Blue Flames welding helmet

[California]

Do these auto-darken helmets start to go too dark after a while?

I've had mine 3-4 years now. It's ok for stick welding but I can't see the bead behind the puddle when I use it with my 90A flux core wire welder.

Would buying another one accomplish anything?

What is the cost of a name-brand autodarken helmet that adjusts down to less than #9? I stopped by Tractor Supply today. Their helmets appear to be the same as HF's, just priced higher.

[Gamble]

I had mine less than a year and it was ok, but I would get something better. I love love love my miller performance hood. I got it for $185 shipped. Worth every penny. It's amazing what you can do with a nicer hood.
I started with the harbor freight, then went to a $99 kobalt from lowes and now the miller.

[yorkiepap]

Hey California,
I've had my (3) Blue Flame helmets for 5yrs now & no issues at all except for the plastic swivel assembly, & I cured that easily. I simply got in the habit of putting them in direct sunlight for (4) hrs once a month to keep the internal battery charged. They work on any brightness setting with no issues. The best investment was the large window helmets they had on sale for $11.88 on a closeout. I bought (3) of them as did other members here & they are superb for TIG welding. I kinda gave up on Miller after (2) of them died within (2)yrs & spending over $200/ea & Miller wouldn't fix them. The TSC is also a good one as I have one one my mobile unit & it works superb. Here's a pic of the large window HF(discontinued) helmets I bought......(2) are still in the boxes, although get the sunlight treatment once a month.

Denny

[California]

I should do that monthly sunlight charge. I do leave my helmets in a sunlit room, in their transparent bag, facing a window. Apparently this isn't enough.

I had that large window helmet. I loved it but then it quit switching on reliably after the first year. I always put it in the sun for an hour before use, and even replaced the battery. That didn't help. It still flashed me one too many times. I suspect others experienced this, and that's why it was discontinued. I replaced it with this Blue Flame one which works perfectly, but I need to be stick-welding at 120 amps or more to have a good view of my work.

Can you see the cooling back edge of the puddle when working below 90 amps? (90A flux core wire welder) All I'm seeing now with this is the arc. The finished appearance of the weld isn't evident until I lift the visor. I'm not enough of a pro to make an even bead like that. I need to find better visibility somehow.

Edit:
I went and read the helmet's manual. It says this helmet is suited for uses in the shaded area of the diagram below. Apparently it isn't intended for use with a 90A flux welder.

Anybody have suggestions for a suitable helmet?

Attachment 74171

[jbmprods]

i just gave a blue flame to a kid i know that is starting to weld. the hood is 4 yrs old and sat for months on end between uses because i semi retired it after i got my speedglas's and digital elite. i only used it when i did overhead stick in tight places that i didn't want the slag or spatter eating up the lenses of my high dollar hoods. hood still works great and after sitting for months i could grab it and go right to work with it. no sunlight charge needed. i just figured he would get better use out it getting started rather than let it just die.

[California]

After I found that chart that I posted above, I decide the thing just 'is what it is'. In this case it means the Blue Flame helmet is incompatible with HF's cheapest welders. (90A Flux-core).

So I resumed work on my project with the big AC stick welder. Go figure! I could see fine with 3/32 rod and 60 amps, contrasted to using the 90A Flux welder where it had been too dark to do good work.

Then I got out the 1/8 rod, 140 amps, and put a heavier bead over what I had welded with the 90A welder. Of course I could see that fine too.

Summary - nothing wrong with the helmet. But see the chart above for its working range, which doesn't adjust down far enough to see anything with the flux-core 110v welders.

[California]

Update, if anybody is still reading this soap opera:

I took the lenses including the auto-darken module out and cleaned them. The manual clearly says don't remove anything but the transparent lens covers, so I hadn't before. There was a light film of soot on the front of the module, and on the back too. These are the surfaces protected by the removable, cleanable transparent lenses so I had assumed no soot could get in there, but it had. I think I improved the transparency by at least half a shade #. This still isn't light enough to work well with the 90A flux welder but it is definitely an improvement.

