Welding Tips and Tricks

I'm looking for hood that isn't quite as annoying. I'm using a Lincoln 3350, which is great, except when the pipe fitters leave the forklift running behind me for extended periods of time.

Other guys say they have the same problem, so It seems it is common for any hood using optical sensors...so I assume all hoods using optical sensors will act the same.

So what are my options for an "arc sensing" hood? I know miller has "x-mode", but is there another mfg that has a similar technology?

I am interested in Optrel, Speedglas, and maybe Miller. For some reason Miller doesn't seem quite as appealing, even though they are the one I know for sure has the feature I'm looking for.

fredygump wrote:I'm looking for hood that isn't quite as annoying. I'm using a Lincoln 3350, which is great, except when the pipe fitters leave the forklift running behind me for extended periods of time.

Other guys say they have the same problem, so It seems it is common for any hood using optical sensors...so I assume all hoods using optical sensors will act the same.

So what are my options for an "arc sensing" hood? I know miller has "x-mode", but is there another mfg that has a similar technology?

I am interested in Optrel, Speedglas, and maybe Miller. For some reason Miller doesn't seem quite as appealing, even though they are the one I know for sure has the feature I'm looking for.

You should be able to adjust the sensitivity down until that doesn't happen

Sent from my VS995 using Tapatalk

GreinTime wrote:

fredygump wrote:I'm looking for hood that isn't quite as annoying. I'm using a Lincoln 3350, which is great, except when the pipe fitters leave the forklift running behind me for extended periods of time.

Other guys say they have the same problem, so It seems it is common for any hood using optical sensors...so I assume all hoods using optical sensors will act the same.

So what are my options for an "arc sensing" hood? I know miller has "x-mode", but is there another mfg that has a similar technology?

I am interested in Optrel, Speedglas, and maybe Miller. For some reason Miller doesn't seem quite as appealing, even though they are the one I know for sure has the feature I'm looking for.

You should be able to adjust the sensitivity down until that doesn't happen

Sent from my VS995 using Tapatalk

Yeah, I know about sensitivity. That doesn't do anything in this situation.

Even if it worked (It does not...), it would be unacceptable because low sensitivity leads me to getting flashed as I taper off every weld.

So back to the arc sensing hood??

I have the Titanium 9400 I from Miller and I use X mode whenever I am in the sun or there are bright lights or I get flashed.

It handles those light issues. I don't know anyone else that has it. It detects the electromagnetic field and reacts off of that, if Miller was smart, they patented it

Esab aristotech HD has the same feature. They call it X-tig.
I have it on all the time on mine, but I'm mainly running low amp tig.

I'm new to TIG and I've had an Optrel Satelite for about 10 years which has been faultless with the MIG welding.
I have an issue with flashes on low amps. The solution I found was to turn on pulse so the max amps are higher.

fredygump wrote:

GreinTime wrote:

fredygump wrote:I'm looking for hood that isn't quite as annoying. I'm using a Lincoln 3350, which is great, except when the pipe fitters leave the forklift running behind me for extended periods of time.

Other guys say they have the same problem, so It seems it is common for any hood using optical sensors...so I assume all hoods using optical sensors will act the same.

So what are my options for an "arc sensing" hood? I know miller has "x-mode", but is there another mfg that has a similar technology?

I am interested in Optrel, Speedglas, and maybe Miller. For some reason Miller doesn't seem quite as appealing, even though they are the one I know for sure has the feature I'm looking for.

You should be able to adjust the sensitivity down until that doesn't happen

Sent from my VS995 using Tapatalk

Yeah, I know about sensitivity. That doesn't do anything in this situation.

Even if it worked (It does not...), it would be unacceptable because low sensitivity leads me to getting flashed as I taper off every weld.

So back to the arc sensing hood??

You can also set the "Delay" on the Miller to hold the darkening longer after the arc has finished to prevent flashing while you taper. I use Xmode for everything while welding (indoors or out) and don't have this issue. Mine is the Digital Elite.

