Safety is a top priority when welding and a helmet is essential every time. There are a number of alternatives on the market and they broadly divide into three different types, those powered only by batteries, those that rely on solar energy and a small number that combine both. Deciding which of the options to buy is the first decision before looking deeper into the different models available. The technology that has resulted in auto darkening helmets has added to the protection of the welder’s eyes, a real advance.

There are different grades of welding helmet and your choice can depend upon the kind of welding you are expecting to do. It is not worth buying cheaply if you want the chance to use the helmet for a number of different scenarios where advanced lenses and sensors will be beneficial.

Solar Powered Welding Helmets

When it comes to choosing the best welding helmet, it is important to know everything about the alternatives available. That exercise begins by understanding those that are solar powered and what they offer. Solar in this case does not automatically involve sun, but instead light. In fact, welding outside in bright light is often not the best way to work although sometimes it is essential. ‘’Solar’’ here simply means ‘’light’’ and the light is provided by the welding arc once activated.

Even then, a solar powered helmet needs battery power to give it initial power until the welding arc can take over. Those batteries will last a long time because their only function is that initiation. Another aspect to consider is that solar powered helmets are lighter, and hence tend to be more comfortable because they do not rely on the type of batteries that are needed for the whole operation of welding.

It is the flexibility of solar powered welding helmets that has really led to their acceptance as an advance in welding technology. They only need inexpensive AAA batteries for the minor power role the helmet requires rather than the more expensive lithium batteries in battery powered helmets.

Automatic settings are of major benefit, especially for those who are just starting to develop their welding skills. The helmet switches on automatically when it ‘’sees’’ the arc and likewise will switch off automatically as well.

Battery powered welding helmets

The prime advantage of a battery powered welding helmet is that you can start work immediately because of the instant power the alkaline or lithium batteries provide. If the batteries run out, you simply have to replace them and continue although you need to recognise that lithium batteries can be expensive and suitable ones not always easy to source. Recharging spent batteries is the other alternative. In general battery powered welding helmets will work for longer without needing attention but that is not always the case.

Welders can control battery consumption using the on/off switch with usually an LED giving the current status/life of the charge. You are unlikely to find yourself in trouble in the middle of a job if you have kept an eye on the remaining charge. Batteries do tend to have a finite life after which it is not possible to recharge them it has to be said. You should always look to replace ‘’spent’’ batteries with similar ones because they are what the manufacturer will have recommended.

While they will get you starting quicker, battery powered helmets require operation that is manual so there is an increase risk or mistakes as well as that being time consuming. Just a quick tip; ensure you switch off or your batteries will drain completely.

Summary

Choosing the right welding helmet does require some thought and research. On balance, even though there are some small disadvantages with solar powered helmets such as the time it takes to get the helmet charged before use, they do tend to win over those that are solely battery operated. They work well in most environments and being automatic, users need not worry about manual setting. In addition, solar power reduces the demands on batteries. Welding and safety go hand in hand and whatever you buy, ensure it comes with a reputation that it is suitable for the jobs involved.

It was a routine antenatal appt…..

