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  1. #1
    BobL is offline Member: Blue and white apron brigade
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    Feb 2006
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    Default Welding helmet problem

    My "best" welding helmet is one I bought from Hare and Forbes about 5 years ago. It has similar specs to the ProMax500, eg 4 sensors and dual shade range, and I liked the comfort and viewing angle it provides. I don't do a lot of welding and when I used it a few days ago I notice the switching speed was on the slow side and adjusting the switching speed made no difference. I thought it might have been due to a flat battery so I left it in the sun for a day but this made no difference.

    The really noticeable slowness in switch speed is when the arc stops and it takes about 3 seconds to restore no shade status. Unlike the Promax500 the switches etc are on the side of the helmet so I wonder if the switch speed pot is just dirty?

    Apart from buying a new one any idea what can be done?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    May 2010
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    Perth
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    135

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    BobL,

    couple of things I've found over the years...
    #1 - the batteries in these helmets are standard coin cells, and are not rechargeable. The solar panel is really just reducing load on the battery, but not actually charging it.
    #2 - the coin cell batteries in the "non replaceable "solar charging" units are standard batteries, with welded battery tabs. If you open the unit, you can change out the batteries and simply solder new connections to the tabs.

    I've done that with 2 helmets I've used over the years, and in both cases it bought additional years of use. I made the mistake of cobbling up a 4x AA battery pack with my first unit.. the batteries worked fine, but the weight in the helmet was wrong, and the AAs would leak long before I'd flattened them with use.

    The last 2 helmets I've bought have both had replaceable batteries. Again they are simply coin cells, but located under a cover with spring connections. One was around $150 online (rebadged), the other a ESAB sentinel.

    Hopefully that helps
    Des


    Quote Originally Posted by BobL View Post
    My "best" welding helmet is one I bought from Hare and Forbes about 5 years ago. It has similar specs to the ProMax500, eg 4 sensors and dual shade range, and I liked the comfort and viewing angle it provides. I don't do a lot of welding and when I used it a few days ago I notice the switching speed was on the slow side and adjusting the switching speed made no difference. I thought it might have been due to a flat battery so I left it in the sun for a day but this made no difference.

    The really noticeable slowness in switch speed is when the arc stops and it takes about 3 seconds to restore no shade status. Unlike the Promax500 the switches etc are on the side of the helmet so I wonder if the switch speed pot is just dirty?

    Apart from buying a new one any idea what can be done?

  3. #3
    BobL is offline Member: Blue and white apron brigade
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by desbromilow View Post
    . . . . .The last 2 helmets I've bought have both had replaceable batteries. Again they are simply coin cells, but located under a cover with spring connections. One was around $150 online (rebadged), the other a ESAB sentinel.

    Hopefully that helps
    Des
    Thanks Des - it does indeed help.
    I found the battery - a CR2450 cell - surreptitiously hidden in the inside of the helmet with "battery" very faintly embossed on the slide on/off plastic cover - I'd never see in before. Battery is dead flat (well -0.1V) hopefully a new one will sort it.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    May 2010
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    Perth
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    Default

    Happy Day!! - glad it was an easy fix


    Quote Originally Posted by BobL View Post
    Thanks Des - it does indeed help.
    I found the battery - a CR2450 cell - surreptitiously hidden in the inside of the helmet with "battery" very faintly embossed on the slide on/off plastic cover - I'd never see in before. Battery is dead flat (well -0.1V) hopefully a new one will sort it.

  5. #5
    BobL is offline Member: Blue and white apron brigade
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    Default

    Finally got round to installing battery - all good.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    May 2011
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    Murray Bridge S Aust.
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    Some welding masks have an on - off switch or one that switches between "weld and grind"
    Switching to grind when finished welding for the day or more helps with the life of the battery. Mine lasts about 12-18 months.
    Kryn
    To grow old is mandatory, growing up is optional.

  7. #7
    BobL is offline Member: Blue and white apron brigade
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    Quote Originally Posted by KBs PensNmore View Post
    Some welding masks have an on - off switch or one that switches between "weld and grind"
    Switching to grind when finished welding for the day or more helps with the life of the battery. Mine lasts about 12-18 months.
    Kryn
    Thanks Kryn. I always thought the battery in my best helmet was rechargeable and have never replaced it since I bought it about 5 years ago! I'm pretty happy with that.

  8. #8
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    Mar 2011
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    Quote Originally Posted by BobL View Post
    Finally got round to installing battery - all good.
    First rule of fault finding.... nothing runs without power.

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