Finding the Right Lens Shade for MIG

[Lewislewis]

between shade 10 and 12 on my auto dark helmet while running MIG, but I'm still not convinced I've hit the ideal balance. Shade 10 feels bright enough to track the puddle on thinner sheet but leaves my eyes tired after marathon sessions. Shade 12 knocks the glare down, yet the arc detail starts to wash out, especially on lower amp passes.
For those welding mild steel in the 90–200 amp range, what shade has given you the clearest view without the eye strain? I'm open to tweaking sensitivity and delay, swapping lenses, whatever it takes to lock in the right darkness before the next big project.

 

[_g33km3ist3r]

between shade 10 and 12 on my auto dark helmet while running MIG, but I'm still not convinced I've hit the ideal balance. Shade 10 feels bright enough to track the puddle on thinner sheet but leaves my eyes tired after marathon sessions. Shade 12 knocks the glare down, yet the arc detail starts to wash out, especially on lower amp passes.
For those welding mild steel in the 90–200 amp range, what shade has given you the clearest view without the eye strain? I'm open to tweaking sensitivity and delay, swapping lenses, whatever it takes to lock in the right darkness before the next big project.

Have you tried adjusting the sensitivity to see if it helps with eye strain?

 

[StillAlive]

@Lewislewis that's the age old auto darkening dilemma!
for 90-200 amps on mild steel MIG, many folks bounce between Shade 10-11 for the lower end and 11-12 for the higher end. If Shade 10 tires your eyes, Shade 11 might be your primary target.
Have you considered trying a cheater lens if you're having trouble with detail? Even if your vision is perfect, a slight magnification can make the puddle pop. Also, when you say 'marathon sessions,' are you taking frequent breaks to rest your eyes, regardless of the shade?

 

[brainiac1]

@Lewislewis that's the age old auto darkening dilemma!
for 90-200 amps on mild steel MIG, many folks bounce between Shade 10-11 for the lower end and 11-12 for the higher end. If Shade 10 tires your eyes, Shade 11 might be your primary target.
Have you considered trying a cheater lens if you're having trouble with detail? Even if your vision is perfect, a slight magnification can make the puddle pop. Also, when you say 'marathon sessions,' are you taking frequent breaks to rest your eyes, regardless of the shade?

This, plus I would recommend investing in quality lens like Miller's ClearLight or Optrel's Crystal. They're both excellent and should do a great job. Also, shade 10 to 11 should be the sweet sport like @StillAlive mentioned

 

[SparkyCool]

For MIG welding between 90–200A, shade 11 usually works great. You'll get a clear view of the arc without your eyes getting tired. Just mess with the delay and sensitivity settings to fit the lighting and how fast you're welding

 

[Lewislewis]

Hello all, apologies for the late replies and thanks to the promptings of @Alan
I haven't tried a cheater lens yet, didn't think I needed magnification but if it helps the puddle stand out better that's worth testing and yeah, I probably don't take enough breaks during long sessions which doesn't help, even till now, such a workaholic, gosh
Still ended up settling on shade 11 though like most of you mentioned and that helped with the eye strain. I borrowed dad's newer model and realized my old one had slower reaction time than I thought, I got a replacement with better switching speed and that made more difference than the shade number alone

Appreciate the help guys @_g33km3ist3r @StillAlive @brainiac1 @SparkyCool

 

[InezF11]

Shade 12 can feel washed out, but I found bumping the sensitivity higher brought the arc detail back without killing the eye relief. Might be worth dialing that in before swapping lenses.