We can never really predict when our auto-darkening welding helmet starts MALFUNCTIONING– it could be after using it for years or even when it is brand new. Regardless of the price or brand, they are electronic gadgets that can turn awry at any time. But we can certainly arm ourselves with the right knowledge to troubleshoot.
So, let us find out some of the most common yet pertinent problems you might face with auto-darkening welding helmets and easy solutions to fix them.
What To Do If Your Auto-Darkening Helmet Is Not Darkening?
One fine day, if you discover that your welding hood is not turning dark at all, let me tell you that you are not alone. This was an issue I faced with my first-ever auto-darkening helmet, and I was pretty much stuck since I did not own a second one back then. However, I soon learned of the potential reasons for this problem and the fix – let me share them with you.
When the lens does not switch to its dark state, we have to check certain options and rule them out, one by one, to arrive at a solution.
First, check whether GRIND mode is activated – if yes, switching to WELD mode should solve the problem. If not, then check the following possibilities.
Make sure the front cover lens is clean and intact. Use a soft, dry, and lint-free cloth and gently wipe the lens if it is dirty. If that does not help, chances are high that the front lens is damaged and, therefore, not working. In such cases, we have no option but to replace the old lens with a new one.
When the auto-darkening filter (ADF) does not turn dark, a very common culprit is accumulated dirt on the sensors. If the sensors cannot detect the welding arc due to obstruction from sludge or dirt, it will not trigger the lens to switch to a darker shade. So, make sure to clean the sensors’ surface gently and see if it works after that.
If none of the above worked, check the amperage of the welding current; if it is too low, you need to increase the sensitivity level in the ADF settings, and the lens will again switch to a darker shade, as expected.
In one case, the culprit turned out to be a dead battery, which took me a while to understand since I was a newbie at that time. As soon as I inserted new batteries, the lens started functioning normally, like before.
PRO TIP: You might also want to ensure that the batteries are inserted correctly and the surface is clean so that there is no interruption in the contact points.
The ADF Is Darkening But Not Enough
When you are still trying to get friendly with your auto-darkening welding helmet, there might be times when the ADF is switching to a darker shade, as expected. However, it is not dark enough to protect your eyes from the intense glare of the arc light.
The solution to this issue is pretty straightforward – you only have to modify the shade settings and fix it at a higher level than the current one. For your convenience, here is a shade chart based on OSHA, AWS, and ANSI guidelines.
The ADF shade range in most helmets is from DIN 5 to 13 (some have shade levels up to DIN 16, like the Max Arc MK6000), where shades 5 to 8 are meant for cutting and grinding works, and 9 to 13 are for arc welding operations, with 13 being the darkest. You should select a higher shade, from DIN 9 to 13, for adequate eye protection.
But What Happens When The Lens Stays Dark Even After Welding?
The idea of using an automatic darkening hood is it will turn dark as soon as you strike the arc and again go back to its light shade once you stop welding. However, if you see that the lens remains dark long after you have completed your project and there is no arc present, it calls for us to check three possibilities.
Is The Lens Sensitivity Set To Very High?
If the SENSITIVITY is too high, light from nearby welding arcs can easily trigger the ADF to turn dark. Turning down, i.e., decreasing the sensitivity by a couple of levels, can help address this problem.
Is The Ambient Light Too Bright?
If ambient lighting in your workspace is very bright, it can trigger the filter to remain dark, even if there are no ongoing welding works anywhere near it. If reducing ambient lighting is not feasible, you might want to block the helmet sensors temporarily, blocking all incoming light rays, and the lens should return to its usual light shade.
Is The Delay Time Too Long?
When the delay time is set to very long, it tends to ‘lock’ the lens in its dark mode, inhibiting the ‘sensing’ functionality of the sensors for the entire period. As such, it prevents the lens from switching back to its light state until the delay timer is over. In this case, we need to decrease the delay time setting and check if it resolves the problem.
The other day, my ace welder, Liam, was saying that some hoods can get dark if their battery is weak or completely drained; we should promptly replace the battery in such cases.
What Should You Do If It Is Darkening Too Quickly Or Slowly?
If your welding helmet turns dark too fast, it clearly means that it has an incredibly high switching speed, i.e., the time taken by its lens to transition from light to dark shade. Ideally, tuning this reaction speed should help darken it slowly. However, there is no way we can do it in any auto-dimming mask. So, the trick here is to tune the sensitivity of the ADF as much as possible.
Let me explain how this helps.
Contrary to our expectations, lens darkening at lightning-fast speed is not always helpful; in certain conditions, it practically hinders our ability to see through the darkness of the lens. For instance, this can be extremely INCONVENIENT for low-amperage welding such as TIG operations.
