Auto Darkening Welding Helmet Upgrade - RFC
Posted: Sun Jul 15, 2018 6:32 am
A long time ago (2004) in a Galaxy not so far away I bought a nice/expensive (IIRC ~400nzd) helmet (Cigweld Predator ArcMaster branded) with a European (Slovenia) made panel (http://balder.si V913) with built in lithium battery (never replaced in 13 years, unit replaced after 1 year, hence not 14) and solar panel (how the battery survived). It's been pretty good to me. However I want better/more, because:
1) The pots on it were never sealed, and grit got in and messed up their action of adjustments
2) The pot adjustments didn't default to the safe side of the spectrum leaving me under protected
3) Normal sized window, sometimes insufficient for funky angles etc, bigger better, some are up around 100x100mm
4) Two sensors, modern good ones have 4, I've had a couple of minor user error arc-eye events due to blocked sensors, 4 halves the chance
5) Head gear, okay, but never great, tried a cheapy recently and it was much nicer on my head than my expensive one, really nice, actually
6) Battery condition not apparent, needed to be left in sunshine to be ready for use, left in dark it would not work immediately and require some charge time from the arc or sun
Things I did like:
1) 9-13 shade adjustment suitable for all of the MIG and stick welding I've done, or more
2) Quality non-china unit, even if not perfect.
3) Durable shell, 14 years of use minus say 5 overseas is 9 years of hobby level use, including some fairly beefy projects and various abuse.
4) Fast enough, reliable enough save the pot (which I leave alone in a good spot) and the lack of 4 sensors (which I mitigate with care) and the lack of battery condition certainty (which I mitigate with storage)
However it's time to move on, I think.
If you have any large-window helmet recommendations for me, I'm happy to hear them. I'll be dumping a link per post with pros/cons/thoughts below until I make up my mind and buy one of them to replace the old one.
Thoughts and interjections of any kind welcome - free form, go nuts.
EDIT: Adjusted #1 things I like item after checking unit, memory was a bit optimistic
EDIT2: Some media of the old unit: https://twitter.com/FredCookeNZ/status/ ... 0423165953
1) The pots on it were never sealed, and grit got in and messed up their action of adjustments
2) The pot adjustments didn't default to the safe side of the spectrum leaving me under protected
3) Normal sized window, sometimes insufficient for funky angles etc, bigger better, some are up around 100x100mm
4) Two sensors, modern good ones have 4, I've had a couple of minor user error arc-eye events due to blocked sensors, 4 halves the chance
5) Head gear, okay, but never great, tried a cheapy recently and it was much nicer on my head than my expensive one, really nice, actually
6) Battery condition not apparent, needed to be left in sunshine to be ready for use, left in dark it would not work immediately and require some charge time from the arc or sun
Things I did like:
1) 9-13 shade adjustment suitable for all of the MIG and stick welding I've done, or more
2) Quality non-china unit, even if not perfect.
3) Durable shell, 14 years of use minus say 5 overseas is 9 years of hobby level use, including some fairly beefy projects and various abuse.
4) Fast enough, reliable enough save the pot (which I leave alone in a good spot) and the lack of 4 sensors (which I mitigate with care) and the lack of battery condition certainty (which I mitigate with storage)
However it's time to move on, I think.
If you have any large-window helmet recommendations for me, I'm happy to hear them. I'll be dumping a link per post with pros/cons/thoughts below until I make up my mind and buy one of them to replace the old one.
Thoughts and interjections of any kind welcome - free form, go nuts.
EDIT: Adjusted #1 things I like item after checking unit, memory was a bit optimistic
EDIT2: Some media of the old unit: https://twitter.com/FredCookeNZ/status/ ... 0423165953