Nec Telephone Equipmen. A telephone for the shower?

Edwards Finance > Phones

Q. Yeah this probably sounds crazy, but I am trying to find a telephone for the shower, so that I don't have to run out to catch the telephone when expecting an important call. I am shocked I can't find something like this. They make waterproof walkmans and other things. There is no electrocution danger from a telephone line. Just even a simple speakerphone would work.

A. Not so; the ringer current can deal a nasty shock. US spec calls for the ringer to deliver at least 40V rms into a 5 REN load; that's about 50 mA. It's ten times the NEC limit (5 mA) for wet-location GFCIs and enough to pose a serious threat to children and a moderate threat to adults. Depending on the telco's equipment and the resistance of the lines, actual ringer voltage and current may be still higher. There are many professional-grade waterproof telephone sets, and marine telephone equipment is of course made waterproof -- but this is overkill, probably not what you want. I'd take my cell phone or a cordless phone handset with me and leave it on the vanity while I shower. If I had to have a phone mounted in the bathroom, I'd use one with a cordless handset and mount it outside the wet zone. I suppose mounting a speakerphone just outside the shower area is too simple. Phone rings, step from the shower, press the answer button and talk. If you are so unlucky that lightning strikes the line the very fraction of a second you pushed the button then you were destined to slip over and drown in the shower tray anyway. I think you'd find that the noise of the shower would make a speakerphone useless. Water-proofing aside, I'd bet no one is going to be able to hear you clearly talking over the shower water even on a traditional (i.e. non-speaker) phone. If you're expecting an important call, just put your cordless phone outside of the shower in arms reach, and turn off the shower when the phone rings. Easy. Any cordless phone and then place it inside a small-large size Reynolds Oven Roasting Bag. The Turkey Size bags are too big. The higher quality plastic is thinner and easier to hold than a ziploc. Sound transfers easily. Just secure a twist tie tightly and keep below the handset.

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