The chameleon welding helmet does not darken, why, what to do, how to adjust the automatic function, rules of use and more

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Welding work is a high-risk task, so a person must provide himself with reliable protection so as not to get hurt during work.

Very often a person suffers from sparks when working with metal, different types of radiation, gases and vapors are released during the welding process, different types of radiation...

The Chameleon welding mask is your first assistant in protecting against unpleasant consequences during work.

Features when working with a chameleon welding helmet
How to fix it yourself
How to use a welding mask
How to serve
Conclusion

Principle of operation

Automatic darkening of the “chameleon” mask is ensured by the presence of light filters made on the basis of liquid crystals. The property of liquid crystals to orient themselves in space under the influence of electrical voltage determines the operating principle of the mask.

In the normal state, when there is no serious light exposure on the screen, the crystals are in a position that allows daylight to pass freely through the screen. When the welding arc is ignited, a sensor is triggered , transmitting a signal to the electronic unit . After processing the signal by the electronic device, a command is given to rearrange the position of the crystals . They change their structure, which makes the screen dark (light radiation is blocked by the screen).

The duration of the crystal restructuring process takes a period of time no more than ten thousandths of a second . Almost instantaneous darkening makes it possible to keep the mask on throughout the entire length of the intermittent weld. After completing the welding work, it is possible to set a delay on the mask for the end of the screen darkening . This provides eye protection from the bright light of a weld that has not yet cooled down.

In high-quality and therefore expensive “chameleon” masks, the light filter has a multi-layer structure . The more layers, the more evenly the shading is distributed across the surface of the screen. The filter includes a separate layer that protects against ultraviolet and infrared radiation.

Features when working with a chameleon welding helmet

There are usually two types of masks on sale: masks with a fixed degree of darkness and masks, also called chameleon.

Chameleons are more expensive, but they are also distinguished by their quality: they have an automatic light filter that instantly reacts to intense light, thereby protecting their eyesight.

Depending on the brightness of the light radiation, the Chameleon mask instantly darkens, which will protect the owner of the mask from eye damage.

The structure of the darkening filter is layered - the manufacturer has distributed it so that liquid crystals alternate with a special film.

The principle of operation of the mask can be described as follows: the crystals become in such an order that some of the light simply does not pass through.

How to check without welding

Important! You need to know that to check the functionality of the automatic mask filter without welding, you need to use a light source with unstable radiation.

Types of adjustments

The following basic parameters are subject to adjustment of the chameleon mask.

Adjusting the position of the mask on the head. Reliable fixation of the mask on the head is carried out using a handle located at the back of the head and a belt passing through the top of the head.

Selecting the optimal distance from the eyes to the filter. There are latches on the mask, by loosening which you can move the filter closer or further to the eyes . After choosing the optimal distance, you should not forget about securing the clamps.

Select the dimming level. By rotating the wheel located outside the mask, the darkening mode is selected . The scale indicates levels from 0 to 16 according to the European DIN standard , where the sixteenth will have the maximum darkness. Despite the existence of all kinds of tables, each welder approaches the choice of darkening intensity in his own way, as well as the choice of the electrode and welding current.

Adjusting sensitivity. This adjustment allows you to select the optimal filter threshold . During the welding process, you can rotate the wheel to select the on/off mode, not only taking into account the intensity of the welding arc radiation. The sensitivity of the filter is influenced by the radiation of the molten metal, glare from the welding of a neighbor - a welder, and other light sources.

Adjustment of delay time. Welding technologies leave behind seams with varying degrees of cooling rates. After welding with a high current, the deposited mass will cool for a long time, and a short weld made at a low current will cool very quickly. The opening of the filter in the first case will be with a greater time delay, in the second it will open almost immediately.

Conclusion

Auto-dimming controls exposure to harmful radiation. There is a large selection of shields in this direction: Forte MC-1000, Centaur SM-152, Vitals Professional Thor 2500 LCD...

