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I know some of you guys have done welding for a long time and I would like to know your opinions on welding helmets. I got two helmets at the moment. A cheap auto-darkening helmet, and a very old passive helmet, probably was a cheap one too, came with an old arc welder I got a while ago. The old passive one is really hard to use and I find it hard to see anything through it. The auto-darkening helmet seems decent enough, but I'm having wondering if a better quality passive helmet would enable me to see better the welding puddle. Thoughts?

Don’t know much about that Eugen. My son and I use this auto darken helmet. It’s worked well for my son and I for over ten years. I don’t know if it’s a good one or not. Has a delay switch, slow or fast, shade dial, which we have set at 10, and a sensitivity dial, that’s set to medium or so. And with the helmet in the off setting it’s a shade 4, I think. That shade is use for acetylene, oxygen welding. It’s solar powered and has a low battery light, which never has come on.
I’m sure other members have better information than I.

Noel

I've gone through 2 or 3 cheap auto-darkening helmets over the years. I'm currently using a $60 auto-darkening helmet from Amazon with an oversized viewing area. That matters a lot to me because I wear bifocals in the shop, so the larger viewing area allows me to weld with my glasses on, I can look downward and still be seeing out the viewing area. So I don't even consider a hood with a "normal sized" viewing area.

Tacklife pah02d. It was $60 in 2018, they're $26 now.

I also have a manual hood with a large viewing area.

I use the auto darkening most of the time, it's my default.

But I've learned a couple things the hard way:
1. Welding helmets have a lithium battery, and it's important. The solar panel triggers the mask, it doesn't power the mask. As that battery gets weaker, the helmet starts to be a liitle slow on the draw or even intermittent, which can leave you flash blinded for a few minutes. Very frustrating, so keep on top of that battery, and keep spares on hand.
2. Don't store the helmet facing up where light can trigger it. It'll run a battery dead in just a day or two.
3. Auto darkening helmets, at least the lesser brands that I buy, don't like moisture. And that includes sweat. I've killed a couple otherwise good helmets by sweating into them during hot Georgia summer days. And on a hot summer day my current helmet will steam up in its internal glass cavities to the point that you can't see out of it. That's why I keep the manual hood around. If all else fails, I grab the manual hood and keep working.

Maybe if I'd spend $200 or more on a name brand hood, they'd be impervious to sweat/moisture. I don't know. But for the equipment I do have, that's the paramaters I've learned as I go.

Bob

I'm a young one at the age of 38 but my experience with welding is extensive. I started welding at 14 and used to work for a fab shop for a long time. I just started my 11 year old daughter on it. She has been begging me to teach her how and im super impressed with her welds. So I absolutely hate auto darken lens. I use a standard passive 2x4 lens. Shade 10 for hard wire. Shade 11 or 12 for dual flux core. Auto darken lens fails more often than not. They fail to trigger fast enough and hurts your eye. Think long term with those if you use them alot. The fab shop I used to work at had about 25 welders. Out of all of us probably 3 had auto darken helmets. Most of us had a 2 different helmets with different lens for the welding process we did. Some of the older guys had magnifying clear lenses. Guys that were hard of seeing would run a shade 8 or 9 so they could see what they were doing. I have a leather flap on the bottom of mine to protect my neck. Helps when welding overhead. I'll get a pic up of mine later today. Is it that you have a hard time starting not being able to see what you are doing?

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Agreed for professional welders fixed lens and having a couple of helmets with different strength lenses in them is the only way to go . For the hobbyist , I beleave auto darkening is the way to go . More often than not a hobby welder get flash from not getting the helmet down in time instead of the auto-lenses malfunctioning . There is a learned skill to holding everything in place and striking an arc that a lot of hobby welders do not posses . I have been welding for over 40 years now . I have both in my shop . I use the auto for tacking and small mig stuff , while use the fixed lens for larger stick jobs . Both have there place , and like Bob I like the biggest lens I can get for the same reason . Even then a lot of the time I have to remove my glasses to weld . I hope this makes it clear as mud .

Jancoe wrote: ↑Fri Nov 25, 2022 2:41 pm I'll get a pic up of mine later today. Is it that you have a hard time starting not being able to see what you are doing?

No, I don't have problems starting with the auto-darkening one. I have a problem seeing the weld puddle well enough, maybe the glass/screen on my helmets are in bad shape or just poor quality.

I also wear reading glasses I will buy a magnifying glass insert to solve the glass problem.

I’m firmly in the hobbyist/learning camp. My dad was my welder but once he got to the point that he couldn’t anymore before he passed away I picked up a Lincoln tombstone welder and started learning. @Jancoe question fits me. I have a difficult time starting with my fixed lens. Trying to get everything in place and strike the arc is a challenge for me. Lack of experience for sure. I bought a cheap auto dim helmet from Harbor Freight and it’s been much better. I keep it in the box it came in to try to keep it clean and get the battery to last. I’ve been really happy with it. I think what @DavidBarkey said is accurate if I was welding for a living I’d be much more apt to invest in better helmets. For occasional use the auto dim seems to be good.

