Welding is exciting. I can tell you from experience. Having the skill to setup the neatest arcs and smoother weld pools is super cool. But what’s essential to keep you safe? A welding helmet of course!
Welding helmets provide different types of protective features based on your choice. To understand the protection at your disposal, knowing the parts of a welding helmet is a must!
Since it’s registered you’ve got to get facts about your welding helmet, what you need is the right info.
Being able to trust the facts you’re getting is equally very essential. And to trust the info you’re getting, it has to come from a reputable source. And as you’d have it, you’re sure to get pro info right here!
I’ve been in the welding game for several years, and I’ve seen the insides of many helmets in my time. Since you’d be getting protection for your head, face, and eyes from a helmet, you’ve got to read up.
After you’re through with this read, you’d have more than enough facts on what each part f a welding helmet does, and why it’s the best for you!
What to Expect
In this read, you’d get to see why you need to know about welding helmets’ accessories. This section provides info you’d find useful before delving into every part of note in a welding helmet.
All helmet types based on the operation (passive, auto-darkening, shade-switching) are looked at in this read.
Welding Helmets Parts – Why Should I Know About Them?
Some operators may reason there’s no need to get info about each part of a welding helmet. But the truth is, it’s so necessary to get these facts laid out.
Getting correct info on a welding headgear’s makeup gets you more equipped to setup and make use of your helmet. With such info, you’d know why each part comes fitted on your gear and what they actually do. You can’t go wrong with all these facts at your disposal.
Parts of a Welding Helmet
Here’s every welding helmet part you’ve got to know about;
Lens
A helmet’s lens provides protection for your eyes from direct spatter or arc lights. With the lens, a welder can continue welding regardless of a volatile arc reaction. Regardless of your chosen welding helmet, you’d see a lens fitted on it.
Passive helmets only come with a rigid lens fitted with a dark frame. But nowadays, you can get more high-tech choices that offer a range of helpful stuff.
Shade
Some helmets offer rigid eye protection, but much newer helmet choices make use of shade. Shades provide a shield for your eyes to prevent momentary blindness that could result from an arc reaction.
This comes fitted in front of your helmet’s lens or behind it. In shade-switching helmets, the shade comes embedded as one of its lens’ functions.
Shade-changing helmets come with a defined range that determines its darkness. Many helmets come within 3/4 – 8/9 – 13.
ADF knobs
Auto-darkening filters (ADF) are common to auto-darkening helmets. With an auto-darkening filter, helmet users don’t need to worry about regularly setting up eye protection.
Using knobs mounted on the surface of this helmet, you can easily tweak your helmet’s reaction to blinding arc light.
Your selected helmet’s capacity to respond quicker to arc light depends on its response time. Response times are represented by fractions of a second. The higher you setup your auto-dim helmet, the faster it’ll respond to bright light.
Sensitivity filter
If you’re making use of a passive welding helmet, there’s no need to check for a sensitivity filter. Passive helmets only come with an unchanged lens which is relatively dark-themed in most cases.
When you’re using a newer modeled welding helmet, it’s certain you got a sensitivity filter protecting you. Sensitivity filters determine the speed with which your helmet’s lens darkens to shield your eyes from harsh arc light.
When your helmet’s sensitivity is turned up, it’ll react faster to bright light than when its sensitivity is low.
A lot of helmets sport sensitivity features in the form of buttons with LED panels to monitor your setting. Others come with knobs and markers to help you setup your helmet better.
Strap
With a strap, you’d find it easy to make use of this helmet without any discomfort. Straps are mostly fitted within the shell of your welding helmet and extend to hold on to your head effortlessly.
Some straps are expandable based on the operators head size. Some others come made in tight rubber for greater expandability potential across all sizes.
Battery
Your helmet’s battery comes with one purpose – to power your helmet’s features. Some helmets come with solar-charged batteries with a panel on its surface. There’re other helmets that are exclusively powered by replaceable batteries.
Neck guard
Cheap welding helmets may not feature a neck guard, but your protective headgear should have. Neck guards extend from the helmet to form a base which protects your neck. With a neck guard, there’s no chance of metal spatter causing damage to your neck.
Helmet shell
The shell acts as a protective cover for your head amongst other stuff. It’s also where your lens, knobs, and other essential stuff are fitted.
Many helmet makers prefer to use plastic shells, especially for cheaper brands. But if you’ve got a pricier helmet, you could notice it’s made with the light material. Since the days of metal helmets are gone forever, makers now prefer using fire-resistant polymers for shells.
With this shell, you’ve assured more comfort and a lighter-weighing fixture on your head.
Final Word
So, whether you’re in the market for a miller, antra, or Jackson welding helmets, you now have an idea of your choice’s makeup.
Knowing the parts of a welding helmet is so vital, and that’s what you’ve gotten right here in detail. Make the most from the info you got right here, and get those excellent welds with so much safety!