11 Tips To Help Make Your Generator More Quiet

A generator is an essential alternative power source when a power outage takes place after a flood or hurricane. It can be a great power source, especially when you're camping out on your RV or trailer. Generators can run small things like your cell phone charger to power bigger appliances like AC or fridge. However, running a generator comes with an obvious back draw, which can ruin the pleasure of camping is the sound.

A generator can make a huge blast of sound or noise that can become disturbing, especially when you're camping. Imagine you're camping out to find peace from nature, and the generator is ruining the peace. Furthermore, the harsh noise from the generator can be annoying for your neighbors and fellow campers as well. In this article, I'll talk about the most important tips that you can use to make your generators quiet.

11 Tips To Help Make Your Generator More Quiet

Generators are a true help when you need power backup for as long as you want, as much as you want. But, as they make annoying noise, you can follow these tips to get rid of the noise from your generator:

1. Decide the wattage you need

The first and obvious reason for a generator to make annoying noises is the size of the engine. The rule of thumb here is, the higher the wattage of the engine, the higher the noise it will make. Before you go to purchase the generator, calculate how much wattage you need. Calculate all the appliances of your home that draw current from the outlet, and add them up. Now when you're selecting the generator, make sure it has the right wattage in it. A typical home doesn't need more than a 2000 watt from the generator. Going for bigger than that will come more expensive with more noise at the end.

2. Get a quieter generator

If you already don't have a generator and are planning to purchase one, get a quiet portable generator in the first place. Modern generators come with "Quiet" ratings that can give you less noise than even a conversational noise. For camping or a home where you have neighbors around, these generators are the ideal choices. These generators come with digital inverters that make less noise but make an efficient power source. Make sure the engine runs with inverter technology and gives you greater power, yet less noise.

3. Set the generator further

If you have a generator that makes huge noise, the simplest idea of keeping it quiet is to set it further away. The ideal placement for a regular generator is to keep it at least 23 feet away to reduce the noise. If you're camping in an open place, try to place even further using a long extension cable.

4. Set the exhaust pointing away

The noise of the generator comes from the exhaust pipe as the engine exhales the sound this way. If you're getting annoying noise from the generator and the exhaust pipe is pointing towards you, it's causing the noise. To reduce the noise, you can point the exhaust pointing back to you. The noisy bit from the generator won't hit your ears directly if you place it pointing away from you or up.

5. Get it rubber feet or base

The next step you can take to isolate the sound is to give rubber feet or base to the generator. The generator makes the awkward sound from the vibration as it hits the hard ground. That's why the sound goes up if you keep it on a wooden floor; the vibration goes up as well. The point here is to keep it away from hard surfaces and isolate vibrations as much as possible. If you put rubber feet or a rug under the generator, the rubber will help the vibration isolate into the earth. A thick piece of foam will do the job as well.

6. Make an acoustic barrier

Acoustic barriers are effective when it comes to containing any type of noise, including the noise from your generator. You can find so many types of acoustic barriers in the market, such as sound deflectors. You can put it in between you and your generator to isolate the sound in a direction you want. You can use soundproof partitions between you and the generator as well. Put the barrier close to the generator, and the partition will absorb the sound and won't let it pass through.

7. Give it a detachable rubber cover

You can use a box or a shade for the generator that you can put around it or on the side you're camping. While making the box, make sure you're adding a rubber layer for the walls, which will help you contain the sound. It helps you get the sound go away from your direction to another. You can also make a flap with a rubber which you can detach whenever you want and put it on sight when needed.

8. Try a better muffler

If you're using a generator without a muffler in between, the generator will make harsh noise. In that case, you must get a muffler for your generator exhaust and hook it up to the pipe. If you have a stationary muffler that doesn't cut the sound as it should, try replacing it. A good muffler will isolate the sound and let it spread out less from the exhaust pipe. Before replacing it, try to contact a professional mechanic or repairman and get a suggestion about which one will be perfect.

9. Wrap it in a fireproof insulation

You can decrease the sound from the generator by putting fireproof insulation on it. There are many options if you're going for the fireproof insulation, such as fiberglass, rockwood, or mineral wool. You can make walls from these types of insulation in them and put the wall in between you and your generator when needed. If you're not using the generator, you can put the insulation wall away and have a clean setup. However, the adequate airflow to the generator remains a big concern with this method.

10. Try the water bucket method

The water bucket method for isolating the noise from your generator might seem a little tricky. You have to understand how it works in the first place to make it work. The basic idea is to use the water as a muffler for the exhaust. Connect a hose into the exhaust pipe of the generator, use a clamp to keep it firm. Take the other end of the pipe and put it into the water, and the sound will go into the water and isolate it. Remember to put the generator in a higher place than the bucket.

11. Soundproof the house or tent

To keep the inside of the house or tent out of the noise, you can make it soundproof. You can use soundproofing blankets on the tent walls to keep the sound out. Using soundproofing curtains for the home windows will work great as well. Make sure you don't have unnecessary openings outside the home as well. Seal the windows with silicon and keep them let the noise come into your house.

Final words

Although generators come in handy when you get a power outage, they are super annoying when you have to deal with its noise. Using the tips and tricks above, you can stay out of the annoying noise from your generator and be safe from sound pollution. Never use the generator inside your home because they don't just make an annoying sound, but also release carbon monoxide. If you let carbon monoxide build inside your home, it can become a slow poison for your family members. Don't forget to read the manufacturer's safety manual that came with the generator when you brought it.

Reference: https://yorator.com/

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