What is the correct shade number for a welding filter?
Determine how dark the welding filter gets when the welding arc is struck. Market standard shades are 8-13 with 13 being the darkest. See the chart below to determine the correct shade number for your welding applications. The number of sensors ranges from two for a hobby level helmet to four for an industrial grade helmet.
How to choose a welding helmet lens?
Some helmets have a filter lens with a fixed shade. In contrast, others have customized lenses with variable shade numbers. You can choose the former one if you are a professional welder of a particular welding process.
What do welding helmet shade numbers mean?
Welding helmet shades numbers vary from 4 to 13. The earlier numbers from 4 to 8 are useful in grinding and cutting processes. While the shades from 9 to 13 are mainly used for different welding processes. The larger the shade number, the darker the filter lens.
What Shade is safe for welding?
What Shade is Safe for Welding? What shade is safe for welding? Many experts or professionals recommend a shade number between 9 to 13 as a good and safe number. With the increase of Amperage, you should also have to increase the shade of the welding lens, the higher the number the darker the shade will be.
What is the minimum shade lens for welding?
OPERATIONSMINIMUM* PROTECTIVE SHADECarbon arc welding14Gas welding:Light4Medium5Heavy625 more rows
Is Shade 10 good for welding?
At the very minimum, when welding using less amperage and thinner steel materials, use a lens with shade 10. On average, welding ¼-inch of mild steel in a single pass needs roughly 180 amps. Welding Flux Core using MIG with different amperages requires the lens shade as shown below.
What is the best shade for welding helmet?
A standard welding helmet, also sometimes referred to as a passive welding helmet, features a viewing lens with a static ultraviolet (UV) and infrared (IR) filter, usually a #10 shade. This filter offers the same level of protection no matter how many amps the light gives off from the weld.
What does Shade 5 IR mean?
Shade levels 2, 3, and 5 are designed for light to medium soldering, brazing, cutting or welding. These lenses do not provide adequate protection for an arc welder (requires shield with shade 8+), but do offer good protection from nearby flash or exposure. Shade 2 VLT = 20-28% Shade 3 VLT = 10-14% Shade 5 VLT = 2-4%
What is shade number?
A shade number indicates the intensity of light radiation that is allowed to pass through a filter lens to one's eyes. Therefore, the higher the shade number, the darker the filter and the less light radiation that will pass through the lens.
What welding shade is darker?
Welding shades: Determine how dark the welding filter gets when the welding arc is struck. Market standard shades are 8-13 with 13 being the darkest.
What welding lens is best?
The Best Welding Lens on the MarketOverall Best: LINCOLN ELECTRIC 2×4 C-Series Auto-Darkening Welding Lens.Runner-Up: Tefuawe Auto Darkening Welding Lens, Shade 10.Best for TIG: ArcOne T240-10 Auto-Darkening Filter.Best Budget Fixed Shade: Armour Guard Auto-Darkening Fixed Shade 10.Eye Strain, Comfort & Size.More items...•
What setting should my welding helmet be?
Industry standard welding shades range from 5-13, with a 'light' shade (what you see through the lens before the arc is struck) at a 3 or 4. The shade number should directly correlate to the welding application. A good rule of thumb is the higher the number, the darker the shade.
How to determine welding helmet shade?
Some welders recommend considering the electrode diameter for figuring out the perfect welding helmet shade. The bigger the diameter, the more the material will quickly heat up and produce more radiation. Estimate the total time of radiation exposure to choose the darkness (shade) of your welding helmet.
What is welding helmet shade?
Usually, welding helmets have their characteristic shade number, which represents the allowable intensity of the radiation. It means that the helmet with a higher shade number will be darker.
What is a variable shade helmet?
There are two types of helmets. Some helmets have a filter lens with a fixed shade. In contrast, others have customized lenses with variable shade numbers. You can choose the former one if you are a professional welder of a particular welding process. Whereas, if you own a workshop or welding yard and work with different welding processes, it is better to buy the variable shade helmet. Though it will be a bit costly, it will serve you for all welding processes.
What is the shade number on a welding helmet?
Welding helmet shades numbers vary from 4 to 13. The earlier numbers from 4 to 8 are useful in grinding and cutting processes. While the shades from 9 to 13 are mainly used for different welding processes. The larger the shade number, the darker the filter lens.
Why do welders wear helmets?
