3 Things You Should Always Consider When Purchasing a Welding Helmet
There are different kinds of welding helmets and choosing the one that best fits you is a serious choice!
Welding helmets are a critical component of a welder’s PPE (Personal Protection Equipment). The Welding Helmet provides vital protection from the infrared and UV light while allowing the welder to see the arc clearly to ensure a quality weld.
While you may take into consideration other features, consider the following key features when choosing a Welding Helmet:
1. Safety-Standards:
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, this includes ultraviolet and infrared filtering regardless of the shade settings. Safety must be a top priority.
Two Common Styles of Welding Helmets
A Fixed-Shade 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. Therefore, when inspecting the weld, you will need to remove the helmet.
An Auto-darkening Helmet, variable shade allows you to select the shade preference, this allows you to adjust the shades based 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.
2. Viewing Area:
Welding Helmets come in a multitude of viewing areas. A larger viewing area provides more visibility to the weld and the weld area while a smaller viewing area provides a more focused view of the weld and weld area. When looking at a larger viewing area, weight of the helmet may be a consideration.
Once you have selected your welding helmet remember these tips:
- While welding, always wear protective clothing appropriate for welding applications. Always ware your safety glasses under the welding helmet
- For consistent visibility of the weld, ensure the outer cover lens of the welding helmet is free from slag and spatter.
3. Comfort & Wearability:
You should not have to sacrifice comfort and productivity because of your welding helmet. Choosing a welding helmet that is light weight and has a headgear designed for comfort and support will ensure all day wearability.
Hobart offers 3 main Auto-darkening Series of Welding Helmets
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Piller™ Series – 6.2 sq in viewing area
- Creator™ Series – 7.1 sq in viewing area
- Inventor™ Series – 9.3 sq in viewing area