How to make a generator quieter - 9 Ways That Work!

Wether you own a traditional portable generator or a quieter inverter generator, you might still have noise issues depending on where and when you're using the generator. This video will show you 9 ways to make your generator quieter for camping or home use.
You don't need to spend a lot of money making a portable generator quieter. Of course you could buy a generator quiet box which I cover in the video but there are easy and cheap ways to get good results.
Building a DIY quiet generator enclosure is one sure way to make your generator quieter. But you also don't even need to go that far, you can use just a couple of pieces of plywood and voila, ill show you how to do this in the video.
Here are the recommended products I talk in this video to make a portable generator quieter. The first items is what you will need to build your very own generator quiet enclosure.
1. Medium Density Fiberboard - amzn.to/36stH4c
2. Mass Loaded Vinyl - amzn.to/2NFtfqV
3. Green Glue Noise Proofing Sealant - amzn.to/2JL4vfC
4. Ventilation Exhaust Cooling Fan - amzn.to/2pEoqWz
5. sound absorbing panel - amzn.to/2Ndinl5
6. Car Muffler - amzn.to/36wbinh
7. battery powered fan - amzn.to/36vo0m8
8. Sound Absorbing Mat - amzn.to/2NAvBHs
GenSilencer - gensilencer.com
Zombie Box - Zombiebox.com
Full Article to make a generator quieter - soundproofguide.com/make-port...
Full Article for DIY Generator Silence Enclosure - soundproofguide.com/diy-gener...
Bear in mind that some of the links in this video are affiliate links, and if you go through them to make a purchase, I will earn a commission. Keep in mind that I link these companies and their products because of their quality and not because of the commission I receive from your purchases. The decision is yours, and whether or not you decide to buy something is completely up to you.
Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational,​ or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use.
Music Credit - Bensound.com
Thank You for watching.

[@wetsu82]

When I was in the military while in the field we used generators. To quiet them, you dig a small hole and surround it with filled sand bags, little higher than the generator . Totally absorbed the sound!

[@josephuzoma1851]

Sounds like a good idea....could you please elaborate?

[@bayougtr]

I’ve even seen people do same with bags of mulch, soil, sand stacked in a circle around the generator. Stacked as high or higher than generator

[@douglasfairmeadow]

Exactly. It comes down to basic principles of sound transmission. Dense materials like sand / pile of rocks will do far, far more than some kind of BS frame or enclosure.

[@jeffho1727]

Yep, always dug in the gennys if possible. It also helped with identifying direction, that said, the old thumper generators were like a noise beacon in the night, nothing tactical there.

[@dgoins6]

What if it rains? Wouldn't the generator get submerged?

[@Cammi_Rosalie]

I used to have one of those 2-stroke, 800 watt Harbor Freight generators. Chincy little thing, but it worked quite well for running some lights and fans during camping on hot summer nights. I put the 'genny about 100 feet away, over a hill. Then a 10 foot long bit of electrical conduit large enough to slip over the little exhaust outlet with the spark-screen in it. A small hook clamped about 5 feet down the pipe where a bungee with a metal hook was connected, then the other end connected to the frame of the 'genny to keep the pipe tight against the exhaust. Finally, a Y-shaped branch jammed firmly into the ground to support the far end of the pipe. By the time the exhaust had exited the pipe, it was barely warm. All that, and a few bits of wood stacked as mentioned. This was in a state park campsite. During the still hours of the night I could just barely hear the 'genny. I asked neighboring campers if they heard anything, and if so, if it was bothersome. Nobody, not even the park rangers could tell that it was a generator only 100 feet away. It sounded pretty much like a window air conditioner running across the street. With little load, one full tank lasted all night, and long enough into the morning to make coffee. I sold it to my brother 10 years ago. He still uses it on jobs. Now I have an inverter 'genny. I still use the stacked wood method, but with 2 inch thick, rubberized-coated Styrofoam insulation boards rather than plywood. (Leaving openings for air and fully open on the exhaust end) Cant hear the thing at all. ALWAYS.. ALWAYS! Secure your 'genny with a lock and chain around a tree at least 6 inches thick. Junkies & crackheads are everywhere trying to steal anything to sell for their next hit. CHAIN IT UP!

[@emmawilson4828]

Holy shit ..

[@webstella]

I know this ia an old comment but i am interested in exactly what materials u used to make your "rubberized coated insulation boards". Were they actual wooden boards lined with styrofoam? Or were they styrofoam only? If styrofoam only what doyou use to keep them from blowing away? What kind of styrofoam? What was the rubberized coating? Rubberized Undercoating? A thin rubber mat? Thanks in advance.

