Slow welding helmet response time

[Runner]

I bought a cheapo HF auto darken helmet, but after the first couple of times I got flashed because it didn't work fast enough, I put it back on the shelf in the box. Ever since, I've been back to using the old 50's era Jackson with the flip-up lens I inherited from Dad.

Now, if I get flashed, it's because of my own stupidity, not left to chance on the helmet.

I'm sure there are probably good reliable ones out there, i.e., the brand names mentioned, but for the amount of welding I do, the old manual hood is doing the job for me.

 

[Gizmo36]

All of you that is going to throw them in the trash. Just pm me and I will give you my address . you can send them to me.

 

[ray66v]

the old manual hood is doing the job for me.

Yes, we all used them a very long time before the auto hoods came out, some weldors, (not welders), still do.

While I really like my auto darkening hood, the fact is, unless I'm working in a confined space, like under a car, I really don't need it.

 

[Dargo]

All of you that is going to throw them in the trash. Just pm me and I will give you my address . you can send them to me.

I don't have a braille typewriter.

 

[J_J]

I think the electronics on these helmets work as advertise. 125,000 sec is a really fast response time.

How many of you actually test your auto-darking helmets? There are controls that can be set as you choose. You say, how do I test? First I would set the shade level to max, and spark the lens, use a striker tool, or cigarette lighter, and repeat that for min or low shade number.. You can set the sensitivity, and delay. I believe that most of these use solar with battery backup.

Thinking back, I can't remember even a small recall on any of the auto-darking helmets.

 

[ray66v]

What if the cheap helmets darken but, don't properly protect you from the uv rays? A lot of cheap sunglasses had this problem.

Is there a certification of some sort on the Chinese ones?

 

[J_J]

What if the cheap helmets darken but, don't properly protect you from the uv rays? A lot of cheap sunglasses had this problem.

Is there a certification of some sort on the Chinese ones?

Even the cheap ones have the uv/ir protection. I guess some of you think that the lens in those Lincoln, Miller, etc or very special of something. Some time ago, even the top brands used the same lens as the cheapies.

It is kind of strange, but you take the cheap lens and replace the lens in a top brand helmet, and you would not be able to tell the difference.

Some people will always buy high priced, or name brands and that is their choice. To tell others that they are gonna go blind if they don't buy certain helmets is like preaching to the masses.

Don't get me wrong, every one likes and wants to protect their eyes.

An analogy, would be, don't use those tires on your car, use the ones that I use. You could relate this to safety, maybe.

In the past, I have tried to buy the best and greatest, but after all, there is always something greater, or better. Just because it says it is, doesn't mean it is.

Here is a safety tip for tractor owners. While working around water with a tip over situation, unbuckle that seatbelt. It's to hard to think with that crap in your pants, and that seatbelt pinching your belly.

When that hydraulic hose ruptured on my drive motor, as I was sliding back-wards to the water, total fear came over me, I really don't know what would have happen, but the machine hit a tree and stopped it.

 

[ray66v]

Even the cheap ones have the uv/ir protection.

Is that your opinion? Or, again, is there a certification proving there is the proper level of protection?

I am not someone who always buys top of the line stuff. I shop do my research, and go for the best value.

And I do buy Chinese made products, when I feel there are a good value to me.

However, the concern over Chinese products being safe is well justified. There has been enough documented cases of safety issues and poisonings, to show they occasionally do not care if a product is unsafe. As an illustration, the Chinese made sunglasses for years, with little or no uv protection, even though it was know to be needed.

Anyone who is willing to blindly accept Chinese off brand helmets to be safe, may very well end up that way.

 

[Scooby074]

I think the Princess Auto ones are stamped that they meet the old ANSI Z87.1 standard. However, in my experience the manufacturers can pretty much stamp anything on the products and any "certification" is no guarantee of quality. There's essentially no enforcement so these company's have nothing to lose. Certification or not, i know how my eyes felt after using a cheap helmet. Call it what you will, but i can weld for hours continuously with my miller and my eyes feel fine.

 

[Dargo]

I think the Princess Auto ones are stamped that they meet the old ANSI Z87.1 standard. However, in my experience the manufacturers can pretty much stamp anything on the products and any "certification" is no guarantee of quality. There's essentially no enforcement so these company's have nothing to lose. Certification or not, i know how my eyes felt after using a cheap helmet. Call it what you will, but i can weld for hours continuously with my miller and my eyes feel fine.

This sort of reminds me of going zip lining and renting ATV's in Costs Rica; there was no waivers or any forms to sign. When I asked the guide about no forms, he said in his broken English, "You think any American court is going to sue us you silly man? You get hurt and I've never seen you before. You wanna go or not?"

If you toast your eyes using a cheapo, by any standard, Chinese hood, do you really think that you'll be able to sue a Chinese company? Remember the "you silly man" part from above. And don't think for an instant your blind butt will be able to sue the importer or seller either. They will just claim that they made no further representations than the manufacturer, so they will be held harmless and you'll still be just as blind. If you believe Chinese certification labels, I have some lovely oceanfront property here in Indiana to sell you!

