What is the best Auto Darkening Welding Helmet

Turfman · Jan 10, 2003

Don't know what the best is, but in my recent checking I found a Miller (silver one with their logo) for $165.00. This is a promo helmet that Miller is offering. That's the best price I could find on one that used a solar cell, had two flash sensors and had an adjustable tint. I like the solar one, since you can leave it out to recharge and there is less chance of you having delayed flash or having it quit on you from dead batteries.

Tags · Jan 10, 2003

I spoke to htp last night,right after I checked out their web site,someone had their link in one of these posts.Anyway,my point being that after talking with the VERY knowledgeable guy there he told me that jackson puts their name on the HTP helmets,probably why they look similar.I ordered the "ultra" style helmet,it has the largest viewing area and responds in 1/25000 of a second,and the cost seems very reasonable to me,$199 plus $7 for shipping,better than any of the local shops,and again,the guy at HTP was extremely knowledgeable and helpful.

RanchMan · Jan 11, 2003

Tags -

Glad you found the link useful. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif Looks like you ordered the same one I bought. I suspect you'll be very happy with it.

Enjoy! /w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif

OkieG · Jan 11, 2003

I like the solar one, since you can leave it out to recharge

The Jackson website says, "Solar-assist panel extends battery life". I can't find any more detailed information at the website. I know you posted on a Miller helmet, and maybe the Solar/battery features are different on that model.

My helmet does not have rechargeable batteries. It still has the original AAA Rayovac alkalines that say "do no recharge" right on the battery. I have read posts other than yours suggesting that the Solar feature "charges" the batteries. I don't think mine does.

I believe the "Solar assist" just picks up some (or all) of the electical requirement of maintaining the lense shade from light generated by the welding arc. When not welding, a lighter, sunglasses type shade is present on my helmet, for 20 minutes anyhow, until it turns itself off. Solar assist from ambient light and battery power is probably needed to maintain that shade. However, the solar panel must be pretty effective for little AAAs to last three years. I don't think, however, the Solar panel charges the batteries, at least on my helmet. Does anybody have rechargeable batteries in their helmets?

OkieG

cpicton1 · Jan 11, 2003

OkieG,

I don't own a auto darkening welding helmet at this time, maybe some day. I'll just have to keep flipping and flopping until then. However, I think in your case I would go ahead and change the batteries. I would say your batteries are more for backup incase you lose the light. Alkaline Batteries don't last forever even if they are just setting on a shelf. Yours probably have kicked in once in a while during your use the past three years. Just a thought. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

OkieG · Jan 11, 2003

cpicton1,

When I bought my helmet I planned on changing the batteries at least once a year, need it or not, just to be safe. Time has just come and gone and the lense has worked well with the old batteries.

I am not trying to be macho with my vision. I'm just getting old and don't remember so good sometimes. I swapped out batteries this morning. We have a wire thing-a-ma-jig (battery tester) with a flashlight bulb on one end (see attachment). The old RayOvacs are just a bit dimmer than the new Duracells, but not much. I have a fancy-dancy electronic meter, but the 9 volt in it is dead. I'll test voltage later, once I get a replacement battery. You must be right though, about the batteries being mostly a back-up for the Solar panel.

OkieG

OkieG · Jan 11, 2003

Wroughtn Harv,

How often do you change the batteries in your helmet? Have you ever had them wear out? My original ones are 3 years old, and test as pretty healthy on my simple tester. But, I'm only an occassional user. I don't know if that puts more or less wear and tear on the batteries. Like cpicton1 said, batteries can get weak just sitting on the shelf (or in the helmet?).

OkirG

OkieG · Jan 11, 2003

Hi,

Got a new 9V battery in the meter. It reads 1.58V on the new AAAs and 1.45V on the old ones. Beyond the obvious, I'm not sure what that means, but thought I would offer it up in case somebody does. Regardless, I feel better with new cells in the helmet. Thanks for the reminder.

OKieG

cpicton1 · Jan 11, 2003

OkieG ,

I don't really know either but with batteries that small tenth's of volts could be a big difference. Just like smoke detectors, you should probably change them once a year. I'm bad about remembering things like that. I usually remember the smoke alarms when they start their warning chirp. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

wroughtn_harv · Jan 11, 2003

Don't get me lying. Even if it was more than once a year I'd still go for the same hoods. I think I can vaguely remember changing batteries in one of them because it wasn't working right and that was the problem. Otherwise I've just changed them because I thought it might be time I guess. A lot of my tools use triple A's so always have plenty of them here and there on the truck just in case.

I was under the impression that the solar hoods operated off the flash of the arc and used watch batteries as back up. But I haven't had a problem with the hoods as far as weight goes so I've never even considered them.