Sunburn on face from 10 minutes of welding

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Hey guys,I started welding today with my mig, and auto darkening helmet and I've got a sunburn on my face. I'm confused because I've welded with my helmet on before with no problems. There is a switch for grinder setting and welding setting I just thought about. Maybe I left it on grinder. Either way, if I did leave it on the grinder setting the arc did not hurt my eyes and I could see the weld puddle fine. I will make sure I take it off grinder if it's on the grinder setting. My welding spot is 5 miles away so have to wait till tomorrow...Have I done damage to my eyes since my face is slightly sun burned? I hope not. Do you have any experience getting sunburned from arc welding?Thanks in advance for your response,Garrett
Reply:The hood would stop almost all of the UV and IR,even if turned off.The helmet would not let enough light came through to sunburn you.If the hood is not working, the light from the arc is bright as hell and I doubt you could see the puddle.
Reply:Why do they put the option to turn on/off the grinder setting/welding setting anyways if the UV and IR don't come through? I never use the grinder setting, but is it a lower shade?
Reply:Also, I did get sunburned on my cheeks so the light must have come through.
Reply:Originally Posted by GarrettlstWhy do they put the option to turn on/off the grinder setting/welding setting anyways if the UV and IR don't come through? I never use the grinder setting, but is it a lower shade?
Reply:If you got a sunburn on your face while wearing your hood, from my own experience it would have to be one of two things or both.  First, you were positioned in such a way that it allowed uv light to "leak" past your hood.  For example your hood was lifted up off of your neck/throat area while welding and thus exposed that area to the UV light from the arc.  The same rays can be reflected back at you if you are in a reflective environment, such as a stainless steel barbecue pit you are building for a friend who thinks you owe him something because his mommy and daddy told him he was special.  Consider yourself lucky, for the burns on your skin are nothing compared to the burn that will ensue when you have nobody to blame but yourself for not demanding a deposit up front to cover materials.  Also, I've heard that in some third world countries inhabited by various less fortunate, typically high melanin producing folks who have never heard of jesus or incest, that it is an accepted practice to tack weld with no mask and eyes closed.  This is a great way to get a little color during those cold winter months and also a good way to wind up with persistent non genetically acquired freckles for the rest of your life.  Ok, I guess that's three.   If you left your mask on grind mode it would still protect you from UV light.  Or so I've read.  But then again, it might not be made in America....
Reply:Thanks for the comments. I just read online that if it's on grinder mode, the UV and IR don't come through, but it's a shade 4. Not sure, but I feel better now. I think I'm going to get rid of the helmet. I don't want to have that in the back of my mind that it might be on grinder mode. Thanks.
Reply:What brand of helmet was it ?Changing brands of helmets may not help,if the UV is bouncing off of some thing
Reply:It's a proline welding helmet. I got it on ebay for $60. I never take it off the welding setting, but my friend might have when he was using it and I forgot to set it back. Either way, my eyes feel fine, and I'm just a little red on my cheeks. So, hopefully no sand in the eyes tonight.
Reply:Also, I was welding a piece of angle iron. Mild steel and no reflections around, so I assume it came in through the lens.
Reply:What were you welding on... Sometimes stainless or really shiney stell reflects stuff around. Have also gotten burned from reflection from white wall. Lot of guys add a leater hood to keep stuff outMillermatic 252millermatic 175miller 300 Thunderboltlincoln ranger 250smith torcheslots of bfh'sIf it dont fit get a bigger hammer
Reply:Why would you get a new helmet?  The grind mode is quite useful and I would not buy an AD without it.  Get one of the neck shields to cover under your helmet.  What was around you?  A weight set in your garage with a mirror?  Nice shiny pickup or lawnmower behind you?
Reply:Have you ever welded with the grind mode on by accident? Like I said, I had nothing around. Just a piece of angle iron I was welding beads on.
Reply:I had the battery fail in my helmet,with a few inches of weld left to do.Saw spots for a while,but no flashburn.When I replaced the batteries,I put a switch in so that the helmet would have a grind setting.
