light Kit
- Ryobi USB Lithium LED Magnifying Light
