The Master Guide to Paint Inspection Lighting for Precision Detailing

The vehicle must be surgically clean. Remove all red dust and salt spray using a three-stage wash (Snow foam, contact wash, and fallout remover). Any remaining grit will reflect light incorrectly and could cause further scratching during the inspection wipe-down. Ensure the car is dried in a shaded area to prevent water spotting in high temperatures.

Spray a 15-20% IPA solution or a dedicated panel prep onto a microfibre cloth and wipe the panel. This removes existing waxes and silicones. In summer, work on one panel at a time as the alcohol will evaporate almost instantly in temperatures over 30°C, potentially leaving streaks.

Darken the work area. Close garage doors or pull down shades. You want the inspection light to be the primary light source. Ambient 'polluted' light from overhead fluorescent tubes can wash out the contrast needed to see fine holographic marring or heat-induced paint swelling.

Check your battery levels. Most high-end detailing lights drop in CRI and brightness as the battery depletes. Ensure all units are fully charged to provide a consistent 5000K-6500K output for the duration of the inspection.

Hold your handheld light approximately 30-50cm from the panel. Move the light in a slow 'S' pattern. Look for the 'spider web' scratches radiating from the point of light. This simulates direct sunlight and is the primary way to find swirls caused by improper washing techniques common in dusty environments.

For light-coloured cars (White, Silver), use a warmer light (approx 2500K-3500K). The yellow hue provides better contrast against the light pigment. For dark cars (Black, Navy), use cooler light (5000K-6500K) to highlight fine scratches and haze that look like grey fogging.

Do not just look directly at the light reflection. Position your eyes at the same angle as the light source relative to the panel (specular reflection) to find surface scratches. Then, move your head to view the panel from a 45-degree angle to find 'RIDS' (Random Isolated Deep Scratches) which are often caused by red dust particles being dragged across the paint.

Use the light to look for 'craters' or dull spots. In coastal and outback areas, bird and bat droppings react with the heat to etch into the clear coat in minutes. These appear as textured patches that don't reflect light sharply. Identify if these are on the surface or have penetrated the clear coat.

Use a diffused tripod light. Walk past the car and look for 'trails' that seem to move with you. These are holograms or 'buffer trails' left by previous low-quality machine polishing. They are most visible under high-intensity, wide-angle lighting.

When applying a ceramic coating in high humidity, the product flashes quickly. Use your inspection light at a very low angle, parallel to the panel. Look for 'darker' patches or rainbow-like oily streaks. These are high spots that need to be levelled immediately before they cure in the summer heat.

Look at the reflection of the light's LED bulbs. If the edges of the bulbs look blurry or like the skin of an orange, you have texture issues. While common on factory paint, excessive orange peel can hide fine defects, so knowing its intensity helps you decide how much correction is needed.

Use a magnetic light at ground level. Rocker panels often suffer from 'sandblasting' from road grit and salt. This requires a specific lighting angle (15 degrees) to see the thousands of tiny impact marks that usually go unnoticed.

Switch your light to its highest Kelvin setting (6000K+). Inspect the windscreen for 'pitting' from dust. Check plastic trims for UV whitening. The high-contrast light will reveal where trim restorers have been missed or where salt residue is trapped in textures.

After correction or protection, perform a final sweep with a dual-light setup (one warm, one cool). This 'torture test' ensures that no matter what lighting environment the car enters—from a bright shopping centre car park to a sunset cruise—the finish is flawless.