Auto darkening MIG welding mask

[andyb]

I know there are two basically two types, solar and battery powered.

(Dumb question alert) do the solar ones work off the sort of lights that you'd have in your workshop or the UV given off by the MIG when you're welding??

What do other people have? Which one would you all recommend?

Thinking about Christmas presents already,....or rather girlfriend is soooo organised that she has asked what I want already (and I thought I'd head off the chance of gettting socks or summat with a useful request )

[MarkieB]

I haven't got one yet, although solar ones work indoors too, providing it's well lit, the proper word for those 'solar cells' is photovoltaic panels, ie all kinds of photos make them work, not only solar.

I wouldn't try working in the dark with them though, they'd need a healthier source than the UV from the welding for actual power [as opposed to triggering the LCD]

prob'ly worth picking one up from "a certain auction site" well before the Christmas rush clears up the bargains tho', as there are a few helmets at much higher price than the others; prices look as though they're improving year on year.

[Hybrid_From_Hell]

ONLY get a solar powered one, and the best you can too.

Battery ones are a PITA when the battery dies on a sunday morning and you are stuffed....

I've had my Solar one now for some years, absolutely superb, would never go back to a std shield, make sure yiou get one that has a wide range of adjustament for sheilding control

Nige

[mpb]

I,ve got an SIP shield, cracking bit of kit. As H-F-H says I wouldn,t go back to a standard shield.

Martin

1996 Defender 90

[D9OSV]

Only one to use......

Thats Speedglas

9 out of ten pro welders use this product.

Do not agree with about the solar though, but thats just a personal thing as we have had many solar units pack up.

However i do agree that sod and his law dictate that the batteries will die just after the shops have shut.

But on the bright side you can still use the mask as a standard unit if the Solar/batteries die.

Go for Speedglas in my humble opinion.

The cheap ones just do not last.

(However i must point out that we use our unit almost daliy, which doubt your going to do)

Hope this helps a small bit

Jim

Ps: Batteries still going strong on both our helmets, one at 6 months and the other at approx 18 months

Our solars would normally have died by now

[Bull Bar Cowboy]

Yep, speedglas for me also ……………not cheap but worth the extra…… and spares are readily available.

Like Jim says, if the batteries die then it acts like a normal darkened shield ……. and the batteries seem to last about 3 years with regular home / hobby use (read ... most weekends and some evening use ). These days (due to wide spread usage in other products) B&Q and suchlike stock the button batteries so its not really an issue.

Ian

[roguevogue]

I used a Speedglass one until it got cracked. Now I use a Murex "solar" powered one, it runs from the UV given off by the arc and works indoors, otdoors, in the dark or just about anywhere.

It depends on your useage really, if you use it once a month then get a cheap one, however the quality of the solar and battery ones is about the same so either could only last a year.

The Murex one I use was £120 from the local welding suppliers and is fabulous. Speedglass ones are about the most expensive you can get but are good quality, the batteries last ages, even in everyday use.

Whichever you buy get spare lens covers and if it uses one, a spare battery, they keep a long time in the drawer but will pi$$ you off if you need one and can't get one.

These are only my opinions, I only use mine about 4-5 hours a day on average.

[dollythelw]

Speedglass 9000 series - in my opinion there's no contest, comfy, lightweight, good visibility, reliable

[Hybrid_From_Hell]

FWIW mine is an ESAB something ot other, ESAB is a well respected name in the welding world.

It wasn't cheap, around £120 from MIH welding in send Nr Woking.

Nige

[02GF74]

from wot peeps say, these are the male canine's scrotum enclosed reproductive items.

REMEMBER IT IS YOUR SIGHT YOU ARE PROTECTING so make sure they have the correct BS/safety stamps.

Solar ones - if it is dark, then I can't see (<- no pun intended) why you can't fix a couple of white LEDs or a torch to shine onto the photovoltaic cell.

