Auto-darkening helmet

[Big Barn]

You know, I never could get into wearing helmet in grind mode. A purposeful 20$ face shield is cooler and you don't mess up the front lens of the helmet. Plus hearing protection is a must for me. I definitely get being shy of solar helmets in your situation, though when they work they stay charged for months. My "good" Optrel gear isn't so good as the solar charger or battery went TU. My free Tweaker gear works like a champ though.

Haha. Similar experiences. My first Optrel went TU also. I have a second Optrel that came with a used welder and a Lincoln Viking which is nice.

BUT seems like my "go to" is the freebie cheapo Tweco that came with my little 181i inverter.

 

[rkidd]

I agree with KennyG. I bought the Lincoln Viking 3350. Much bigger window, and a lighter tint. Can definitely see alot better with this helmet.

 

[sdef]

I will add one more data point. I have used a cheap HF auto dark helmet for about 4 years. It's still working and the rechargeable battery seems to be holding up. However, I get annoyed at the inadvertent darkening from work lights and I find it's a little hard to see the puddle and see exactly where the arc is.

I decided to spend some money ($200) and I got a Lincoln Viking 2450 helmet. It has a much larger window, the "4c" technology with 4 light sensors. Excuse the pun but it's like day and night. I can see so much clearer now it's amazing.

No question that the cheap helmets will work but if you intend on doing much welding, spending more will make the experience much more enjoyable. I'm not under the illusion that it will make me a good welder (that would be a miracle) but now I can see that I'm making a mistake much faster.

I have a Lincoln 3350 that suits me well for MIG and Plasma cutting mild steel. Issue is I turn the shade down to 5 for plasma use and in the same project forget to turn the shade back up to 10 for MIG and get semi flashed. So now looking for a less expensive, good visual quality, auto darkening helmet for plasma use with a very good lens. Also want it to be large enough to reasonably use a respirator under it as the Lincoln is a bit narrow for this usage. I use this with the 2097 filters: 3M 1/2 MASK RESPIRATOR ASSEMBLY MEDIUM - 7182 for WELDING - Papr Safety Respirators - Amazon.com, if there are any suggestions.

 

[Big Barn]

I find a helmet way too cumbersome for plasma cutting. Just buy a couple pairs of shade 5 and lighter safety glasses. Then you won't have problems with wearing a respirator.

 

[dragoneggs]

I find a helmet way too cumbersome for plasma cutting. Just buy a couple pairs of shade 5 and lighter safety glasses. Then you won't have problems with wearing a respirator.

View attachment 529541

Agreed! Yeah I quickly went to a shade 5 safety glasses and started wearing my respirator when I got my plasma. :thumbsup:

 

[sdef]

Thanks Big Barn and dragoneggs. Will give the glasses a try.

 

[ArlyA]

Well gee guys, this thread is spot-on for me today. I welded in the energy business for some time but left that some 20+ years ago. Today I'm back in the welding realm but in a high school shop but tired of using there poor quality, always scratched the dirty helmets and decided to buy and bring my own. I'll attached one project photo that I've done there for the folks who like visual. (I do) I'm going to look at the helmets you folks speak of and get one.

 

[Doofy]

Very nice! Trail Groomer?

 

[Big Barn]

We LIKE visuals. Thanks Arly!

 

[ArlyA]

Thanks guys, Ya its a XC trail machine.

Very nice! Trail Groomer?

 

[ArlyA]

I'm looking at this one. How durable does the head strap and its tightening mechanism appear to be? I see the batteries are readily available when I googled there part number. Thanks!

This thread had me looking at extra gear. I tried to fix my Optrel and killed it. I bought this one. Only about 2 hours time on so far, but big viewing area and clear. Replaceable battery too. I clicked on it a couple times and a 15% off coupon popped up- so under 60$. Welding Helmet, Tacklife PAH3D Solar Power Auto Darkening Welding Helmet with Wide Shade Range DIN 3/4-8/9-13 and Highest Optical Class (1/1/1/1), Large Viewing Area, Polyamide Material - - Amazon.com

 

[tomplum]

