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Post Info TOPIC: Safety Tip - Welding Flash
66 Beau


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Safety Tip - Welding Flash
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As I squint at my laptop screen I thought I'd pass on a tip.

I have a Canadian Tire welding helmet, with auto-darkening feature. It is adjustable for sensitivity, darkness and delay before going clear again.  I also have another one, still auto-darkening but has none of the adjustments.  I have my magnifying cheater lens mounted in this one.  I cannot imagine welding without these.  The days of getting the electrode close, snapping the visor down and striking an arc in a blind jab are over.  I can actually start an arc where I want it and I don't end up stuck to an adjacent bit of metal.

BUT.   I have been doing some puttering in the shop (non-heated) and that included a bunch of tack-weld type jobs.  Last night, I get that "grain-of-sand-in-the-eye" feeling.  

A couple times I thought I got a bit of a flash as I started the arc, but it was pretty brief.  But based on the pain I have, it seems likely the lens is being slow to respond.  My shop is not 'cold' by prairie standards.  We're talking a minimum of minus 5.  But it seems to be enough that the lenses are slow to respond.  

Anybody have any tips on how to test the batteries and/or helmets?  Putting the helmets out in the sun or bringing them in to the house for awhile before use might fix the problem, but how can you tell for sure?  I think I'd like to avoid a trial & error thing.

Would one of the $300+ helmets be better?  I suspect they would be, but I have also learned that more expensive doesn't always mean better.

Meanwhile, be cautious if you're using one of these helmets in the cold.



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Canadian Poncho


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I do know you should store them in an area that is well lit so that the batteries in the lense can charge. I learned that the hard way! I always thought these were 100% solar powered but as it turns out the solar cell just charges the batteries. Could be your batteries are weak and therefore slow to respond.



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cdnpont


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I have an older expensive Miller branded helmet, and I've never liked it. Always seems kind of behind, even at max speed and darkening. 

I think we need to go on line and see what the pro's are saying, and what they recommend. I should have replaced it long ago.

But the cold angle is something I've not heard of. Thanks.



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long stroke


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Excellent topic here and all good to know. 



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MC


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It may be more than just the batteries. Ive seen LCD displays that seem to slow down in cold temperatures, so could this be happening with your welding mask? https://focuslcds.com/journals/what-happens-to-the-lcd-in-cold-temperatures/

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Bill shuba


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Thanks for the info..weather here hasn't been  all that bad and was thinking of doing some tack welding to get a  jump on spring..had a bad flash years ago arc welding and don't like that painfull sand in the eyes feeling..I can wait till spring for that stuff



-- Edited by Bill shuba on Tuesday 24th of December 2019 10:13:51 PM

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norontcan


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Very interesting thread going on here.
I also have 2 auto darkening helmets, only 1 of which is adjustable, which spend all there time in an unheated garage.
May have to consider storing them in the house.

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Prefectca


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When I was 56 I had eye surgery for cataracts in both eyes. This involves replacing the lenses in the eyes. The first thing I was asked by the surgeon was are you a welder or a mechanic? I attribute this to arc welding flashes and apparently so did the surgeon.

Paul

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Pontiacanada


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VERY informative thread! Thanks.



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