[@Cammi_Rosalie]

@@webstella What I had was some kind of underlayment my uncle got from a jobsite he worked at. An insulating foam that goes under the steel sheeting. Basically, it was a panel of 2 inch thick, white strofoam with this black cating on it that was elastic and rubbery. But it looked like black cork. I have never seen anymore of that stuff since. But I never really looked for it either. Ok I just googled several keywords, and nothing similar comes up. I was trying to give you a link to a photo or source, but I'm having no luck. The closest thing I could find was Polystyrene "Sandwich" board. But it has metal cladding rather than the rubberized coating. As for the method I used to keep it in place, I used landscaping fabric pins. I just pinned then together in a 3-sided box shape and put it over the "genny, with the exhaust pointing out of the open end. Sorry I couldn't give you more info. I really do wish I knew what the stuff was called.

[@jtbrower]

Thank you for sharing this nice video. I apologize if someone else already mentioned what I am about to say because there are currently 397 comments to dig through. People need to be careful modifying the exhaust systems on an engine. All engines have an ideal amount of back pressure required to achieve the most power at the least amount of heat out of the engine while compromising a bit of power loss for noise reduction. There is usually a sweet spot that the engineers already hit for you. Maximize power, reduce heat and decrease noise. When you add another muffler you could be significantly increasing the backpressure on the exhaust port of the cylinder(s). This will reduce power and can also affect carburetor jetting efficiency. The noise mat and sound suppression box are a great approach so long as the engine has proper ventilation. If you stick it in a box, the oxygen level in that box will drop and that will cause the engine to run richer in fuel. So assuring the air intake at the air filter is closest to or outside of the box would be best. All of the better engine companies do extensive testing to maximize the output of their engines. When they run their tests they do so in varying environments such as high altitude, cold climate, hot climates. However they do not assume someone is going to put the engine inside of a box and this could have a detrimental impact on the engines lifespan / fuel consumption and performance. Ok, preaching over with now.

[@soundproofguide]

Thank you for the comment! I will mention all of this information in a future video and give you a shout out if that's ok with you! :)

[@jtbrower]

@@soundproofguide thanks again for your content.

[@jonpayne2468]

Good info. Well spoken.

[@jameshawkins4419]

The ideal amount of back pressure is always zero. Any amount of back pressure will reduce power since it requires the engine to do more work to expel the exhaust gasses. Exhaust tuning revolves around pressure waves and their termination. By altering when the pressure wave is terminated, you change what RPM peak torque and power occurs at by making use of the scavenging effect to increase cylinder filling at specific RPMs. That is what hot rodders do with headers and muffler placement. Car mufflers will flow more than enough for any small engine to not add back pressure, however it can change when the pressure wave is terminated and that can change when peak power occurs. Since most small engines operate in a small range of RPMs, 3,600 or less, a shift to a higher rpm would be noticed as a loss of power in the lower operating range because the engine will never turn enough RPMs to achieve the new peak scavenging.

[@bennyl8149]

Thank you so much. I just got a new generator ,well to be honest a friend bought it for us. It's very noisy. I was looking for some ideas to build a box or shed to sound proof and to weather proof the generator. I'm new to the generator world didn't have a clue on what to expect. You gave me some good info. Thank you!

[@010aray]

Who in the hell would spend $1000 on a box for a 2200W portable generator that costs $500? Those Zombie Boxes are insanely priced.

[@bigbossjc4117]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@paulmichael5633]

The generator that I've been looking at getting is $1,700, uses propane or gas. The reason I'd want it, is because I'd often be using it inside of buildings that don't have easy access to a 220v outlet. -- So, while I can understand this isn't exactly a common practice use, there are people that would greatly appreciate the machine.

[@Dewey-wz4ny]

Honda inverters generators are insanely priced too (repeatedly mentioned in the video). If I could parallel 4 of them, I'd finally have a decent sized generator but I'd need a bottomless wallet to due it. It's not hard to be quiet when you're running a Cox 0.049 engine (exaggeration) and take your fuel consumption ratings using 1/4 output (when output is already 1/2 regular generators. Other manufacturers rate sound output and fuel consumption @ 1/2 output, not 1/4. Let's try some apple to apple comparisons. The inverter don't enter into the reason they're quiet it's because they are 1/2 the size both in output power and engine size (or more) along with twice the price tag.

[@Cb138inRs]

@@Dewey-wz4ny They only let you parrallel 2 to each other. COuld probably switch 4 together. But. fuses might melt. They are quite. But extremely noticeable in a quiet campground at night time. I prefer the silence

[@kmacradio]

I agree.