According to MyWeldingYard, Welding Helmets are essential for protecting yourself from harm related to fire, high voltages, and sometimes spatter of molten metal . Welding helmets also provide a shield from sparks and sharp tiny particles that may penetrate your skin. Plus, helmets protect your eyes from harmful radiations ...
How hot is a welding arc?
The welding arc temperature is relatively high can reach up to 6500F. The intense heat ionizes the air, and ultimately radiations of varying frequencies are produced which are hazardous to the eyes. So, you must know the current ratings of the welding gun while choosing the safety helmet.
Why is it important to know the environment when welding?
Most of the welders mention the importance of knowing the environment because it relates to helmets’ auto-darkening capabilities. Your helmet should adopt the optical view as if most of the welding process is done in sunlight.
What shade should my welding helmet be?
Welding helmets protect your eyes from the harmful UV rays, electric sparks, flashes, gas, flame, heat and sudden flash of light.
How are shade numbers used in welding helmets?
Before knowing how to adjust the shade on a welding helmet, you need to know that there two types of lenses available: one with a particular shade number in the lenses and the other is the auto darkening one.
What to wear when welding a lens?
welding lens shade chart. So to stay protected while welding, it is your responsibility to arrange for safety glasses, goggles, a good auto-darkening welding helmet or welding face shields. The eyewear should have proper protection on the filter lens, which is indicated by the shade number.
How many sensors are needed for ADF helmets?
ADF helmets come with quite a few numbers of sensors that can detect the weld spark and thus the shade gets darker within a very short time. The sensors those are located at the helmet decides how fast the helmet will darken. The position, sensitivity and number of sensors are crucial to decide the quality of the lens shade and the helmet. 2 sensors are good if you are not attempting any out of position welding.
What is a fixed shade lens?
Fixed shade lens or variable shade lens: The welding helmets which come with single shade that is pre defined are normally with #10, whereas there are variable shade helmets which can be darkened by a number of shades. It depends upon your choice and comfort level of which welding process you will be using.
What does shade number mean on a lens?
The shade number means the amount of darkness the lens will provide. This darkness basically differs in requirement for various professions.
How long does it take for a helmet to darken?
In order to prevent your eyes the lens should get darkened by 1/3600 of a second. In a higher version, you can expect 1/20,000 seconds of response time to get darkened.
What happens to the naked eye when welding?
The emission of IR (Infrared rays) and UV (ultraviolet rays) during welding damages the naked eye. There are high quality auto darkening helmets that protects you by getting activated within 4/10ths of milliseconds. But you will receive such good response time only in the high quality helmets.
What is shade number?
The shade number provides information about the intensity of the light radiation that it will protect you from.
How to choose welding shade?
Ultimately, to find the best welding shade, you will want to look at the guidance provided by OSHA. By clicking here, you will find a two-page document distributed by OSHA which provides everything that you will need.
What is a welding shade?
Welding shades are very dark filters that let you look safely at the welding arc. Through this, you can produce a quality welded seam for your company. Welding shades are an extremely critical part of your job, as the light that is given off during most welding processes is as bright as the sun.
Why is welding invisible?
Because the light from welding can be invisible yet extremely intense, you will want to take all necessary precautions to protect your eyesight. While it may seem like overkill at the time, taking the proper precautions now can save you from severe medical injuries.
What does the shade number mean on a lens?
By looking at OSHA’s guidance (which, again, you can find by clicking here ), you can see that the shade number indicates the intensity of light radiation that is allowed to pass through a filter to your eyes. According to OSHA, the higher the shade number, the darker the filter and the less light radiation that passes through the lens.
Why invest in welding shades?
By investing in welding shades, you will have the confidence that your eyes are sufficiently protected, giving you peace of mind to complete your best work. At Phillips Safety Products, we love working with welders to ensure that their eyes are sufficiently protected. To learn more about how we can help you, don’t hesitate to visit our website .
What are the dangers of welding?
There are several dangers associated with welding, but some of the more notable center on your exposure to metal fumes and ultraviolet (“UV”), infrared (“IR”), and intense visible light. Injuries that can result from this exposure include eye damage, burns, injuries to your toes and fingers, and more. And the worst part about some of these injuries (like light-related injuries)?
Can welding shades protect your eyes?
While there are several different precautions that you can (and should take), one of the best is to purchase and use a welding shade. Welding shades can help protect your eyes in even the most challenging of conditions. This much is clear.
How dark should a welding helmet be?