I’d dropped my two kids at my sisters. “I won’t be long” I said.
At the Doctors, normal questions were asked. How was I feeling? Blood pressure normal.
Have you felt the baby move regularly?
“Erm, I think so” I said.
‘Pop on the bed and let’s just have a listen” she said.
The doppler moved over my swollen belly. I was 17 weeks pregnant. Over the scary stage,
excited for the next.
Silence.
I shifted my body a bit and listened.
Silence.
The Dr’s voice was soothing. “I’m going to send you over to the hospital for a scan, just to be
on the safe side”.
“Is everything ok” I said. I searched her eyes for reassurance.
She guided me to a chair outside the room to wait. What was I waiting for? The corridor was
dimly lit. A light flickered overhead. The floor was a pale speckled blue.
“Ok” The Dr said “They’re expecting you. Can someone drive you over to the hospital?”
“I can drive myself” I said. I was numb. In shock. In a daze.
I rang my sister to ask if she could have the girls for a while longer and drove over to the
hospital. Tears were streaming down my face. I was talking to myself out loud. “It’s going to
be ok” I said. “You’re ok in there. It’s fine” I was frantic through my tears.
I don’t know how I got to the hospital. I don’t remember driving there. I don’t remember
parking. I don’t remember the walk in to the antenatal department.
Suddenly I saw my mum. She ran in and hugged me, flustered, trying to be calm.
I was called in to a room, another Dr listened for the baby’s heartbeat.
The silence was deafening.
I was ushered into the ultrasound department. About 6 pregnant women all at different
stages of their pregnancy sat there. Some alone. Some with partners. I couldn’t look at them.
I was called in.
The atmosphere was sombre. The sonographer was quiet. She spoke softly as if she knew
the outcome already. I wanted to scream at her.
I waited. Nobody spoke. My mum sat beside me.
The cold gel was spread over my belly. She looked at the screen and moved the probe over
and over my belly for what seemed an eternity. But not long enough.
Eventually she turned it off. The screen remained turned away from me. I wanted to see it.
To see the little heart beating.
“I’m sorry” she said.
I cried then. I sobbed.
I was sent upstairs to a ward. Another long wait to see another specialist.
My husband was called. He was at work in London. He was on his way.
The baby had died probably in the last week. There was no reason. No explanation. No
answers.
I was sent home to wait for the baby to ‘expell’. Two days passed. Nothing. All that time I still
had hope. Hope that they were wrong. That my baby was still alive.
I went back to the hospital and was given something to help the process. I was put in a
maternity ward with pregnant women and women who had had their babies. It was a cruel
blow.
It happened that night. I gave birth for the third time.
But this time, no noise, no baby cries. Just my own tears.
It was taken away.
And just like that, my baby had gone.
I was never the same.
Ten years later and something will take me back there and I’ll catch a sob in my throat.
Usually a song lyric. I still cry. I still hurt. I still wonder. What if?
Whatever stage of pregnancy you’re at, the loss is all consuming. You’re grieving for what
might have been. Your future. Their future. The dreams you had and the memories you
never got to make.
It will never leave me. It’s part of me and it changed me forever.
But as with any loss, you learn to live with it. The pain dulls, life goes on.
My advice for anyone who’s friend, colleague or family member has gone through or is going
through a miscarriage. Don’t gloss over it. Don’t say “It wasn’t meant to be” Yes someone
did say this to me. Or “At least you have two healthy children” or “Nevermind, you can try
again”.
These statements don’t help. This isn’t what they need. All they need is love, hugs, warmth,
understanding. No words are necessary. Just be there, cry with them, tell them life sucks.
Be led by them. They don’t need a reason or any practical advice. Nothing you can say will
help. They just want to be listened to.
That’s all I wanted.
And even now, all these years later, when I see a 10 year old playing outside and my heart
hurts again, I know that what I’ve learned is compassion and understanding. I feel deeply for
every woman who has gone through this. I cry with them, for them. And when a baby is born,
whatever race, religion or gender. They’re all so very precious.
They’re little miracles after all.
____________________________
Anna Cascarina

It’s been 8 whole months since my last blog post which is so weird because it feels like yesterday that I wrote that – I was so sleep deprived in a cycle of questioning my ability to parent the twins and giving the older girls enough time and attention and be a good wife And then there was tiny task of finishing my book. Well I can safely say we made it, and by we I mean us – my husband for supporting me through every tear, emotional breakdown, reassuring hugs when I woke up at 4am asking him if he thought anyone would even buy my book? I actually lost count of how many cups of tea (both hot and reheated) I drank and that’s not to mention the copious amount of chocolate I consumed.

But I did it, I wrote a bloody book and it’s even got a fancy cover and everything. It feels totally surreal that with really young babies I managed to put all the jumble in my head down on paper (well keyboard) and my editors promised me it didn’t read like a massive brain dump! I honestly don’t know how I did it; there were days where I would have one baby in a sling and my foot firmly on the bouncer so I could just finish a paragraph. Dark nights where I would stay up not knowing when the twins would wake for the next feed, I got really good at expressing and typing albeit with the odd bit of boob milk spray going everywhere.

I can’t even believe I’m 10 months into my maternity leave because just like that I’m now watching the twins pull themselves up, eat toast for breakfast in their highchairs, laugh hysterically at their big sisters and I’m having to plan childcare for when I return back to work in January. I’m not sure I can honestly say I’ve learnt anything new but all the cliche things people say to you when your maternity leave are 100% true;

• it goes so fast
• everything is just a phase
• it doesn’t get easier, you just get better at it
• try and enjoy it before it’s over
• and sleep, sleep makes everything better

Anyway I digress, what I really want to say is THANK YOU to all the amazing women who contributed to my book and to my followers on here and Instagram who continued to support me through this crazy time.

You can pre order my book by clicking this link here it’s not out until February the 2nd so get in there early. Also (as I’ve been asked this a few times already) this book is for any pregnant woman, 1st or 4th baby, and not just for women how are having a ‘natural birth’ it’s got a whole chapter on c-sections. Also the weekly birth stories will be BACK as of Monday, send yours in if you would like to share it.

Big love and a massive thanks xxx