Can't see when welding

[GPintheMitten]

I have transitional lenses too. Maybe I should switch to clear cheaters when welding. That and add more lighting.

 

[oldpilgrim]

I have the transition lens and that's the first thing I thought of. I checked them today and they had not gone dark at all. I don't have any regular glass eyeware to try.

My eyes are 70 years old.

 

[downsizingnow48]

I have the same problem mig welding with auto dark helmet. I put the adjustment at 8 or 9 and also put a 1000 watt halogen work light on it. That helps a lot.

 

[Rustyiron]

I have the same problem. If I can I bring it out in the sun to weld or point a halogen light on it. Helps somewhat.

Me too on both!
On a good day, I can run a real nice bead. It's just not too "nice" when it run's off the joint by a 1/4":laughing:

 

[Oldpath05]

I have a 10.5 auto lens with 1.50 cheater lens, welding with Millermatic 211, .030 wire, see the welding process ok for 30 seconds, until my lens fogs up. I'm currently working on a solution to that on going problem that seems to be worse in colder weather.

 

[California]

I just bought a replacement helmet based on this recent thread. (start at post #13).

Several owner's of HF's Blue Flame helmet noted that it won't adjust below density 9 which is too dark for 110 volt flux welding. The helmet's manual says 125 amps is the minimum you can see anything if using flux wire.

That poster in post #13 suggested an Antra from Amazon that starts at density 5. He likes it. So I bought one too. I wish I had time to try it.

 

[joefromga]

I used my new antra tonight. It was clear as day but that was tig welding. Now that I think about it it's always been hard to see fcaw but I guess I didn't know any better.
The antra does have dual modes for 5 which is grinding all the way up to 13 so it has worked very well.
I just figured it was a better helmet than my old one. But it's probably the 115v wire feed that everyone has talked about not having as bright of an arc

 

[stuckmotor]

I even have trouble seeing when stick welding. A 100 watt focused on the weld helps.

 

[joefromga]

Maybe it's the smoke. You can't see what's going on outside of the helmet so there must be a reason.

 

[Ed of all trades]

I got a new auto darkening helmet from northern tool and I can see much better. One day I was welding and everything was much clearer. It took me a little bit to realize I had hit the switch and turned the helmet off and i was welding with a clear lens. :shocked: Ed