welding mask

Hello, I have just bought a sealey automatic welding mask, the one which darkens when exposed to an arc. Having suffered a flash in the past and hearing how good they are at preventing this I thought I would give one a try - it was about £40 which seemed to be middle band price and is rated up to a 175amps - I am only using a 100amp gasless mig so that should be OK. It is a solar powered one and it has been outside charging. I had a read of the instructions and gave it a test with a bright light - 1 million candle power tourch - and found that if the light was held still it did not darken but if the light was flickering it worked as you would expect! I wondered if this was supposed to be the case. I then tried waving my hand infront of the lens/sensors and found this also made the lens darken. I obviously don't want to try it with my welder if its not going to work so I am after some advise. I know that when welding the light does flicker but is my mask working in the same way as anyone elses - should the light need to flicker for it to respond?
Cheers folks

try arcing up wearing the mask with your eyes closed, then slowy open your eyes so ya don't get a flash if it don't work. you will soon find out if it works.
i have never tried a welding mask with a torch so don't know how it's supposed to react.

cheers gegs, if I don't get any other responses I may give that a try. I would just contact sealey if they worked weekends. Any bright light is supposed to make it react according to the instructions

They work by UV light. So may not work with a torch, which can be useful. It means you can illuminate the work area well, to see, but as soon as arching commenses it should darken. It will also darken when pointed towards the sun.

Hi

You should find any change in light reaching the cells will darken it, but then if it is not bright/uv enough it will change clear again, hence waving your hand in front.

Give it a go with your welder, close your eyes, when arc - ing, then open them straight after, you should see it change back to clear, it normally takes a second or two.

Even if you get a flash, no need to worry, I get quite alot, and normally you have no problems, it is prolonged welding, or numbers of flashes, especially through the corner of my eye, that gets me. If the worst happens, you get an arc eye, water makes it feel worse, the one thing I find soothing, is milk! Milk is the welders best friend, it is good after welding something with fumes, like paint or galv, drink a pint, and it seems to settle that, and it is good in your eyes, for arc eye.

Cheers

Dave

You wont get a flash through the mask, you might get a bit of bright light can't see properly but the tint in the glass is enough to make it not too bad.

I use one everyday and sometimes if I don't leave it in the light long enough to put a bit of charge in the cells it doesn't work straight away but does within a few seconds.

thanks everyone, that all helps and makes good sence. the milk fact is also very useful Dave hopefully won't have to use it too often but its good to know.

Wriggler said:

You wont get a flash through the mask, you might get a bit of bright light can't see properly but the tint in the glass is enough to make it not too bad.

I use one everyday and sometimes if I don't leave it in the light long enough to put a bit of charge in the cells it doesn't work straight away but does within a few seconds.

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Your mask, if it is a solar one should charge up whilst welding, as welding is UV light.

I have a speedglass, great masks, cost a bit,but I get them bough for me, as I do welding as part ofmy work.

Cheers

Dave

buzzy bee said:

Your mask, if it is a solar one should charge up whilst welding, as welding is UV light.

I have a speedglass, great masks, cost a bit,but I get them bough for me, as I do welding as part ofmy work.

Cheers

Dave

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Tis a solar one, it just takes a few seconds to fire up for the first time as it is kept in a locker to keep the thieving night shift of it