Practical answers on choosing, fitting and caring for spare parts for a single maker's welding helmet range.
My filter will not darken. What should I check before replacing the cartridge?
Start with the simple causes. Clean the sensors and solar cells with a soft lint-free cloth, and replace a soiled, scratched or cracked outer cover lens. Check that the helmet is set to weld rather than grind, that the shade is correct and that the sensitivity is not set too low.
Also make sure your hand, the torch or the workpiece is not blocking the sensors during welding, and change the battery if the low battery light is on. If the filter still fails to darken when you strike an arc, stop welding immediately and contact your dealer or the maker. Do not keep using it.
How do I choose the shade setting for a replacement cartridge?
The shade depends on the welding process and the current, and makers print a chart of recommended shades for each process. A variable cartridge lets you set the dark shade within its range, and most have two ranges, a lighter one for low current and a darker one for higher current.
When choosing a replacement, check that its shade ranges cover the work you do, and set the dark shade from the maker's chart. Check the markings on the cartridge and the manual for the exact ranges. Your risk assessment and the maker's instructions have the final say.
What does the optical class marking on a cartridge tell me?
The marking is a set of four classes, shown as numbers such as 1/1/1/2. They grade the optical quality of the filter, how much it diffuses light, how much the darkness varies across the lens, and how the view changes when you look at an angle. A lower number is a better class.
When replacing a cartridge, compare the markings on the old and new one, together with the shade range and the size, so you do not end up with a poorer view than before. The marking is printed on the cartridge, and the data sheet or manual explains it.
Why must a replacement cartridge and plates suit my helmet?
A cartridge sits in a holder in the shell, together with an outer and an inner protection plate, and the whole set is made and marked to work together. Makers say to use only the parts they specify, and never to use a filter without its protection plates, or a scratched or damaged one.
Compare the markings on the shell, the cover lens and the filter. If they differ, check the manual or ask the maker, because the protection of the whole helmet can only be relied on for the combination the maker lists. Check the size and fitting of your old cartridge and the parts list in your manual before ordering. If unsure, our team can help you match it.
Does a cartridge protect my eyes when it is in the clear state?
Makers of auto-darkening filters say their filters give permanent ultraviolet and infrared protection, rated at a high shade number, whether the filter is in the light or the dark state. The permanent protection is stated on the data sheet or in the manual.
This only holds while the cartridge, the protection plates and the shell are all in place and undamaged. Never weld with the visor up or without the filter, and never use a scratched or damaged filter. Check the figures for your own cartridge in its manual rather than assuming.
What should I do after fitting a new cartridge or cover lens?
Peel the protective film off both sides of any new lens, and check that the part is seated correctly with its holder or clips fully closed. Set the shade, sensitivity and delay as the manual describes. Many cartridges have a test button, so use it to check that the filter goes dark and returns to clear.
Start with the sensitivity and delay at the position the manual recommends for normal use, often the middle setting, and adjust only as the manual allows so the filter reacts to the arc and not to room light or a neighbouring welder. Stop and re-check the settings if it flickers or fails to darken.