What do the weld lens numbers really mean.

Welding Techniques, Theory, Machines and Questions.

Moderator: Harold_V

gmann109
Posts: 399
Joined: Tue Jun 20, 2006 8:39 pm

Post by gmann109 »

PeteH wrote:Thanks... but the one I used to have didn't have any number-rating, it was just intended to block IR. It probably would have rated about a '2' - darker than "street" sunglasses, but considerably lighter than a brazing lens.

I want it for forge-work, where I need to see the workpiece in normal light, but also need to protect my (already foggy) eyes from the radiated heat when forge-welding.
Protection from radiated light is probably the main use for the gold-plated lenses. They are offered on some of the sites in different shade values as well. I recall that a friend of mine and I tried them during a one year welding class that we took at the local community college in the winter of 1994-1995. They definitely made it easier on the eyes.
User avatar
ken572
Posts: 2600
Joined: Sun Mar 14, 2010 8:11 pm
Location: Mesa, Arizona. 85201-1517

Re: What do the weld lens numbers really mean.

Post by ken572 »

Hello dgoddard,
Lenses are numbered from 2 thru 14., 2 is the lightest and 14 is the darkest.
What are the various components of eye protection for welders?
Eye protection is provided in an assembly of components:
• Helmet shell - must be opaque to light and resistant to impact, heat and electricity.
• Outer cover plate made of polycarbonate plastic which protects from UV radiation, impact and scratches.
• Filter lens made of glass containing a filler which reduces the amount of light passing through to the eyes. Filters are available in different shade numbers ranging from 2 to 14. The higher the number, the darker the filter and the less light passes through the lens.
• Clear retainer lens made of plastic prevents any broken pieces of the filter lens from reaching the eye.
• Gasket made of heat insulating material between the cover lens and the filter lens protects the lens from sudden heat changes which could cause it to break. In some models the heat insulation is provided by the frame mount instead of a separate gasket.
What else should you know about eye protection?
• Choose a tight fitting helmet to help reduce light reflection into the helmet through the space between the shell and the head.
• Wear the helmet correctly. Do not use it as a hand shield.
• Protect the shade lens from impact and sudden temperature changes that could cause it to crack.
• Use a cover lens to protect the filter shade lens. Replace the cover lens if it gets scratched or hazy.
• Make sure to replace the gasket periodically if your helmet uses one.
• Replace the clear retaining lens to protect your eyes from broken pieces.
• Clean lenses periodically.
• Discard pitted or damaged lenses.
What should you know about filter shade selection?
For Arc welding, the correct filter shade is selected according to the welding process, wire diameter, and operating current. The table below gives the correct shade numbers for different situations.
• ALWAYS use suggested shade numbers instead of minimum shades.
Arc Weld Shade Numbers.jpg
• Provide additional task lighting that suits welders' needs.
• Use the same shade as the welder's if you are directly observing the welding arc.
• Do not use gas welding goggles for arc welding.
• Do not substitute modified glasses, sunglasses, smoked plastic or other materials for proper welding lenses.
For gas cutting, welding and brazing, the intensity of the light is much less than from arc welding. Lighter shade filter lenses are used with goggles in place of a helmet.
The correct shade numbers for oxyfuel cutting are shown in the table below.
Cutting Shade Numbers.jpg
Cutting Shade Numbers.jpg (14.98 KiB) Viewed 12583 times
Can you wear contact lenses when welding?
As stated in the OSH Answers document Contact Lenses at Work, dust particles or chemicals that can irritate the eyes may be present in many welding areas. Wearing contact lenses may not be advisable in such workplaces.
Reports of contact lenses being "welded" to the cornea (or lens of the eye) as a result of exposure to an arc flash have been proven to be incorrect. It is impossible for contact lenses to become "welded" to the cornea.
All workers in proximity to welding procedures must wear appropriate eye protection whether they are using contact lenses or not.
Note that in Canada, Prince Edward Island's Occupational Health and Safety Act Regulations (E.C. 180/87) Section 45.11 specifically bans wearing contact lenses while welding.
Welding Lense Info
http://www.phillips-safety.com/store/in ... Path=41_66

