How to Change Battery in a Welding Helmet?

Helmets are the essential components of personal protection equipment. If you are a welder, you also need a safety helmet to protect your eyes from the glaze of an electric arc. Nowadays, auto-darkening helmets are in use that helps in visualizing the welding operations. These helmets can adjust the light automatically and are of great applicability.

As these helmets work automatically, they contain a battery for automated light adjustments and other settings. These batteries lose their efficiency over time. So, you have to replace these batteries.

How to change the battery in a Welding Helmet?

You can change the battery of your helmet yourself without any difficulty. If you go with these steps, you can change it in a while. Bring all the equipment necessary for the process. Remove the plastic casing and replace the battery with a new one. Secure it and test the helmet’s working.

When to replace the battery of your welding helmet?

Replacing a battery costs you a lot of money along with wasting your precious time. So, do not go for a battery change if there is impairment in it. You can follow these guidelines to know when to change the battery?

a. Pay attention to the alert system:

Welding Helmets have an alert system that warns the user about the drainage of the battery. A signal alert as light or buzz delivers a warning that the battery is about to die. So, you can check your helmet for this alert.

b. Weld with variable intensities:

Auto-darkening helmets change their light intensity according to the environment. So, if you want to check the functioning of the battery, you can use the helmet in different light and dark environmental conditions. If the helmet adjusts the light intensity without any lagging, the battery is in good condition. If the helmet produces a sudden flash without any need, I’d indicate that the internal operating system has some problem. Now, it is time to change your battery.

c. Go for a Sun test: 

For this test, wear your helmet and go outside in the blazing sun. Turn your head towards the sun. Now, lift your hand in such a way that it makes a hurdle in between you and the sun. It is time for the auto-darkening mode to show its activity. If the auto-darkening function does not work and lowers the light intensity, it means the battery has some issue. However, also check that all settings are accurate and settled.

If you think, after concluding from these tests, that the battery has some impairment, you must go for replacement.

Guidelines for the replacement of the battery in a welding helmet

Different models have their internal components at various places. So, the initial steps may not be similar for every model. Here are some common steps that will help you to understand how to process goes on.

1. Choosing a battery

First of all, you need to know which battery is compatible with your welding helmet. Mots of the helmets contain lithium batteries for functioning. These batteries are easily replaceable and offer good efficiency. Moreover, if you don’t know the exact battery needed for your model, you can also check the manual guide to know this.

You can also attach two batteries to a single helmet for improved efficiency. But this process requires proficiency in your work. If you have a good command of this process, you can also work for the attachment of a second battery.

Typically, two or three AAA batteries are suitable for a welding helmet.

2. Collect your necessary tools

You may need some tools to replace the battery. The necessary pieces of equipment you need are a battery and a helmet. In addition to it, the following equipment will help you to replace the battery without any issue:

• Sticking glue for securing the battery.
• A screwdriver for tightening nuts and bolts.
• A wrench for rotating the nuts.
• Different cell holders for placing the battery.
• Nuts for placing the battery and coverings in their place.
• Dissection tool for removing the plastic cover of the helmet.
• A solder for installing the new battery.
• Matching iron.

When you get all these tools, you can start your work. It is better to have all the equipment before initiating to avoid any misconception or flaw. The next step is to trace the location of the battery inside the helmet. The position may differ from one model to other. So, this action requires consciousness and skills.

3. Replacement of the battery

Some helmets have their batteries in their front section. You will see a solar Battery. Dissect it using a dissecting tool. Cut the plastic covering it with the utmost care, and don’t waste it. You can use it again to secure the battery.

4. Remove the battery

Removing a battery from its place is a matter of great skill. A screwdriver can help you to remove it. Take a screwdriver and lose all the nuts and bolts to let the battery go. Do not lose the tabs to their maximum extent because it can cause breakage. Lose the nuts unfasten the battery. Apply minimum force so that the plastic casing does not break.

5. Installation of new battery

In this step, you will need solder to install and secure the new battery in its place. Connect the battery pons with the related wires using a solder. Check that the terminals are operating. Now make a precise connection between the positive terminal and red wire. Similarly, connect the black wire with the negative terminal.

When you have done with connecting terminals, make a small slit by incising the plastic. This incision will help you to make the connection of wires with external components.

Helmets usually have a holder for placing the battery. So, put a new battery in it and fix it with glue. The sticking gum helps to fasten it in its exact place. Now cover it with the plastic piece that you cut out. Use glue to attach it. Fasten all the nuts or screws to conceal the battery completely. You can also use scotch tape for connecting wires.

6. Testing the new batteries

After securing the battery in its place, you can go for testing again. You can test if your new battery is working efficiently or not. Go for the methods mentioned above in the section on when to replace the battery.

This time you are testing whether your replaced battery is functional or not. In this way, you can alternate your battery.

Attaching a second new battery

If you think that the above steps are not very complicated, you have another opportunity. In this, you can attach a second battery to the first one. You don’t need to remove the previous battery for the second installment.

The new one will work near the first one. Follow the above guidelines for the attachment of a second battery. The benefit of this is that the first battery will provide energy to stabilize the light intensity. On the other hand, the second battery will help in the adjustment of lenses.

Here are some precautions you must follow:

• Don’t forget to attach the negative pole with the back wire and the positive pole with the red wire.
• Moreover, try to make a large incision or slit so that the wires pass without any fluctuation.

Conclusion

Auto-darkening helmets have the facility of both replaceable batteries as well as solar charging. The replacement of a battery is not as difficult as it looks. A newbie can change the battery without any trouble by following a guide.

Replaceable batteries work only for two years as compared to non-replaceable batteries. A non-replaceable battery prolongs for a duration of five to seven years that appears fascinating. But after this duration, you need to change the whole helmet. So, you can go for a helmet with a replaceable battery because it assures the long life of the welding helmet.

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