Best headsets for noisy areas ( 160db)

[wkr518]

Anyone had any luck with aftermarket headsets for really noisey areas?
Specifically XTS2500 in a Power Plant where noise levels are 140-160db.
Any recommendations?
Thanks in advance for any suggestions
Wayne

[Bruce1807]

We used the equivalent of Motorolas RMN4051 which is attached to hard hats at National Power in the UK. They worked good in the turbine room
and something like the BDN6635 for the gantry operators in the turbine room.
All radios were tuned to 250 mw so as not to upset the speed controls.

[Jonathan KC8RYW]

David Clark?

[RKG]

This raises a number of issues.

First is hearing protection for the people. You don't specify what the 140-160 dB relates to, but if it is 160 dBA continuous or 160 dB-Leq, I doubt there is anything that would prevent permanent hearing loss for anyone in there on a regular basis.

Next question is how the guys are going to hear. We've used David Clark for eons; I can't testify that they're the best because, given satisfaction to date, we've never looked for anything else. But they are good.

Next question is how the guys are going to talk. A sound level at the levels you've specified would, I would imagine, overload virtually any noise cancelling mike.

[mr.syntrx]

Are you sure about the sound level? 140dBA is about as loud as a shotgun blast a couple of feet away. A good pair of earmuffs provides around 24dB of attenuation. No mic or headset will cope with that. OSHA's maximum allowed safe exposure to 140dB is about 30 seconds anyway.

[jackhackett]

That's a lotta noise. Probably the best you're going to find are something like these:

http://www.davidclark.com/Military/GroundSup.html

You could also look at Peltor. I'd contact both companies and see if they can meet your requirements.

The Motorola ones mentioned already would probably be less expensive, and might be all you need.

I was also thinking of an earpiece with a bone mic worn under normal hearing protection.. not sure how well that would work though.

[Bruce1807]

Are you sure about the sound level? 140dBA is about as loud as a shotgun blast a couple of feet away. A good pair of earmuffs provides around 24dB of attenuation. No mic or headset will cope with that. OSHA's maximum allowed safe exposure to 140dB is about 30 seconds anyway.

Ever been in a turbine room?
We used to wear earplugs und headsets., but you could still hear the sabers (MX1000's) ok.
Now I'm not sure of the sound level but if you were caught without hard hat or hearing protection on you were banned as contractor for one month and fined 50 pounds. It was loud though , I lifted one earpiece up just to see and the wine was unbelivable.

[wkr518]

Average noise is 120db
High level 156db intermittently when turbine gear upwards

Now they just want to be able to hear radio squaking and then they can dip into a side office to call back last caller on radio.Kinda sucks if they were NOT calling YOU! Heh heh...

No helmets required,currently using earplugs and EarMuffs over them.

Jokingly suggested they switch to Motorola cheapo VL50 which has vibe feature and ditch thier XTS2500 800mhz portable.He got a kick out of that one!

Thanks for the suggestions,Rep at David Clark is sending me 2 headsets to try out,the military types.

Temple Transducers worked OK for them..at least they could catch some radio traffic squacking.

Wayne

[Zaputil]

Peltor makes a very good product- much better that what you would find at the local Home Depot, etc. The Peltor units that are OEM to /\/\ for the Pro Series have a 24db NR ratting if I remember correctly. However, my dad has a Peltor non-communcation set with something like a 29db NR. Combined with earplugs, you don't get much quieter. Race car drivers use the in the ear phones, which may work decent under a NR headset.

Good luck!