Compared to other gear I've had, the head strap doesn't scream quality. From a durability standpoint, I'm not really sure if it would break though. The knob to adjust to your dome works fine. I t has some extra positioning features due to the index on the sides that fasten to the shell which are nice. If you're one of those that like the gear up and flick it down with a nod of your head- it just doesn't park exactly where I want it. I could fiddle with it and get it better, but it seems to rely more on the tension setting than a detent . Plus, it is very light. Anything else I've had is heavier and that factors in I'm sure. The difference between this and others in my world, is that if the lighting is right- I can see fine before and after the strike. There isn't much need to play peek-a-boo with this helmet. The viewing window is huge. Eventually, I may move the head strap from another into this one. Or one could buy a strap from another manufacturer. Earlier when I was at Airgas, I shopped the nice Viking models. No matter what I did, I couldn't get the positioning right. It touched my nose mostly and when it didn't -the fit was all wrong. They offered to swap the head mechanism out, but I wasn't hot and heavy to get one. Maybe I'm deformed or something....

 

[ArlyA]

OK, just ordered me one Tacklife PAH03D Solar Power Auto Darkening Welding Helmet!!

Hopefully, its quality will do fine with me.

 

[Big Barn]

OK, just ordered me one Tacklife PAH03D Solar Power Auto Darkening Welding Helmet!!

Hopefully, its quality will do fine with me.

Let us know how you like it!

Amazon's price is $91.99 for us Canadians.

 

[ArlyA]

I should be back in the school shop this week, or sometime soon and give a report. In the meantime, I looked for shop photos and have darn few that show the shop very well. Here is a few projects done there.

 

[sdef]

Let us know how you like it!

Amazon's price is $91.99 for us Canadians.

+1. In particular the lens shading color. I am only interested in a lens that keeps a more neutral color and not the typical green shading. It has been on my Amazon list for awhile at $69.97 U.S.

Along with this one from Eastwood: Eastwood XL View Auto Darkening Welding Helmet - XL93

 

[ArlyA]

I'll agree with sdef lens shading comments. The northern and HF helmets I've been using at this shop are quite dark before the auto shading kicks in, and I've not appreciated how poor it made project visibility.

+1. In particular the lens shading color. I am only interested in a lens that keeps a more neutral color and not the typical green shading. It has been on my Amazon list for awhile at $69.97 U.S.

Along with this one from Eastwood: Eastwood XL View Auto Darkening Welding Helmet - XL93

 

[yomax4]

I'll agree with sdef lens shading comments. The northern and HF helmets I've been using at this shop are quite dark before the auto shading kicks in, and I've not appreciated how poor it made project visibility.

Part of what you pay for is the lightness of the light shade before it turns dark. A few out there that are shade 1.5 or 2. You won't get any lighter than that with the current technology. You are right though, some of the inexpensive hoods are pretty dark when in the light state like 3 or 3.5. It's is very painful for me to mention Arc One has a few with very light shades in some of the line. More expensive however. Also that overpriced ESAB hood that they are buying and rebadging like everything they sell.

 

[tomplum]

+1. In particular the lens shading color. I am only interested in a lens that keeps a more neutral color and not the typical green shading. It has been on my Amazon list for awhile at $69.97 U.S.

Along with this one from Eastwood: Eastwood XL View Auto Darkening Welding Helmet - XL93

First that I've heard about issues with green tint This cartridge definitely has a green tint. My welding area currently isn't really a dedicated welding area and is really darker that it should be as lights are just not set up as they should. Yet clarity on this before or after a strike is very good. Plus the viewing area is twice of my other two so I'm just tickled green, I mean pink.

I went back to the Amazon listing one time and they had a 15%? coupon all of a sudden and it saved me 10$ Presto Change O Sale O

 

[ArlyA]

Auto-darkening helmet review

With a little blizzard happening here the past two days, this afforded me time out of the field and back into the school shop. So this is a mini review of the Tacklife PAH03D welding helmet which this thread, impressed me to purchase.

I should have got a a better helmet years ago! Gee whiz, I can see again! The Tacklife PAH03D controls are very nice, easy to use and understand, plus the helmet is quite light. There is a slight green tint when the darkening is not engaged which does not bother me. The only thing I'm not impressed with, as another responder had mentioned, its head gear doesn't appear to be very durable. I'll agree but i don't do all that much welding anyway. I added decals to the helmet, so as kids don't use or run off with it.

Hope you guys enjoyed my amateur impressions.