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Autodark helmet failure - repair attempt, need battery & holder advice

First posting in joining.welding, I hang out over rec.metal.

My cheapy autodark helmet quit recently, about 3 years old. I Googled autodark helmet repair and did not find much, except for this thread:

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the cross posting. Summary of which is: all autodark helmets w/ solar cells also have batteries, not they have capacitors, batteries,=85blah, blah, blah=85.Store your helmet in the sun to extend the battery life. The advice was a bit late but I placed the autodark module in a southern facing window for 9 weeks. On the first strike the autodark was noticeable slow, but was OK for the following restrikes. After a 5+ minute pause, the first strike was once again slow.

With not too much to loose, I used an Exacto knife and cut open the case seam:

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CR2330 batteries soldered to the board. I found a replacement battery w/ the solder leads attached
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but then I thought why not mount the batteries on the outside of the case as in this simulation
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is plenty of room between the module and my forehead for the batteries.

So should I stay w/ the 0.255mAh CR2330 battery or go with something else since I am no longer constrained by the package space? If so what? I found this puppy w/ a much higher capacity

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but it also has a higher self discharge rate.

SO where does one go to buy a very small qty of electrical components today? In my youth I stopped by Radio Shack or Olsens Electronics for parts. I found a nice looking battery holder online (in min qtys of

12). I need a battery holder that I can bond or screw/rivet to the PP (guess) case of the autodark module. Who are some good vendors that are willing to deal in small qty orders and don=92t have outrageous shipping rates?
Reply to
aribert
Loading thread data ...

snipped-for-privacy@c3net.net fired this volley in news:08af0138-3abe-47af-a681- snipped-for-privacy@k8g2000prh.googlegroups.com:

mouser.com They will sell you 5MM or 1 of just _about_ anything they carry (not tape-mounted parts, usually, but any bulk stuff for sure).

LLoyd

Reply to
Lloyd E. Sponenburgh

Digi-Key tends to be easier to deal with and have great customer service.

Reply to
Pete C.

I use digikey a lot.

i
Reply to
Ignoramus18921

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"This item is available at most stores."

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?Detail&name=2482K-ND

--Winston

Reply to
Winston

I use both, but prefer Mouser. Shipping is usually faster and cheaper than Digi-Key, especially if your order fits in a USPS flat rate box.

Reply to
Ned Simmons

You could also try yard sales. Kids toys and cell phones are common discards.

Reply to
Denis G.

Digi-Key Mouser Jameco Newark

Reply to
Don Foreman

Same as the others, plus

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and http://www.halte= d.com for surplus. Also,
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sometimes has electric/ electronic goodies for cheap, worth going to it for the entertainment. Herbach and Rademan lean more towards electromechanical stuff. With any of the surplus stuff, buy if you see what you want, it may not be there much longer.

Radio Shack has a bunch of stuff on their web site, sometimes they even have it in their stores. Most components and loose parts have been moved to a couple of sets of drawers in a dusty corner, you'll have to ask. Helps to look it up on the site first, then take the part number in, all of the places are arranged according to part numbers.

If your batteries are connected in series, you might look for a holder for a CR123, it's 6 volts out of the package, might last longer. Both Mouser and Digi-key have battery holders for both coin and tubular lithium batteries.

Stan

Reply to
stans4

wrote: (clip) Helps to look it up on the site first, then take the part number in, all of the places are arranged according to part numbers. (clip) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ I think most of the training that Radio Shack provides their clerks is on selling cell phones. If you try to explain something technical, or describe a needed part, you probably won't get very far. Good advice to go in with the part numbers.

Reply to
Leo Lichtman

I got 10 CR2025 shipping incl for $1.95 on Ebay. Good batts too. JR Dweller in the cellar

snipped-for-privacy@c3net.net wrote:

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Hence the cross posting. Summary of which is: all autodark helmets

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Two CR2330 batteries soldered to the board. I found a replacement

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but then I thought why not mount the batteries on the outside of the

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There is plenty of room between the module and my forehead for the

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but it also has a higher self discharge rate.

Reply to
JR North

I buy lots of stuff from BG Micro.

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One battery holder, not necessarily the one you want:

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technomaNge

Reply to
Comrade technomaNge

But, this is about batteries; those can't be shipped USPS.

Some of the solder-in cells are lithium primary cells, and others are lithium rechargeable cells (VL2330 is rechargeable and BR2330 is not). Make sure you aren't using an incompatible cell to do the replacement.

Reply to
whit3rd

Sure they can. USPS even gives advice on how to ship battery operated devices...

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Reply to
Ned Simmons

I always wonder why companies provide a link on an image to open up another window showing the same size image.

Jon

Reply to
Jon Danniken

CR123 is 3 volts.

Reply to
Don Foreman

Since a welding hemlet protects your eyes from serious risk. Is it worth saving a few bucks by doing home repair? And what happens if the protection fails? Mass doses of UV? I'm not sure. But I'm concerned for your eye sight.

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

Provides UV and IR protection when off. It is the visible light that it shades against.

Jon

Reply to
Jon Danniken

The glass in the hood provides the UV protection, with or without the electronics, the electronics just cuts the dazzle down to an accepable level. Hoods are expensive enough that refurb/repair is viable. If the filter were cracked, that would be an item for concern. But it's not.

Stan

Reply to
stans4

Yup, you're right. Thinking of this pup:

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had a green laser that used it.

Stan

Reply to
stans4

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