chris pruteanu
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so which is better the crystal or the panoramax ?
- Thread starter Hood
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Richard.
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I struggle with the pano I really do. I see what they tried to do but it’s just (for me) not a pleasure at all when compared to the 684 and 680 versions I’ve used in the past. They were simply excellent masks in comparison to this.
I’m on my second one now as the first was replaced under warranty when it fell off the bench and cracked all the ADF to the point it stopped working altogether.
Both of them were either too sensitive to the point every thing made them react or not sensitive enough and flashing me. Auto or manual it was the same. Couldn’t find a happy compromise setting. Maybe that’s just me being a wally not knowing how to set it up but I’d like to think I’ve used enough of them to have a good enough idea.
I don’t use mine every day sometimes it’s just once or twice a week and I think it needs very regular use to keep its charge. So twice now I’ve been on a demo and it’s gone flat.
You can’t replace the batteries you need to plug it in for a couple hours. It’s very innovative having it rechargeable but some people just want to replace the batteries and go again.
Have any of you put a pano into grind mode yet?
I did it first time last week. You’ve got this lovely 2.5 shade coupled up with this nice wide field of view but then some bright spark fitted a very bright blue flashing light to the adf which blinks once every second to say I’m in grind mode. This reflects off the clear lense and is right in your field of vision. Last thing you want when grinding!!
It’s not all bad though. It’s comfortable, very light, 2.5 shade is nice but not my cuppa tea. The other optrels in the family are much nicer better designed masks imo.
I’m on my second one now as the first was replaced under warranty when it fell off the bench and cracked all the ADF to the point it stopped working altogether.
Both of them were either too sensitive to the point every thing made them react or not sensitive enough and flashing me. Auto or manual it was the same. Couldn’t find a happy compromise setting. Maybe that’s just me being a wally not knowing how to set it up but I’d like to think I’ve used enough of them to have a good enough idea.
I don’t use mine every day sometimes it’s just once or twice a week and I think it needs very regular use to keep its charge. So twice now I’ve been on a demo and it’s gone flat.
You can’t replace the batteries you need to plug it in for a couple hours. It’s very innovative having it rechargeable but some people just want to replace the batteries and go again.
Have any of you put a pano into grind mode yet?
I did it first time last week. You’ve got this lovely 2.5 shade coupled up with this nice wide field of view but then some bright spark fitted a very bright blue flashing light to the adf which blinks once every second to say I’m in grind mode. This reflects off the clear lense and is right in your field of vision. Last thing you want when grinding!!
It’s not all bad though. It’s comfortable, very light, 2.5 shade is nice but not my cuppa tea. The other optrels in the family are much nicer better designed masks imo.
Hood
I am obsessed.
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Crystal is definitely better in my opinion but unlike @Richard. I love the Panoramaxx, just not as much as the Crystal 
Not had any of the problems @Richard. has had and never had to charge the battery and mine can be sitting for a week or more unused as well. Don't use grind mode as it is mostly Aluminium I do and it doesn't spark but even then I tend to flip the lid up anyway. I have tested out grind mode though and the LED never bothered me, maybe I just wear the lid closer or something
Regarding sensitivity, not really had a problem although I did find it was a bit more sensitive to sunlight reflecting off the water when welding on boats, more so than the E684.
I have not used the crystal enough to say how it will perform in all situations, in fact I have only really done test welds with it so far, tomorrow will be the first day out on a job when I am welding some Alu on a boat so we will see how it performs.
Not had any of the problems @Richard. has had and never had to charge the battery and mine can be sitting for a week or more unused as well. Don't use grind mode as it is mostly Aluminium I do and it doesn't spark but even then I tend to flip the lid up anyway. I have tested out grind mode though and the LED never bothered me, maybe I just wear the lid closer or something
Regarding sensitivity, not really had a problem although I did find it was a bit more sensitive to sunlight reflecting off the water when welding on boats, more so than the E684.
I have not used the crystal enough to say how it will perform in all situations, in fact I have only really done test welds with it so far, tomorrow will be the first day out on a job when I am welding some Alu on a boat so we will see how it performs.
Richard.
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Perhaps I’m being a little bit hard on it. Don’t get me wrong it’s a very clever bit of kit. If you exclude the crystal for a second it’s probably the most sophisticated mask out there.
The shape of the adf is very clever because they can keep the viewing area small enough to make it very light yet bring it so close to go over your nose you actually see as much as you would through a large viewing area which would add a lot of weight. Can’t fault the clarity one bit.
Rechargeable adf is again very clever. It has caught me out but then I suppose if I just put it on charge once a month one evening I could get on with it fine rather than leaving it.
Grind mode blue blinking light isn’t an issue for me at all as I don’t like grind mode any way.i only tried it out of curiosity. I’d always grind with a clear screen. I just can’t believe that was put there. It’s quite funny really as It obviously was an oversight and not thought about the fact it reflects off the clear cover lens right in your view lol.
All this I could actually live with because it’s lovely when Its in use and behaving. My only real frustration with it is I can’t get it to just work. It behaves so differently depending on the lighting situation around it that you can’t just slap it in to shade 11 and just weld you have to play with the settings and get the sensitivity just right for the job and surrounding light every time you get it out. If someone with a pano would know of a good way to set it up for general use it would be appreciated as I don’t want to spend 10 minutes playing with my welding mask before performing a demo.
The shape of the adf is very clever because they can keep the viewing area small enough to make it very light yet bring it so close to go over your nose you actually see as much as you would through a large viewing area which would add a lot of weight. Can’t fault the clarity one bit.
Rechargeable adf is again very clever. It has caught me out but then I suppose if I just put it on charge once a month one evening I could get on with it fine rather than leaving it.
