Ear Protection

[Smoody]

What is the decibel level of a typical 2 cylinder yanmar at working RPM?

I wear ear buds but curious if they are rated properly for the sound level.

Surely someone knows and can recommend the ear bud rating we should be using to prevent damage to our ears?

...and for those who do not wear protection please start, when I got my first yanmar I used it a few hours with no protection (not knowing, or thinking about it) when I was done my ears were ringing for hours.

 

[kenmac]

I used it a few hours with no protection (not knowing, or thinking about it) when I was done my ears were ringing for hours.

When I was younger ,I worked in the steel mills. My ears have been ringing for years . Can't say if I have done anymore damage to my ears by not wearing ear protection usiny my tractor or not

 

[Ginormous]

I wear music ear buds. I can easily hear the music above my tractor. I have to say that my YM1700 with it's clanky 2 cyl engine really isn't that loud, but this probably varies some from tractor to tractor.

 

[MMagis]

I don’t know the answer, but I have to think that any hearing protection on the market would protect from the noise of a small tractor.

 

[tractchores]

I use either the soft earplugs (32 - 35 Decibels) or the over the head ear-muff type protectors (25 - 30 DB) while using my tractor or any equipment. I have the earmuff's integrated into my hard hat and face shield, so I usually wear that all the time (its great because when i knock my head on something it doesn't hurt). I sometimes wear both at the same time when doing a particularly loud task (chipping wood with a big gas wood chipper for example). I have found that the music earbuds don't offer that great of protection and you end up turning them up so loud that they cause damage themselves. When i want music I wear earbuds under my ear-muffs and that works pretty good and I barely need any volume to hear the music. Hearing is one of those things that you don't usually know is damaged until you already lost it.

 

[phiferpharm]

I got a pair of John Deere - noise canceling headphones that you can plug an ipod, radio, etc, into. The headphones work very well with all of my stuff and you can listen to music or just turn on the sound - canceling feature.

 

[rsewill]

If you listen to music while mowing but turn down the music when you are done then you aren't doing your hearing any favor. Ear plugs are very effective.

 

[Brake Weight]

12 years in the oil patch and I wear ear plugs pretty regular. I started out on some old, loud rigs. So you had to wear the ear plugs to be able to hear the TV when you knocked off. I've since moved on to some brand new rigs and it's not near as loud on these since it was designed that way. So, not many wear ear plugs since the volume is bearable and you can hold a conversation without having to raise your voice too much. But, I can notice the loss of some hearing in the last two years with out wearing ear plugs on the newer, less loud rigs.

All that said, even if the sound is bearable or moderatly loud it is still damaging your hearing. Even if your hearing is already diminished, it can be reduced even further from the lull of a tractor.

I wear my headphones, Bumping Buds is the actual name, when I weed eat, mow, or tractoring...and when on the helicopter going to/leaving the rig. They fit tigher than any headphone that I have ever worn. I would wear them when I was on the older rigs working up in the derrick.

 

[westbrooklawn]

Not sure of the answer to your question, but if you have a smart phone, or know someone who does, there are several free decible meter apps that you can download to your phone, and then take db readings using the phone. I loaded one on my Iphone, and it is pretty neat for reading noise levels in different environments.

 

[tractchores]

Not sure of the answer to your question, but if you have a smart phone, or know someone who does, there are several free decible meter apps that you can download to your phone, and then take db readings using the phone. I loaded one on my Iphone, and it is pretty neat for reading noise levels in different environments.

very cool! I'm going to have to try that out.