In such cases, if you decrease the sensitivity, there will be enough time to focus your vision on the low ampere arc before the helmet sensors trigger the ADF to change its state to dark.
On the other hand, it can be equally bothersome if the ADF switches from light to dark state very slowly. We must be extra cautious not to strike up the welding arc during this time gap since the strong arc glare can potentially damage our eyesight.
Here also, the trick is to increase the sensitivity before starting our task so that the lens reacts and dims faster before we start welding. Here is a detailed guide on how you can adjust it on any auto-darkening welding helmet.
Apart from that, low battery power can also trigger a slow ADF reaction, so we should check the battery’s health and replace it if needed.
What Can You Do If The ADF Is Triggering Even If There Is No Welding Arc?
The only reason the ADF reacts and switches to a dark state without an arc nearby is when the lens sensitivity is very high. Generally, pro-grade welding hoods with four sensors, like the ESAB Sentinel A50 auto-darkening helmet, are significantly more sensitive than others, which might trigger their ADF from the arc lights of other welders nearby.
As I have mentioned before, if the ambient light is too bright, it can also TRIGGER the lens even long after you have stopped welding. To bring the ADF back to its light state, we might have to decrease the sensitivity of the helmet to the minimum level.
Are The Batteries In The Helmet Running Out Quickly Or Not Holding Charge?
In my two decades of experience in welding, I have observed that most malfunctions are usually due to faulty or dead batteries. So, keeping an eye on the power level– whether it is draining off charge too fast, is crucial for preventing any last-minute surprises!
Since it can be difficult to spot faulty batteries, we need to check the digital display of our auto-darkening hood to monitor its charge. And also keep replacement cells handy, you know, just in case! Whenever the power hits the lowest, make sure to replace them.
Lens Darkening But Clarity/visibility Compromised: The Solution
Now, this is a very common problem that all of us keep facing again and again. The lens of our auto-darkening welding helmet works completely fine, yet we cannot get a clear and accurate view of the object.
Needless to say, it is extremely tough to weld with subpar lens clarity or visibility and outright impossible to carry out precision welding operations in such circumstances. Uncompromised visibility is of utmost importance since it not only influences the work outcome but also directly impacts our eye health.
The good thing is that we can troubleshoot this, too, by keeping five simple checks in mind.
Is The Lens Shade Too Dark?
Well, this is the most common difficulty that even seasoned welders face. If the lens shade is accidentally set to too dark, it will compromise our visibility, right? So, we should check the SHADE NUMBER first and adjust it if required.
Is The Ambient Light Insufficient?
If the lens shading is perfect, next, you should ascertain whether the ambient lighting is too dim. If yes, consider arranging to BOOST the lighting conditions in your welding space for improved visibility.
Are The Front And Inner Lenses Clean And Unscratched?
If we do not use our welding hood carefully enough, it can damage both the front cover lens and the inner lens. Scratches, cracks, or dirt on these lenses are bound to impair the clarity of view. Please CLEAN the lenses using a soft, lint-free fabric only, and if you detect even fine scratches, make sure to replace them with new ones.
Is The Filter Lens Damaged?
I have come across several instances where the ADF lens was damaged, probably because of helmet manhandling or due to adopting improper cleaning techniques. Even the slightest scratches on the filter can considerably hamper LENS CLARITY, causing immense difficulty in just spotting the welding arc. So, check the filter for any signs of damage, and replace the whole filter cartridge immediately if needed.
Is The Front Lens Cover Still There?
As silly a mistake as it might sound, it can be highly bothersome! Very often, when we are far too excited to try out a brand new welding helmet, we might forget to peel off the protective film over the front lens and later wonder what is compromising our visibility. So, make sure that that lens covering, or film, goes off before using the mask.
Is The Welding Helmet Uncomfortable Or Not Fitting Properly?
If the welding hood does not fit your head accurately or feels uncomfortable after wearing it, the only solution is to reposition it again. So, please take the helmet off and keep tweaking the headband until it fits you perfectly.
It might take a few minutes to reach the optimal adjustment; ideally, it should fit as close to your face and as low on your head as possible, offering comprehensive protection as well as peak lens clarity for the best welding experience. You may also read this guide to reassemble the parts properly.
I have never come across a single welder who has not encountered any issues with their hoods. But if you have the right know-how and some patience, you can confidently troubleshoot the helmet with your efforts. That said, if none of the things can be fixed, as I have mentioned above, take it as an indication that the auto-darkening welding mask itself is faulty.
In such a case, please stop using it immediately, take it to the manufacturer for a deeper inspection, and try to get it replaced. If you are facing any other problems with your helmet, let me know in the comments!