Don’t forget to check the shield when purchasing so as not to purchase a faulty or defective one. Only in case of minor damage and dimming problems can you carry out repairs yourself.

Such breakdowns include replacing power supplies or protective glass. If the filter breaks down, you should contact a service center, where they will replace it efficiently and quickly.

How to use

The rules for using the chameleon mask are indicated in the instructions supplied with it.

Before starting work with a new mask, remove the film from the protective plate . For used ones, check for visible damage.

Check the functionality of the light filters using one of the methods indicated in the section of this article “How to check without welding.”

Adjust the parameters specified in the “Types of adjustments” section of the article. The settings must be appropriate for the nature of the work being performed.

Welding work must be carried out at temperatures from 15°C to 55°C.

The use of the mask in plasma and gas welding is limited.

It is not recommended to leave the mask shield on heated surfaces.

Strong blows to the shield are contraindicated.

You cannot use spare parts for repairs that are not specified in the user manual.

If the mask does not perform the basic functions of darkening the screen, you should stop welding and look for the cause of the malfunction.

Avoid getting moisture on the filter. This may disable it.

The use of chemical detergents and solvents for cleaning is prohibited . It is recommended to wipe the filter elements with a soft, clean, lint-free cloth.

When the red light on the filter turns on, you need to replace the batteries . Replace it after switching to open screen mode.

The protection plate should be changed regularly. Droplets from molten metal cause pitting, cracks, and ultimately clouding of the screen.

How to adjust the mask, auto darkening degree

The author of the following video, a practicing welder and at the same time a talented teacher, shows in an accessible form how to adjust the parameters of the chameleon mask. An inexpensive Chinese-made mask is used as a sample.

A specific example shows how to choose the optimal darkening. It is emphasized that with proper adjustment, a small area of the heat-affected zone should be visible. The advantage of the video is that it contains a table of correspondence between the dimming parameters and the current strength of the welding operation being performed. The values in the table are recommended; the author draws attention to the effect of dimming the vision of the welder on the setting.

Briefly, but very clearly, the process of selecting the delay time for opening the screen window after welding is described.

Setting the sensitivity or response threshold of a light filter causes difficulties for novice welders, because depends on external conditions. The author clearly explained why, due to incorrect sensitivity settings, you can “catch a bunny” (see the arc not through a darkened screen). The author's fundamental rule for adjusting sensitivity

A small drawback of the video is the lack of description of how to adjust the mask for convenient fixation on the welder’s head. Perhaps the author wanted to leave more time for summing up the results of the competition.

Chameleon mask: how to choose, filters, adjustments and what they are for

Chameleon type welding helmets are so named because the light filter automatically changes the degree of darkness depending on the intensity of the light flux. This is much more convenient than a regular shield or an old type mask with a replaceable filter. Having put on the chameleon, you can clearly see everything even before you start welding: the filter is almost transparent and does not interfere with your work. When the arc is ignited, it darkens in a matter of seconds, protecting your eyes from burns. After the arc goes out, it becomes transparent again. You can carry out all the necessary manipulations without removing the mask, which is much more convenient than raising and lowering the protective shield and much better than holding the shield in your hand. But a wide selection of different priced items can be confusing: what is the difference, and which one is better? We'll tell you how to choose a chameleon mask below.

Chameleon welding masks come in a wide variety. Choosing is not an easy task at all. Moreover, it is not so much the appearance that is important, but the quality indicators

2 Chameleon mask how to choose

3 Brands and manufacturers

4 Operation of the welding chameleon

That small glass that is installed on the welding helmet is a real miracle of science and technology. It contains the latest achievements in optics, microelectronics, liquid crystals and solar energy. This is the “glass”. In fact, this is a whole multi-layered cake, which consists of the following elements:

liquid crystal cells (several layers - the more, the better);
Approximate composition of an automatic light filter in a chameleon welding mask (To increase the size of the picture, right-click on it)
UV filter;
infrared filter;
polarizing films;
welding arc detection sensors (from 2 to 4, there are also them, the more, the better);
protective glass;
batteries (solar batteries and/or lithium batteries).

