Choosing A Welding Helmet That Works For You

Whether your welding task takes you out on an oil rig or into a mechanic’s garage, you must have the right protection for your eyes in various work environment. If they invest a little more in their helmet, welder will find it can make a huge difference to their comfort and overall welding ability, while allowed to have better protection. That is to say, welding helmets come in a broad variety of price ranges and are made for different applications. Here are several important factors to think about while choosing a welding helmet for work.

1. Do I Need a Single Fixed Shade or Variable Shade Lens?

A standard welding helmet features a viewing lens with a static ultraviolet (UV) and infrared (IR) filter, tipically a #10 shade. This filter provides the same level of protection no matter whether it be strong or weak the light gives off from the weld. When a welder is gonna do his welding work, he will need to flip the helmet down while keeping the torch in the same position. When work is done, the welder has to lift the helmet to get a clear and bright view.

While standard helmets with fixed lenses are often cheaper, they have some drawbacks. For an inexperienced worker, it entails some practice to keep the torch steady and in the right location after snapping the welding helmet into place. Also, there isn’t always room to maneuver or to flip a helmet up or down if you’re welding in a restricted environment or confined space,say if you are in a oil rig . In a word, Lifting and lowering a helmet also adds to your work time and cause trouble, which can have an negative impact on their productivity.

However, if most of your welding tasks only involve simple welding then there’s really no need to buy anything more than a fixed shade #10 standard helmet.

2. What About Switching Speed?

The lens switching speed or reaction time refers to how long time it takes a lens to switch from its natural state to a shade 3 or 4 when welding begins, and is usually expressed in ratings of 1/3,600 of a second to up to 1/25,000. If your job requires welding for continuous works, a low switching speed may cause sereve eye fatigue when you get off work by the end of the day. If this is the case, going to an intermediate or professional level switching speed is a good choice when choosing a welding helmet.

3. Battery, Solar Power or Both?

Auto darkening helmets come with a variety of power options, say Battery, Solar Power or Both. Some have internal non-replaceable batteries and solar assist panels. Others feature replaceable batteries with solar-powered panels. Some offer lithium batteries, which are great for extended battery life, but they also aren’t as widely available as AAA batteries. Lithium batteries can be costly. Some helmets with solor-powered panels entail a charging period in direct sunlight before they can be put in use. The decision here is probably a personal one, but for wide availability and economical battery replacement cost, it is wise to choose AAA battery. For extended battery life, it is never wrong to choose lithium.

4. Does Helmet Weight Matter?

Sure. A lighter weight welding helmet will reduce neck strain and reduce fatigue with extended use. Choosing your helmet weight will really be combined with all of the other factors along with how long each day you need to use it. Simply, if welding is your first task, choose a lightest possible welding helmet for your budget

5. What about Personal Preference?

It is safe to say that all welding helmets are designed to protect workers from the ultraviolet and infrared dangers going off from welding arcs. Still there are many options on the market out there. After Knowing if you will be using the helmet for one specific task or many is the first thing to considerate. Apart from that budget, weight, viewing lens and more, another important factor involves if it is comfortable for you and that you can wear for an extended period of time if needed. Taking some time to choose the right fit will be paid off by your increasingly improved productivity and weld quality.

Besides, Not all welding helmets on the market today meet current safety standards, and this is an important thing to check when choosing a welding helmet. Check that the helmet packaging is specifically marked ANSI Z87.1 – 2003 or Z87+, which certifies that the helmet has the latest approval from the American National Standards Institute and the Society of Safety Engineers. If all you see is "ANSI Approved", it is not guaranteed to pass the 2003 standard.