Thread: Auto darkening welding helmets

i got an extra one i could sell you cheap. commute might negate the savings. the ones i have were around $300US but my former employer gave them to us.
dale in minnesota,

I am dragging this thread back up, mainly because at work a new guy insisted we step into the 21st century and buy a couple of auto helmets, primarily to make welding easier for students. Personally I'm against that on principle, I think they shouldn't be spoiled up front. No telling what equipment they'll have access to after art school; that argument should eliminate MIG too, but arc is so hard to teach at times!
I will forget about arguments put here about their sensivity, both to rough usage and time taken to darken, as I lack experience with them.
My first beef is knowing if they're actually "On", or inoperative due to flat battery. I just hate the idea of being all eyes and stupidly expecting them to darken...then they don't...but that's just a learned trust thing!
I still choose the standard helmet, full visor (Omni-view Gold) always, maybe because I'm so used to them, but also because I like being able to watch the glow of the metal between runs.
If I'm joining thin to thick pieces, or just plain thin work, I'll weld for a bit, stop with the gun in place and watch for the heat build-up dissipate, then press the trigger and go again. Saves me from blowing holes etc. Ditto for filling in gaps or repairing those blow outs, weld briefly, wait for the glow to dissappear then proceed.
I learned that from a guy years ago on arc welders, and its something that just can't be done with an auto helmut. As soon as you stop welding normal vision returns (Duh!) and there is no sign of the tell-tale glow, so it lacks the nuances in the steel.
Now I know a good MIG should have the pulse settings, but they can be bl**dy fiddly to get right, and don't neccessarily suit differing thickness metals. As far as I know they're more for very thin sheet only. Obviously the pulse setting is not standard on arc welders.
An experienced welder should be able to tell if the metal is approaching blow out stage just by the sound of the weld, I know I can mostly, and that's when I pause and proceed when the glow is no more.
Just my opinion anyhow! Anyone else on that, Grahame maybe?!

Originally Posted by Andy Mac

....My first beef is knowing if they're actually "On", or inoperative due to flat battery.

Don't they fail safe to the dark mode?

To test them, take them out in the sun.


PS. Don't look straight at the sun.

The lenses in them are UV protected, so if they're not turned on or battery flat, you won't damage your eyes.

Know exactly what you mean about the Omni-view Gold lens, they are very good at seeing the differences of colour in the weld and material, used them specifically for tig welding when I used to do Stainless Pressure vessels.