[@chadjones99]

Battery powered fan to keep the generator cool. WTF ..its a generator it makes electricity... just plug fan into it

[@angelusman974]

What about the smoke

[@chadjones99]

@@angelusman974 I just replied to video. He talked about using battery powered fan

[@doddgarger6806]

@@angelusman974 what smoke

[@stlkngyomom]

Maybe you need to cool the generator when it stops working the fan like in tropical/subtropical climates? That's my best explanation,but I'm not very smart about generators...

[@ryandavis4689]

Lol...silly as heck

[@nickholman3843]

quick safety tip. I work on powerlines and during storm restoration we love to be able to hear a generator running. If a generator is incorrectly installed it can backfeed the high voltage and kill us. When we hear it, we know to be more wary. Great vid! TLDR: keep it loud after a storm.

[@LAVIN20]

You should always just be careful

[@Bobaganusche72]

My first time using a generator after a winter storm resulted in having the cops come to my house on a noise complaint and me getting a written warning that the generator would be confiscated and I would be fined if they got another complaint.

[@jubhgioubgob]

What would be incorrect installation?

[@nickholman3843]

@@jubhgioubgob with either an auto or manual transfer switch. This isolates the house/generator from the grid.

[@drewtonhouse]

@@Bobaganusche72 sounds like a jealous neighbour snitched on you who doesn't own a generator

[@MagentaRV]

I always advise against #4 - car muffler. It doesn't make a significant difference AND more importantly it'll increase the back pressure on the engine causing premature failure.

[@robertbagnall4868]

I agree with you

[@JV-io3nn]

Even a muffler for a 1.3l engine is not going to create any real back pressure in these tiny generator engines. It will not shorten the engines life. Best practice is to use a motorcycle/scooter muffler, with the scooter muffler designed for smaller engines similar in displacement to a generators engine.

[@pevelyhomeowner327]

Another fine video..Thank you again.

[@GezzyVR]

I don't even have a generator and I'm watching this because I'm bored while quarantined...

[@soundproofguide]

Awesome! Keep watching and subscribe to my channel and most of all, stay safe ☺️

[@madresefonoon]

So cool😂

[@michaeltanis7301]

That's funny, nearly the same situation

[@ComplexOne]

lmao

[@bradcoleman54]

😂🤣😂

[@Thepavlo6666]

very interesting information there! Thanks

[@JoeCubicle]

Nice video. Lots of good information. Thanks!

[@PJ-ee5mc]

Thank you for your very nicely produced video and for all of your helpful tips.

[@PC9JEFF]

Yes, point the exhaust toward your neighbor's house!

[@aaroniquedemeritte5218]

Loll I'm doing that now😅😅😅🤣🤣

[@TheKlink]

that'll teach them!!!

[@skibum151]

Do you have plans/blueprints for the box for the champion 9500 Watt generator in your example? I have that exact generator and would love to build this.

[@davecollier8054]

Quieting things is really important to me! Thank you

[@smbmxdirt3427]

Shhhh

[@elara24]

Yeah stop shouting ffs

[@CurtisDrew1]

I mounted a 250 amp dc alternator on the engine of one of my little Honda cars. Then I wired it to a 120/ 240 volt ac inverter . I have a breaker power box that allows me to plug the 10,000 watts inverter to my house through a throwover switch. With an adjustable throttle cable, I can park the car outside my garage and plug my house into the cars power inverter and power most of the house with a cord we got from a trailer house we got rid of some years ago. Our propane house heater is no problem, but can only run one ac unit on the house. But everything else works fine. And you can't hear the car running at all. And since it's water cooled it never overheats. It's the car we take camping, so we always have all the electricity we want. Thought about building a generator head attached to a car motor on a trailer, but this works good as is. And easily portable. You can barely hear the car running.... And the best part I'd it sips gas and I can drive to to the gas station for more gas.

[@MuhammadAli-HD]

I was worried about my Gen noise....thnx for a productive video.

[@SpaceMonkey2385]

Umm I don't think you need a battery powered fan if you are running a generator. Just plug it into the generator (roughly a 100 watts depending on the size of the fan)

[@soundproofguide]

You could certainly do that if you don’t need all of the outlets.

[@a3a14613]

@@soundproofguide That's what Zombiebox does with their fan.

[@Qui-9]

Just use an outlet expander of some sort or take remaining power from a multi-outlet cord.

