Thread: Advice from welders please

I use to blink when striking an arc just for that millisecond arc
Got a nice Optrex helmet in the shed not been used for quite a few years
Good for production work

I use to sell welding equipment (Miller for Weldwell)
When the lenses that fitted in a standard helmet first came out would drive around with one on the dash to charge it up for demo

Had a cheap auto helmet, I kept getting flashed, replaced batteries, they say the internal battery needed charging as will. I got over it. And got a speedglass, it has batteries but they either go or don't, last ages and nice clear picture. A bit costly but I feel it was worth it to protect me, and the reliability. Or simply put.... Nikko Stirling vs sightron.

Go manual mate, you'll get used to nodding the hood down and plus you don't have lift helmet to do any grinding. Just lift flap and grind.
I know the autos can have a grind setting, but it's never as good as just looking through a clear lense.

All the pros i know use a manual one still must be a reason

There is nothing wrong with autos at all. I am the foreman of a fab shop in chch with ~12 guys and no-one uses a manual hood.

Guys that weld day in day out (particularly on site) that don't do any fab themselves still use manual hoods because full time use is quite hard on them - particularly stick, mig (heat smoke etc). Also the sun and things like flashing lights on EWP's can trigger the darkening which can be very frustrating.

Other than that I like autos more than manual, quicker,easier and much better for tacking however I've always had decent ones and currently have a 9100xx Speedglas. Those real cheapies may not meet NZ/Aus H&S standards or may be saying they do but actually don't.

Last note (which I could be wrong about but am 99% sure) is the reaction time is not as important as people make it out to be. The lens filters out all the UV etc regardless of whether it has darkened or not. If you helmet does not turn on it can be uncomfortable but shouldn't do you damage. It is actually much more dangerous for your eyes to flash yourself with a partially closed manual hood or by tacking with your eyes closed....