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Quieting a generator

R

rrman61

Well-known Member
Have a 5000 watt generac gas generator.anybody have a way to quiet one down without constricting exhaust flow?
 
Bigger muffler? maybe an automotive type? I got a pretty noisy 8hp B&S, been thinking of retro fitting with something quieting.
 
Sometimes it?s more than just a muffler. needed I have a 5k B&S that rattles loudly. I modified the exhaust but it is still loud.
 
I plumbed a Toyota Celica muffler between engine & the factory muffler, & it helped some, however, as has been said, a lot of noise in these singles is from sources on the engine other than exhaust.
 
Build a sound-insulating enclosure for it. Have it open at the bottom and off of the ground for plenty of airflow. For the inside, have 6" of batt insulation on sides and top to absorb the sound. Make it so the whole thing flips up out of the way or has hinged doors for access and fueling.

This would also help to keep rain/snow off of the generator.
 
The muffler is only part of the equation.

Neighbors at a camping event had a big generator like that and a big old car muffler. It helped some but it was still real noisy as the engine and generator head both make significant noise.

Distance and deflection are the only effective cures. I saw one youtube video where a guy put a bunch of plywood panels at strategic locations around the generator to deflect the sound and got it down pretty good, but it was far from practical.

If you absolutely need it quieter on a regular basis, you need to invest in one of the fancy inverter generators.
 
Build an insulated box, maybe a little longer than the generator, with the ends open. Unless it is hot it will probably still cool just fine. Could plug in a window fan to help with air flow too, they don't draw much.
 
(quoted from post at 10:15:53 11/11/19) I saw one once in a pit dug into the ground. I don't think there was a cover to the pit. Seems it was pretty quiet.
Click to expand...

Of course that might be a bit labor intensive for a camping trip!!
 
Easiest stupid simple fix. A quiet run muffler helps and I installed one years ago but everyone has plywood laying around. Ten DB is a heck of a lot of noise level. Video.
Plywood
 

When I use mine the exhaust points away from the house and towards conservation land. I lean a piece of plywood up against the side toward the house.
 
My champion is quite.
You may try adding afternoon mufflers.
A muffler is designed to create an interference, cancellation sound waves.
There was talk years ago wabout electrictronic mufflers. Like sound cancelling headphones.
 
An old freezer comes to mind -- prop the lid open about 4 inches and cut a hole for the exost to vent -- point it away from the house/camp sight.
 
Many years ago, a neighbor had an old 4 cyl. Kohler Genset.
Probably form the 50's. He buried a 50 gal. barrel outside the genset building,
and ran the exhaust in to that. It was really quiet, but then those old Kohler's
were pretty quiet any way.
 
Best way. Don't crank it up.

A larger muffler will help with the exhaust noise some. But you will still have the engine noise. A wall around it will help. But you will need to leave space for the air flow around it.At 3600 rpm there is no good way to kill the noise
 
When I installed mine, I thought about exhaust and noise but the supplies would have been on the side away from the house. Couldn't really see doing that so I installed it in the direction of the
house and parallel to it. I have some ear plugs but when it kicks on, I think "How Sweet it is"........(Jacky Gleason....The Honeymooner's TV series)
 
Under water exhaust is used on many boats. But it can bring up its own problems.You need a siphon break and solid exhaust system.
 
I have a friend with a fuel injected variable speed Honda, loves it. Super quiet when not under full load and sips gas.
 
If it's running because the power is out and it's keeping your appliances and furnace running it is a very satisfying sound
---get used to it.
 
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