http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/weldingcutting ... dards.html

http://www1.mscdirect.com/Welding-Lense ... 10816.HTML

http://www.visionrx.com/library/enc/enc_safety.asp

Glass Filters
http://search.newport.com/i/1/q1/Produc ... gwodg1gfEA

http://www.phillips-safety.com/store/in ... bAodCG8Jxw

http://www.optical-glass-filters.com/uv-ultraviolet.htm
I hope this info answers your questions.
Ken.
One must remember.
The best learning experiences come
from working with the older Masters.
Ken.
User avatar
Harold_V
Posts: 20231
Joined: Fri Dec 20, 2002 11:02 pm
Location: Onalaska, WA USA

Re:

Post by Harold_V »

dgoddard wrote: I am not "catching a flash" at any time but my eyes later burn a bit and sometimes feel a bit gritty. This has always been the case for me with arc welding with a variety of fixed shade and auto-darkening helmets.
Don't discount the possibility that you fail to blink when welding.

Don't laugh. I found that was my problem when running my bead blast cabinet. I made a conscious effort to blink and my problems were gone.

YMMV.

Harold
Wise people talk because they have something to say. Fools talk because they have to say something.
spro
Posts: 8016
Joined: Mon Feb 20, 2006 11:04 pm
Location: mid atlantic

Re: What do the weld lens numbers really mean.

Post by spro »

Mentioned early on, ventilation is important. i'm a smoker and when i quit often many other smells are obvious. When I'm a smoker my airways render me immune to things which would otherwise be noticible. Then the cillia dies and you can't cough out the garbage. Then that's trouble. Before that there are cadmium plated fasteners and various metal and rod combinations which are odious to lungs and of course an exposed organ like an eye. So getting past sterile water eye wash there could be a sealed helmet supplied to fresh air.
The hose is akin to that hospital stuff. Clear sterile, very flexible. aprox 1 1/4" dia.
PeteH
Posts: 1065
Joined: Mon Jun 11, 2007 10:49 pm
Location: Tidewater Virginia, USA

Re: What do the weld lens numbers really mean.

Post by PeteH »

Same thing happens with people who sit in front of computers all day: They get dry-eye. We had to TEACH people to blink every few seconds. IIRC there even are little light-flashing devices to remind them.
Pete in NJ
StellarLakeSys
Posts: 1
Joined: Mon Apr 04, 2022 11:36 am

Re: What do the weld lens numbers really mean.

Post by StellarLakeSys »

how much light each shade level blocks is outlined in this standards document, page 21 of the pdf, labeled page 14 in the document
https://safetyequipment.org/wp-content/ ... 7-2010.pdf
was looking for the answer to that myself, came across here, figured I'd share the answer after I found it digging through various safety standards
User avatar
Bill Shields
Posts: 10460
Joined: Fri Dec 21, 2007 4:57 am
Location: 39.367, -75.765
Contact:

Re:

Post by Bill Shields »

dgoddard wrote: Fri Jan 15, 2010 6:04 pm
Harold_V wrote: Have you considered that it may be you that's the problem?
Harold
Actually I have considered that I probably am part of the problem in that I happen to be both blessed and beset with extra sensitivity in hearing sight and sense of smell. So it would not even require a problem of not blinking, but since you mention it I will watch for that too. But my eyes have always been glare sensitive. I seem to be more reactive to environmental irritants so that is why I was speculating about the fume issue.

Thanks for the blinking tip.
it can also be a function of medication.
Too many things going on to bother listing them.
RONALD
Posts: 754
Joined: Sun Oct 26, 2003 7:27 am

Re: What do the weld lens numbers really mean.

