feedback on HF AD welding helmet

[Dargo]

Tractors and welders always seem to get together sooner or later...

Especially if I use the tractor

And, yes, I do think my dad has said that I can indeed break an anvil with a rubber mallet

 

[Soundguy]

I think i remember seeing a 'must have' tool list for owning a tractor.

It was something like:

BFH ( big ******* hammer )
pry bar
hot wrench ( smoke wrench, blue wrench, gas axe, torch.. etc.. )
and a welder.

I agree.. seems like once you have owned and used a tractor for any length of time.. you eventually need something welded...

Soundguy

 

[joes_427_vette]

I just picked one up today. They had the 99 dollar one on special for 50. I will try it out when I get a chance to see if it fills the bill. One thing I don't understand is why there would be a adjustment for the shade darkening time. I would think it should change within hundreds of a second to avoid a flash. Flipping the helmet up and down is old school. If this one does not work out I will be a Miller helmet owner.

 

[MossRoad]

I don't think there is an adjustment for the time it takes to darken.

I think the adjustments are for the brightness of the flash that it takes to turn on the darkening, how long it stays dark after the flash stops, and the darkness of the shade... 9-13.

 

[Tom_Veatch]

Have a question for you guys that have the HF AD helmet. But first, a word about my welding experience. About 40 years ago I took one welding lab class in college. We did a little hands on with Arc (stick) and oxy-acetylene. That was the last time I'd touched a welding machine of any kind until I got a small Campbell-Hausfeld MIG unit a few days ago. 110v 20amp input, max 85amp output (I think). And one of those Harbor Freight Auto-Darkening helmets. As you can see, I'm a real expert in this field so please take that into account.

I've been playing with some pieces of steel scrap - all less than 1/8" thick - and .035 flux core (no gas), all available heat settings, and wire feed speeds all over the map.

I'm not sure the helmet is working correctly. It is supposed to be adjustable from level 9 to 13 but if there is any difference, it is very subtle.

So, the question really is - what sort of difference should I expect to see between a setting of 9 and 13? A distinct and apparent difference in the light level, or something much more subtle. Even at the 9 setting, about all I see is the bright spot of the arc itself - no weld puddle or much of anything else in the field. Same thing at 13. Makes it mighty difficult to lay a bead anywhere close to where it's wanted.

Could the extra smoke and spatter from flux core wire be obscuring the field that much. I have some gas (75/25) and solid wire, but haven't played with that yet.

 

[Maine_Polack]

Tom_Veatch:

On my HF AD helmet, I have to keep the setting below 10 or I too cannot see anything but a flash. Just figured it was not quite right, and am Ok with it. Yours sounds like the settings are off even more and needs to be returned. Just my guess.

 

[Soundguy]

Hmm... I've not used my AD helmet with my 70a campbel hausfield (stick).. but have used it with my hobart 235a stickmate.

When welding this weekend, and alst week, i burned a bunch of 1/8 and 3/32 rods on 1/8, 3/16, 1/4, and 1/2' materials... mostly using 6011rod. Amp ranges in the 90-110 range mostly. A shade of 13 makes it where i can only see the arc itself. A shade of 9 makes it where i can see the entire work. Shade 11 helmet lets me see the arc, and puddle, and about an half inch fore and aft of the arc.

Not sure that helps you any. However.. i did set my helmet out in the sun for an hour while i was setting up my parts and pieces, in case that made a difference. I'm not sure if it truly has a rechargeable battery.. or merly a backup battery, and is straight solar.. etc.

Soundguy

 

[Spark_man]

I just got one last week and had to play with is some this weekend just to see how it worked. I was very happy with it so far - at least using the tombstone welder. It behaves just about as Soundguy just said. I have a little CH flux core welder also, but didn't think about trying that - I really only use that for tacking up pieces I plan on stick welding. I'll have to give it a shot and see how that works. I'd be pretty surprised if it didn't work with the little welder because it even goes dark if I look directly at one of my fluorescent shop lights and they aren't that bright at all.

 

[Iplayfarmer]

.. i did set my helmet out in the sun for an hour while i was setting up my parts and pieces, in case that made a difference. I'm not sure if it truly has a rechargeable battery.. or merly a backup battery, and is straight solar.. etc.

I have to ask...

Doesn't the light from welding in and of itself provide more than enough light to power the little solar panel on the helmet? Would it help to put it in actual sunlight to recharge the battery?

 

[Soundguy]

It's my 'guess' that the light from the arc is what provides energy to the solar cell during welding, and that ambient light and the battery int he helmet are what initially provide power to the lense when the arc first starts up.

I can't remember if it was in the manual, or if someone mentione dit.. but I rememebr reading or being told that advice.. that is.. to leave it out in strong light a few minutes before use.

I don't know that it really does help it or not though.... Depends on if the batteries are rechargeable.. or if there is a capacitor that can charge up in the circuit prior to welding..

soundguy

 

[Maine_Polack]

I have had mine for a year. I keep it in a cabinet, with the welding gloves over the face plate, to keep the lens clean. Haven't had any problems.

When I rec'd it I was a little dissapointed because it said not to use when colder than (30 degrees??). Can't remember the exact temp. Anyway I have used it at 15 - 20 degrees, and it worked fine. Why is this warning there?

I used it when the temp was considerably colder and I'm ok...I'm ok...I'm ok....I'm o........................................................................................

 

[Soundguy]

My guess is at colder temps, the shade ( lcd? ) may react slower, and / or the backup batteries may not be reliable in the cold.

Soundguy

 

[MossRoad]

I have had mine for a year. I keep it in a cabinet, with the welding gloves over the face plate, to keep the lens clean. Haven't had any problems.

