How to chose the right welding helmet.
Safety should always be the top priority. All welding helmets must be compliant according to CSA Z94.3. All PROSTAR welding helmets meet these standards and meet USA standards ANSI Z87.1. We also recommend wearing safety glasses and a welding beanie under welding helmets. Check out our full line of PPE including safety glasses & welding beanies, online at shop.lindecanada.ca or in store.
The next essential feature when choosing a welding helmet is the type but more specifically the welding lens type. There are two types of lenses; passive and auto-darkening. Passive helmets have a dark tinted lens, usually with shade #10. The lens will remain in a dark state throughout the welding process; however the user must remove the helmet to inspect the working area. These products are necessary for certain welding processes but provide a more economical choice. Auto-darkening helmets are more of an all-around solution for all levels of expertise in welding. These helmets will automatically darken once the weld arc is struck and often the different shade levels can be adjusted. Typically, shades 4-13 are used for grinding and cutting and shades 9-13 are used for welding. See shade guide table for more guidance on application and shade levels:
| Welding Process | Arc Current (amps) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.5 | 2.5 | 10 | 20 | 40 | 80 | 125 | 175 | 225 | 275 | 350 | 450 | ||||||||||||||
| 1 | 5 | 15 | 30 | 60 | 100 | 125 | 175 | 225 | 275 | 350 | 450 | ||||||||||||||
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ||
| SMAW | 9 | 10 | 11 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| MIG (heavy) | 9 | 10 | 11 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| MIG (light) | 9 | 10 | 11 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Welding helmets come with varying dimensions of the viewing area. A larger viewing area provides more visibility to the actual weld and working area, while a smaller viewing area provides a more focused view of the weld and working area. Depending on the application the viewing area should be taken into consideration for optical clarity.
Once safety and performance are established the two other important features are comfort and durability. The welding helmet should be lightweight and comfortable to use for a full day’s work, but the helmet should also be durable to withstand the different welding processes. The helmet headgear will be an important factor in making the welding helmet comfortable. Comfort features such as integrated foam padding and an adjustable headgear will allow the helmet to be used for longer periods of time, ultimately ensuring the worker is protected during welding processes.
