instant dark helmet specs

ron45 · Nov 1, 2014

I'm not really a welder I just have some of the stuff cuz I live in the boonies. Looking at helmets, the specs are all over the place and in different formats. I'm not much of a math guy. There is a spec of 0.1ms on a 3M Speedglass v100, I've seen 1/20,000th of a second, and 1/25.000. Isn't 0.1ms 1/100th of a milisecond which is.... I think one one thousandth of a second. Now this seems like the smaller number than the first two. Another important question is how fast is fast enough to protect your eyes? I have a dink welder that puts out 125 amps wide open. Someone told me I should use 1/16" rod and stay with steel 1/4 inch thick or less.

So should I stay with 1/16" rod? I usually use 6011. What about that math? It also says you get one darknss setting shade 10. Is that an ok spec for my welding needs? Thanks for your time.

Ron

Soundguy · Nov 1, 2014

.1 is 1/10

.01 is 1/100

rswyan · Nov 1, 2014

I think the UV (ultra-violet) and IR (infra-red) protection is present at all times (darkened or not) ... so the response time may be a moot issue in that regard. Obviously faster is better, in terms of getting flashed.

As far as as the darkness of the shade, most of the auto-darkening helmets are user adjustable via a dial ... I think my Hobart goes from 8 or 9 up to 13 or 14 ...

Soundguy · Nov 1, 2014

mine is the same. 9-14 or so

CNC Dan · Nov 1, 2014

as others have said, full IR and UV protection at all times, darkened or not. So just get one you can afford.
I like the ones from Harbor Freight.

ron45 · Nov 4, 2014

Sound Guy, CNC Dan, RS Wyan I appreciate the help. I had no idea UV and IR protection were already there. I'm curious if it is assumed that just plain glass will do that. Or is there something to add to the heap of what I don't know about welding?

I live off grid in a passive/active solar adobe. We use bubble pac as roll up insulation on 30 of double pane and tempered patio door replacement glass. I can tell you there is something coming thru the glass the makes the bubble pac brittle after a year or so. I was pretty much discounting the 39.00 models mostly out of fear for my retinas. I'll have to give those another look. I guess it depends on what the 'already there protection is.

One last thing. When I came to check today to see if there were any replies, there was just this little green icon where the reply number would normally be. More stuff I don't know..... Thanks everyone.

Ron

Soundguy · Nov 4, 2014

i've been using a 35$ HF one for years and years. Beats the heck out of a head nodder.

MinnesotaDaveChalmers · Nov 5, 2014

ron45 said:
I'm not really a welder I just have some of the stuff cuz I live in the boonies. Looking at helmets, the specs are all over the place and in different formats. I'm not much of a math guy. There is a spec of 0.1ms on a 3M Speedglass v100, I've seen 1/20,000th of a second, and 1/25.000. Isn't 0.1ms 1/100th of a milisecond which is.... I think one one thousandth of a second. Now this seems like the smaller number than the first two. Another important question is how fast is fast enough to protect your eyes? I have a dink welder that puts out 125 amps wide open. Someone told me I should use 1/16" rod and stay with steel 1/4 inch thick or less.

So should I stay with 1/16" rod? I usually use 6011. What about that math? It also says you get one darknss setting shade 10. Is that an ok spec for my welding needs? Thanks for your time.

Ron

0.1ms = 1/10,000 = 0.0001 of a second

0.05ms = 1/20,000 = 0.00005 of a second

0.04ms 1/25,000 = 0.00004 of a second

seymojo536 · Nov 6, 2014

Just for reference;

Blink of eye:

100 - 400ms = 1/10 - 4/10 = 0.1 - 0.4 seconds

woodskiff · Nov 6, 2014

Ron45, My son and I started taking a welding course. We both settled on the manual Jackson Shadow basic, because of the lens size. However, on a "let's try it, what the heck chance, we went to Northern Tool , Well-Bilt, for $35 bucks. All I'll say is AWESOME! Do yourself a favor, check it out , read the reviews. Good Luck