Everybody asked this question one day. Since our childhood, we have often been told not to look at the sun directly as it can lead to blindness.
Look on the sun directly without using any necessary measures can damage your eyes. Consequently, to avoid this we use hats, caps, umbrellas, sunglasses, etc.
However, all these aids are not safe to look at the sun straight. So, the question develops, can you look at the sun with a welding helmet?
What if someone wants to look at the sun directly? Is there any instrumentation to stare at the sun directly without getting sightless? Premature answer to our question is…
Yes, you can look at the sun with the use of a welding helmet. However, there are only certain helmets that ensure sufficient eye protection.
In this article, you will know if it is harmless to use a welding mask to look at the sun or solar eclipse. What happens to your eyes when you look at the sun direct, and how sure welding helmets are projected to permit sun looking?
Is it safe to use a welding mask to look at the sun?
Welding helmets are designed to defend the welder’s eyes from distinct and gleaming welding sparks. Ultraviolet and invisible light being discharged by the welding electric arc, that can lead to flash burns, retinal damage and arc eye.
Specialists saying that, not all welding helmets could be used, they have “shade level” and the safest way to stare at the sun gazing with a welding helmet is to use 12th shade level or higher.
If you are uncertain what the lens shade is on the welding helmet that you intend to use, then the safest thing to do is not look directly at the sun and find different welding helmets.
Even with a shade 14 darkness, welding masks don’t let you look at the sun for long. These optical devices are safe only when you’re seeing the sun in its totally eclipsed state.
A partly eclipsed sun
When a component of the sun’s artifact is still directly visible to the side, it is still too bright as a new penny for the helmet to protect you. Your eyes might not sense the harm, and the damage might not be contiguous, but the protection is still deficient, like a solar eclipse glasses.
Learn more from the article – Can you look at the sun or eclipse with a welding helmet?
Should a welding helmet darken when looking at the sun?
Auto darkening helmets
Since the early 1980s, welding helmets that consider an LCD mechanical device that corrects to light automatically have been acquirable.
Welders prefer auto-darkening welding helmets because when they are working with various metals, a one-size-fits-all approach to a welding helmet is not reclaimable.
How do I set up an auto-dimming lens?
If you are using an ADF helmet with a constant shading index that exceeds the capabilities of your welding machine, which means that the lens coatings block all UV rays and IR radiation generated by your welding helmets, you can choose a configuration according to your comfort.
The perfect frame is light enough to see what you need, but dark enough to avoid eye strain. If you notice spots on the glass after welding, it’s time to choose a darker shade.
My personal preference is closer to the more obscure configuration in the ANSI and AWS recommendations. The reason for this is probably in my clear eyes.
Since everyone is different, your actual attitude will depend on your work environment and your personal preferences in terms of comfort and visibility.
The auto-darkening shade adjusts to changing levels of brightness, so this characteristic helps protect your eyes no matter the material on which they are coming through.
If you decide to use an auto-darkening lens for seeing the sun, remark that not all auto-darkening welding helmets go up to a lens shade of 14. Most have a range that ends at shade level 13.
Those who are using welding helmets to look at the sun may find the auto-darkening attribute useful.
However, be sure to change the sensibility up and turn the inactivity down. This improvement allows the lens to convert to a higher shade quickly enough to protect your eyes.
If the delay takes too long to transition, you run the endangerment of damaging your eyes.
How to test a shadow lens with automatic dimming in auto-darkening helmets
Many improved elements of self-darkening sunglasses have a self-check button that shows that your helmet’s ADF is working. But keep in mind that this test only determines if the battery is charged and if the ADF can work, it does not check if it works when creating an arc.
There is another quick and easy way to troubleshoot or check the operation of lenses, including sensors, for your safety. Helmet sensors detect infrared radiation from the welding arc.
An ordinary TV remote control emits an infrared signal, which also activates the sensor in the headset.
This simple trick also allows you to check to what extent the sensors pick up signals from one side to the other or in the upper and lower parts of the mask.
Useful information that you need to know when working with other welders and use auto-darkening helmets.
Can you get arc eye through a welding helmet?
Helmets have evolved over the years. Today, depending on the type of application, you can switch to the tone of your choice. But it was the auto-dimming feature that changed the rules of the game.
Thanks to this technology, the headset can automatically switch to a darker shade when the illumination exceeds a preset level. This way, you no longer have to put pressure on your neck when you try to open or close the visor.
Using a welding helmet to view a solar eclipse
If you have a welding helmet somewhere, it goes without saying that you have probably already done welding work. If so, you know how bright the sparks and arcs created by welding can be.
They can be so bright that welding without a mask can create an “arc eye”. In fact, this is a sunburn on the eye, which can cause serious damage.
So if a welding mask can protect your eyes from damage caused by welding, it should be able to protect you when watching the eclipse, right?
When people think of sunburns, they typically think of damage to the skin, not the eyes.
Nevertheless, the eyes can become sunburned as well. According to proved association, NASA, the ultraviolet radiates from the sun cause eye damage.
There are three different ultraviolet rays (UV) that can damage the eyes:
- Ultraviolet C (UVC) rays are damaging, but the ozone layer blocks nearly all these types of ray of lights.
