Basically, the thicker the electrode, the more electric current is needed. The intensity of the light emitted by the welding arc or flame depends on amperage needed, and amperage is dependent on the thickness of your electrode. How dark the lens is depends on what type of welding you’re doing. In some cases, a shade 14 lens is needed for the job. Shade 13 is considered the darkest, but is actually just the typically used darkest shade. Any shade below 4 is too light to protect your eyes. Lens Shade for WeldingĪlthough lens shades can range from 0-14, welding lenses have shades that range from 4-14. By the time you get to shade 13, only 0.00072% of the light gets through ( 1). At shade 9, only 0.037% of the light gets through. That’s why most auto-darkening lenses start around shade 3 or 4 - to allow welders to see the area before the arc activates the darkening of the filter to shade 9. That’s a lot darker than the previous shade, but it still allows you to see your work. A shade 4 lens allows about 5% of the light. That’s still bright enough for you to see the work field. For example, a shade 3 lens blocks about 86% of the light, which means only around 14% of the light gets through. The shade number tells you how much light the lens or filter blocks. So a shade #10 lens is in effect a DIN 10 lens. The shade number stated is based on the DIN rating, which is the standard way of telling how much light is being blocked by the glass. In a nutshell, the higher the lens shade number, the darker it is and the less light it allows to pass through. The shade number indicates the amount of light that passes through the lens and, thus, tells you the level of protection a particular lens offers. How much radiation a lens blocks depends on its shade. Not only do they protect your face from heat, sparks, and spatter, but they also have filter lenses that shield your eyes from damaging levels of light emitted by the arc.Ī welding lens, an essential part of your helmet, is either a piece of glass or a filter, that reduces the amount of radiation that gets into your eyes. Welding helmets are probably the most important protective devices for welding. Recommended Reading – Best Welding Helmet Under $100. PPE includes glasses, goggles, helmets, face shields, welding jackets, and gloves.
#Welding lenses shade 14 skin
That’s why welders are supposed to wear their personal protective equipment when working to protect their skin and eyes from intense radiation. You can also read our guide on the must-have safety gear when welding here.Welding arc produces electromagnetic energy, mostly in the form of ultraviolet and infrared radiation, which causes burns, injuries, and even cancer. Hopefully, you feel confident that you can now choose the best welding safety glasses for your specific needs. Servore Auto Shade Darkening Welding Goggle (From Shade #5 to #13) NOVEL Safety Glasses Protective Glasses (Shade #10)ħ. Bolle Safety Shade 5.0 Welding Safety GlassesĦ. TITUS Welding Safety Goggles (Shades: #9, #11, #14)Ĥ. Miller Electric Shade #5 Welding Safety Glasses – Best for the Moneyģ. Miller Electric Adjustable Welding Goggles (Shade: #5, #7, #9, #11, #13) – Top PickĢ. Now that we have discussed the different types of safety glasses and how they are made, here are the seven that we chose for you out of all those we reviewed.ġ. They offer the best protection from impact and splashes, but they fog up quickly. They don’t have any slits, but are one solid piece. Indirect vent goggles also have multiple slits in them, but those slits are covered, allowing them to fog more frequently. These are best used for impact protection. Types of Safety Goggles:ĭirect vent goggles have multiple slits in them to allow air to move behind the lenses and prevent fogging. Glass doesn’t distort what you’re looking at and can be protected against scratches, but these glasses are heavy and don’t do very well with any direct impact. Trivex is super-lightweight and has top-notch visibility, but is expensive.Īcrylic is lighter than glass, scratch-resistant, and less expensive, but it doesn’t offer very clear sight and isn’t very durable. Polycarbonate glasses are lightweight and protect against UV rays, but aren’t as clear as other materials.