Reply:ive never been burned on the face with a shield on. i personally like my fixed lens. even though the auto dark is proven technology i dont like trusting the electronic. only time ive been burned was welding overhead with out the top button on my coat buttoned and i had a button up shirt on.do you guys think its possible the helmet wasnt down to the neck and it bounced of his shirt?
Reply:as for sand in the eyes wear uv protective safty glasseswe get the smack down at tech school if we dont have them on
Reply:I have once or twice accidentally commenced to tig welding with the hood still on grind mode.  I knew right away.  I don't think it's something you could just do for ten minutes without noticing unless you were brand new to the game or exercising your god given inalienable right to take part in drunk welding, an activity reserved for the elite upper echelon of (United States) Constitution Considerators.  (US)CC for short.  It's real.  Go ahead and google it.You know you want to.I'm sorry dude but it sounds like you have a phantom sunburn and you are just being a p&%sy about it.  If you have burns on your face it is not because your mask is bad.  However, if you want a new mask and need a quantifiable justification for it to take to the boss, I'm fully with you on that.  It is totally possible that UV and IR light penetrated your plastic mask and auto darkening lens.  No logical explanation is necessary, by god!  We are welding here, and what the F%&#( do you know about that woman?!?!  God bless.
Reply:Something to consider that may be causing the light to come around and burn your face is what is behind you when you are welding.  A white wall will refpect a lot of IR and UV so consider that as a possible source too.  Also the default modes for most welding helments is darke if the battery or electronics package is failing so make sure the battery is good too.I'm spending my Kids inheritance, I dont like him that much anyway!!!!!!Enuff tools to do the job, enough sense to use em.Anybody got a spare set of kidneys?  Trade?
Reply:Ive been burned a lot of times right through my teeshirt. Especialy with tig. My eye doctor told me that a flash burn will not permanently harm your eyes just burns the outside surface of my eye.  I hope shes right.  Mac
Reply:Wearing a white shirt, were you?UV and IR do NOT go through masks, of ANY quality level.If it's real it must be reflections.  There's a reason welding garments are dark colored.-DaveXMT304 with: 22A Feeder, or HF251 Hi Freq DC TIG air cooled
Reply:Reflective clothing either a light color like a white or off white or light gray shirt or a nearby reflective surface can cause this but also it could be strictly a heat related burn and not a uv or intense light burn.  I've had mild sunburns from reflected light and more recently have had mild burning from intense radiant heat due to my proximity to the weldmont.Welding Supervisor Department of Corrections.
Reply:Originally Posted by GarrettlstHey guys,I started welding today with my mig, and auto darkening helmet and I've got a sunburn on my face. I'm confused because I've welded with my helmet on before with no problems. There is a switch for grinder setting and welding setting I just thought about. Maybe I left it on grinder. Either way, if I did leave it on the grinder setting the arc did not hurt my eyes and I could see the weld puddle fine. I will make sure I take it off grinder if it's on the grinder setting. My welding spot is 5 miles away so have to wait till tomorrow...Have I done damage to my eyes since my face is slightly sun burned? I hope not. Do you have any experience getting sunburned from arc welding?Thanks in advance for your response,Garrett
Reply:Originally Posted by Tool MakerIve been burned a lot of times right through my teeshirt. Especialy with tig. My eye doctor told me that a flash burn will not permanently harm your eyes just burns the outside surface of my eye.  I hope shes right.  Mac
Reply:White clothing will reflect arc and cause burns. Seen it many times. I don't own while clothing excepting socks so it hasn't happened to me.If you must wear white while welding, sunscreen is your friend.
Reply:you do any tacking without the helmet on while you were assembling whatever you were putting together?  i've come out of that a time or two looking like a racoon, lol.i'm not gonna suggest it, but if you're doing tedious work where there is a lot of tacking and you're not going to wear a coat or a helmet.  i got two words for you.  banana boat.  it's a kids sunscreen that you can get with a spf rating as high as 80.  at least that's the highest i've seen,Originally Posted by AndyAI hate taking the shirt off to find two white pockets and a white strip down the front where the buttons go.  Maybe I need new shirts that aren't worn paper thin