Watching Solar Eclipse With Welding Helmet: Is It Really A Good Idea?

During the series of four SOLAR ECLIPSES in 2024, I could not help but observe a trend of using welding helmets and goggles to watch these celestial events.

With eclipse glasses flying off the shelves, many sky-watchers were left scrambling for the next safest way to experience the spectacular event. And, for the ones hailing from our welders’ communities, the answer was closer than they could imagine – a WELDING HELMET!

Now, I cannot disagree that, after all, these hoods are super sturdy and designed to block out intense light. So, can we not turn to these faithful welding gear as a quick fix? Are they not SAFE ENOUGH for this purpose?

Well, before you grab a hood and head outside, let us find out whether this workaround is effective or safe when it comes to watching the sky’s most spectacular show.

Can You Look At The Solar Eclipse Through A Welding Helmet?

If you could not find time to buy certified eclipse glasses, or they went out of stock, it does not mean you have to put a full stop to your experience. You still have some options left, such as your welding helmet. However, there are differing opinions concerning its effectiveness or (most importantly) eye safety.

I have come across “experts” who warn against using the lens of our welding hood for watching solar eclipses; they say that it cannot offer adequate protection to our eyes from the powerful sun rays (especially, infrared and ultraviolet rays) and might even cause significant vision impairment.

Now, while I fully understand their point of view and acknowledge that wearing specialized, approved eclipse glasses is always the best idea, I DO NOT completely agree with what they say.

And before I get bombarded with questions and disapproving nods, let me clarify that I have done my fair share of research and hands-on experiments. So, here I want to assert that not all hoods are unsafe for viewing the eclipse – as long as we use one with the right LENS SHADE, we can safely watch without worrying about permanent retinal damage.

Many of the standard welder’s helmets available in the market will appear to us as “pretty dark” because they are specifically designed to prevent the infamous “arc eye” condition caused by the intense glare of the welding arc.

“It should be noted that welding filters are designed to protect against high irradiance levels of UV and IR radiation that are present in welding arcs and flames, along with the intense visible light emission. These radiation hazards are not present to the same degree when looking at the Sun. As a result, the transmittance requirements specified for welding filters in the standards for occupational eye protection are more stringent than the ISO 12312-2 standard.”

– B. Ralph Chou, BSc, MSc, OD, FAAO, School of Optometry & Vision Science, University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada at Solar Eclipse Eye Safety on American Astronomical Society

So, What Shade Of Welding Lens Is Most Suitable?

Well, you must already be aware that welding hood lenses come in different shade levels marked by numbers, typically ranging from 4 to 14, with 14 being the darkest. I read a NASA publication on the Internet that said only those helmets with a shade number (DIN) of 12 or higher are safe for us to watch the sun.

I agree that DIN 12 is significantly darker compared to the darkness of filters that are used for the majority of welding operations. But, to be honest, the view was still too bright for my comfort; I wore a fixed-shade helmet with a 12 filter that I picked up from my workshop to watch the eclipse, but I could not bear the glare for more than a 30 seconds.

That is when I thought of trying a darkness of 13 and 14 in the hood by changing its lens and realized those are FAR MORE COMFORTABLE to my eyes. I also tested watching the solar eclipse with welding goggles of the same shade range, and they also worked alright. (Related: welding helmet vs goggles: which is better?)

I did not have to squint my eyes, nor did they turn watery. I was happy with this little experiment, and when I recommended it to Oliver, my manager, and a few other guys at the workshop, they agreed with me and quickly ramped up to DIN 14. We were lucky to be at the workshop where we have several professional welding helmets with glasses of this shade level because these are not as widely available as other variants.

Later, I found that the American Academy of Ophthalmology also recommended that shade number 14 is the safest for this purpose. This brought more peace in mind as I also found the same thing during my tests.

Now, as far as I have observed, some people find DIN 14 too dim; they say they can hardly figure out anything in the sky, especially during the enigmatic and rare event of a total solar eclipse. For them, 13 is the perfect shade; not too dark as 14 and not too bright as 12.