- Ultraviolet B (UVB) are weaker rays, but they cause lots of difficulties for both the eyes and the skin.
- Ultraviolet A (UVA) rays can damage the cornea and are believed to be what causes cataracts and macular degeneration, but these rays are adynamic.
Long-term eye issues that are caused by sun damage include cataracts, macular degeneration, and pinguecula, to name a few.
Regrettably, many eye issues that result from sun damage cannot be changed, so it is crucial to realize harmless ways to look at the sun.
Evidences of eye damage
If your eyes hurt in the sun, you have seen too much sun. There are some symptoms to watch out for that are signs you have been overexposed. If you have these symptoms, it is essential to get out of the sun immediately.
Symptoms of your eyes being exposed to the sun consider:
- Your eyes feel uncomfortable;
- Your eyes begin swelling;
- Your eyes feel gritty or are twitching;
- You see halos, have blurry vision, or even loss of sight.
Can you see in a welding mask?
Even with filters that block UV rays, goggles’ lenses are clear enough to see through. Because of this, visibility is never a problem.
You can see the results of your work while protecting your eyes. Even people who wear glasses can see through goggles.
Darker shades will not offer the same level of visibility as lighter shades. Ultimately, what you choose will depend on the type of welding application.
But if you are not sure, refer to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulation 1910.133 for a guide on which filters to use based on the operation.
The welding helmet is designed to protect the welder’s eyes from bright welding sparks. Ultraviolet and infrared light emitted by the welding arc can cause lightning strikes, arc burns, retinal damage, macular degeneration, etc.
A welding helmet is a type of personal protection, a helmet that completely covers the eyes, face, and neck. It provides its protection from ultraviolet rays, UV rays, infrared rays, visible light, sparks and high temperatures.
Welding helmets have a window on the front panel, known as a welding lens shade screen, or are covered with various types of tinted glass, plastic, etc.
After answering your question “Can you see the sun in a welding helmet”, the next question that comes to mind is: “Is it safe to use a welding mask to look at the sun?” Does it provide enough protection to see the sun?
Yes, it is safe to look at the sun and solar eclipses in a welding mask.
However, this is only safe if you use a helmet made by a real company and use the right shade of lenses.
Welding helmet lens shade
These glasses filter harmful ultraviolet and infrared rays entering your eyes according to their amount. Welders usually use lenses with colors ranging from 10 to 13, the lowest shade used is 2, which is the worst and can damage the eyes without solar eclipse glasses in traditional welding helmets.
The higher the shade, i.e., 14, the better it can filter out all harmful ultraviolet rays.
Is welding hotter than the sun?
If we measured the brightness according to the heat released, the sun would be the undisputed winner in this battle if we emitted about 3,400 K of heat during welding, while the sun emits, 5800 K.
Here you will find welding goggles and helmets suitable for welding work, but which do not protect your eyes from the look at the sun and solar eclipse:
Yewelder True Color welding glasses may be a good choice in some situations, but since the shade is only suitable for 11, you will damage your eyes if you use them to view in direct sunlight.
This Miller electro-welded helmet is another example of a helmet suitable for certain welding options, but dangerous to look at the sun. The shade of this helmet reaches only 12.
Welding helmet, Class 3 and 8-12, black
- Ratchet Material: Nylon Specifications: 1/10,000 seconds. Adjustment of light intensity, sensitivity, and delay from 0.10 to 1.0 seconds.
- Rated power of TIG 20A, automatic on/off includes: (2) AAA battery, magnifier holder, (5) outer cover and (2) inner lens Grinding mode: no Color: black Lens shade: 3.8-12 Plate width: 3-3/4 Switching speed: 1/10,000 seconds.
- Field Of View: 5-1/5 Square Inches. TIG amplifier power: 20A Board height: 1-2 / 5 ADF control: Analog graphic image: no Battery life: 2000 hours. Standard: ANSI Z87. 1 + 2010, CSA Power Source: Battery and Solar Cells Series like for solar eclipse glasses :
- Classic Battery Type: AAA Element: Welding Helmet with Automatic Dimming Electromagnetic Sensor: No Number of Arc Sensors: 2 Country of Origin : South Korea
Another example of a helmet with insufficient shade for looking at the sun is this helmet by Lincoln. This model has a shade control of 11, which is below the recommended 12 to 14.
Summing up
Make sure that the helmet meets the standards set by the US National Institute of Standards to ensure protection from all harmful elements.
Properly selected headphones will protect your eyes regardless of the tone setting.
In addition, headsets with automatic dimming allow you to increase or decrease their sensitivity. You can vary the amount of light needed to switch to a darker shade when you sun gazing and looking for solar eclipses.
Eye protection is necessary when handling with the sun. Even everyday danger can cause learned profession problems, so knowing viewing of the sun requires protection. If you want to get maximum protection for your face and neck, buying a helmet is the right decision.
It not only protects your sensitive eyes from the weather, but also protects the rest of your face and neck. Without it, you should have skin concerns, the worst of which is skin cancer.
Welding helmets provide protection for look at the sun, as long as you have a contemporary helmet with the accurate lens shade.
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