flash

Another bit of info I just read. Maybe you can confirm.......

The new electronic helmets (auto-darkening) need a fraction of a second to go dark, right? Apparently, this small delay is enough to cause a minor burn in the eye if you strike, say 50 new arcs, in one day. The symptoms are itchy eyes, short of a full arc burn, of course. Just something I though this NG should hear......Makes sense to me, though.....

Josh.

Autodark helmets sold in the US are required to have full shade 14 IR/UV protection at all times (while in the light state, while off, etc). So I'm a bit skeptical of a "miniburn" theory that seems most likely to come from purveyors of non-autodark lenses.

Most quality auto hoods protect even when there are in the "light" state. Some evewn cl;aim light state protection to an equvalent shade 12.

This will eliminate the "flash", although you may see some "dots" like from a camera flashbulb, because of the lightshade.

Remember that primarily, the UV/IR protection comes from the chemical composition of the welding lens and the darkness of the lens is only a secondary protection, mosdtly for comfort.

Hope this helps

Good Luck

brad

Well, now, we have a discussion! So.........are you saying that ANY hood has the properties to block the harmful rays of UV, even if clear? So that the

I'm waiting with baited breath.......

Josh.

If you want a fast acting type - be sure it is rated for TIG. Those, I understand are the required fast ones. Maybe a new or next insert / replacement can be upgraded. Martin

"Josh" wrote: (clip) So.........are you saying that ANY hood has the properties to block the harmful rays of UV, even if clear? ^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Come on, Josh, I don't think that's what Brad said at all. How would ANY helmet be clear? You would have to remove the filter, and you would have NO protection. An autodark helmet has the filter in place, and darkens from some value to some higher value in a fraction of a millisecond. What he said was that, during that brief period, no harmful rays get through the filter at its lighter value.

The lens always blocks the harmful IR (near and far) and UV radiation. The fast response is to the visible part of the spectrum. Even if it were in the millisecond range, your eyesight would recover quickly from that short of an exposure.

It's the UV and IR radiation that causes the real damage.

Tom

Any hood sold in the US has to pass ANSI specifications. ANSI is the federal office in charge of a lot of things like making sure that earplugs met the specs on the box, and the shatter proof qualities of safety galsses.

According to ANSI all autodark lenses must block all harmful amounts of Infra-red and Ultra-violet, even if the hood is off.

The best lenses react in nano-seconds, cheaper lenses can react slower so you are briefly seeing a bright , but not harmful light.

The effect you are claiming is eye damage is in fact just the reaction of the eye to a bright light. Staring into a car headlight will make your eyes tired and sore, but is unlikely to damage them. In fact even a serious arc flash incident is unlikely to permanently damage your vision. Repeated exposure to arc flash, over many years, will reduce the number of working rods and cones in your central vision, leading to a fuzziness of vision and a loss of night vision.

This condidtion is common in old shipyard or construction weldors.

For quick relief at home wet a couple of ordinary tea bags and place them on closed eyes. The tannic acid in the tea soothes the pain.

Pete

Rubbish! First, any reputable brand gives full UV protection even when light or off. Second, some early ones were a bit slow but I doubt many current ones are. When I got my Selstrom about ten years ago I heard the same urban myths. I took a camera electronic flash and fired it at myself with my new helmet on. I had to get my wife to watch to be sure the flash fired as I could not see even a flicker.

In the last couple of days I was welding an assembly of complicated parts made from fairly light sheet steel. This required an awfull lot of tacking. I would guess I struck at least a hundred or two arcs in one day. No problem.

Ted

Josh- Maybe you are waiting with bad breath...

Read what I said.

Most quality-quality is the keyword here-offer decent protection in the light state. Not every hood. The only way to confirm this safety feature is to consult the exact literature that comes with the product.

If you are considering a $150 hood, this might not be there.

If you are looking at a Jackson NexGen, any Speedglas and so on-the light state protection should be there.

Good Luck

brad

So, Josh, are YOU saying that if a lens has a delay of 1/10,000 of a second, and you do 200,000 tack welds, that is the equivalent of twenty full seconds of full exposure?

It seems that you are thinking of the cumulative time. That is what gives one a REAL flash burn. The cumulative time.

BTW, I have never done 200,000 tack welds in a day. Have you?

Steve

Many, many a day I easily strike several hundred arcs per day. A lot of them in the 180 to 230 amp range. I've never had a hint of flash, or any increase in eyestrain, fatigue, ect. using an auto lens.

JTMcC.

OK, ok, ok........

I just wanted a spirited discussion, and it's what I got. According to Ernie, ALL helmets sold here have to pass muster. Even the HF $49 variety. So, I'm guessing that all the stuff sold here will not hurt you. So........this begs another question. Why pay $300 when a $50 helmet protects as well?

Josh.

No, Steve, I'm just posting what I read to get a response, and hopefully learn something. There IS a lot marketing hype out there, wouldn't you agree/

Josh.

I don't know. I insist on paying about $130 for a pair of steel toed Wellington Red Wings when WalMart has much cheaper versions. I paid $240 for my NexGen EQC, and wouldn't even consider the HF alternative. Sometimes the quality is higher, the longevity better.

A man once said, "Quality is like oats. You can buy good fresh oats and pay the price, or you can buy them cheaper once they have been through a horse."

I like quality. But I will still take a $185 Milwaukee rotohammer and $10 bits over the $325 Hilti and $40 bits.

Steve

Me too! Actually, I just returned from Home Depot with my new cordless drill. Mind you, my old one was pretty devoted to me. It was a Makita 9V I got 10 years ago, and the batt just wouldn't take another charge. I loved that drill. Anyway, I looked around, and wanted something smallish, to do the cordless screwdrive job, mostly. I have 1/2" electric, and air for the big stuff. Also a floor drill press I use when I have to. Anyway, I ended up getting a Riyobi 14.4V job, with flashlight. I *didn't* want a flashlight, but after seeing what it could do (stand on it's base, illuminating all the light sockets I change) I wondered how the hell I could do without it! It was $79....The Makita was $200, if I recall.

So, I LIKE quality too. And will buy American if I have a choice. The question is........who makes it? All the Sears stuff is made in china, and most of the tools you buy anywhere, too! The isn't ONE drill press made in North America under $1000. They are all made in China, under the same roof. Even Delta. There is one made in Canada (can't remember which) that's 5 times what I paid. ($149).

All that said, I WISH it was as easy as 30 years ago to buy quality stuff. I really do. But the retail market preys on people. They will sell their mother to get the stock price up. My job is to figure out *which* is made where, and pay the appropriate price, regardless of the sticker..........

Red Wings are still made in MN, as I recall. But the other stuff, who the hell knows anymore??

Josh

The first thing that comes to mind is vairable shade. The $49 will go from #5 to #10, and that's it. The better ones allow you to select the shade from #9 to #12 or so.

Another thing the better quick change filters have is more light when not triggered. You comment on the $49 starting at #5; I think the Speedglas helms start at #3 untriggered.

Steve Smith