An auto-darkening welding lens is the first and foremost important protection against welding flashing. It should be able to go through variable shades and be as durable as can be. The most important thing to consider when buying an auto-darkening welding lens is that it should fit your welding helmet well.
Review of the Best Auto Darkening Welding Lens
Miller Welding Lens, 2 x 4 In, #10, Auto-Darkening
Overall Analysis
This Miller Welding Lens is sized 2 x 4 inches, at shade #10 with Auto-Darkening features. It conforms to the ANSI and CSA standards. The shade color is a mid-range between green and gold or yellow.
Best Features
The lens is quality made from Miller and is great for pipe welding compared to most cheap lenses that you can buy elsewhere. This is a recommended lens for Miller welding helmets.
Summary of Amazon Reviews
Rated 4.1 out of 5 stars, it has been reviewed 5 times by honest Amazon reviewers. They mostly state that the lens is high quality compared to most cheap lenses and they recommend it to be used with Miller products.
Pros and Cons
The advantage is that it’s a very clear lens for an ADF and great for pipe welding with its high quality. The disadvantage however is that sometimes; it can cut on and off a little bit.
Reasons to Buy this Product
The Miller Welding Lens, 2 x 4 In, #10, Auto-Darkening is priced $79. You can guarantee it legit because it’s from a trusted company like Miller.
Tips and Tricks, Buying Guide
It has a 2 year warranty and ships from 4 to 9 days with free shipping.
User Guide
It can fit on most Miller helmets that has a shade 10.
Merlintools 4-1/4″ X 2″ Auto Darkening Welding Helmet Lens Filter 3/11
Overall Analysis
A cheaper alternative, you can opt for a less known lens such as Merlintools 4-1/4″ X 2″ Auto Darkening Welding Helmet Lens Filter 3/11. It has a light state #3 and dark state #11 with the size of 4-1/4 by 2 inches or 108 by 50.8mm and a remarkably large viewing area of 3-6/7 by 1-1/3 inches.
Best Features
The best feature is that it can stand up to approximately 5,000 welding hours and has a great durability.
Summary of Amazon Reviews
It is rated 3.6 out of 5 stars from 39 reviews. Most customers state that it’s good for converting a non-darkening to an auto dark helmet.
Pros and Cons
It has a great thickness of 3/16 with more on the outer lenses. However, it may not protect or fit snugly on some welding helmets so beware.
Reasons to Buy this Product
If you want to save bucks, you can buy Merlintools 4-1/4″ X 2″ Auto Darkening Welding Helmet Lens Filter 3/11 for $16 with free shipping, especially if you are not that much of a frequent or industrial / meticulous welder.
Tips and Tricks, Buying Guide
The product is free shipping and ships from 4 to 9 days. Used ones are available from $8 only.
User Guide
The thickness of the lens is about 3/16 and you can also buy this in a #9 shade. It is green in first use and turns into a smoky color afterwards.
Auto Darkening Welding Filter Lens
Overall Analysis
If you live in the UK, you can get a cheaper set of generic lenses, the Auto Darkening Welding Filter Lens. It has a minimum lifetime of 5,000 welding hours and can protect against UV and IR. Light shade is at DIN 4 and a dark shade is at DIN 9 to 13.
Best Features
It has a quick response time of 1/10,000 seconds and a fair viewing area of 3.5 by 1.2 inches.
Summary of Amazon Reviews
It scored 5 stars from Amazon reviews due to its high quality lens features at a cheaper price.
Pros and Cons
Its ADF features are that of higher priced ones and have a quick reaction time. The panel dimension is 4.2 by 3.5 inches. The disadvantage is that it might not ship to other countries.
Reasons to Buy this Product
Auto Darkening Welding Filter Lens is priced cheaply for UK residents at £10.15 with free delivery within the UK.
Tips and Tricks, Buying Guide
Unfortunately it might not ship to some countries outside the UK.
User Guide
It works under the temperature of -10 C to 65 C with the DIN 15 UV rays protection grade.
Benefits of Using Auto Darkening Welding Lens
If you have a non-auto darkening helmet, you can use the welding lens to work your way into converting your traditional helmet to a digital one to avoid flashing. Auto-darkening lenses are very beneficial in the industry and welding either as a hobbyist or as a skilled worker. You need it to protect your eyes and lessen the time you need to flip your hood.
Pros and Cons of Auto Darkening Welding Lens
Using auto-darkening lenses is quite important today and is just as necessary as having an Internet connection. It protects your eyes from unwanted flashing and optimizes and speeds up your welding work. The only downside perhaps is that some ADF lenses you might buy won’t last longer than they should. You can try to save for generic brands but buying branded ones like Miller are better because of the long warranty.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How do you know which lens is applicable for which helmet?
A: Check the helmet and its size and required lens, if there is an instruction manual for that.
Q: Which is better, generic lens or branded lens?
A: It depends on your budget and the best welding helmet you have. Some helmets are branded and only take in specific lenses that you can buy separately, but some will work with generic ones, too, so it’s more of a trial and error and inquiry.
Conclusion
To be safe in the workplace, if you are still using an old, flip-up welding helmet, you may want to convert it to an auto-darkening helmet using a lens or lens filter. It is also a good idea to buy extra lenses for your helmet in case it did not come with extra lenses.
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