[@donoimdono2702]

Zombie box uses a solar powered fan with a storage battery for night time use. the solar fan can be bought at hardware store if you want to make your own

[@soundproofguide]

All the recommended soundproofing products I talk about in this video can be found in the description of this video. Don't forget to SHARE, LIKE, COMMENT, and SUBSCRIBE. Doing this really helps small channels like mine to have a chance on KZbin. Thank you!

[@ericteipen]

And after 8hrs of use you burn the windings up in the gen and you wonder why..

[@gamingforlive2150]

i just watched nr.3 and hoped for other solutions bruh 😂

[@alfredmirabueno4654]

Why don't we just design a pyramid box? it's angled to the ground while having slits for exhaust?

[@gorilladisco9108]

Best way to silent the generator is by turn it off.

[@randomkadrmas2630]

Thanks for the video. I have no idea how to use Google or how to read reviews on Amazon all on my own.

[@want2seeall]

I've used the plywood method. It works great during the hunting season.

[@trevorthen4sr603]

It would probably work all year long.

[@charlesabbethy490]

Any suggestions for a sound box for a CNC router? The biggest problem will be the viewing window. Plexi would scratch to easily. I was thinking about a homemade three pane window, using silicone between layers around the perimeter. Any thoughts ???

[@FBPrepping]

Great video. I live in a tropical country, and have a genset in a subdivision where houses are stacked wall to wall. Overheating and noise is indeed a great deal. I came out with an idea and will hopefully develop it in the future. For those non-engineers, changing the muffler (I haven't done it but decided not to invest on this) maybe not a perfect solution, as the mufflers have internal plates called baffles that are spaced according to the frequencies generated by the exhaust gases getting out of the engine. This gases comes out in "pulses" with a certain timing. Meaning with this, that a bigger muffler just will make the sound bounce inside like the shed example he mentions. Making even a cardboard double walled box with polyestierene foam within, everything duct-taped to make it collapsible for storage, and a small air extractor attached to one side to avoid overheating should work. Mine has a 12v output, and I will plug the fan there. Great video buddy, you solved me a problem! Thanks.

[@romaldothomas8653]

Thanks great video.

[@billiebowling7755]

Some of these ideas will definitely make the generator quiet but will also cause it to run hot with improper ventilation which will shorten the life of the generator

[@lperez101850]

Great 👍 tips.

[@hiteshlimbanis]

I just dug 4 feet below ground and covered with plywood it worked and cheap

[@rayhs1]

that is not an option when you live at sea level like i do .. most ppl put their gen sets up on a platform actually

[@DavidGilesColorado]

@@rayhs1 or where I live there are boulders under the surface here bigger than a vw bug. They are building a new house across the street and you should have seen these huge boulders just under the surface.

[@tomkelly8827]

I did that too but I left it in there too long and when it rained, it got flooded in my hole! Also when I covered my hole, it choked my generator out. I'm going for the vented box now

[@dannyo6699]

James Condon did a video back in June 2020, where he bought a used generator that had a car muffler installed by a previous owner. He used a decibel meter and found the generator had around a 70 decibel sound level with the muffler installed. He then removed the car muffler and installed a factory muffler and the sound level was then 75 to 76 decibels, so the muffler did quiet the generator around 5 decibels. He had the generator setting about 25 yards away from the decibel meter when testing. Now the car muffler did have a down pipe on the exhaust side of the muffler so the sound was going down into the ground, and the factory muffler was pointed however it was pointed as installed, so that might have had some effect on the sound too. Personally, I don't know why generator manufacturers don't just put better sound deadening mufflers on their generators. Obviously the intent for a generator is to generate electricity a short distance away from it's intended use, and a muffler is intended to quiet exhaust. Why can't the manufacturers combine these to processes? Granted you can buy a Honda generator, pay a couple thousand dollars for what you can pay a few HUNDRED dollars for with any other generator, but the Honda units are supposedly the quietest generators you can get on the market. Oh well, maybe someday it'll actually become a thing. Great video with good info. Thank you.

[@jimjimgar1783]

Thanks for the video. Which generator do you recommend for a van ? I would like the quietest generator. Thanks a lot

[@kathleennelson6692]

Thankful for the info. It helps a lot. Utah

[@Retiredkiwi]

I tried an extra muffler i had lying around first, on my Chinese 5kw diesel, but made very little difference to noise outside(generator was in garage with exhaust going thru wall outside). So found a 2 meter long piece of old lead bath drain pipe i had lying around, and attached that instead, worked well, without a meter to test though, but seemed like about 50% reduction.

[@Dewey-wz4ny]

I wonder how rigid iron pipe would work with a couple extra bends...