The main and main advantage of a chameleon welding mask is that even if it did not have time to work, it will not let in ultraviolet and infrared radiation (if the mask was lowered). And the degree of protection from these harmful effects does not depend in any way on the settings. In any case and with any settings, you are protected from these types of harmful influences.

But this is only if the “pie” contains the appropriate filters and they are of the proper quality. Since it is impossible to check this without special devices, you have to rely on certificates. And masks must have them. Moreover, on the territory of Russia only two centers can issue them: VNIIS and the Federal State Budgetary Institution at the All-Russian Research Institute of Labor Protection and Economics. To be sure that the certificate is genuine, its number can be found on the official website of the Federal Service for Accreditation at this link.

This is a form on the Rossaccreditation website for checking the certificate. You can fill in only the number, leaving all other fields empty (To increase the size of the picture, right-click on it)

The certificate number is entered in the appropriate field and you receive the validity date, information about the applicant, and the manufacturer. A small note: the abbreviation RPE stands for “optical personal protective equipment.” This is what a welder's mask is called in bureaucratic language.

If such a certificate exists, the following message will appear. By clicking on the link you will see the text of the certificate (To enlarge the image size, right-click on it)

The most important thing is that you make sure that this product (by the way, compare both the name and model) is safe for your health.

You may be interested in how to make a gazebo on a metal frame.

Classification of automatic welding filters

Since the light filter and its quality are the key element in this product, you should start choosing a chameleon mask with it. All its indicators are classified according to the EN379 standard and must be displayed on its surface through a fraction.

One of the filters in the chameleon mask. Its classification is indicated in red

Now let’s take a closer look at what is hidden behind these numbers and what they should be. Each position can contain a number from 1, 2, 3. Accordingly, “1” is the best option - first class, “3” is the worst - third class. Now let’s talk about which position displays which characteristic and what it means.

Explanation of EN37 classification

Optical class

It reflects how clearly and without distortion the picture will be visible to you through the filter. Depends on the quality of the protective glass (film) used and the build quality. If "1" comes first, distortion will be minimal. If the values are higher, you will see everything as if through a crooked glass.

Light scattering

Depends on the purity and quality of the optical crystals used. Shows the degree of “turbidity” of the transmitted picture. You can compare it with wet car glass: as long as there are no oncoming traffic, the drops hardly interfere. As soon as a light source appears, everything blurs. To avoid this effect, it is necessary that the second position be “1”.

Uniformity or Homogeneity

Shows how evenly the filter is shaded in different parts. If there is a unit in the third position, the difference can be no more than 0.1 DIN, 2 - 0.2 DIN, 3 - 0.3 DIN. It is clear that it will be more comfortable with uniform darkening.

Angular dependence

Reflects the dependence of dimming on viewing angle. Here, too, the best value is “1” - the first class changes the darkening by no more than 1 DIN, the second by 2 DIN and the third by 3 DIN.

This is what the difference between a high-quality mask and a not-so-good filter looks like in real life.

From all this it is clear that the more units in the filter characteristic, the more comfortable you will be working in a mask. This is what you need to focus on when choosing a chameleon welder mask. Professionals prefer at least the following parameters: 1/1/1/2. Such masks are expensive, but even after working for a long time, your eyes will not get tired in them.

Amateur welders, for occasional work, can get by with simpler filters, but class 3 is considered a thing of the past. Therefore, it’s probably not worth buying masks with such filters.

And one moment. Sellers usually call this entire classification with one term “Optical class”. It’s just that this formulation quite accurately reflects the essence of all the characteristics.

