Similar to staring at the sun, cancer is definitely a factor down the road. Repeated exposure to arc flashes can cause corneal damage over time.
A buddy welding next to you can flash your peripherals, or you may just forget to put your hood down. However, most welders will get flashed on occasion just due to human error. Īll of the little arc flashes that are fractions of seconds could, in theory, damage your eyes over time. Does this still harm your eyes over time? That is up for debate. Most welding hoods today are auto darkening, and some have switch times as fast as 1/25,000 of a second. This makes it easier to start your arc, but is believed to harm your eyes if used for an entire career. Veteran welders will be used to welding with passive lenses, but newbies can find them very frustrating.Īuto-darkening lenses switch from light to dark (usually in 1/10,00 of a second). These passive lenses can make it hard to start your arc because once you flip your hood down, you can’t see anything. They are usually made of tough glass that comes in specific shades based on your needs. The safest lens in terms of eye protection is what is called a “passive” lens. If you can see your entire work piece while welding, you probably need a darker lens (as too much light is coming through). Remember, you should be able to see your arc and not much else.
If you follow this advice and always use a dark enough lens, you shouldn’t be causing any damage to your eyes. If this is the case, you may want to run a darker lens shade than usual.
Some welders eyes are more sensitive than others. Many welding hoods nowadays will have shades 8-13 that can be changed with a click of a button. The chart above is a safe bet when selecting the lens shade for your project. A shade 7 or 8 just isn’t that useful most of the time. These are the shades that are most commonly used by most welders. You’ll notice that shades 10-12 have more of a range in terms of amperage. Maybe their eyes can handle that, but we wouldn’t recommend it.
You may see a welder running dual shield flux core MIG with a shade 9 lens. It is conservative and based on our personal preferences when it comes to lens shades. We have formulated this chart by combining info from other charts, and also by what we have experienced while welding. Shade 7 < 60 amps Shade 8 60-70 amps Shade 9 70-80 amps Shade 10 80-110 amps Shade 11 110-150 amps Shade 12 150-200 amps Shade 13 200 amps and above (be careful) The info below should give you a better idea of which lens is right for your project. Lens shades vary and can be used for different amperage applications. This is one of the most essential pieces of equipment that a welder can have.
0 kommentar(er)
