Welding Tips and Tricks

Hey guys I'm a teacher in Washington and I have recently purchased a (inverter based) diversion 180 TIG welder. I chose this machine because of its extremely simple setup to help get students onto TIG faster. The issue I am having is our Auto-dim welding helmets work for about a half inch then they flash you and dim again and keep doing this about every half inch..... Now here's the strange thing on our sincrowave 250, and Lincoln 175 squarewave the helmet work great. We have tried using a speedglas 9100, and a Jackson bh3, and also adjusted the sensitivity from 1 all the way to 9. As the sensitivity goes up so does the amount of times it flashes. We moved the tungsten out about 3/8 of an inch and that made it a little better we could weld about an inch then.

Please help I'm not sure where to start with this one.

Welcome to the forum

Try increase the delay time, it often helps to resolve this.

If the sensors fail to detect the IR it is a good chance it will pick it up again before shutting off the lens with increased delay setting.

Turn sensitivity down(less)
Delay up (more)
Invert style welders benefit from 4 sensor helmets

I am having this very issue.
But it has only started recently.
The helmet is still under warranty, new batteries, 4 sensors, works on mig, stick and test.
Its been gone 2 weeks and will be interested to see what the manufacturers answer.
Hopefully next week.

Thanks Guys works great now I figured it was a user error.

What was the error?

I use Miller digital elite which uses X mode detects magnetic field as you strike arc and works flawlessly, works fine using the four sensors as well. Glad you figured it out.

bruce991 wrote:I use Miller digital elite which uses X mode detects magnetic field as you strike arc and works flawlessly, works fine using the four sensors as well. Glad you figured it out.

GOD bless x-mode. Best thing ever. Never even turn off x-mode except for cutting.

my biggest problem are the overhead light placements in the shop I work.... pretty much makes my helmet useless as far as auto-darkening, have to set my helmet to the highest sensitivity which basically turns it into an old school helmet, keeps my helmet flipping skills current

I thought my helmet was on the blink (literally) a few days ago. Was getting set and almost ready to go when it starts to flash.. Dark, light, dark, light, dark, light.... Took it off & checked it out - nothing wrong. Put it back on and same thing happened. I then realized that it was flashing at the same rate as the strobe on the forklift that was parked in the aisle while they were getting a load ready!

WoodpeckerWelder wrote: I then realized that it was flashing at the same rate as the strobe on the forklift that was parked in the aisle while they were getting a load ready!

damn technology