Adjustments of the SpeedGlass chameleon welding helmet (SpeedGlas)

There are several more chameleon settings that allow you to adjust the dimming mode for a given situation. They can be located inside, on the light filter, or they can be placed outside in the form of handles on the left on the side surface of the mask. These are the following parameters:

Dimming adjustment.
Allows you to change the current dimming level. You can make it lighter/darker without interrupting your work if the control is located outside. If it is located inside, you will need to stop, remove the mask and tighten the adjuster. For non-professionals, this is normal: they don’t need development. But even the pros don’t always like external adjustments: they can hit something. The controls themselves can be in the form of switches, wheels, or can be made in the form of touch switches
Adjusting sensitivity. It is located inside the mask, on the filter. With its help, you can set what the filter will work on: only on the arc, or also on bright light sources. If you work indoors, you can set the sensitivity to high: the filter will darken when an arc occurs. Since there are no other variable light sources, it will not twitch. On the street, with high sensitivity, it can also respond to sun glare. So here you have to reduce the sensitivity.
Delay in mask clearing. It is necessary to prevent the eyes from receiving light shock from the hot metal after welding is completed. If there is no delay, the filter immediately becomes lighter and the bright glow of the weld pool hits the eyes. It is not dangerous or fatal, but unpleasant. The dimming delay allows you to “push back” the moment of filter brightening for some time. Also, this delay prevents the filter from clearing if you cook with arc separation or if the electrode sticks. So adjustment is necessary.

You may be interested in reading about the types of welds and joints, welding techniques and methods used.

Chameleon mask how to choose

In addition to the filter parameters, there are many other settings and features that can affect the choice.

Number of arc detection sensors.
There can be 2, 3 or 4 of them. They react to the appearance of an arc. Visually they can be seen on the front panel of the mask. These are small round or square “windows” on the surface of the filter. For amateur use, 2 pieces are enough, for professionals - the more, the better: if some are blocked (blocked by some object when welding in a difficult position), then the rest will react. Electric arc sensors are visible to the naked eye
Filter response speed. The spread of parameters here is large - from tens to hundreds of microseconds. When choosing a mask for home welding, drill one whose chameleon will darken no later than 100 microseconds. For professionals, the time is less: 50 microseconds. We sometimes don’t notice light impacts, but their result is tired eyes, and professionals need them all day long. So the requirements are stricter.
Filter sizes. The larger the glass, the more visibility you get. But the size of the light filter greatly affects the cost of the mask.
Smooth or stepwise adjustment of the degree of darkness. Better - smooth. If the filter darkens/brightens intermittently, you will quickly get tired. In addition, it may start to “blink” due to glare, which will not please you.
Initial shade level and adjustment range. The lighter the filter in its original state, the better you will be able to see before welding begins. It is also desirable to have two dimming ranges: to small degrees up to 8DIN when working with argon or when manual arc welding in poor lighting. Also, an older person may need less darkening. To work with inverters at high currents and in good lighting, a shading of up to 13 DIN is required. So it's better if there are two modes: 5-8DIN/8-13DIN.
Power supply.
Most auto-darkening welding helmets have two types of power supply: solar and lithium batteries. This combined power source is the most reliable. But at the same time, the lithium battery compartment must be opened to make it possible to replace failed batteries. Some cheap masks have integrated batteries: you can remove them only by cutting the plastic (which our craftsmen sometimes do). One of the models of the chameleon mask. Here you can also see the mask position regulator on the head and the neck protection shield
Weight. Masks can weigh from 0.8 kg to 3 kg. If you have to carry a three-kilogram weight on your head for seven or eight hours, by the end of the shift your neck and head will feel like wood. For amateur welding, this parameter is not very critical, although it is also not at all comfortable to work in a heavy mask.
Easy to attach to the head. There are two systems for attaching the headband and the shield itself, but for these masks they are almost unimportant: you don’t need to raise/lower the mask every time. It can be omitted throughout the entire work. What matters is how many adjustments there are and how tightly they allow you to fit the headband. It is also important that all these straps do not press or rub, so that the welder is comfortable.
There is an adjustment that allows you to move the shield away from your face. This is important if you need glasses for normal vision. Then the shield needs to be moved away from your face to accommodate your lenses.

