Care and Feeding of welding helmet

[Gary Fowler]

One of the guys at work says the arc doesn't produce UV rays.

I think that if I were you, I would avoid this idiot who thinks electric arcs don't produce UV rays. If he is that stupid, I wouldn't trust anything else that he may say. Solar cells will convert just about any light source from UV to Infrared to electricity. UV from electric arcs provide plenty of power to a solar cell to charge up the power supply.
I also do like Shieldarc and nod my head most of the time to lower my AD helmet but what is nice about them is that you can lower your hood especially if in a tight spot and then still see what you are doing so you don't arc up stuff that shouldn't be.

 

[Ted Summey]

+1 on what Gary Fowler said. The whole purpose of the welding helmet is to protect your face and eyes from the intense UV and heat of arc welding. Why else would you get a "sunburn" on your arms if welding without long sleeves or other protective gear if the arc didn't emit UV?

My helmet gets put inside an old t-shirt then back in the box it came in for storage between projects. When between parts of a project it hang on the wall above the welder or on the welder cart dependent on which welder I'm using. I clean it with a damp cloth

 

[k0ua]

"Electric arc's don't produce UV.".. ha ha... obviously that guy has never done any welding without protection and gotten a "sunburn" from welding..and it don't take long either.