Similarly, amperage and lens shade range has also been specified for flux core MIG welding. Thus, the lens shade will also vary accordingly from 10 to 12. Likewise, for material like aluminum, we usually set an amperage range between 80 to 250. So, the lens shade range will also vary accordingly from 10 to 13. However, it all depends upon the range of amperage you are going to use and the type of material you are going to weld.įor a material like steel, amperage varies between 80 to 500. Typically, it is recommended to use the shade range 10 to 13 for welding to keep you safe from all the flashes. Hence shade you use also depends on working metal.
It will make your lens selection process more convenient for a particular type of welding or cutting process. However, the shade number is also set according to the type of project you are going to engage with. The higher the shade number, the darker it will be. The shade number shows the level of darkness of the glass used in the helmet and the level of protection it can provide. While selecting lenses, the shade number is an important thing to consider. These welding helmets naturally come in the range between eight (shade for low amperage applications) to thirteen (shade for high amperage applications). All the auto-darkening welding helmets are 100% safe from the Ultraviolet and infrared rays. Shade number is the capability of the lens to filter the incoming rays. Welding Lens Shade Guide What do welding shade numbers mean? Typically, two sensors are enough for simple work, but you should consider more number of sensors if you are doing more out of position welding. If the helmet has more number of arc sensors, then there will be fewer chances of its failing at a difficult time. Sensors are essential to measure the surrounding level of light. Welding helmets come with a range from 2 to 4 arc sensors. A simple welding helmet has a reaction time about 1/36,00 seconds, but more robust helmets come with a reaction time above 1/20,000 seconds. The time taken by the lens to switch from regular to protective shade is called lens reaction time. Otherwise, you have to consider the variable shade lens. Thus, if you are going to weld single material with a single process, then a fixed shade lens will be enough. While the variable lens darkens to a range of shades. Fixed one only darkens to a single shade and is used in passive welding helmets. Important things to consider for the lens of a welding helmetįirst of all, you must decide between a fixed or variable shade lens. Everything like the type of welding helmet, lens shade number, the amperage, and the kind of material you are going to weld, must be in your mind before endeavoring to weld adventure. These incidents happen because we don’t use the right lens shade according to the requirement. Most of these injuries are welding-related. Almost 10,000 eye injuries are reported in the USA each year, according to US consumer product safety commission. Your safety from radiations, sparks, and spatter rely on this thing. Kim Menard, public relations manager for Airgas, said the welding equipment sold by their company should only be used "for their intended purposes in accordance with all applicable instructions and safety information.The lens shade is the most important thing to check while choosing the best welding helmet for you. Prices range from $12.99 for a 2-inch-by-4.25-inch lens to $9.99 for a 50mm circular welding lens. It would not cause complete blindness," he said. “It can cause central blind spots that may permanently cause difficulty with reading or driving.
Stephen Franklin, an opthalmologist for Center for Sight, said there are consequences to using a lesser-shade lens. More: See the solar eclipse at one of 30 East Tennessee spots' viewing events What could happen if you use the wrong lens? Most welder's lenses do not bear a marking that designates the shading. That means if you have a welder's helmet or welder's lens at your home, it may not be equipped with the proper shading for viewing an eclipse.