Post by RONALD »

Here is a company that makes all kinds of protective wear, including some shields with gold plating:

https://www.chicagoprotective.com/face- ... lenses.php
User avatar
SteveR
Posts: 372
Joined: Thu Jun 01, 2006 4:17 pm
Location: Los Angeles

Re: What do the weld lens numbers really mean.

Post by SteveR »

Make sure you change the polycarbonate cover plate over the filter. My experience is that it gets scratched and dirty and that a new one makes a big difference in being able to view the puddle. Pack of 5 for $15.
SteveR
12x36 Enco Lathe, 9x42 Bridgeport, SMAW, O/A, Miller MIG w/gas, plasma
Not enough measuring tools...
1.5" Allen Models Consolidation on air.
1" FEF in progress
1" & 3/4" LE Projects
Measure twice, cut once, wait - it was supposed to be brass! :)
318J
Posts: 165
Joined: Mon Apr 04, 2016 3:27 pm
Location: Meramec Valley, MO

Re:

Post by 318J »

dgoddard wrote: Fri Jan 15, 2010 3:00 pmSo if I take that at face value, my eyes are protected from damage and all that I accomplish by adjusting the darkness is that I am adjusting my comfort level.
This assumption is wrong! While most good, newer lenses will filter out the majority of UV, the shade level still determines the amount of light (radiation) that enters your hood and eyes. A shade 10 lens is the minimum recommended for any arc welding, although I know coworkers who use a 9 when doing very, very light welding on paper-thin materials.

I've welded with 1/16"+ Fluxcore wire, and with 5/16" 7018 stick electrodes (over 300 amps), regrettably forgetting to change my shade 10 to a 12 or even higher first. You can't just see the difference, you can feel it in your retinas. This is because while some of the UV may be blocked, staring into a very bright light without adequate protection is still not good for your eyes! (And why so many welders develop eye problems after years and decades of welding, even with proper protection)

Despite what your welding supplier says, gold coated lenses are very much real and I prefer them immensely. (NASA uses gold coating on space suit lenses, so the technology is legit). Though I haven't ever seen a gold coated auto-darkening lens, maybe that's why they didn't have what you wanted? The people at welding stores (surprisingly) rarely have insight on minute details like that because they don't weld for a living, or probably have never welded at all.

Bottom line- choose the right lens for the right welding you're doing. Going too light of a shade to "see better" will have consequences- and could be a contributor, if not the reason behind your dry, sandy eyes. (Which is a symptom of arc flash, or "arc eye" resulting from inadequate protection of the eyes to the welding arc) Make sure you clean your lens frequently, and clean or change the clear protective lens over it. A scratched, chipped, cracked, or otherwise compromised lens, no matter how lightly scratched, is not going to be as effective at stopping UV or filtering enough light.

If you're using the right shade and the problem persists, it's likely either from not blinking, welding fumes irritating your eyes*, getting dust in the eyes, or another issue resulting from medication side effects or another medical condition. Consult your doctor- eyes are too precious.

*If the issue is from welding fumes, firstly, get your head out of the fumes while welding! Move your head to another spot or angle where the cloud won't interfere with your line of sight or wrap around your head. Secondly, improve the ventilation in your shop. If you look up from welding to see the room filled with haze you need to open doors/windows and start a fan to make sure the smoke is getting cleared out. If you weld a lot, consider installing ventilation hood, or buying a "smoke eater" you can position above your work. Even with a makeshift fresh air hood, if the room is hazy when you take if off after a bead, you're still breathing it.

I apologize for the rant, but I personally have occupationally induced asthma from not taking the time to set up proper ventilation, and have seen too many people develop painful, short term "arc-eye" or long term, permanent problems with eye sight from not using the right lens, or not using one at all when torch cutting or plasma cutting.
-Sam
Boilermaker, Pipefitter, former Railroader
"Preserving the Past and Ensuring Our Future"
Post Reply