Grind mode blue blinking light isn’t an issue for me at all as I don’t like grind mode any way.i only tried it out of curiosity. I’d always grind with a clear screen. I just can’t believe that was put there. It’s quite funny really as It obviously was an oversight and not thought about the fact it reflects off the clear cover lens right in your view lol.
All this I could actually live with because it’s lovely when Its in use and behaving. My only real frustration with it is I can’t get it to just work. It behaves so differently depending on the lighting situation around it that you can’t just slap it in to shade 11 and just weld you have to play with the settings and get the sensitivity just right for the job and surrounding light every time you get it out. If someone with a pano would know of a good way to set it up for general use it would be appreciated as I don’t want to spend 10 minutes playing with my welding mask before performing a demo.
Hood
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Do you never use Auto mode? That is what I use and then fine tune the shade +/- to suit your eyes/preferences. Once I have the Auto adjusted to what I feel comfortable with then that is it no matter the process or the current, it adjusts and for me is spot on and I never have to touch again. The E684 was the same and I think the Crystal will be the same as well.
Richard.
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The auto shade and manual shade work fine. Think I’ve got mine set on +1
It’s the sensitivity. Can’t get it to ignore lighting and react to welding easily
684 was never mine. It was a pals I had a good few goes with.
Really liked that. Gawd knows what it was set on I just threw it on a few times and welded.
Shox Dr
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I think there maybe a problem with my e684. Shortly after starting to weld the screen goes much darker, where I can only see the pool, and a bit of the surrounding area.
Its not the settings as I’ve played about with them. Its as if I’ve increased the amps. Torch angle, head and helmet angle are the same and so is distance. Dont know whats going on.
Its not the settings as I’ve played about with them. Its as if I’ve increased the amps. Torch angle, head and helmet angle are the same and so is distance. Dont know whats going on.
Richard.
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Is it in warranty shox?I think there maybe a problem with my e684. Shortly after starting to weld the screen goes much darker, where I can only see the pool, and a bit of the surrounding area.
Its not the settings as I’ve played about with them. Its as if I’ve increased the amps. Torch angle, head and helmet angle are the same and so is distance. Dont know whats going on.
One thing that was an awesome experience from optrel was using the warranty service when mine cracked.
I was sent an email with a quick form to fill out asking the details around the fault and the serial number. Took 5 mins to fill out and send back. 48 hrs later a brand new one landed on the door. They didn’t even want the old one back or quibble the reason around the fault in any way.
Perfect quick easy system.
Hood
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Ok, for me there is no messing, set to Auto, set the +/- to suit my eyes (only done once as after it is correct for all amperages and welding types) and job done. As said I have issues at times with the glare off the water affecting it but turning down the sensitivity helps with that although it still goes dark at times with the glare. Maybe I just got lucky with mine as you seem to have had the same issue with the original and the replacement so it is more likely there may be an issue with them.
I think there maybe a problem with my e684. Shortly after starting to weld the screen goes much darker, where I can only see the pool, and a bit of the surrounding area.
Its not the settings as I’ve played about with them. Its as if I’ve increased the amps. Torch angle, head and helmet angle are the same and so is distance. Dont know whats going on.
Definitely something wrong there, could it be batteries? how old is it?
Richard.
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Send me your email shox and I’ll send you the warranty claim link.
Shox Dr
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Badger1bear
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Thankyou for the positive review Mr Hood. I ordered the Optrel Crystal from Andy at Rapid Welding this morning
Hood
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Well you won't be disappointed if my experience is anything to go by. I used mine on a real job welding aluminium on a boat today and I just don't have the words to describe the experience. It is just amazing, everything is in real colour, everything is clear, you can see a huge area around where you are welding, I even saw my shadow on the sheet of aluminium whilst I was welding
zeppelin builder
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Got the Crystal 2.0 today and all I can say is it is unbelievable.
I have had an Optrel E684 and thought it was amazing. I currently have a Panoramaxx and love it although it is not quite as clear as the E684 was. Well maybe clear is not the correct terminology as the Panoramaxx has a green tint and the E684 has a blueish tint and the latter suits me better.
Ok so what about the Crystal, well it doesn't really have a tint, maybe a very very very slight blue/silver/grey but really it is just like looking through a clear shield. When you strike an arc it goes slightly darker, well actually it must be a lot darker but as there is no change to the colour of the shade you still see everything in the exact colour you would see just looking with your own eyes and no lens.
You can still see the material for quite a distance and you do not get the focused small area that you do with other helmets, you can see all around the weld and you don't actually think it has darkened much but obviously it has.
I have tried it with stainless Tig at 15 Amps, 30 Amps and 70Amps. I tried Alu Tig at 120/140/160Amps and Alu with pulse and double pulse Mig and all were clear, full non-tint colour and huge area viewable, in fact all were Crystal clear
meh ehs a hurtin jist readin aboot it
Shox Dr
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Thankyou for the positive review Mr Hood. I ordered the Optrel Crystal from Andy at Rapid Welding this morning
Bought my e684 from Rapid
Badger1bear
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I have bought a shed load over the years from Andy at Rapid WeldingBought my e684 from Rapid
always very knowledgeable and extremely competitive on prices plus not a bad line in mugs, hats and T shirts@Badger1bear
Did Andy do you a good deal??
(Don't need to know exact price as will probably message dealers next week)
I have been offered one for sensible money from a local supplier and so tempted about selling my lid for a fresh optrel.
Did Andy do you a good deal??
(Don't need to know exact price as will probably message dealers next week)
I have been offered one for sensible money from a local supplier and so tempted about selling my lid for a fresh optrel.