Olivero wrote:I have the Titanium 9400 I from Miller and I use X mode whenever I am in the sun or there are bright lights or I get flashed.

It handles those light issues. I don't know anyone else that has it. It detects the electromagnetic field and reacts off of that, if Miller was smart, they patented it

Funny story...when I was about to start welding school, 2.5 years ago, I was all set to buy a miller Titanium. But the guy at the welding store decided I didn't need it and pushed me toward the Lincoln 3350.

I guess it turned out fine, except I would rather pay more in the beginning then buy twice. And I gotta say that the Lincoln is great most of the time, and it has become the most popular hood at work.


Just imagine if we could have a hood that had the best features of every manufacturer! It would have a shade 2.5 grind mode with external switch, large lens, perfect optics and natural color, Optrel's auto darkness adjustment that incorporates an "x-mode" type system, perfect headgear, light weight, etc.

I admit I'm really tempted by all the claims that Optrel makes. It seems to me that Optrel is the closest to "having it all"? I really like the auto shade adjustment, and I would be thrilled if the color and clarity are as good as they claim.

JFF45 wrote:I'm new to TIG and I've had an Optrel Satelite for about 10 years which has been faultless with the MIG welding.
I have an issue with flashes on low amps. The solution I found was to turn on pulse so the max amps are higher.

This is a good tip, thanks, I'll try this. I also often weld Tig at very low amps and my CIG Prolite hood, which is great in most aspects, struggles to cope...I get flashed as a result.



Kym

This may have nothing to do with your hood problem but I am wondering if the forklift had a strobe light operating and if it had a point ignition ( highly unlikely ) When I was in construction we used lazer levels constantly. We soon found that they could cause the receiver to act erratically and take false readings. The strobe light I could understand as apparently the receiver could pick up that wavelength ever though it was yellow and the lazer was red. The point ignition ( which we would only see occasionaly on older equipment ) must radiate some kind of electromagnetic energy which would drive the receiver nuts. We finally clued in when we noticed that the lazer worked fine until this machine came within aprox. 100ft ( in this case an older farm tractor ) so we had him move farther away until we took our grades. I have no idea how the sensors on an auto darkening hood work but obviously the forklift is emanating something that is affecting it. Could it be a certain sound frequency - is it only this machine only or others also? Mystery. Good luck.

homeboy wrote:This may have nothing to do with your hood problem but I am wondering if the forklift had a strobe light operating and if it had a point ignition ( highly unlikely ) When I was in construction we used lazer levels constantly. We soon found that they could cause the receiver to act erratically and take false readings. The strobe light I could understand as apparently the receiver could pick up that wavelength ever though it was yellow and the lazer was red. The point ignition ( which we would only see occasionaly on older equipment ) must radiate some kind of electromagnetic energy which would drive the receiver nuts. We finally clued in when we noticed that the lazer worked fine until this machine came within aprox. 100ft ( in this case an older farm tractor ) so we had him move farther away until we took our grades. I have no idea how the sensors on an auto darkening hood work but obviously the forklift is emanating something that is affecting it. Could it be a certain sound frequency - is it only this machine only or others also? Mystery. Good luck.

Oh, sorry. Yes, it is the strobe light on the forklift. All of our lifts have the strobe, so I forgot to say it specifically.

The funny thing is that the strobe passes through several welding curtains, even 5 or 6! Granted I'm surrounded by the very ineffective red Lincoln curtains, but I had the same problem with the blue Miller curtains. (The Miller's block enough that my hood usually doesn't darken when someone else is welding, but with the red curtains, I've added a layer of cardboard to stop the UV light from other welders in the area.)

It took me months to figure out what the problem was. It happened even when I couldn't see the forklift, so it took quite awhile to figure out what was causing the problem. At first I thought my battery was dead, or that the hood was broken. When I figured it out, I asked other guys about it. They said they had the same problem, even guys who have Miller hoods, but don't know what x-mode is for (surprisingly, this is most of them).