However, I want to mention here that hoods with shade numbers 13 and 14 are not easily found in the market, so it is likely to take us some time to get our hands on one finally.

Also Read: Welding Lens Shade Chart

What Is The Correct Way To View An Eclipse Wearing A Welding Helmet?

Before anything else, I want to be very clear that we should NEVER ever dare to look up at the sun with our bare eyes or even through regular sunglasses. Even if we wear multiple sunglasses, one on top of another, it will not create a strong enough fort to protect ourselves, simply because normal sunglasses are not at all equipped for solar viewing.

Also, trying to look at the eclipsed sun through a welding helmet rated lower than shade number 12 can be gravely hazardous to our eyes.

However, do not let your guard down once you finally acquire a hood with the RIGHT shade number, i.e., either a 12, 13, or 14. Here are some things to be mindful of, while we watch an eclipse with a welding shield.

1. First and foremost, wear the helmet and check that it fits snugly and comfortably, preventing any possible light infiltration that can potentially harm our eyes.
2. Ensure you POSITION yourself correctly and view the sun directly only through the filter of your welding hood.
3. I know this cosmic event is truly awe-inspiring, but we must remember to take breaks every couple of minutes and look away to save our eyes. According to experts at Phillips Safety, even with a shade 14 welding shield, we should never stare at the sun CONTINUOUSLY for a long time.
4. Even during a partial eclipse, the sun’s rays might be strong enough to hurt our eyes, so staring at the sun for a longer while is only safe when it is in a totally eclipsed state.
5. If you keep experiencing discomfort or watery eyes, consider discontinuing watching and checking with your ophthalmologist.

Here is an informative video interviewing Samuel Chance, welding program director of Arclabs Welding School about what is right and what is not-

Are Auto-darkening Helmets Suitable To Watch Solar Eclipses?

Ideally, auto-darkening helmets offer sufficient shading to protect our eyes during welding works. But it is important to note here that the filter AUTOMATICALLY dims down only when it is exposed to bright light, like the intense blaze from the arc.

So, logically, the filter should immediately transition to a darker tint upon being exposed to the sun’s brightness during the eclipse. Isn’t it?

However, my experience in 2017 was quite the opposite, and this is what I believe happened. Since the auto-darkening technology depends on sensors to adjust the tint, the lens does not stay at the dark state constantly.

So, while an eclipse is unquestionably super bright, it might not be strong enough to set off the sensors, especially during a partial eclipse or with the intensity of sunlight varying across its different phases. As such, my helmet was not triggered at all, and it never dimmed.

So, if you ask me, I would totally avoid using auto-darkening welding helmets for watching a solar eclipse. A fixed shade hood is definitely a safer bet, I tell you, because as breathtaking and incredible as the event can be, it is not really worth risking damage to our vision.

Tips To Protect Your Eyes

If you plan to watch a solar eclipse wearing your helmet, here are some important tips I want to share. By following these precautions, you can enjoy viewing it without posing any risk to your eyes.

• Buy a fixed shade welding helmet or a pancake hood with darkness levels designated by the manufacturer as 12, 13, or 14. If the number is not mentioned, chances are high that the hood is not properly rated or approved; please do not buy it.
• Proceed with caution if you find a welding mask marked as “NASA-certified” since the space agency does not offer any seal of approval to any particular consumer product.
• Avoid watching eclipse only through a lens, attach it to a hood to protect your eyes from all directions and focus on the sun.
• If you are new to wearing a welding helmet, you may face with FOGGING problems. But, no worries, I have written some practical solutions for beginners here– easy to follow.
• Make sure to go through the user manual thoroughly – some brands offer specific recommendations about using their helmets for direct viewing.

Despite various opinions on watching a solar eclipse with a welding shield, I hope I have helped steer clear of a lot of the confusion with my experiences shared in this article.

You may now understand that while a helmet can be a fast and accessible way to securely view a eclipse, it is critical to confirm it meets the proper safety standards. Because, after all, prioritizing eye safety is above everything else, even when the sky is putting on a show!