Among the useful, but optional modes, there is also the ability to switch maki from welding mode to grinding mode. With this switch you actually turn off the power to the light filter, your mask becomes a regular shield.

Read about choosing a welding machine for your home or cottage here. You can try the purchased mask when making a metal barbecue.

Brands and manufacturers

You know how to choose a chameleon mask for welding, but how to navigate among the mass of manufacturers? In reality, everything is not very difficult. There are trusted brands that always supply high-quality products and confirm their warranty obligations. Here are not very many of them:

Professional Mounting Chameleon Mask TECMEN DF-715S 9-13 TM8

SPEEDGLAS from Sweden;
OPTREL from Switzerland;
BALDER from Slovenia;
OTOS from South Korea;
TECMEN from China (don't be surprised, the masks are really good).

Choosing a chameleon mask for home use is not easy. On the one hand, it needs to be of high quality, but obviously not everyone can afford to pay 15-20 thousand for it, and it’s not profitable. Therefore, we will have to forget about European manufacturers. At least they produce good masks, but their prices are no less than $70.

There are many Chinese masks on the market at very low cost. But buying them is risky. If you need a proven Chinese brand, this is TECMEN. They actually have certified chameleon masks of factory quality. The model range is quite wide, prices range from 3 thousand rubles to 13 thousand rubles. There are filters of the first class (1/1/1/2) and a little worse, with all the settings and adjustments. After the update, even the cheapest mask for 3,000 rubles (TECMEN DF-715S 9-13 TM8) has a replaceable battery, a clearing delay of 0.1 to 1 second, smooth adjustment and a “grinding” operating mode. The photo below shows her Professional Editing. It's hard to believe, but it costs only 2990 rubles.

Owners speak well of Resanta welding helmets. There are not very many models, but MS-1, MS-2 and MS-3 are a good choice for little money (from 2 thousand rubles to 3 thousand rubles).

Resanta welding helmet: MS-1, MS-2, MS-3 and MS-4

Resanta MS-1 and MS-3 masks have smooth adjustment, which is undoubtedly more convenient. But the chameleon MC-1 does not have sensitivity adjustments. They are unlikely to suit professionals, but are quite suitable for home use.

Professional installation of masks chameleon Resanta

The South Korean company OTOS produces very good masks. Its prices are slightly higher than those listed above, but there are two relatively inexpensive Heating Installation: OTOS MACH II (W-21VW) for 8,700 rubles and ACE-W i45gw (Infotrack™) for 13,690 rubles.

Professional Installation OTOS MACH II W-21VW this chameleon mask is a worthy choice even for professional use

Read about how to choose electrodes for welding with an invector here.

Operating the Welding Chameleon

The main requirement for caring for the mask: the light filter must be taken care of: it is easily scratched. Therefore, you cannot put the mask face down. It should only be wiped with a completely clean and soft cloth. If necessary, you can moisten the cloth with clean water. DO NOT wipe with alcohol or any solvents: the filter is covered with a protective film that dissolves in these liquids.

There is one more feature of any welding chameleons: they begin to “slow down” at low temperatures. That is, they operate with a delay, and in both directions - both for darkening and for brightening. This feature is very unpleasant, so you won’t be able to work normally in them in winter, even if the operating temperature is specified as -10°C, as on the TECMEN DF-715S 9-13 TM8. Already at -5° everything cannot darken in time. So in this regard, OTOS turned out to be more honest, indicating the starting operating temperature from -5°C.

Finally, look at Replacing Heating Systems on how to choose a chameleon mask for welding.

← How to cook with inverter welding: tips for beginners How to choose a welding machine for your home and garden -

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Why doesn’t it dim, doesn’t dim well and other faults

Chameleon protective masks, like any other welding equipment, do not last forever; they can break for various reasons. most frequently .

