Hey guys! I need some help finding a light that I can clip and tape to the side of my welding helmet. I work in dark pipes and need both my hands, and even with an autodark helmet I lose my startingnpoint on some of my welds. Work lights only serve to create shadows and are barely useful.
Is there a cheap (<10$?) and moderately reliable light that I can strap to my mask? I would need it to run AA cause I get them free at work. Only needs to be 50 lumens max. In fact the ultrafires that advertise a 3-400 lumen output would do more harm than good as I’ll be replacing batteries every 2 hours with that level of power. Any suggestions would be great.
I would definitely invest in a lithium battery and charger if using a light for work. You may get AA’s free at work but you’d still be constantly replacing them. A decent 18650 light on the other hand can be configured with a good high, medium, low setup to be able to light up for various situations and on low would easily last all your work shift at 50 lumens constantly on. That way you only need to worry about charging it at night at home.
But your best bet if you insist on running AA is the Sipik SK68 zoomy. It lets you focus it’s light in just the area you’re working on which will definitely keep you from losing your starting point as you’ll clearly be able to see it through the tint of an undarkened helmet. It’s also available in 5 mode so you can use the low mode to conserve power and focus it to be able to use the light more effectively. It also has a built in clip which should let you clip it to the helmet or fabricate a mount to let you clip and aim it.
I disagree with a sipik. I know there are 3 aa headlights that will have much longer run time. Also you would have to find a way to mount it. Even when it’s focused, it would/might be difficult to point it directly where you want it. Unfortunately I don’t have any I can recommend. Not that they’re bad, I just have limited experience with those headlights.
Headlights seem to die much faster though, cause you’re always using them. In that case having a large capacity rechargeable lithium battery is best. But who can pass up free aa’s?
I just snapped mine to a welding helmet in order to find out if it is feasible/useful. And it is to me. Even on alkaline AA batteries. Especially when i changed the helmet to one of the new autoshade type helmets. (I do not really like those. I feel i see the flash before they shade over. But if that is what you are using and it is really dark. Then a sipik or two should get you through.
Above is IMHO only. I do not know exactly what you are doing or how/where/when and what your expectations are.
It works with an AA. The lens can be removed if you want lots of flood, but of course you'll lose some water protection. Some people have had this DOA, so buy it from a vendor with better customer service.
I’ll disagree with the lithium, thats not something I’d want around hot sparks and slag. Go with whatever the cheapest light you can find that is aluminum and glass, you’ll destroy plastic pretty fast, but even anything else will get wrecked pretty quick
The batteries aren’t exposed and if you’re melting stuff around your head area you’re probably not a safe welder. A decent flashlight would offer plenty of protection, at most if you get one with a glass lens and aluminum body I wouldn’t worry as much about sparks and slag destroying the battery as much as it setting your head on fire.
I guess I’m just a bit paranoid when I weld. I usually take everything out of my pockets, especially anything electronic or even slightly flammable. I don’t know what sort of welding you do, maybe you just do tig, but stick and mig both throw a pretty decent amount of slag and sparks and if you are doing anything overhead or directly in front of you theres going to be hot bits of metal coming at your head. Probably not enough to burn through anything, but I’d rather not take that risk.