I run both types of helmets, stick is pretty much all I do. I run 4" x 5" lens's in my passive helmets because of the awkward positions I'm in. Because it happens gradually and I'm a little slow on the uptake, I'll wake up one day and think man I can't see what I'm doing. I change out the cover lens and , good to go.
I like my auto for tacking little stuff together, but from habit, I still flip it up and down all the time.

Here's my hoods. The left I use the most. Has a shade 10. That leather flap is great i put on. Stops sunburns and is protective to your neck. Middle hood has shade 12. And the right hood with 4x5 lens is a shade 5 for plasma or torch. Now that I don't work at a fab shop anymore I don't get to take home scrap drop pieces anymore. Bummer. I still do alot of fab work out of my current small attached garage on the side.
Im just about finishing my flatbed trailer I just did up. I'll make a post on the work I did here soon.
Here's some practice welds my 11yo daughter has done. Some of her first work. I'm saving it. Once she's figured out mig work. I'm moving her onto stick and then tig. Im excited lol

Lol

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I hate to admit it, but your 11 yr old daughter has a better welds than mine.

JSinMO wrote: [mention]Jancoe[/mention] question fits me. I have a difficult time starting with my fixed lens. Trying to get everything in place and strike the arc is a challenge for me.

It definitely is a art. Just trying to figure out the balancing act. Patience is key to welding. Lots to figure out as far as when to push or pull a weld. Welding one big pass or making multiple smaller welds to build up the metal. Stitching the metal or fully welding it out. I always get myself into position and rest at least one arm on something so I'm balanced well. A wider footstance while welding will help you crouch and bend around something as you weld.
When I run whatever, stick tig mig torch I have in hand and make sure I can make a complete pass without having to reposition myself during the weld. So basically a dry run on all my welds. Sounds funny but it helps.

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https://youtu.be/8QftDWhye88

I explained and showed the process and left her too it and that was what she did. Told her what type of clothes to wear as I also wear a bandana to cover my head everytime I weld. She didn't want to wear one of mine so she got one on top her head. I stopped recording too soon so you can't see her reaction. Lol

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That’s awesome @Jancoe ! You should be proud, she doing great!

Evan, Those are priceless moments. Did she experience a hot dingleberry on tinder skin and say ouch at the end? I hope she knows how lucky she is having a role model like you for a father.

Not gonna lie. I laughed at her. Lol she wanted a bandana after that.

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@Jancoe that's heart warming, you doing that with your daughter. I hope to do the same with my boys when they're 5 or 6 :P Seriously now, her welds are way better than mine! Bright child and good teacher, I say.


Also, thank you all for your thoughts about the helmet. I'll look around much better informed now.

She'sdoing a great job!

And so are you. That's a secure and well-loved little girl.

Bob

@Jancoe You are both doing a great job . Teacher and student .

M just watched the the video and we saw the hot dingleberry gracefully set down just before the ouch was heard. Welding experience 101.

Jancoe wrote: ↑Fri Nov 25, 2022 7:02 pm Now that I don't work at a fab shop anymore I don't get to take home scrap drop pieces anymore. Bummer. I still do alot of fab work out of my current small attached garage on the side.
Im just about finishing my flatbed trailer I just did up. I'll make a post on the work I did here soon.

Bummer! -- the price of steel

Looking forward to your thread on the trailer! I put some short side walls on my small flatbed trailer too, first time welding definitely pass x-ray! not!

Neat video. Nice father daughter day.

Noel

I have two welding helmets that were purchased for me when I worked at GM. I've used them for over thirty years and they always work great. They are auto darkening solar powered, and the darkness can be changed with a dial on the side. Small window and no fancy buttons for different settings or batteries to change. One I use only for GTAW and the other for SMAW, GMAW and FCAW. They were made by a company called Optrel and they come from Switzerland. https://optrel.us/
Keep the
Harry

Harry wrote: ↑Mon Nov 28, 2022 6:48 pm I have two welding helmets that were purchased for me when I worked at GM. I've used them for over thirty years and they always work great. They are auto darkening solar powered, and the darkness can be changed with a dial on the side. Small window and no fancy buttons for different settings or batteries to change. One I use only for GTAW and the other for SMAW, GMAW and FCAW. They were made by a company called Optrel and they come from Switzerland. https://optrel.us/
Keep the
Harry

I've seen the Optrel helmets on a professional welding store web site, they seem to be of really high quality, with price to match in the range of five to six hundred dollars and even more. Nice to know they last! I like Swiss made stuff, who doesn't?

In 1989 a salesman showed up at the factory I worked in, he had the Swiss made Speedglas auto darkening helmets that we could road test. My management saw the benefit but was too much of a tight wad to invest in these, but encouraged each of us to buy one It was tough but I forked over the $400+ for one right there and then.

