How to use an auto darkening welding helmet
Updated: October 2026
The joint is in front of you, and the lens is still light. That is the point of the helmet, until the arc starts. This is how to use an auto darkening welding helmet: set a light shade and a dark shade, set sensitivity and delay, take it out of grind, then prove it on scrap. Knob layouts differ by model. The sheet in the box is the one that matches yours. Nothing here is a DEKO or HITBOX button sequence, because those sequences are not in the listings. If the lens stays light, you stop. The models are on the [Stahlwerk welding helmet comparison](/hub/soldering-and-welding/stahlwerk-welding-helmet). We used the captured amazon.co.uk listings and public UK safety sources, not a lab test. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
The joint is in front of you, and the lens is still light. That is the point of the helmet, until the arc starts.
The joint is in front of you, and the lens is still light. That is the point of the helmet, until the arc starts. This is how to use an auto darkening welding helmet: set a light shade and a dark shade, set sensitivity and delay, take it out of grind, then prove it on scrap. Knob layouts differ by model. The sheet in the box is the one that matches yours. Nothing here is a DEKO or HITBOX button sequence, because those sequences are not in the listings. If the lens stays light, you stop. The models are on the Stahlwerk welding helmet comparison. We used the captured amazon.co.uk listings and public UK safety sources, not a lab test. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Our top picks
| Badge | Product | Shade stated | Grind named | Delay on the page | Note | Price | Offer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall |  YESWELDER YESWELDER 4/9-13 | 4/9-13 | Yes | 0.1 to 0.8 s | 9.1 | about £37.04 | View offer |
| Alternative |  TOOLIOM TOOLIOM TL-31800H | DIN 4, 5-9/9-13 | Weld, cut, grind | Not stated | 7.9 | about £54.14 | View offer |
| Best value |  Unbranded A810 unbranded | DIN 4 / 9-13 | Yes | Not stated | 7.6 | about £29.90 | View offer |
On this page
Light state and dark state
While you line the torch up, the filter stays light enough to see the joint. When the arc strikes, it switches to a dark shade. A light state around DIN 3 or DIN 4 is what these listings use for set-up and grinding. A dark range of about DIN 9-13 is what they offer for welding, and several also offer DIN 5-9 for cutting. ATOMPLAN prints DIN 3, DIN 5-9 and DIN 9-13. The YESWELDER shade model prints 4/9-13. Both DEKO listings give you a knob and do not print the numbers, so you learn their scale from the manual. Start darker than you think you need, then ease one step if you cannot see the puddle. Those supplier figures are a rule of thumb, not a UK legal table. A small TIG arc is a different problem, on the welding helmet for TIG page.
Sensitivity and delay
Sensitivity decides how small an arc will trip the lens. Delay decides how long the lens stays dark after the arc stops. Too low, and a short tack never trips the filter. Too high, and sunlight or a neighbouring booth trips it while you are still positioning. Start sensitivity high and reduce it until only the arc trips the lens. That order comes from helmet manuals, not from one Amazon brand. A short delay lets you move to the next tack. A longer delay covers a puddle that is still bright. The YESWELDER shade 4/9-13 listing states 0.1 to 0.8 seconds. Do not type that range into a DEKO, a HITBOX or an ANDELI. Their pages do not state it.
Grind mode
Grind mode is for the disc, not for the arc. It locks a light shade, usually DIN 3 or DIN 4 in this file, so you can see the metal you are cleaning. ATOMPLAN names DIN 3. The cheaper YESWELDER names shade 4. On MIGVAN H-25, one review says the grind switch sits inside the shell. A seller tip says to store a DEKO in grind and in the dark. That is a storage note, not a UK rule. The mistake is grinding a weld, nodding back down, and striking while the lens is still light. Before every arc, confirm the mode is weld. Shade pairs for each listing are on the buying guide.
