Welding Helmets with PAPR System. How to choose the correct system for you.

Firstly, welding & grinding fumes. When welding & grinding metals, fumes & particles are produced into the air in the workplace which can be harmful to both the welder & others within the workplace.  These fumes when inhaled can potentially lead to serious health problems long & short term. 

It’s highly recommended to protect yourself from these harmful fumes and use respiratory protection.  Protection can come in many forms from a basic disposable P2/P3 face mask, low profile respirator or a PAPR welding helmet.

Which leads on to the next question what is PAPR & what does it mean?  PAPR stands for Powered Air Purifying Respirator.  Meaning it’s a powered (via battery) air purifying system that filters the Air from the fumes and supplies fresh breathable air into the welding helmet face area.  This allows for long usage and without the health issues that the fume can present.

So how does a PAPR Filter work?  Very simply dirty air is sucked in through a fan and the air passes through a series of different filters.  These filters capture the particles & fumes (depending on what filter combinations are used) and clean air is passed into the helmet via ducts. Clean air is then blown out into the face area of the user.  The helmet will generally have some cloth neck seals attached to the Helmet to seal up the facial area ensuring a clean breathing environment for the user.

Different Filters.  There are a variety of filters available for good quality PAPR helmets such as:

• Pre Filters – This is the first level of protection to capture large diameter particles to extend the lifetime of the Main P3 Filter.
• Main P3 Particle Filter – This main filter captures the bulk of the particles & contaminants and is the minimum required filter.
• Carbon Filter / Odour Filter – This filter captures smells & other scent toxins. This is used in conjunction with the P3 & Pre-Filters.  This filter is not required if a Gas Filter is used.
• Gas Filter – High level of protection against organic, inorganic & acid gas vapours. Toxins such as galvanising fumes, paint fumes & other vaporised fumes. These filters are used in conjunction with P3 & Pre-Filters.

So, with this in mind how do you choose the correct PAPR helmet setup?  In a previous blog we discussed some of the features of welding helmets such as Comfort, Flip Front for Grinding, Clarity & Size of the Viewing Area, and so on.

So as always look at the quality of the product and what your intended uses are going to be for the PAPR helmet. Here are some of the commonly asked questions the relate to PAPR Helmets.

1. Are you going to be using for grinding & welding? If only welding then a lightweight basic style of PAPR may be more suitable.  Such as the Tecmen V1 setup where the grinding is not as essential.  Although the Tecmen V1 does have a External Grind Mode button which is easily accessed.  Refer to below picture.

Whereas if you a looking at using where grinding is involved, then the Tecmen V3 setup is most likely the better option as it gives you fully clear viewing of the grinding process without flipping up the whole helmet.

2. Are you going to welding galvanised or coated metals? If so, then some of the brands of PAPR Helmets available in the market only offer a limited range of filters.  For example, some only offer a simple Pre filter & P3 Filter and no options for Gas or Odour.  Which is not going to give you fully adequate protection for Galvanised Metal Welding. 
3. How long do you need your battery to last? If you are looking at using the helmet for many hours during the day, then a spare battery or even a longer life battery may be useful. Some brands have optional longer lasting batteries available as well as the standard whereas some don’t. Some you might even have to wait many months for supply as they may not carry the spare parts in Australia.  The battery charge time can vary depending on what Filter setup is used (simply the more filters the less time it lasts).  Good quality PAPR Filter units also have adjustable power so you can reduce or increase the air flow to suit the user’s needs (another way of effecting battery life).

4. How expensive are the replacement filters & spares? Are they easily available? This is a very important question as there are many brands of PAPR helmets in the market and with varying prices.  Some brands of PAPR helmets might sell the helmet cheaply but the consumable filters etc are expensive and can be hard to source when needed.  Some are both expensive in the helmet & consumables.  Unfortunately, many retailers of welding equipment are happy to stock and sell the Helmet but don’t have any support with spares & consumables which can leave the purchaser very disappointed.

So, whenever welding or grinding it’s always recommended to protect yourself from as many risks as possible and respiratory issues are all too common in the industry.  So, whilst PAPR Helmets are a higher price than a standard Welding Helmet its fully worth it & at times compulsory to have full protection they are worth every cent.

So, keep in mind when looking at PAPR Helmets only buy Quality!!  As mentioned some so called PAPR Helmets are very limited in their capabilities and as such may not be suitable for your uses.

At Eastern Welding Supplies we are a Proud Dealer of the Tecmen Range.  Tecmen only make high quality products and such their PAPR Helmets are designed to suit the heavy needs of the Welding industry.  We not only sell a full range of Helmets, but we stock a full range of Lenses & Filters for not only the Tecmen Range but many other brands also.

At Eastern Welding Supplies we make a commitment to all our customers to provide expert advice and guidance with anything we sell. We only sell Quality Products that meet the needs & standards of the Australian Welding Industry.

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