That first on died 2 weeks after the warranty was up I called the company to see about buying a replacement lens, when I told the gal on the phone it was 2 weeks past warranty, she said don't worry about that. She got my name and a few seconds later recited my address, and said it was early enough in the day that a new helmet would be shipped that day. She then told me there would be a postage paid address label in the box, and that they wanted the old helmet back for an autopsy to find out why it died and fix the problem in future production. The second Speedglas lasted 10 years of daily factory welding, but I switched occupations and kept it in the house for climate control, then the house burnt down

I got 3 noname auto darkening helmets at auction for $15, 2 worked the third had a battery that leaked and wrecked the circuit board. I gave one to my nephew who needed one for his auto body school. The one I am using is solar powered with no changeable battery, it needs to be set out in the sun or bright light for 15 minutes before use for it to work, I assume to charge a internal capacitor.

Cheers,
Gordy

Mine and auto shades are both solar . Never had a battery one. This solar I have had for 15-20 years Intermitent use never a problem with it . I am cheap , so it was a good deal at the time . Could not tell you how much$$$ but would have been less than $100

DavidBarkey wrote: ↑Tue Nov 29, 2022 1:22 pm Mine and auto shades are both solar . Never had a battery one. This solar I have had for 15-20 years Intermitent use never a problem with it . I am cheap , so it was a good deal at the time . Could not tell you how much$$$ but would have been less than $100

@Gordy and @DavidBarkey I don't think they use a capacitor, rather a small rechargeable battery. The good news is that one day, when it no longer charges, you can replace it.

I am so cheap that I bought an auto-darkening helmet second hand from a guy here in the village, I don't remember $20 or $15, in spite of the scantily cladded anime girl graphics on it which I hate, so I use it when my boys are not around. needs a coat of paint.

Guys, I really appreciate your input. I've let all the experiences here percolate and it seems to me that a passive helmet with good quality glass would nicely complement my auto-darkening atrocity. I have asked Santa for a Phillips gold coated lens because it has really good reviews and it's not crazy expensive either. I'll try to be good for goodness sake!

I don't think they use a capacitor, rather a small rechargeable battery. The good news is that one day, when it no longer charges, you can replace it.

I will look again, But it looked like a sealed unit I saw no battery hatch or screws to open it up. I still have a couple of the old glass lens helmets, but honestly have not used them in a decade or more.


Gordy

Eugen wrote: ↑Tue Nov 29, 2022 1:49 pm

DavidBarkey wrote: ↑Tue Nov 29, 2022 1:22 pm Mine and auto shades are both solar . Never had a battery one. This solar I have had for 15-20 years Intermitent use never a problem with it . I am cheap , so it was a good deal at the time . Could not tell you how much$$$ but would have been less than $100

@Gordy and @DavidBarkey I don't think they use a capacitor, rather a small rechargeable battery. The good news is that one day, when it no longer charges, you can replace it.

I am so cheap that I bought an auto-darkening helmet second hand from a guy here in the village, I don't remember $20 or $15, in spite of the scantily cladded anime girl graphics on it which I hate, so I use it when my boys are not around. needs a coat of paint.

Guys, I really appreciate your input. I've let all the experiences here percolate and it seems to me that a passive helmet with good quality glass would nicely complement my auto-darkening atrocity. I have asked Santa for a Phillips gold coated lens because it has really good reviews and it's not crazy expensive either. I'll try to be good for goodness sake!


Screen Shot 2022-11-29 at 13.45.58.png

A little masking tape and some rattle can Power Red will dress that girl right up.

I had a little welding to do on some Christmas decorations yesterday. I took a couple pics of my Optrel welding helmet which is over thirty years old.

Keep the
Harry

@Harry, thank you! If I am going to buy an auto-darkening helmet I am now convinced to get an Optrel. I checked, and their entry level has all the features one wants, still made in Switzerland, and is below $200.

@Harry Mine looks a lot like yours . Make me wounder if it was a knock off of your helmet . I find the dial handy as I can use it for anything from act. torch , mig , tig and stick . Brighter the are the darker the shade number . Just don't bump the dial putting it on LOL , Never done that more than a hundred times

DavidBarkey wrote: ↑Fri Dec 02, 2022 12:39 pm @Harry Mine looks a lot like yours . Make me wounder if it was a knock off of your helmet . I find the dial handy as I can use it for anything from act. torch , mig , tig and stick . Brighter the are the darker the shade number . Just don't bump the dial putting it on LOL , Never done that more than a hundred times

David I have noticed on one of the Optrel helmets, after flipping it up and down. The dial has a tendency to move a little to make it darker. It's probably just because it's over thirty years old. I don't weld that much anymore so it's not a problem.

Keep the
Harry

Harry wrote: ↑Sat Dec 03, 2022 8:58 am

DavidBarkey wrote: ↑Fri Dec 02, 2022 12:39 pm @Harry Mine looks a lot like yours . Make me wounder if it was a knock off of your helmet . I find the dial handy as I can use it for anything from act. torch , mig , tig and stick . Brighter the are the darker the shade number . Just don't bump the dial putting it on LOL , Never done that more than a hundred times

David I have noticed on one of the Optrel helmets, after flipping it up and down. The dial has a tendency to move a little to make it darker. It's probably just because it's over thirty years old. I don't weld that much anymore so it's not a problem.

Keep the
Harry

That happens all the time with the nob that holds the head strap on .lol Always tightening that one .