That's interesting if apparently no visible light from the strobe is reaching you than it would seem as if there may be some kind electromagnetic effect on your helmet sensors. Why does tinfoil come to mind? It stops aliens from reading your brain waves and prevents bad people from reading your credit cards in your pocket. If a layer was put between two of your welding curtains so it didn't flash everyone what would happen? If they were positioned between you and the strobe would it block the beams or just go around? Does this make any sense or should I stop smoking this funny smelling stuff? Now I am really curious.

The normal sensors trigger on IR not UV. The curtains block UV but not IR. Same with window glass, blocks most UV but not IR. Hence a normal hood darkens if you look at the sun thru a window but you won't get a tan thru glass.
With the x mode you can stare right into the sun or into a 500W halogen light without going dark. X mode trigger on the electro magnetic field from the arc.

Just did a quick local search of Miller Elite hood with X-Mode.

Just a tad over AU$700.

So...won't be happening for this hobby welder!



Kym

Kym, some yellow would look good with your Aussie blue

The Esab is roughly half price of the Miller.

AndersK wrote:Kym, some yellow would look good with your Aussie blue

The Esab is roughly half price of the Miller.

You mean gold to go with my Aussie green, surely?



But yes, that Esab looks like much better bang for the buck...certainly tempting as my next helmet.

To the OP...my apologies for the threadjack!



Kym

homeboy wrote:That's interesting if apparently no visible light from the strobe is reaching you than it would seem as if there may be some kind electromagnetic effect on your helmet sensors. Why does tinfoil come to mind? It stops aliens from reading your brain waves and prevents bad people from reading your credit cards in your pocket. If a layer was put between two of your welding curtains so it didn't flash everyone what would happen? If they were positioned between you and the strobe would it block the beams or just go around? Does this make any sense or should I stop smoking this funny smelling stuff? Now I am really curious.

I thought you said If a "lawyer" was put between two of your welding curtains so it didn't flash everyone what would happen?

AndersK wrote:Kym, some yellow would look good with your Aussie blue

The Esab is roughly half price of the Miller.

http://www.esabna.com/us/en/products/in ... 2526&tab=2

Now that looks nice

How come Miller is so expensive over there? My Titanium was $400 which is the most expensive I believe.

AndersK wrote:Kym, some yellow would look good with your Aussie blue

The Esab is roughly half price of the Miller.

I kind of expected they were cheap. We had a major restructuring in the shop recently, creating a new welding area...and they bought 30+ curtains all at once.

homeboy wrote:That's interesting if apparently no visible light from the strobe is reaching you than it would seem as if there may be some kind electromagnetic effect on your helmet sensors. Why does tinfoil come to mind? It stops aliens from reading your brain waves and prevents bad people from reading your credit cards in your pocket. If a layer was put between two of your welding curtains so it didn't flash everyone what would happen? If they were positioned between you and the strobe would it block the beams or just go around? Does this make any sense or should I stop smoking this funny smelling stuff? Now I am really curious.

if there is something solid between me and the strobe, like a sheet of cardboard, then everything is fine.

But the problem is when there is nothing to block the strobe...and by nothing, I mean a red welding curtains. There have been times when there were 5-6 of these welding curtains and 50' between me and the forklift, and my hood was happily flashing away.

Olivero wrote:

AndersK wrote:Kym, some yellow would look good with your Aussie blue

The Esab is roughly half price of the Miller.

http://www.esabna.com/us/en/products/in ... 2526&tab=2

Now that looks nice

How come Miller is so expensive over there? My Titanium was $400 which is the most expensive I believe.

Everything is expensive over here. Isolation, shipping costs, low population = low national buying power...it all adds up.

We can count on the majority of items being more expensive than you pay in the states, some more than twice as expensive.


Kym

It is expensive over here but surprisingly not for the reasons mosie says. It's dirty rotten profiteering retailers. How else can I buy something in the USA cop the exchange rate and airmail and still save money on buying locally?


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I been poking around on google for radio wave blockers and a couple of cheap and easy possibilities were plain old aluminum window screen and aluminum/mylar survival blankets from a camping store. Probably not that simple but who knows. It sounds like the waves travel line of sight - think cell phone coverage in hilly country.