Of course being in the CSOB club I bought the Harbor Freight auto-darkening welding helmet last year (with coupon even!). Haven't used it yet but will need to do some welding soon. Saw some comments recently that made a lot of sense about not going cheap on something that protects your eyes. What do you experienced welders use? Open to anything, doesn't have to be cheap!

I don't use an auto darkening helmet anymore. I find I can see better with a regular helmet, comparing a $350 Jackson Next gen to a $35 Miller helmet. Just starting out I thought the auto darkening was easier, but I don't miss using the other which the batteries are dead in.

Last year my HF helmet died and I splurged on a Jackson Nextgen. Got a great ebay deal on a model with somewhat goofy graphics but still $200

Here is what I believe from personal experience and a lot of reading.
1) Nathan is correct that a decent fixed shade lets you see better than most, if not all, auto darkening.
2) If you are talking about avoiding actual damage to your eyes, they all work.
3) The high end AD units let you see the puddle better than the cheapo's. I really notice this with TIG (which I am not that good at).
4) The additional sensors on the more expense AD's come into play if you are working in a awkward position. I flashed myself several times with my HF helmet because the sensor was blocked from the arc by an obstruction.

You can read more than you will want to about this question (fact and opinion) on weldingweb.com

Hope this helps.

Thanks nathansnathan. Very good point..not necessarily needing auto-dark. Changed my subtopic a bit.

Thanks for the additional info Brian. Great stuff.

I have a Lincoln, I like it because I'm often welding small parts. I don't know about the batteries.... it's solar. Paid $100 and tax for it on sale at tractor supply.
I use a 250 cheater lens in it as well.

If you havent used the HF auto darkening helmet then you should probably give it a shot before you start looking for something else.

I agree with everything Brian said.

That being said, I've had probably 1500 hours of welding experience behind me.. 90% of that has been with my trusty HF helmet. Only time I ever got flash burn was when I didnt use my helmet .

If your planning on doing a lot of welding in tight spaces or awkward positions then splurging on a nice AD could be nice... Or just do what most people do, Grab a fixed, loosen the head strap, but your welder where your going to weld, flip the helmet down, lay a test spark to confirm your welding where you want and then go for it.

A few years back, I was shoppping for an auto darkening helmet and found the fastest response time was the HF helmet. In most cases, it was twice as fast as high dollar premier brands, so I bought the HF. For me, it works great (for TIG). Not super quality design, but plenty functional for the occasional user. Brian makes a good point though, with more sensors you avoid flashing in the event you block them. Yeah Mark, a cheater lens is a must anymore!

Andys

One more thought on fixed vs AD. Even assuming one has mastered the "head bob" to lower a fixed shade without moving your torch hand (which I never really have), there are times in auto body work where you are in a position where it is virtually impossible to do (e.g. you are upside down in the fuel tank area of a 914).

Oh, a bonus tip: If you use AD, remember ... to turn it on. Got myself good the other day rushing to stick a nut to a stuck screw so I could use the impact on it. The fixed UV shield prevented any damage but unable to work for 2 or 3 minutes


Edit: +1 for the cheater if you are >40...

I've got a fairly basic Speedglas auto darkening model that has adjustable sensitivity and darkening. I love it. I bought it on CL 2nd hand w/ a protective bag for about $150 I think. I've replaced the batteries twice in 3+ years. I just keep a spare battery in the bag. When I need to change batteries, I just pick-up a replacement the next time I buy welding supplies and throw it in the bag. . .

the HF helmet is ok, it does the job. I started buying them because my expensive helmets kept getting stolen from job sites

I've had the cheap HF helmet (with coupon LOL) for 3 years now. Granted I only use it once a month or so but am shocked it still works after 3 years.

Alright cool, thanks for the feedback. Yeah it was hard NOT to buy the thing for $40 but was wondering if there were any issues with the "auto-darkening" part. Sounds like people are using it with good luck. I do have a very cheap non-AD one too but it's cracked a bit so it's time to throw it away.

I'm in my first week of MIG welding class and I bought this helmet:

Lincoln Viking

It has a big screen and I had read about the importance of multiple sensors. The HF and others may be okay but it sure would suck to get welders blindness or permanent damage. I figure buying name brand with good reviews never hurts

Click to view attachment

You won't injure your eyes if your AD helmet fails to switch when you light the torch.
They all offer full UV protection in the light state.
However, it may take a few minutes before you see clearly again.

I used the HF AD helmet for hours of welding on my car. Not once did I have an issue with the auto darkening part.

For an amateur welder, I think the HF helmet is an excellent choice.

I didn't know that.

So unless I get good at it until I get good at it and need a better viewing window I'll roll with the HF....

I learned a long time ago on an non auto dimming. I tried my dads new AD and I'm hooked. I'm glad that those of you using HF are having good luck with your HF welding helmets. Unfortunately HF sells quite a bit of stuff that is not so good so I splurged for a Miller helmet with AD. My eye site is not worth the risk.

David

Chris, if the HF unit doesn't work well for you I have a nice Miller AD you can borrow.

Thanks Garold.

how funny, i just bought a miller digital elite. it has 4 sensors. which is what i needed. especially when welding on a car. it sucks when you finally get your head in that funky position and your blocking the sensor. and you know its being blocked instantly.

it is defiantly the nicest helmet i have owned. comfortable head band, light weight, and i can change the shade level to my liking. it has 4 modes. weld, cut, grind and x-mode.

Thanks Doug! I'll keep that one in mind for the future.

+1 on the HF. I've had mine for 5+ years. It's true about blocking the that sensor when you get into a tight spot. No place to add a lens so I wear so strong reading glasses when welding.

I had a high dollar optrial helmet that was "Solar". The helmet died. It does have batteries! They were internal and not replaceable. The "solar cell only charges the batteries. I suspect I left it in the dark and the battery's (2 lithium) didn't like being discharged and one totally shorted. The solar cell does not have enough power and speed to do the job. I suspect all solar helmets have batteries. I miss my helmet. I am in the market for a new one. Mine allowed me to install a magnifier so I could see better. Most I have looked at don't have a place for one.
I always thought the solar cell did the work. I thought it was both power source and sensor. The sensor is more of an led looking device. Hard to see unless you are looking for it. More sensors would be better

your welcome, i should have added that my helmet was pretty pricey. but worth it for me. but i do alot of welding and have been welding for years. so it was a gift to myself. when i first started the craft, i had a used non auto darkening helmet, then graduated to an auto darkening, then to this new one. with many helmets in between. my advice would be to start with a cheapy. then find out if you even like welding/metal work. and also see how "much" welding you will actually be doing. borrow friends helmets and taylor your helmet features to your needs.