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Posted by hemimech [129.9.163.105] on Friday, February 19, 2010 at 11:57:52 :
In Reply to: Re: Welding helmets... posted by Paul ( in NY) [12.64.158.195] on Friday, February 19, 2010 at 10:05:59 :
I too have a Speedglass 9000V vintage 2001. It was considered one of the best in its day & is fine for welding out in the open. While TIG welding in confined areas I’ve been flashed by this helmet over a 100 times. For instance, when my head is wedged between a transmission and the frame while fabricating an exhaust system my hands apparently block the direct flash to the two sensors on the left and right side of the lens. Yes you can adjust the sensitivity but by the time it’s able to detect the reflected light of the weld it basically turns dark at the least little bit of light. At the low setting you can’t even begin to look down at the epoxy floor paint without the reflected fluorescent light darkening the lens (at that point why waste your money on an auto helmet). I know you are thinking that I must just have a bad unit…but I had two other guys in our shop with the same unit & the same complaint. Eventually I grew tired of driving home behind a car I couldn’t see. After carefully reviewing the various designs available in 2008 I purchased one from MATCO. I opted for the PWH1000 because it had four independent sensors mounted at the four corners of the lens. This way my filler rod hand & my torch hand could almost never be able to block direct light to all four sensors at once. The unit is solar powered and auto on. I like the auto on because it doesn’t time out like the Speedglass did. You never pick it up and wonder/ worry if it’s off or on. I have been so happy with this purchase it’s just one of those tools that you are so glad you spent the extra money on. I bought mine while it was on sale seems like it was around $275 & I believe the retail was $325.