 

[kysculptor]

I do, or did before the economy hit the skids, alot of stainless steel welding with a mig and it requires alot of short welds to limit distortion. The auto dark helmets are great for all the fussy piecing together but I learned to close my eyes right when I start to flash. Think of it as an extended blink. Even a great helmet misses a beat every now and again and if you're doing thousands of welds a day it adds up. When you're first starting to weld, it's natural to stare at what you're doing because it's scary and you don't want to mess up. My advice would be to remember to blink and that it's just as important to wear a resperator.

 

[David Devuono]

I am guilty of buying one of those cheapo auto darkening helmets. While it does seem to separate into many pieces when dropped, have always managed to put it back together and it works great. I have never really noticed the flash issue and had more flashes flipping up and down the old helmet 100 times an hour! Plus the autodarkening is a#4 when not activated so you never get the full flash as with the flip up style helmet. I have never experience sore eyes and have done more welding in the past month then ever before. I think they are a great starter unit for a hobby welder but if you are doing it full time, for sure you would want the best unit. My unit has speed, sensitivity and shade adjustments.

 

[orezok]

And don't think for an instant your blind butt will be able to sue the importer or seller either. They will just claim that they made no further representations than the manufacturer, so they will be held harmless and you'll still be just as blind.

I'm not defending the cheapo helmet, but if you will recall the melamine in dog food issue, a number of US companies were sued and went bankrupt after the payouts.

Supposedly they had no idea of the issue and were "blameless". Court approved settlement was $24,000,000.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I have a cheapo Northern tools AD helmet and a high dollar Speedglass AD helmet. As for darkening response time I cant say that I can tell the difference. They both darken at the touch of the arc and work as they should. Those of you with flash burned eyes from welding, should look more at the sealing gaskets in front of the lens. Check for light leakage around the perimeter of the lens. That is most likely the culprit. Take a strong light and work it around the perimeter of the lens while looking inside the helmet. IT works better if you are in a dark area. If you see any glow at all, you have a bad seal. It could be that the cheap helmets are warped or not exactly flat so you are getting some UV leakage. Most flash burn is caused by leaks due to bad gaskets or bad hoods rather than poor lens quality. When I was welding for a living, I would use a double gasket-one in front of the dark lens and one behind. Always remember to protect those high dollar AD lens by putting a clear lens front and BACK.

 

[jenkinsph]

I am on my third auto darkening helmet, first was a Jackson, second was a Miller, third is a cheap one. I weld rarely usually to repair equipment for personal use so both of these failed shields were a surprise to me. What causes failure for these shields? I am careful with them and store them in a cabinet when not in use. I did not get more than three weeks use over a two year time frame with either the Jackson or Miller shields.


Steve

 

[AKwelder]

just a quick note guys. A lot of the price is due to weight, light well built hoods cost more than a hood that has the same performance and can weigh more (and make my neck sore).

I weld pipe in Alaska, it gets cold here, very cold, We use AD hoods on large pipe since we each weld one side, called brother-in-law welding. It is real easy for you to get flashed or something in your eyes from the other side of the pipe. We use light weight hoods, mostly fiber-metal pipeliners with 2x4 glass. The cold effect some units more than most.

currently we are welding pipe with dual shield wire and A LOT of amps. I have a number 13 AD lens added to my hood, if I use lincoln filter lens I only use a shade 10. Most but not all AD units are weak and I use at least one shade darker. many people see the weld and think that they can see great, but they are really are seeing more light and less shade.

 

[ray66v]

currently we are welding pipe with dual shield wire and A LOT of amps.

How do you deal with the wind when welding with wire?

 

[PILOON]

I am on my 2nd el cheepo auto.

The first worked just great, would even auto on the flick of my bix lighter!
Then it quit.
While it was supposed to auto charge a battery, I suspect that long periods of non usage in the dark simply defeated the auto charge mode. Naturally the battery is inaccesable.

The second while OK is not as rapid as the first, so I sort of blink as I strike the ark to give it catch up time. Also I rarely use more than 1/8 rod so the flash is not that bright anyhow.

 

[AKwelder]

right now we are using double joints, what that means is that the 40 foot joints of pipe are welded together in town and done in a building. Wire and wind are no big deal.

Next we go north to the coldest work place on the planet. after being there you will never say "when h#ll freezes over" again. It is cold, miserable, cold, dark, cold, windy, and cold. The wind ALWAYS blows 20 plus miles an hour and the temp without the wind can reach 50 below zero. I thought they were pulling my leg when they said the wind chill was 110 below so be careful working outside. I grew up in the Midwest, and the cold and the wind in the Dakotas and the great lakes don't hold a candle to this little spot of ****, but it sits on billions and billions of barrels of oil.

We build custom buildings that we can lift and carry with cat sidebooms. These are big cats that have a crane on the side and are used to lift and carry pipe and such. The sideboom sits the shack on the weld and we pull cloth gaskets around the pipe and door. If it is a odd spot we build a scaffold frame and wrap it with visqueen that is reinforced with fiberglass strands. ta-dah instant house of welding.