HF Auto Darken helmet says "Not for O-A" ....Whatsup?

[PeterB26]

I mail-ordered an inexpensive Auto Darken helmet from Harbor Freight. I was surprised when I pulled it out of the box that is has an explicit warning not to use it for Oxy Acetylene welding or cutting.

Since the A-D lense is supposed to block all the harmful IR and UV at all times, even when clear, and the shades are selectable to be dark enough to use with MIG or TIG, which are darker than what one uses for O-A, I was kind of surprised by that.

Does anyone know why? Is this a limitation common to many A-D helmets? Are there some out there suitable to use with O-A without spending a fortune? I am a very occasional user so I don't need the sort of helmet that makes your day go easier after six or seven hours, just something that I can use with saftey-reader glasses underneath once every couple of months for a few minutes at a time.

BTW I would have appreciated it if HF had included that limitation not to use it with O-A processes in their product description.... or is that something which is "common knowledge" about which I was simpy ignorant?

Thanks,

PeterB26

[lugweld]

You can call
tech support at HF and they wil be able to give you a reason...probably. They are very good as far as those kind of things. My guess is that the standad shade made not be light enough for OA welding or the sensitivity may not be dull enough to stop the unit from switching to dark shade so that you won't be able to see.

[Jack Olsen]

O-A typically calls for #5 shade lens -- you can use goggles with Oxy, since there's no electrical arc that's going to burn your face with UV. My guess would be the HF mask can't go that light -- it's probably capable of #9-#13. MIG or Arc welding will generally use a #9 through #11 shade.

[PilotDan]

The helmet probably isn't sensitive enough to auto darken when using O/A. The inactive shade is probably 3, and it probably doesn't have a low enough shade for O/A anyways. Just use a pair of goggles with O/A, you don't need autodarkening. You can see what you are doing just fine with the goggles on when using O/A... My speedglas works fine for O/A (has a shade 5, and has really good sensitivity control), but I don't use it for that very often.

[weldbead]

it will probably flash on you when tigging too. i suggest that ad helmets should be sold in pairs so the owner can crap in one and cover it over with the other..

[JeffB]

For using an O/A torch, it may just be easier to pick up a pair of oversize shade 5(or so) cutting glasses that are made to fit over prescription glasses. My LWS has them for around $10.

[Sandy]

Nothing to do with the safety issue, there's no "off" to those. The constant flashing back and forth will drive you nuts anyway.