New auto lens more $$$ than a whole new helmet?

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Somehow the auto lens in my miller titanium 9400 cracked. I never dropped it, I was TIG welding and it just cracked on my face. I looked around for a replacement lens and it looks like a new auto lens is more expensive than buying the exact same helmet new!So, if I cant find a sub-200$ source for a new lens assembly, short of 290$ for a new replacement helmet, are there any good auto-lens helmets that cost less than 290$ that you would recommend?Precision TIG 225MillerMatic 250Powermax 35XPPowermax 65TM 4X4 w/ water tableLagun FTV1Monarch 10EEJD2 M3 with hydro conversion
Reply:i have two titaniums .... i sincerely hope this isnt a problem with them.  send it out for warranty replacement if its still under warranty?  one of my guys had the lens in his auto elite crack ... but it was the middle pane of glass, not the outer or the inner pane.  miller replaced it under warranty.  They said they would not have replaced it if the outer or inner lens had cracked since that would have indicated impact.  which lens on yours cracked?maybe try to get warranty repair?AWS CWI xxxx21711968 SA200  Originally Posted by WelderMike  I hate being bipolar, It's awesome.
Reply:It's the inner glass pane. Good to know I'm not the only one who's lens cracked. I've had the helmet for about/over 5 years now, I doubt they will warranty it. I just shot an email off to their warrant department. I'm not expecting much, but a online coupon code towards a new helmet purchase would be cool.Precision TIG 225MillerMatic 250Powermax 35XPPowermax 65TM 4X4 w/ water tableLagun FTV1Monarch 10EEJD2 M3 with hydro conversion
Reply:I don't know how that works. My Speedglas fell off a scaffold and I cracked the lens and buying the whole hood was cheaper than getting a replacement lens. I ended up getting the new Speedglas 9100xxi, which again, was cheaper than buying just the lens assembly to drop into mine. Another funny thing is that the lens kit with new face plate is also cheaper than buying just the lens itself.
Reply:I ended up getting the new(ish) digital infinity helmet, 280$ off ebay with free shipping... They have a deal now for free cool-band headgear kit (150$) if you buy it now.Miller has a titanium model (1600) that has a fixed lens. I can't find a source for the lens holder on this helmet though, would be nice to have a fixed shade gold lens for a backup.Last edited by 1967marti; 04-19-2016 at 03:23 PM.Precision TIG 225MillerMatic 250Powermax 35XPPowermax 65TM 4X4 w/ water tableLagun FTV1Monarch 10EEJD2 M3 with hydro conversion
Reply:I would have bought a new hood and then in a month sent the older lense back as cracked for warranty...then have 2 hoods ....or sell the newer one to get the money back...my junky harbor freight hoods that get dropped all the time and the lenses dont crack...spend good money on something, it should last...( the miller hoods)
Reply:I thought about being sneaky like that ,but I figured they would have some date code on the lens somewhere. I think I paid close to 300 for the titanium years back, it has serverd me well until the other day. I wonder if all the humidity in the air from the rains this week played a part in cracking the lens assembly?Precision TIG 225MillerMatic 250Powermax 35XPPowermax 65TM 4X4 w/ water tableLagun FTV1Monarch 10EEJD2 M3 with hydro conversion
Reply:I would think that wouldnt have any bearing on the glass, it should be made to stay alive in bad environments, especially on a welding hood and the abuse its gona take, just look at all the smart phones that have issues with cracked glass and now they come out with unbreakable phone glass after people bitched a storm up about it...take a look on the new lense when you get it and see if there are any serial numbers or markings, and even at that I would contact miller and tell them it cracked and a little sad story may get it replaced..its worth the try, nothing to lose...you may be pleasantly surprised..
Reply:I fired off a email to Miller first thing when it happened. This is the response I got:"Matthew – we don’t offer anything like your request. The best option is to take it where you purchased it and see if they would offer you a deal as a return customer."The message I sent was through their webpage (otherwise I would have added it here), but basically I said: "Hey, love this helmet but the lens cracked halfway through a TIG job. I purchased this helmet online through a Miller dealer about 4.5 years ago. Do you offer any warranties on the lens or even a partial credit towards a replacement?" I bought it online, so there's no way to "take it where you purchased it". Oh well...Precision TIG 225MillerMatic 250Powermax 35XPPowermax 65TM 4X4 w/ water tableLagun FTV1Monarch 10EEJD2 M3 with hydro conversion
Reply:the lens has a serial number printed on it .. switching it would have netted a worse result than you got.disappointing that they were not willing to do anything to help.AWS CWI xxxx21711968 SA200  Originally Posted by WelderMike  I hate being bipolar, It's awesome.
Reply:Originally Posted by AFFENDEthe lens has a serial number printed on it .. switching it would have netted a worse result than you got.disappointing that they were not willing to do anything to help.
Reply:I think he probably means I would have been out shipping both ways if I wanted the busted lens back after they called my bluff. Kinda sad they couldn't even have thrown me a mail-in-rebate coupon or something.... As soon as i get the "coolband" i'll chuck it up for sale for 100$ or so and that will drop the replacement helmets net cost to just under 200$Precision TIG 225MillerMatic 250Powermax 35XPPowermax 65TM 4X4 w/ water tableLagun FTV1Monarch 10EEJD2 M3 with hydro conversion
Reply:even so what could shipping be but a few bucks either way, maybe if they saw the crack wasnt from a drop they would have offered something maybe..
Reply:Originally Posted by 1967martiSomehow the auto lens in my miller titanium 9400 cracked. I never dropped it, I was TIG welding and it just cracked on my face. I looked around for a replacement lens and it looks like a new auto lens is more expensive than buying the exact same helmet new!So, if I cant find a sub-200$ source for a new lens assembly, short of 290$ for a new replacement helmet, are there any good auto-lens helmets that cost less than 290$ that you would recommend?
Reply:Does a regular passive filter fit your cracked helmet?That's what I'm going to do with my speedglas if I crack it. Buy a new and put a passive filter in the old one.
Reply:Miller has a titanium 1600 that has a passive shade in it. It retails for less than 40$ The helmet is the same between all 4 or 5 titanium models (except for the *i models). So the only real difference is if it comes with an auto lens.  Long story short: I have looked for the adapter plate for sale separately but not luck so far...Precision TIG 225MillerMatic 250Powermax 35XPPowermax 65TM 4X4 w/ water tableLagun FTV1Monarch 10EEJD2 M3 with hydro conversion