Summary: ignore the manual, disassemble and clean as needed. Pulling the shade knob and the nut under it makes it possible to lift the auto-darken module out for a good cleaning. Just use a very gentle rag, an old t-shirt or something, and don't scratch the soft plastic lens surfaces.

[jbmprods]

Update, if anybody is still reading this soap opera:

I took the lenses including the auto-darken module out and cleaned them. The manual clearly says don't remove anything but the transparent lens covers, so I hadn't before. There was a light film of soot on the front of the module, and on the back too. These are the surfaces protected by the removable, cleanable transparent lenses so I had assumed no soot could get in there, but it had. I think I improved the transparency by at least half a shade #. This still isn't light enough to work well with the 90A flux welder but it is definitely an improvement.

Summary: ignore the manual, disassemble and clean as needed. Pulling the shade knob and the nut under it makes it possible to lift the auto-darken module out for a good cleaning. Just use a very gentle rag, an old t-shirt or something, and don't scratch the soft plastic lens surfaces.

well heck if you would have ask about cleaning the hf lens i could have told you to do that i learned that when i could see hardly at all through the lens and discovered no $300 rubber seals to keep the crud out. thats the big cost of a hood like my 9100X i keep a box of pre moistened lens towlets in my welding bag. they work great and don't scratch the lens, cuts the smoke and crud and leaves your hood smelling of fresh alcohol

disclaimer: maybe used to clean fried chicken grease from fingers prior to fondling your hood but under no circumstances should they be substituted for Charmin

[California]

pre moistened lens towlets

Now this sounds like the voice of experience - especially that last part.

I've never heard of them. Do you find them at Walgreens in the eyeglasses section? Welding store?

This sounds like the perfect solution. Thanks!

[Tri County Welder]

Yeah you can get them at just about any drugstore or wal-mart.

[jbmprods]

Yeah you can get them at just about any drugstore or wal-mart.

yeah the walgreens brand are good or waldo world but once in a while you open one that is dry. catch them on sale for a 2fer deal. i like the ones that air gas sells the best. a little more expensive but really moist and have a pretty good anti fog additive to them.

no i haven't had first hand knowledge or experience with the last part of my disclaimer but common since dictates that alcohol is not compatible with certain portions of the human anatomy. works great as a pain killer on an open wound. pour it on and you forget about the pain caused by the wound itself

[Dave1941]

Everybody seems to like the blue flame hood. Does anyone use the red racing stripe one? I'm asking because the specs say the red one has a slightly bigger lens, and I'm used to looking thru a big 5x5 (aprox) lens because of trifocals.

[California]

Everybody seems to like the blue flame hood. Does anyone use the red racing stripe one? I'm asking because the specs say the red one has a slightly bigger lens, and I'm used to looking thru a big 5x5 (aprox) lens because of trifocals.

I find the Blue Flame ok with bifocals, but when I'm going to use it for a while I add an elastic strap to my glasses that goes behind my head. This is the accessory for glasses used by swimmers, joggers, etc. I can see fine through the bottom of my bifocals with the Blue Flame until my glasses slip down a little then I have to stop and push them up. With this elastic strap they stay in place and everything works as it should.

[Dave1941]

Thanks California, I use an elastic swimmers strap myself too.

[JoBo]

The blue flame helmets are on sale after Thanksgiving. $39.99 Friday, Saterdau and Sunday and coupons specifically say not good for "After Thanksgivings Sale items"

[truckbiz]

My "Blue Flame" is impossible to hold the lens setting, I'm ready to put a piece of duct tape on it!!
I bought a generic magnifying lens and put it inside so I don't' have to use my cheaters.

[Dave1941]

I bought one on Monday after Thanksgiving, and they definitely would not honor the coupon. If I ever get the welder back together I'll try it out.

[jmoskee]

Now this sounds like the voice of experience - especially that last part.

I've never heard of them. Do you find them at Walgreens in the eyeglasses section? Welding store?

This sounds like the perfect solution. Thanks!

also you can try NOVUS 2 which is a plastic scratch remover. very nice stuff only 8 bucks a bottle and saves tons on plastic covers. you can get it at a boat shop, or online.