Problem seeing the puddle MIG welding

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I am trying to teach myself to MIG weld (as a hobby really), and have been having a problem for a while now where I can't see the puddle or the surroundings when MIG welding. I am running the following: HH190, 0.030 ER70S-6 wire, and using 1/8 and 3/16 coupons in various joint configurations, or just padding beads. I use an Auto-Arc auto darkening helmet. The problem I have is that I find the arc so bright, that if I run the hood at say a shade 11-12, I can't see anything but the arc, as the surroundings are too dark. If I run the hood at a 9-10 I am more or less being blinded by the arc and still can't see where I am going. I have searched through the forums for advice, and have tried a lot of things: I have a new glasses prescription, I replaced all of the protective lenses on my hood, I have a cheater lens installed, I have added flood lights to my work bench to better illuminate the parts. Nothing seems to help, and my weld beads seem to wander all over the place like worms. When I try to pad beads, I can't see where the previous bead is. I am pretty sure that I have the voltage and wire speed set correctly. I think I have watched every video that Jody and Lanse have up, and I can't get anywhere near as much visibility of the puddle that they get in their videos. I don't have these kind of problems running stick. What else is left to try? A new hood maybe? What am I missing???Thanks in advance.Miller Multimatic 255
Reply:The backlighting is kicking yer ascz. Go outside at night (or kill the shop lights) and report back.Bubble gumTooth pixDuct tapeBlack glueGBMF hammerScrew gun --bad battery (see above)
Reply:Are you using a cheap AD hood? Try a fixed shade hood to see if it helps.Airco Ac/Dc 300 HeliwelderMillerMatic 200 (stolen)Miller Maxstar 150STLMiller AEAD200LE (welding and generating power) Hobart MIG
Reply:Trying another hood/hoods might be the easy solution. I'll often hand students who complain the can't see well my Miller and ask if they can see better using it. Most times they can.I did have another student ( actually 2) who were trying to weld with the clear protective wrap still on the outer lens of their new hood Tuesday night. It's amazing how much better you can see when that isn't blocking your vision....As far as settings, I'd need to know what you have the machine set at in order to make a judgement there. However 3/16" is too thick for that little machine to do well under real world conditions, despite what the manufacturer might say..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:If you're wearing prescription glasses behind the helmet I find that the light from the arc comes through the helmet lens and bounces off of the prescription glasses  back to the helmet lens and you end up seeing double arcs.Try removing your prescription glasses and use the cheaters alone.  Then try what Burpee said about the back light.  Also if you are wearing a light colored shirt the arc will reflect off of it and shine up behind the helmet making it harder to see the puddle.Last edited by Doug_; 01-17-2014 at 06:40 PM.Doug  Millermatic 200  Lincoln AC-225  Syncrowave 250
Reply:Thanks for the replies. I tried with the lights off, that didn't help. I am using what I assume to be a middle of the road to low-end helmet (Hobart) but not as cheap as Chicago Electric, etc. It is this helmet:  http://www.hobartweldshop.com/servle...rkening/Detail     For sure I took the green wrappers off the new lenses On 1/8 material, I am on voltage tap 4 and wire speed is 60 (not sure what that translates into for IPS and volts), for the thicker material, tap 6 and roughly the same wire speed. I have the problem on the thinner 1/8 material as well, and this machine can and does easily melt through that at the recommended dettings (5/60). So i am not sure the machine is maxed out yet.I think it is a combination of the prescription glasses reflecting and light from the arc sneaking in around the helmet. I am a little leery about going without the prescription glasses, my astimatism is pretty rough. Cheaters alone won't get me there. I'll give it a shot in the morning though. One thing I did try tonight that helped immensely was to tape a dish towel to the back of my helmet as a drape to cover the back of my head. Made a BIG difference. Beads are still curving though as I progress and I lose sight of my landmarks.Miller Multimatic 255
Reply:Borrow a regular helmet and change the filter to a 10 or so to get a baseline. Try borrowing a few filters so you don't break the bank. I use gold filters in a couple of my hoods and really like them. I still have my Jackson AD with a fixed 10. I did buy several cheaters last year and remain somewhat unashamed.  It don't take long for that arc to cause irreparable damage to the rods and cones in your eye. Don't risk it.Arcon Workhorse 300MSPowcon 400SMTPowcon SM400 x 2Powcon SM3001968 SA200 Redface1978 SA250 DieselMiller Super 32P FeederPre 1927 American 14" High Duty LatheK&T Milwaukee 2H Horizontal MillBryan
Reply:I have an old fibre-metal pipeliner here. Maybe I'll put a new lens in that tomorrow and see how that does for me.Miller Multimatic 255
Reply:Originally Posted by Louie1961Thanks for the replies. I tried with the lights off, that didn't help. I am using what I assume to be a middle of the road to low-end helmet (Hobart) but not as cheap as Chicago Electric, etc. It is this helmet:  http://www.hobartweldshop.com/servle...rkening/Detail
Reply:PROBLEM SOLVED- I switched to a very old fixed shade pipeliner hood my dad had given me years back. I believe it is a shade 9 or 10. Clear as a bell. Made some of my best welds ever. When I threw the cheaters in there, it got even better.  AMAZINGLY CLEAR, LIKE I HAVE NEVER SEEN BEFORE. No wonder my welds were looking like crap. Now the big question: which autodarkening helmets can give me this kind of clarity? Clearly the Hobart can't. I will give it one last try after I change the battery. But I am not holding my breath. The clarity on the pipeliner was astounding to me. Is there such a thing as an AD helmet that can equal this clarity?Miller Multimatic 255
Reply:Originally Posted by Louie1961Is there such a thing as an AD helmet that can equal this clarity?
