Is my helmet faulty?

[edh]

Just bought some new kit after a 30 year lapse from welding - R-Tech TIG201 and Parweld XR916H mask.
Previous welding was MMA on with a buzz box, so 1st practice beads were fun trying to get the hang of things.
Problem I have is this - I can't seem to be able to adjust the shade level on the helmet -I was finding it quite difficult to see the weld-pool distinctly it was so bright and when I stopped to adjust the current I had spots in my eyes when I was trying to focus on which control did what! It appears to be auto shading, but is not dark enough for my eyes.
Confusingly the helmet controls appear to be marked incorrectly - on the left is a dial labeled Sensitivity with a range 9-13 (which I think should be Shade?) and on the right is an un-labeled one with the legend Low to High (which I deduce is the sensitivity one) and a grind button.
If I look through the lens pointed at the sun and press the internal test button it darkens but neither control affects how bright the residual 'sun' is, which is exactly what appears to be happening whilst welding.
Do you think the helmet is faulty - should I return it?
Any help gratefully received
Ed

 

[Jim_gsxr1000]

Faulty helmet... go see a doctor

 

[DrNik]

normally if i look at the sun it just looks green, when i move my head about you can see a distinct difference and could look at the sun all day, but if i keep my head still it drops back to being green, you should be able to look at the sun and only see a pure circle glow, is it a solar powered mask, in which case it may need a good charge, or if battery, might be flat

 

[voipio]

What happens when you look at the sun and move your hand in front of the sensor? These auto-darkening helmets respond to rapid changes in light levels e.g. from a flickering arc, but lighten again shortly after pointing them at a stable light source such as the sun. If the arc is stable, the helmet may revert back to being unshaded shortly after the arc is struck, in which case you're looking at the arc through the residual shading provided by the lens materials, and the controls will have no effect on the shade. Try looking at a pulsed arc, where the high and low currents differ by about 25-50% and see if this triggers the auto-darkening mechanism.

 

[edh]

I can't seem to trigger the shield by pointing at the sun, even if I shade the sensors and then expose them.
The thing is it does auto darken when welding however it is far too bright to see the weld pool clearly, and the shade adjustment does not appear to make any difference to the brightness, 9-13 look the same!
Am taking it back today so hopefully can get it sorted
Ed

 

[Marc.]

I can't seem to trigger the shield by pointing at the sun, even if I shade the sensors and then expose them.
The thing is it does auto darken when welding however it is far too bright to see the weld pool clearly, and the shade adjustment does not appear to make any difference to the brightness, 9-13 look the same!
Am taking it back today so hopefully can get it sorted
Ed

And? Did you get them to check out your helmet? What did they say?

 

[edh]

Update

I took the helmet back and they checked it out and declared it faulty and offered a replacement. This was tested in the shop merely by pointing it at a fluorescent tube and waving a hand across the sensors- unlike the original one, this caused the shield to dim.
I haven't tested it for real but at home when I point it at a halogen downlighter it auto dims, and the shade control also works which was also not functioning on the original
Thanks to all for the help and advice, now I need to get back to practicing
Ed

 

[Normsthename]

Some of the New TIG welders will not trigger some Helmets.
This is the trouble I had when I bought my TIG.
Worked fine in the shop, but would not work with my TIG Welder.
I tried 3 Helmets from the shop until I worked out what was wrong.
I ended up with a Speedglass 9100X (I think....)
They are specially designed to work with those TIG welders that have this problem.
Good Luck

Andy

 

[Superaquarama]

I've got exactly the opposite problem - the glass dims so much that it's impossible to see what or where you're welding. Only with a 500w floodlight shining on the job can you just about see what's going on.

Anyone have any comments before I get a new helmet ?