Testing Auto Dimming Helmet

[Monika]

Hi,
I have a auto-dimming helmet which I'm not sure whether it works.

It has two brightness levels and a rotary knob on the side. If I tuwn the knob from the grinding position, the helmet dims for a split second and the returns to the brightness it was before. I've held it up to the sun and I can clearly see that. I've replaced the battery but I would have thought with a solar panel it should still work.

I've taken it apart, cleaned it out and I still cannot get it to work.

Are these prone to failing? I don't want to start welding and find out that it doesn't work!!

Thanks

 

[Paul.]

The sun is often too smooth a light source to trigger a cheap helmet, for this reason many helmets also wont work with DC tig, try pointing your infra red tv remote at it, they will usually trigger a working filter.

 

[Cobbler]

Hi Monika, if I look at fluorescent strip lights with mine, it will trigger it & go dark. I’ve got led strip lights in the shed & those won’t though.

 

[Hopefuldave]

Both of mine trigger from a clear halogen bulb in an anglepoise lamp over my bench...

Dave H. (the other one)

 

[Alan Reynolds]

I'll second that, use a fluorescent strip. It doesn't dim in sunlight. It's probably working ok.

 

[Sean]

spark a bic lighter in front of it...or press the "test" button

 

[RichardM]

fluorescent tube works for me too. Mine had two separate batteries when I had to replace them.

 

[Jonathan Webb]

In terms of cheapie masks failing: I forgot to bring mine in once and discovered it days later full of water like a bucket. I dismantled it down to the PCB, dried it in the airing cupboard for a good while and reassembled it more in hope than expectation and it still worked.
It doesn't like the cold and is also triggered by a wide range of lights, but can't remember if sunlight does.
I also think that if it's been kept in the dark, the battery/capacitor gets discharged, so I let it sunbathe before use.

 

[minimutly]

The curse of modern times - welding helmets with non replaceable cells, shouldn't be allowed. And no, they won't work on the solar panel alone, battery dose need to work.

 

[Arclikeharrypotter]

Put a bead down you'll soon find out if it works or not!

 

[minimutly]

It's not that simple, if the battery is dead it takes a few seconds of welding for the circuit to respond to the solar charger - not very nice seconds....

 

[Jonathan Webb]

The curse of modern times - welding helmets with non replaceable cells, shouldn't be allowed. And no, they won't work on the solar panel alone, battery dose need to work.

I can't remember what was in mind, but almost certainly a button cell. Agree absolutely that it should be easily replaceable, but on the other hand, I would have thought pretty much anyone on here would be able to do the basic dismantling & soldering to swap one.

 

[angellonewolf]

^^^^^ not so easy on the newer stuff i was lucky to get a ersb helmet from a member on here not working

i replaced the batterys and put back together and was working but the newer versions have resin in them buy the time you remove that you earther broke some thing or spend so much time its not worth it

 

[Jonathan Webb]

Hadn't considered potting. Pita.

 

[Sean]

I bought a cheapie helmet because it has replaceable battery, little twist off cap and a cr2065 or whatever

Picked up a Lidl one a few weeks ago because one of my helmets had burst its headband figured i could just swap the lense over, sat in the shed forgotten for weeks - used it last week and wow what a great helmet, really clear good contrast when dark and it runs off 2 replaceable AAA cells and it has a buit in led but that only comes on when its dark so a bit pointlesss.