Speedglas Auto Darkening Filters FAQ

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Q: Are Speedglas™ Auto-Darkening Welding Filters as safe as traditional filters?

A: Yes. Speedglas filters always provide UV/IR protection for your eyes, whether they are turned on or off, dark or transparent. They're potentially safer than traditional filters and helmets since the Speedglas helmet can always be in the down position, protecting your face and eyes. Plus, your hands are not preoccupied with constant visor adjustment.

Q: What happens if the battery fails?

A: To repeat: you're always protected from damaging UV/IR radiation. And no matter what, your eyes are always shaded from flash. When you pick up an OFF Speedglas filter, it's intermediately-shaded. When you turn on the filter, it "lightens" and becomes transparent. When an arc is struck, the filter darkens. (The dark shade level depends upon which Speedglas model is used.)

Q: Do you see any of the arc flash?

A: No. The filter changes too quickly for the eye to see a flash. The transition from no arc to arc occurs without a perceptible flash.

Q: Who determines the safety standards for welding filters?

A: There are authorising bodies for different parts of the world.
Europe: CE EN 379 standards.
USA: ANSI Z87.1 (http://www.ansi.org/).
Canada: CSA Z94.3 standards (http://www.csa.ca/).
Australia: AS/NZS 1338 standards.

Q: Are the Speedglas™ Welding Filters fragile?

A: No more than traditional filters. All Speedglas filters have inner and outer replaceable protection plates. The filter is recessed back into the helmet for further protection. You can treat the heat- and chemical-resistant nylon helmet very much like any other welding helmet.

Q: Why do Speedglas™ Filters and Helmets cost more than traditional filters and helmets?

A: 3M uses state-of-the-art electronics and super lightweight materials to provide the optimum productive, comfortable, and safe helmet/filter combination available. The filter itself is a seven-layer laminate, hand-assembled under clean room conditions, with numerous quality assurance checks. The result is a flawless filter that always lets you see your work.

Q: Are the Speedglas™ Welding Filters compatible with non-Speedglas helmets?

A: No. The high performance and optical clarity of Speedglas filters requires a special design that is not compatible with non-Speedglas helmets. You should never attempt to mix any Speedglas products with non-Speedglas components; doing so may void your product warranty and could result in serious bodily injury.

Q: My shade 11 Speedglas™ Filter appears to be a different dark shade compared to my old conventional filter. Why?

A: Different manufacturers (whether they are making conventional or auto-darkening filters) can have noticeable differences in filter shading, while still conforming to the international safety standards for welding filters. We recommend that you try the shade level you're used to, as well as the models above and below that level (for the above example, try the 10, 11 and 12 shade models). Or go with the Speedglas 9002V or 9002X filters, both of which have user-selectable dark shades of 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13.