Cheap vs. expensive auto-dark helmets

I'm in the market for an auto-darkening helmet, and it's remarkable how wide the price spread is. Harbor Freight has a bunch for $49, but if you look around, some run up to $400!!! The only difference I can find is that the super-expensive ones usually have bigger plates to look through.

Other than that, is there any real, functional difference between a $50 and a $400 helmet?

Ron M.

Reply to
Ron M.
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I use one from HF that regularly goes on sale for $39.

1/25,000 sec response time, shade 9-13, solar and battery powered with a couple of sensitivity & delay dip switches.

I test mine every day before I use it. Look at something bright (halogen, sun, etc) but not bright enough to damage your eyes, then repeatedly wave a hand in front of the helmet, it should autodarken.

No complaints. The plastic & headgear assembly is nicer and more durable on the expensive ones. You'll find lots of opinions on this topic. Get a padded fake sheepskin headband that velcro's on, makes em much more comfortable to wear.

-Tom

Reply to
TT

I bought the HF one, used it for a day or two, and my eyes hurt. I took it back and bought a Miller XLi from B&R Welding on eBay for $175 and have since used it everyday all semester as a welding student.

However, nearly all of my classmates stuck with the HF ones, so maybe I was just too sensitive...

I suggest that you buy the HF one, try it, and if it works for you, spend the other $125 on steel...

Reply to
Emmo

IMHO (and I own a $300 helmet I don't use) an expensive helmet gets you a better "hat" that doesn't slide down when you don't want it to. You can spot these from the outside because they have $10 of plastic webbing and a third adjuster knob, rather than $5 and only the friction clamp.

OTOH, IMHE, the quality of the "works" has been almost inversely proportional to the price paid. The cheap helmet I actually use has all four settings adjustable, the expensive Niederman just gives me "almost dark enough" and "not quite dark enough". It's also solar powered (doesn't work if you store it indoors) and has a non-standard sized coverglass.

There's probably some really cheap junk around at the bottom end, but I haven't encountered it yet.

Reply to
Andy Dingley

$125 will only buy you one (small) piece of steel. I thought you needed two for welding? :-Q

Larry

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'Web Guy & Hobbyist Welder'

Reply to
Larry

I have the $60 ver. from Harbor Freight and only diff. between those two are some settings

the only real difference I've found in the high dollar hoods are that the hole where the adj. goes through the hood is more tightly closed ( big deal as this is at the side not front) and they are most times made of a more durable plastic... the only time this is an issue is if several people use it and constantly adj. the fit, all in all spend the extra money you save on those fancy hoods for a few pounds of rods :-)

Reply to
Paul

Peace of mind. When it comes to my eyes, I want the best. I have a NexGen, and although I am not crazy about it, I like it. I also wear ear protection ANY time I weld. Also, peace of mind. Cheaper stuff might be just as good or better, but I like to feel confident. Like riding on good tires. They can blow, too, but I don't think of them doing that as often as if I were riding on cheap tires.

Steve

Reply to
SteveB

I love my $400 Optrel helmet. Fits great, light weight, great for switching between shades for whatever youre doing with the controls on the outside. I can change shades on the fly.

I store mine in my locker in the dark over night and weekends and never had it fail to darken when i needed it.

A great helmet IMHO. Remember you get what you pay for, you may need to buy a cheap one more often or maybe it isnt protecting you as well as you thought? Who know but Im not willing to take a chance with my eyes I need them for my other job.....flying.

Sean

Reply to
Sean

If the helmet you're looking at conforms to the ANSI Z87.1-1989 standard, and I believe all of the ones offered by HF do, you're protected from UV even when it's off or not working. I'm not an expert on the subject but this has been discussed many times here before and I've finally found a couple of sites that seem to back up what others have said. Here's what I've found...

Usually ,in addition to the autodarkening element there is a polycarbonate cover on the outside and often on the inside of the element and according to an article in The Fabricator Magazine:

"Optical-grade polycarbonate is specifically formulated to absorb 100 percent of UV radiation up to 380 nm, but it does not make an effective sunglass material because of the high transmittance of visible light."

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I'm just a hobby weldor and I often work around my son who's not the best at warning people when he's about to weld. I've been flashed many times and have made it a habit to wear clear polycarbonate safety glasses all the time when he's working around me. I have yet to burn my eyes.

Of course that doesn't mean that you won't get "dazzled" by the flash but it should protect you from getting weldor's flash which is basically a sunburn on the surface of your eyes.

Also, according to the ANSI standard, you should have additional protection from the autodarkening element depending on its on and off shades based on this table:

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So an autodarkening helmet that is a shade 3 when it's off will still block

99.93% of UV and 91% of IR.

I can't find the table on the ANSI site because you apparently have to be a paying member to view it and since Oberon is trying to sell their wares I'm not 100% sure this is valid but it fits what Ive read from other sources.

Now the real $64k question is whether a Chinese manufacturer that says their product conforms to the standard is telling the truth. :-)

I've had a HF helmet, model 46092 for about 2 years and have been very happy with it.

Best Regards, Keith Marshall snipped-for-privacy@progressivelogic.com

"I'm not grown up enough to be so old!"

Reply to
Keith Marshall

I bought a cheap one from Princes Auto here in Canada. It works well but the plastic protection window on both sides scratches very easily when being cleaned. These scratches scatter lit of light and impair visibility. Does anyone know of tougher windows? Polycarbonate perhaps or even thin glass?

Regards,

Boris Mohar

Got Knock? - see: Viatrack Printed Circuit Designs

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Reply to
Boris Mohar

They probably _are_ polycarbonate. It's very tough, but it scratches quite easily. If you get glass, make sure that the glass is suited to the job - the "protector plate" is often the impact protection of the helmet system, as well (which is one reason it's likely to be polycarbonate).

Reply to
Ecnerwal

Reply to
Andrew H. Wakefield

My helmet is midrange at $150 and made by Arc One.....Works great for me !

The Book says it protects from UV even in the light state......as in not darkened !

Also, a cool way to test your helmet is point an IR remote ( TV, BoomBox, etc ) at it and press some buttons...It'll make it go dark every time. If both are working that is :)

Reply to
Jeff Sellers

Try some fiberglass or plexiglass polish to get rid of the scratches. It will make your lenses last a lot longer.

Reply to
Ernie Leimkuhler

They all provide UV protection all the time. They all turn on to reduce visibile light in 1/1000 or a second or less. What you pay for are features, better design, construction and reliability, a warranty that actually is worth something, availability of replacement parts and accesories, etc.. I have a $400 NexGen I didn't have to pay for. I use it about half the time. The rest of the time I use a $20 old fashioned helmet. IMHO the Harbor Freight helmets are a good deal at $49. But I do know some folks who didn't like them and upgraded to a name brand like Jackson.

Reply to
Footy

I work 10 hours a day, and am a welder. I have had the cheep ones and the high priced ones I now have a nexgen, As far as telling the difference if you can tell between a plastic dark lens and a glass dark lens then yes you can tell. It is also like the green dot, amber, and black if you can't tell the difference buy the cheep one if you can buy the good one.

Reply to
Roll Tide

always have been partial glass cover lens...

Reply to
Paul

very cool idea, never thought of that, but it was a smart trick, considering the infer red

Reply to
Paul

I just got an email coupon from HF such that the $49 helmet is now $29 through the 18th...

Reply to
Emmo

I usually don't have a remote with me when I am welding. But a striker (flint lighter for acetylene torch) will do the same.

Reply to
Footy

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