The shade numbers vary from 3 to 14 which the darker. In short, these break down as:
What is the safest welding shade?
What shade is safe for welding? Many experts or professionals recommend a shade number between 9 to 13 as a good and safe number. With the increase of Amperage, you should also have to increase the shade of the welding lens, the higher the number the darker the shade will be.
How do I choose an auto darkening welding helmet?
Have you ever wondered how to choose the perfect auto darkening welding helmet?, here we wrote an article talking just about that topic, you can check all details: How To Choose A Welding Helmet: What To Consider
What is the danger of welding arcs?
There are several dangers from the light that is produced by a welding arc. Ultraviolet light – UV light radiation breaks into three classifications or categories. The wavelength of the light denotes these categories. UV-A – The longest wavelength of UV light passes through the cornea and is absorbed by the lens of your eye.
What is welding protection?
Welding requires various forms of protection for the welder. Welding produces forms of light that are potentially damaging to welder’s eyes. Hoods with the proper lens are essential. It is important to know and understand what the numbers associated with the shading of welding lenses mean and how to choose the proper shade of glass.
What does welding shade mean?
What do welding shade numbers mean? The numbers associated with welding shades indicate how dark the glass is in the lens. The higher the number, the darker the glass. The shade of glass that you choose for your welding helmet is dependent on many things.
Why wear welding hoods?
Any job that produces a high level of UV intense light calls for wearing a welding hood or goggles to protect your eyes from the UV exposure. Most of these jobs involve processes that necessitate high heat . In general, the shade number categories associated with welding lenses denote the type of welding or cutting for which the number is appropriate.
Personal Protective Equipment Structure for Eye Protection
Welding PPE is no magic trick. They don't eliminate risks in the workplace, but they significantly reduce the possibilities and save you from injuries. To ensure your protection, your PPE should have excellent quality.
Lens Talk: How a Welding Shade Chart Works
Now, welding lenses have this thing called a welding selection chart. It can be confusing at first, but it is easier to grasp than it looks. You have to master it to help you find the eye protection you need when welding.
Other Welding Safety Practices That Are Helpful for Your Eyes
Some general welding safety practices indirectly affect eye protection. Here are some tips to keep your vision protected at all times.
Weld With a Healthy and Precise Vision
Eye protection is incredibly important in welding. The arc welding shade chart outlines the best level of protection that you should wear when welding under certain conditions. However, there are other eye safety practices that you must also follow to ensure your eyesight is protected and remains healthy for years to come.
What are the requirements for welding helmets?
One of the foundational features of any helmet is safety and compliance. In the United States, welding helmets need to meet ANSI standards — and in Canada the helmets need to be CSA compliant. General standards ensure that the helmet lens protects the welder from anything that could affect the eyes, which includes ultraviolet and infrared filtering regardless of the shade settings. Safety must be a top priority.
How to wear a welding helmet?
Once you have selected your welding helmet remember these tips: 1 While welding, always wear protective clothing appropriate for your welding application. Always wear your safety glasses under the welding helmet. 2 For consistent visibility of the weld, ensure the outer cover lens of the welding helmet is free from slag and spatter.
What is an auto darkening helmet?
An Auto-darkening helmet, variable shade allows you to select the shade preference, this allows you to adjust the shades based on different welding processes and applications. Typical weld shade ranges are between shade #8 to #13. When the helmet is in the down position, you will see through a light lens allowing for clear visibility and evaluation of the weld piece and the surrounding area. Once the weld arc is struck, the helmet will automatically darken to the shade you have selected.
What happens when you put a helmet in the down position?
When the helmet is in the down position, you will see through a light lens allowing for clear visibility and evaluation of the weld piece and the surrounding area. Once the weld arc is struck, the helmet will automatically darken to the shade you have selected.
What is a passive welding helmet?
There are two common styles of welding helmets, a passive and an auto-darkening variable shade. A passive helmet has a dark tinted lens, typically a shade #10. When the helmet is in the down position, you will see through the dark lens. The lens will not switch from a light state to a darken state. It will remain dark.
What is X mode welding?
X-Mode technology electromagnetically senses the weld to eliminate sunlight interference and continuously detects the arc even if sensors are blocked.
How many sensors are needed for a helmet?
The number of sensors ranges from two for a hobby level helmet to four for an industrial grade helmet. More sensors mean better coverage, especially for out-of-position welding where a sensor could be obstructed. Three sensors may be sufficient for production work or when you have a clear line of sight to your work.