Thread: Auto darkening helmet problem

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Here's the deal. I'm spot welding the chassis wearing an auto darkening helmet. I get a bright flash. So, thinking I had a contaminated weld I grind a new tip on the tungsten electrode (TIG). Try it again and the same thing. So I put a tip on a new electrode, try again, same thing. So I re-clean the tubes and get a new filler rod. Still get the bright flash. So I mess with the controls on the helmet. That seemed to fix the problem for a while. Then it did it again. If I mess with the helmet controls long enough I can get it to work again, but from time to time the problem persists.

Is there something I should be doing maintenance wise that I'm not doing? Anybody else run into this problem? I can be welding along fine and then for no apparent reason get an arc flash. Not a good thing for the eyes, I need to fix or replace the problem post haste.

Does the helmet your useing have a setting for TIG? I remember when I was looking for one that some of them had a special setting just for TIG but with my old age I can't remember what they told me the difference was

MM64

I was just lookin at gettin 1 of these things too !! Dont tell me theres a prob , and with tackin too ,exactly what I wanted 1 for too!!

I have a 250 dollar one too with that Eagle painted on it and it does it sometimes when it's not charged. If yours is the one that you need to put it in the sun then put it out in the sun for 8 hours and it says it will last like6 or 8 months but really it doesn't, I put mine out in the sun all the time before I use it. That should take care of it. When you first buy it, put it out in the sun for 8 hours and then the next day for about 4-8 more hours. They are really great helmets if you get a good one. I have a teacher that bought some plain black one like that from Hobart and it did the same thing I think and he brought it back and got another one just like it and that one works nice. You rarely have it where it won't dark but hardly ever will that happen.

I have a shellstorm auto darking helmet that i've used for about the last 7 yrs, really only maintenance i ever do is change the batt and lens in it. You really shouldnt have to clean the sensor since its under the outer plastic lens. Check your sensitivity setting on it (if yours has one) and set it at the most sensitive setting for spot welding.

Hopefully this isnt the problem but i did have one that went bad after about 4 yrs and when the sensor goes bad it will shit itself off without warning.

BG

Well, I cleaned it up (Wasn't that dirty) put new inner and outer lens covers in it and so far so good. Maybe it's was too cold in the shop. I keep it around 45-50. We'll see if it does it again. Label said the battery should be good for 5 yrs. It's a little over a year old now.

My eyes are bad anyhow, too many years of tacking without a helmet. Tried a couple of the auto-darkening helmets, wound up with flash burn in the eyes both times. Guess I'll either have to stick with my old helmet, or get a new pair of eyeballs. Sure wish I could use one, they are great.

Mine aren't what they usta' be either. That's why I don't wanna' mess around with a helmet that doesn't work. Back in high school when asked to read an eye chart bein' the smaddas' I was i would read the printers name @ the bottom. Now I need glasses to read a paint can label. Only thing worst than gettin' old is NOT gettin' any older.

Let's see, bad eyes, bad hearing, bad kidneys, numerous body components suffering from race car rheumitiz, and other conditions not fit to mention on a public forum......../Tell me again why option two would be such a bad deal !!!!?????? Some people say they get up in the morning, read the obituaries and if there name is in there they ain't gonna go to work. Before I get out of bed I check to see if I have a pulse. If I ever wake up in the morning and don't have a pulse, I ain't even gonna bother getting up and reading the paper !!!!!

Originally posted by Dave Severson
Before I get out of bed I check to see if I have a pulse. If I ever wake up in the morning and don't have a pulse, I ain't even gonna bother getting up and reading the paper !!!!!

Cold wont effect the speedglas lenses, actually its just the oppesite heat will effect them. Theres been a few times when i was running the Tig at 300+amps at work and had a ton of heat coming off the part and mine shut itself down on me. Had to let it sit for about 2 mins to get it to work properly again but i dont think thats what happened to you Pro because you were just tacking so there shouldnt have been any overheating problem.

You guys arent along with the bad eyes, even at 33 my eyes arent anywhere near what they were even 5 yrs ago

BG

Originally posted by Dave Severson
Tell me again why option two would be such a bad deal !!!!??????

Because #2 kinda makes it hard to cruise.....i like crusin in caddys but not the ones of the long black variety with curtians in the windows

Originally posted by MrMopar64
Does the helmet your useing have a setting for TIG? I remember when I was looking for one that some of them had a special setting just for TIG but with my old age I can't remember what they told me the difference was

MM64

I think it's workin' again. Wee will see. It just has a setting for sensitivity and duration of "ON' after you stop welding. Another dial on the side w/ numbers 9 thru 13 I think. Doesn't seem to be much difference in the settings.

Yeah, I know Goat. When it's my turn to ride in the big black Caddy, there probably won't be a heck of a lot of people at the funeral, but there sure will be a ton of em at the auction fighting over my toys.............

Will effect mechanical parts for sure but but not a helmet, i've used mine many times outside in the winter doing repairs at the shop on work trucks and cold wont effect the function of the auto dark helmets. Use to effect the speed of my hands while welding though

BG