[andyb]

Thanks for all the replies

Looks like Speedglas comes out on top, will also look at the ESAB; must admit that I'd not heard of them.

Doesn't appear to be much to choose between 'solar' and battery except for battery life, altho' 'solar seem pretty fit-and-forget.

[Mark]

Just to add a slightly differnet spin on this, I bought a cheap chinese helmet from eBay for £30. I do not weld every day, or in fact every weekend, so I don't feel I can justify the £120 for a decent helmet. The eBay one works very well, and for the amount I use it was well worth the cash. If you ar gooing to be using it all day everyday, then there is no contest, However, if it is just occasional use the chinese solar ones are very good value.

Incidentally I got mine about a year ago, from an american seller. took a few weeks to get hee, but was about 2/3 the price of the same helmet from a UK seller.

</2p>

Mark

[simonr]

I too bought a cheapo solar one (£35 at Billing 2004, battery ones were £25!). I probably use mine more than the average DIY welder, but much less than Nick for example.

I bought it as an experiment - and only expected it to last a few weeks - but it has gone on and on and on... I'm pretty impressed with it all in.

I have a speedglass one as well - but use the cheapo one instead! That in itself says something (maybe about me more than it?)

Seen similar on ebay.

Si

[Niall_CSK]

Yep. Speedglass 9000 is mine too, only used one battery since 97, dismantled it and carried it overseas with me as well. Would be a bit lost without it now. great when you are lying under a chassis proping yourself up with one elbow and there is no space to lift the glass

Whichever you buy get spare lens covers and if it uses one, a spare battery, they keep a long time in the drawer but will pi$$ you off if you need one and can't get one

Ditto, I have a pile in the drawer that I have never needed thankfully.

Haven't tried the newer UV ones yet.

Only beef I have is I wish I had waited till I could afford an adjustable tint one for TIG, Oh Chistmas is coming

[Lars L]

Speedglas gets my vote too. Not least because the company is a customer of my business and hence helps in paying the bills for fuel, parts etc for my Landies.

[robhybrid]

I use a speedglass helmet and it is fantastic far more comfortable than several of the cheaper copies.

I have a cheap solar helmet too and it does not react any where near as quick as my speedglass.

With my speedglass helmet I have more controll over how it works too.

[m0bcg]

going from the top quality down to lower priced .

speedglass 9000v , about 150quid

speedglass 9000f , about 135 quid

parweld varishade 10/11 , 75 quid , perfectly adequate for welding most things if you dont want to pay for professional helmet like the speedglass .

speedglass uses replaceable cr-2032 batteries , same as a computer backup battery, cheap batts , the 9000 helmets do fall apart though and the guarantee isnt worth a w\\k on them because the company will never replace the lens unit, they will allways say youve damaged it by dropping it .

so hence you need to look after them .

you need helmet without those silly side screens that fall out and you can never clip back in again .

.

9000f is ok for all uses except if you want to do TIG , then use 9000v because you can adjust sensitivity for tig welding .

dont forget to get some spare front and rear clear lenses , to protect the actual lens itself .

all plus vat .

if youre near to swindon try COMPLETE WELDING SERVICES and ask for mike , i think they have a website , i can give you a phone number for the rep if you want to speak direct to him .

[andyb]

i can give you a phone number for the rep if you want to speak direct to him .

Thanks for all that info I'll discuss with the g/f and get back to you.

[dollythelw]

Si - if you are using your cheapo hat for more than the average DIY gig then a point to consider is the reaction times of the lens, speedglass is quick, cheapos aren't so quick, we are only talking about increadibly small amounts of time but it all adds up in terms of arc eye and retinal damage.

Colour rendering is better with higher quality lenses too - not too important to some but it helps me

Another point to consider is the photo sensor, I know with my cheapo hat the sensor doesnt have such a wide field of vision as my speedglass and can occasionally fail to shade if the arc is not in its range - the speedys always work

you only get one pair of eyes etc bla bla stuff...............

god I sound like an old git...........