Reply:Interesting, so it is autodarkeing but not variable shade? I hadn't seen these before. Is there any visual/clarity/performance benefit to a fixed shade AD lens over a variable shade AD lens?Miller Multimatic 255
Reply:Originally Posted by Louie1961Is there any visual/clarity/performance benefit to a fixed shade AD lens over a variable shade AD lens?
Reply:The Miller digital elite is what I use for AD, I can see very well with it. Any of the expensive hoods should be fine (Speedglas/Jackson/Miller). Or you can keep things cheap and just buy a few dif. shades for the pipeliner you have.Airco Ac/Dc 300 HeliwelderMillerMatic 200 (stolen)Miller Maxstar 150STLMiller AEAD200LE (welding and generating power) Hobart MIG
Reply:Originally Posted by SquirmyPugI can see very well with it.
Reply:Originally Posted by CEPYeah so what, you have 15-year old eyes! You could see good with a bag over your head!
Reply:Originally Posted by SquirmyPugAlways got to pick on the "Kid"
Reply:Are you sure you are looking through you glasses vs. over or under when you are welding? Do you need bifocals?
Reply:Originally Posted by CEPWhat's your point? If we were all in the same shop, guess who would get picked on?
Reply:Now now, be nice to your elders or he'll wheel his chair over there and beat you senseless with his cane... .No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:You command respect and $8 more an hour just for showing up with that helmet. Nothing like experience. Originally Posted by CEPI really like these ArcOne lenses. I use a #9 inside the shop, and a #10 or #11 outside in the sun. http://www.arc1weldsafe.com/auto-darkening-filters.html
Reply:Is the lil fella ok? Diapy change at coffee break. Originally Posted by CEPWhat's your point? If we were all in the same shop, guess who would get picked on?
Reply:Originally Posted by DSWNow now, be nice to your elders or he'll wheel his chair over there and beat you senseless with his cane...
Reply:Originally Posted by SquirmyPugSee what you started CEP?
Reply:@squirmypug, while the pipliner was the clearest, I really need something autodarkening, so I can make cleaner starts. @tapwelder, yeah, I have tried without the glasses and have the same or worse reults, I have updated my precription, I have tried my single vision reading glasses as well as my progressive lenses. nothing made a difference EXCEPT going to the fixed shade hood. It is pretty clear to me that the issue is the AD hood. With the fixed shade, I can see stuff I never saw with the AD hood. I just need to find an AD hood/lense that gives me the same clarity.Miller Multimatic 255When I was looking to replace my old hood, I tried every AD hood I could lay my hands on. You really do get what you pay for with this. The top of the line Millers, Speedglas, Nexgen, and Optrel hoods all had decent optics. I choose the Miller because the head gear fit better than the Speedglas did, and the Miller was easier to locate locally than the others.I'd say my fixed shade Jackson hood has optics equal, if not better than my Miller Elite. I've tried any number of cheaper hoods students bring in and nothing comes close to the clarity of a good fixed shade or a top of the line AD hood like my Miller or the other instructors Speedglas..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:I had a northern tool AD helmet for several years, same thing, either too dark to see the line I was welding, or too light to see anything but flash.  Last November I bought a Miller Digital Performance and all I can say is WOW!  What a difference, was significantly more expensive than the cheapies, but what a difference.Oh yea, and add the cheaters, and now I can even see clearer LOLHobart 210 MVPOxy/Propane Smith Torch SetupLincoln Wel-Pak 100HD"Courage is being scared to death, but saddling up anyways" ~ John Wayne
Reply:The modern world. Bakk when I were a puppy all you needed was a nod to get auto darkening with high quality . Go for The Gold !#8 for under 100 amps. #10 for 100-250. Hotter than that ? You damn sure don't need my advice !Bubble gumTooth pixDuct tapeBlack glueGBMF hammerScrew gun --bad battery (see above)