Fallon
Super Member
Went to do some practice today out in the frosty cold shop & my Miller Digital Elite auto-darkening helmet wouldn't power on. Replaced the battery & still nothing. Promptly realized there are 2 batteries & vaguely only remember replacing 1 the last time a few years ago. 1 3v battery was about 1v & the other 2.3v, so likely only replaced one last time, or one just died a lot harder this time. So hoping I just need another new battery I don't have on hand at the moment. Ordering new batteries now & generally being annoyed.
So I proceed to dig out my 10-15 year old Northern tool helmet I keep around as a backup. Auto-darkening lens in it is dead to. Poke around & there is no user serviceable way to change the batteries. Kind of impressed it lasted as long as it did actually, although I have no idea when it died. I've had to replace batteries in the Miller at least once & it's probably half it's age. Pull the lens assembly apart & the batteries (same size as my Miller helmet batteries) are welded to the tabs. I can solder, but am not setup to weld battery tabs, so likely to never put it back together. No welding today for me.
Backup helmet thoughts:
So I proceed to dig out my 10-15 year old Northern tool helmet I keep around as a backup. Auto-darkening lens in it is dead to. Poke around & there is no user serviceable way to change the batteries. Kind of impressed it lasted as long as it did actually, although I have no idea when it died. I've had to replace batteries in the Miller at least once & it's probably half it's age. Pull the lens assembly apart & the batteries (same size as my Miller helmet batteries) are welded to the tabs. I can solder, but am not setup to weld battery tabs, so likely to never put it back together. No welding today for me.
Backup helmet thoughts:
- Try a $15 replacement lens off Amazon & hope it fits & works
- Very doubtful it has replaceable batteries either, so it likely only lasts 5 years tops
- https://www.amazon.com/Darkening-Welding-TX500C-Automation-Goggles/dp/B07NRNB5H4
- New $40 auto-darkening helmet from Harbor
- Looks the same as my Northern Tool, probably a common cheap Chinese design or rebadged all over from 1 factory
- Very doubtful it has replaceable batteries either, so it likely only lasts 5 years tops
- https://www.harborfreight.com/weldi...hade-auto-darkening-welding-helmet-46092.html
- $27 auto-darkening Yeswelder helmet with "truecolor" lens
- Find some cheap fixed lens something
- Harbor Freight has one that is a whole $2 cheaper than their auto-darkening one, but won't have battery issues
- Find something on Craigslist
- One or 2 I've seen seems to be more expensive & probably has scratched up outer lenses