When I rec'd it I was a little dissapointed because it said not to use when colder than (30 degrees??). Can't remember the exact temp. Anyway I have used it at 15 - 20 degrees, and it worked fine. Why is this warning there?

I used it when the temp was considerably colder and I'm ok...I'm ok...I'm ok....I'm o........................................................................................

I think LCDs respond slower when it is cold. I'm pretty sure the mask is LCD.

 

[kossetx]

Tom, I suggest you return the helmet and get another. When I first started using mine it was set at 13 and i didn't realize it. I couldn't see the puddle so I took the helmet off and noticed the adjustable shade knob. I turned to 11 and using an 115V arc welder could see the puddle just fine.

Maybe you adjustment knob is not working. As I mentioned in a post I started about this helmet a few days before this one, my only problem with the helmet is I try to flip it down to weld when it is already down. I like these ad hats.

 

[Tom_Veatch]

... A shade of 13 makes it where i can only see the arc itself. A shade of 9 makes it where i can see the entire work. Shade 11 helmet lets me see the arc, and puddle, and about an half inch fore and aft of the arc.

Not sure that helps you any. However..

Indeed that does help! Thanks to all who replied. You've answered my question quite well. You've told me there should be a distinct and obvious difference between what can be seen at shades 9 and 13. I do not see that difference.

Two potential causes: 1) defective helmet. 2) could cataract surgery in both eyes several months ago possibly show such an effect.

First, I'll try to find another helmet to test. That should eliminate one or the other of the potential causes, then, we'll go from there.

If it's the helmet, the decision will be whether to replace this helmet with like kind or dig deep for a more "name brand". Perhaps a consultation (and associated grovelling) with the CFO is in order.

 

[JRobyn]

In case anyone was else was wondering, or had a problem with it - the "stops" for how far the helmet flips down are adjustable by removing the small pan-head screws near the friction adjust knobs and reinstalling them in one of the other holes (there are three). The "manual" said something about being able to adjust this, but provided no instructions or drawings. I had to take one side apart before I realized that this was how to "adjust" them!

 

[dbdartman]

Anyone else ever have to modify/notch the top of the helmet to keep it from grabbing the band adjuster? All mine (Jackson EQC, Jackson large window non-AD & old Jackson small window flip-up non-AD) needed to be done, otherwise they would flip off my head when flipping down. Or could I be the only toe-head welder?

 

[BTDT]

I hate welding flash. I still have old style hood. Works for me. I saw a safety poster in Standard Spring and Axle in Dallas that said "So you don't want to wear your safety glasses? Why don't you pick out your replacement now." This was at the bottom of a picture of a bunch of glass eyes laid out on a table.

 

[Soundguy]

Speaking of hoods. I was cleaning the shop today and found the face shield that you hold by hand that came with my 70a stick welder. I'm not sure i ever used it.. I just tossed it behing the tool box on the first day and went right to a hood style. Seems like you would get alot of reflection and side flash from a simple hand held shield... not to mention it ties up a hand!

soundguy

 

[Dargo]

not to mention it ties up a hand!

soundguy

I've welded an awful lot, and I've always been a cheater. You know, I use both hands when welding. That is, of course, unless I'm holding on with the other. I used to work as a deck hand on an old paddle wheeler that ran around on the Ohio River for cruises. The captain got really liquored up one night and rammed the dock, tearing a nice gash in the side of the boat.

We ballasted the opposite side of the paddle wheeler to get the hole out of the water. Two of us went below and beat the inward facing metal back out with sledge hammers to close the gash as much as we could. Man, I bet we beat on that thing for an hour! Anyway, the captain was in a panic to get the hole fixed. He had a really old welder that was attached to an old inline 6 cyl Chrysler engine on it's own trailer. I'd never seen such a thing! Anyway, he darn near drops the thing in the water when using a loading crane to set it out on the dock by the paddle wheeler, but manages to get it on the dock.

It appears that I'm the only person there who could weld other than the captain, who by now is extremely snockered (started drinking more after ramming the dock). So, I get this old Chrysler fired up and clamp the ground on a deck cleat and grab the lead. I open the tool box with it and the only thing in it is a couple dozen 3/8" rods! Holy cow man! I'd never seen rods so big!! Worse yet, no welding hood or gloves! I said that I couldn't possibly weld up an 18" vertical seam in 1/2" plate at 2am bobbing up and down on the water with this old beast that only has 3/8" rods and no hood!! The captain says that he'll do it (rather angrily), but falls down several times before he even gets to the dock.

So, here I am at 3am hanging over the railing with one hand trying to weld vertically with this giant rod while another deck hand holds an old Playboy in my face to block the flash. I didn't know what any settings on that old Chrysler welding thing meant, so I just said "give me all it's got". Yikes, I'm now burning huge holes through the side of the boat! We finally got it turned down to a reasonable level and I started getting used to playing 'peek-a-boo from behind the Playboy (man, that puddle will still blind you when it's really red!) when my one hand slips off the dock rail. Yup, down I went, still holding the lead, right into the Ohio; between the paddle wheeler and the dock! I'm darn lucky I didn't drown, and the captain is only worried because I'm saying I'm not finishing that welding job.

Ah well, I ended up finishing that weld anyway. I can't believe they ran that thing 3 more years before the Coast Guard made them get the weld fixed better. Anyway, you reminded me of that by talking about holding something in front of your face while welding. That old drunk captain told me that was the way he'd always welded. I'd never heard of such. So, I guarantee you that even the cheapest HF AD hood would be better than holding an old issue of Playboy in front of your face when welding!