Welding helmet question

[Ray-CA]

I've just starting welding and am having trouble seeing the weld area while welding. I'm using a Lincoln MIG welder and have an auto-darking helmet that has a shade rating of 3 and darkens to an 11. Once I start welding, the lens gets so dark, all I see is a little orange glow.

What shade rating should I be using or is recommended?

Thanks,

Ray

 

[mrholeshot]

Keep going lighter until you can see the puddle well.

 

[Monte]

i use 9 most often

 

[mrholeshot]

i use 9 most often

I use 9 on my Speedglass but I have an older Mac I have to go to 7. I love the speedglass

 

[lametec]

9 here as well. Using a "blue flame" HF helmet.

 

[Lump]

When I was welding every day, I never had an autodarkening lense. As a young man, the weld light was too bright for me in most helmets lying around the shop, so I set aside one helmet for my own use, and fitted it with an 11. But my eyes are not young any more, and a 9 is the darkest I can use effectively. If you go too light, you'll get headaches, and see bright spots before your eyes when watching TV at home, etc. If you go too dark, you can't see well enough to weld very well. Use the darkest lens you can possibly use, and still see well enough to make good welds.

 

[crewchief888]

i have a miller prohobby hood, with my loncoln 140 mig i usually use a # 9 shade. if i use the hood at work, with our lincoln 255 i usually darken up a little to 10-11.
bout the same settings with a northern tool auto darkening hood i also have.

in the past if i was welding a long time (several hours) with a larger machine, i used a fixed shade jackson with a #12
skull hood has a #9 fixed in it, with a flip up lense

 

[Monte]

I use 9 on my Speedglass but I have an older Mac I have to go to 7. I love the speedglass

7 ?? Who is the OEM ??? Only know the 9 to 13 ones.

 

[chad s]

Don't rely 100% on the arc to illuminate the work piece. Shine some good light on your work area, and you will notice a difference I bet.

 

[shotgunfatcat]

Don't rely 100% on the arc to illuminate the work piece. Shine some good light on your work area, and you will notice a difference I bet.

+1

The more light the better, just make sure it isn't pointed at your face.

 

[Professur]

Also be warned that some lighting can trigger your sensor. I've got one worklamp that does it every time.

 

[chad s]

Also be warned that some lighting can trigger your sensor. I've got one worklamp that does it every time.

I use a work light, over my shoulder, and shine it directly on the work area. If it triggers the helmet, adjust the helmets sensitivity accordingly, or move the light back a bit. I have a Miller helmet, and have never have had many issues, but i have the sensitivity set for my bench setup. When I go to weld outside, I generally have to change it. I mainly TIG weld (I hate all the slag a MIG throws around!), and good lighting is essential to making a nice straight TIG bead.

 

[Art From De Leon]

I found that on my Snap on (Jackson), once I got it adjusted right, the 'blotching' effect went away.