There is no darkening of the filter screen for radiation from the welding arc . The main reason is a broken power supply. Dead batteries should be replaced; the batteries can be recharged from the mains. Some designs use solar panels to power the electronic unit. To replenish energy, they need to be sent directly to a light source for a certain time.
Dirty protective glass causes the filter to flicker when reacting to the welding arc. It needs to be washed periodically. In case of severe mechanical damage, glass replacement is required.
Budget options from some “manufacturers” suffer from poor dimming . Low technological discipline contributes to the ingress of dust particles onto the liquid crystal layers. Such crystals can no longer close completely over the entire working surface of the screen. Ineffective darkening will cause eye inflammation after intensive work with such a mask.
Uneven darkening may cause a deviation in the horizontal position of the filter relative to the face. Eliminated by leveling the casing.
The use of masks in cold winter conditions is not intended . The filter will darken slowly, making it impossible to provide effective eye protection.
A common reason for poor visibility of the weld seam during operation arises from forgetting to remove the film from the protective glass .
Water may get into the electronic unit . A mask with such a defect should be sent to professionals for repair.
The weak point of some mask models is the contacts from the control unit to the light filter . They often break and the mask screen stops working. An example of the defect is described in the following video. The author claims that he eliminated the defect by soldering with a regular soldering iron in road conditions. Not overheating the filter during such a repair is a great success. The actual process of restoring contact is not shown in the video.

Replacing batteries in the Chameleon mask

Unfortunately, the CR2032 battery did not last long.
Despite the fact that current consumption is measured in microamps, after some time the filter did not work again. Of course, a question like “What should I do?” didn't even arise. It was necessary to install a more powerful power source. The most suitable option is two 1.5V elements of size AA or AAA. They can be placed in a special battery compartment, which is commercially available. I didn’t have one, so I had to saw off the battery compartment from my favorite TV remote control.

I sawed off the part where the contacts for the batteries are located from the printed circuit board. I cleaned everything unnecessary (microcircuit and wiring) and soldered two stranded wires to the contacts. The end was lightly covered with what was at hand. It turned out to be a good battery compartment for two AA elements.

The battery compartment is attached to the mask with two M2.5 bolts. The holes are drilled in the center, so the mount does not interfere with the installation of batteries in the compartment. Can be mounted anywhere. The wires should be as short as possible. I secured the compartment at the top, above my head. In this case, the overall balancing is not disturbed, and there is free access to the compartment for replacing batteries. During idle periods, you can even remove one battery from the compartment. For the purpose of, so to speak, global economy.

Work order, necessary tools

If the light filter of the chameleon mask does not work, it completely eliminates its protective functions. There are two options left: throw the mask in a landfill or try to repair it. Self-repair can be carried out by familiarizing yourself with the procedure for performing the work and the tools used and materials from the video.

The most common reason for the lack of dimming is the failure of the power supply . The author immediately determined that his round factory battery had run out. Still, it is better to make sure that there is no voltage on the contacts using, for example, a multimeter.

How to serve

Regular maintenance will help protect the device from any breakdowns and dimming problems in particular. It is reasonable to carry out repairs no more than once a month. You can provide superficial care yourself: to do this, just wipe with a cotton cloth soaked in water.

Oily substances and abrasive materials are not suitable for cleaning the shield and may damage it. Cleaning should occur without much use of physical force.

How to adjust a welding helmet

Carrying out maintenance

Compliance with maintenance schedules will have a beneficial effect on the trouble-free operation of chameleon protective masks. While the filter is operating, dust and dirt collect . They must be removed at intervals of at least one month . When working in dusty conditions, for example, in enclosed areas of metallurgical plants, the filter must be cleaned every week .

Cleaning the light filter requires compliance with certain regulations . Only cotton, lint-free soft fabric is used as material . The detergent composition must be neutral and comply with the manufacturer’s recommendations. The use of abrasive and oil-containing products in cleaning technology is excluded. Dirt and dust should be washed off carefully, avoiding pressing hard on the surface of the filter.