Before the first real weld
Peel any protective film off the cover lens. Film looks like a lens fault and can stop the sensors seeing the arc. Fit the headgear with your glasses on if you wear them. HITBOX reviewers call that shell narrow with varifocal glasses. Solar assist does not replace a flat CR2032, CR2450 or CR2430. The larger YESWELDER contradicts itself on which cell it uses, so match the cell you remove. Then use scrap at the distance you will actually weld, because a steep angle can hide the arc from a sensor. Strike, watch the lens go dark, stop, and watch it open. If it stays light, do not continue for one tack. Keep a spare outer cover in the drawer.
When to stop
Stop if the lens stays light, if it flashes during a pass, or if you cannot tell which mode it is in. Changing sensitivity once is reasonable. A second failure means this helmet is not the tool for that arc today. A passive dark shield is the fallback, which is the auto darkening versus passive page. Arc eye is a UV burn of the cornea. Pain often starts hours later. NHS.uk sends severe eye pain, a change in sight, or a headache with light sensitivity to A&E or 999, and an injury still there after 24 hours to NHS 111. This page does not tell you how to treat it. The visor is not fume control. Employers and limb (b) workers sit under the PPE at Work Regulations. Your garage helmet does not complete that duty for someone you employ.
Common questions
What shade should I start on?
Use the light state, usually around DIN 3 or 4 on these listings, only to see the joint and to grind. For the arc, start in the darker part of the stated range, often towards DIN 11 to 13 for ordinary MIG or stick, and drop one step if you cannot see the puddle. Both DEKO listings do not print the numbers, so follow the sheet in that box. Do not weld on the grind shade.
What do sensitivity and delay actually change?
Sensitivity is how readily the arc trips the filter. Too low and a small arc never darkens the lens. Too high and stray light trips it. Delay is how long the lens stays dark after the arc stops. Short delay suits a run of tacks. A longer delay covers a puddle that is still bright. The 0.1 to 0.8 second delay is stated for the YESWELDER shade model only.
Can I grind with the helmet down?
Yes, if the helmet is in grind or locked on its light shade, so you can see the disc. Switch it back to a welding shade before the next arc. On at least one MIGVAN review, that switch is inside the shell. A grind spark is not a reason to leave the welding sensors off for the bead that follows.
What if it does not darken?
Stop. Check that it is switched on, that you are not in grind, that the film is off the cover lens, and that the battery is seated. Then try one arc on scrap. DEKO and A810 reviews in this file include units that would not darken properly. If it stays light, do not finish the pass. Use a dark passive shield or replace the helmet.
Do I have to peel a film off the lens?
Yes, if a protective film is still on the cover lens or the sensors. It is packaging, not a shade. Left in place it clouds the view and can stop the sensors seeing the arc. Confirm you are peeling film, not the cover lens itself. The cover lens is the scratch part you replace later.
Does solar mean I can ignore the battery?
No. Solar assist keeps a cell topped up in the light. It does not guarantee a dark lens if the cell is flat, missing or the wrong size. Several rows use a replaceable CR2032 or CR2450. Match the cell in the helmet. A DEKO review describes a filter that stayed light even after a battery change, so a new cell is not proof the filter works.
When do I stop and get medical help?
If you were flashed and you have severe eye pain, a change in vision, or a headache with sensitivity to light, NHS.uk directs that to A&E or 999. If the injury is still there after 24 hours, use NHS 111. Pain from arc eye often starts 6 to 10 hours later. Do not wait for a helmet setting to fix an eye that has already been exposed.
Related pages
Sources
Public UK sources and the amazon.co.uk listings in this set, captured on 16 October 2026.
- HSE, welding controls (retrieved 16 October 2026)
- PPE at Work Regulations 1992 (retrieved 16 October 2026)
- HSE, PPE regulations 2022 (retrieved 16 October 2026)
- BSI, BS EN 379:2003+A1:2009 (retrieved 16 October 2026)
- BSI, eyewear transition briefing (retrieved 16 October 2026)
- NHS, eye injuries (retrieved 16 October 2026)
- Royal United Hospitals Bath, arc eye leaflet (retrieved 16 October 2026)
- Stahlwerk ROOKIE helmet (euro shop price) (retrieved 16 October 2026)