The
first question to ask is what is the lens shade, and which one should
be used for eye protection? A common misconception is that the lens
shade number equates to the amount of protection given to the eyes.
These people think that the higher the number, the more protection
provided. Not so. The number, much like sunglasses, indicates the
darkness provided the shade and should be used to select the most
comfortable shade. Most welding experts suggest selecting a shade that
lets you see the weld puddle most clearly and the one that helps you
the most when welding.
The second common question is, that
self-darkening helmets don’t start to darken until the welding arc is
fired, giving a split second without apparent protection. Will this
brief period lead to eye damage? The answer is that high quality
helmets with auto darkening shades provide protection from both ultra
violet and infrared radiation, even when the helmet is not yet
activated.
The third question is, which type of helmet is better,
battery powered or solar powered? The answer to this, as you might
expect, is personal preference. Both type of helmets work fine. Most
battery-operated helmets have a feature that saves power by turning off
the power after the helmet has been sitting idle for a while. So, for
this reason a welder using a battery-powered helmet should pay
attention and make sure that his helmet remains on to avoid arc burn.
Also, some prefer the convenience of solar powered helmets because they
are always on.
The fourth common question is should a welder
choose a fixed shade or a variable shade? The answer is if a welder is
always using the same arc welding process and using the same material
each time, then a fixed shade if fine. But most welders use several
types of materials and their welding duties entail many different
welding applications. In this case, a variable shake will adjust for
different conditions and be preferable.
Other features that
should be sought in a welding helmet are: lightness of weight; a sensor
bar that will limit the field of response to avoid having your helmet
triggered by the guy next to you; full adjustability to provide a
better fit – especially important for welders who wear glasses; quality
and price.
Keep these questions and the corresponding answers in
mind when picking out a welding helmet and you’ll have a piece of
equipment that will help you professionally for many years to come. A
welding helmet is one of the most important pieces of safety equipment,
along with safety glasses and boots.