Safety precautions

It is impossible to carry out welding work without a protective mask. In addition to visual impairment, you can burn your face and neck with ultraviolet rays, and damage your respiratory organs with hot harmful gases. A chameleon mask protects your eyes much better than a permanently darkened mask. Novice welders can “catch a bunny” using a regular mask without any problems while igniting the arc.

To further reduce the likelihood of eye injury when working with a chameleon mask, the following safety precautions should be followed:

check mask settings;
position of operating mode switches;
availability of battery charge;
check the darkening of the filter using the “TEST” button, a light bulb or a silicon lighter.

If before starting work it turns out that the mask is faulty, you should refuse to carry out welding work with it. It is better to throw all your efforts into fixing the breakdown. You should first think about health, and then about the quality of the weld.

Important! To maintain the functionality of the chameleon masks, light filters and solar panels should be stored in shaded places, in the absence of influence of light fluxes on them.

Repair of a welder's mask Chameleon

We are not talking about complex repairs, but just about replacing the batteries in the “Chameleon” welding helmet. It is a faulty power supply that causes failure in most cases.

The main element of protection in the chameleon mask is an automatic light filter. It changes automatically as soon as the arc appears, allowing you to control the start of welding without blinding your eyes. As a rule, a light filter has a multilayer structure. The use of several liquid crystal layers makes it possible to reduce the dependence of dimming on the angle of incidence of light. When the arc is ignited, the crystals are arranged in a certain order, due to which part of the light flux is blocked.

For proper operation of the filter, a power source is required. For some models, these are two AAA batteries located in a special compartment on the filter housing. For other models, the power source is hidden inside the case. As a rule, these are one or two lithium elements with a voltage of 3 volts, which have a very long resource. Although it is logical to assume that a cheap mask has a cheap battery installed.

I use a Resanta welding helmet, although the model doesn't really matter. Light filters of all models have the same operating principle and differ only in the design, the element base used and the presence or absence of adjustments. Like many, I do not use welding every day, but only when necessary. And once again, getting ready to weld something there, I was disappointed to discover that the Chameleon welding helmet did not work.

When pointing at a light source, the filter did not darken or only worked once in a while. Be it the sun, a bright lamp or a lighter.

Sometimes, when I lightly tapped the mask, the light filter would work. This suggested that there was a bad contact somewhere, a loose connection or something similar. But first of all, I thought that the problem was in the power supply of the light filter. My battery is almost done.

In such cases, it is sometimes advised to expose the mask to the sun for about two hours so that the battery is recharged from the built-in LED panel.

Perhaps this is true. But I didn’t want to wait two hours every time. Moreover, it is unknown what the final result will be. Maybe it will work, maybe not. In short, I decided to figure out what exactly was going on there and, if possible, restore the filter’s functionality.

The light filter is attached to the mask using two screws. After unscrewing the screws, remove it. There is a narrow gap along the perimeter of the case. Carefully pushing the halves of the body apart, we divide it into two parts. It doesn't matter which way you do it.

Inside the case there is an electronic filling of the light filter and a lithium power source. The first thing you need to do is measure the voltage on it. The nominal voltage is 3 volts, but the light filter works properly when the voltage drops to 2.5 volts. However, this is just an assumption; there may be a spread in one direction or another. In my case, the voltage at the battery terminals was just over two volts, but nothing worked.

Having made sure that the battery is “dead”, we proceed to replacement. My filter used a CR2450 element. It is sealed into the board on both sides. We very carefully unsolder it and replace it with exactly the same new one.

If you don’t find the CR2450, you can replace it with the CR2032 element for a while; it is installed on computer motherboards. It is best to use the battery with a holder, this makes it easier to replace and you don’t have to overheat the “tablet” when soldering. As a last resort, you can solder two pins. Very quickly and with good flux, to perform the operation with one easy movement of the hand.