[@ford9339]

I was thinking about doing that. Like welding a second muffler to my generator

[@MuhammadAli-HD]

Keep it up!

[@domdela5217]

I've had a generator for about seven years now and haven't had to use it for longer than an hour. However, with the recent weather patterns lately, I was wondering about muffling the noise cheaply in case I do have to run it overnight. I like the third option of blocking the noise by placing plywood around the generator. I would probably glue some some soundproofing foam on the plywood and also place a rubber mat underneath the generator. Thanks for the tips!

[@cristianpopescu78]

Thanks! I live in the middle of the City..😳I need desperately a quiet one!

[@MsAklove]

Hello there, I am really looking for some advice please. I have just purchased an air compressor to help me operate a cup sealing machine -I found out I also need a generator to power the compressor as its a 2.2kw and unable to use with my home switches without having to go through a whole bunch of electrical work. The issue now is I have a compressor with a 97dB sound and a generator with a 74dB. My solution is to buy a garden shed and then stick the 2 machines in there and off course soundproof the shed. The generator is an LPG hence I wont have to use petrol. I am looking for advice on how to soundproof the shed as these machines will be working along side each other. Your help is much appreciated regards Dela

[@equinoxfishingteam5837]

Awesome information Dude!!!!

[@lorrainemiller688]

Summer in California has become generator season, thank you for all your suggestions. Due to the extreme heat in my area I'm cautious of a fully enclosed solution, but perhaps a three sided, with a sloped roof, angled away from the house, and situated on the north side of the building. A sound pad and some acoustic panels to top it all off. Yay!! Now, to cajole the brother-in-law to fire up his workshop for me, lol.

[@soundproofguide]

Thanks for the feedback!

[@sylviaisgod6947]

The plug on my generator causes cancer in California...so glad I don't live there.

[@Honestandtruth]

@@soundproofguide Thank you for Some good ideas for Generator noise.. 👍👍

[@houstonsheltonbees814]

Cool channel 👍. New subscriber liked hello from the Kentucky mountains USA

[@soundproofguide]

Thank you 😉

[@aticafloorable]

mr asked when the engine is running and hot. You can heat the gas tank because it is very close. it is dangerous ?

[@acdii]

Oh, man I wonder how long before the box would catch fire with my 8500 watt genny. We had a power outage a few weeks ago and can run the entire house on it, plus one AC. The muffler glows red, you can see it at night. If you stand 5 feet from the exhaust, your legs get hot. This is at 50% load too! Imagine if we cranked up two AC! One thing I can say, enclosures do work, provided they are designed with cooling and exhaust ventilation in mind. For example, look at the Generac 7.5Kw genset. Its basically the same as a caged generator, but in an enclosure. The key though is that it has plenty of ventilation and the exhaust is piped out of the box so it doesn't release its heat inside it. I also know that the alternator in the genny has a good sized fan to suck heat out, so making sure there is good in flow and out flow is key. If you do make an enclosure, make sure the front and back, in relation to the genny, the front would be the motor side, the back the exit of the alternator where the air blows out, and some method of getting the exhaust out, and it will work. Give at least 12" clearance all around. Here is the MOST important ting, Make sure you can open it up to air out BEFORE starting it! Gas fumes can and will accumulate in the box and if you have a power starter, and you push the button, you could very well go BOOM!

[@thesage1096]

thank you so much for this. well appreciated

[@sergiobee5947]

I listen only guys who had experience and tried to work around this problem. All rest of you: sceptical criticals- you All just Shut Up!!!

[@hernanalvarez8775]

The link for zombiebox doesn’t work

[@BOBBY-et9xb]

Can polystyrene be used between 2 sheets of plywood to reduce noise.

[@dirtsailoroff-road5580]

I seen a test of a car muffler on a generator before and after and it took the sound from 68db to 62db. actually quite respectable

[@jeffmccrea9347]

I run my generator in my DETACHED garage. I don't have a problem with heat so much as the generator being in an alcove and it choking itself out on it's own exhaust. All I did was buy a cheap box fan, plug it into an outlet on the generator, set it on the end of the unit and leave it turned on. I have my generator connected to my panel through the 240 VAC @ 50 amp twist lock so I have 4 unused outlets. When I start the generator, the the fan starts with it cycling fresh air to the intake and keeping the unit cool in the summer.

[@awamumma1074]

Thanks bro

[@Blackinterceptor999]

I'd probably do a combination of lowering the generator in a hole, AND building a sound controlled box, a car muffler (stock ones for a luxury car or a truck tend to be the largest mufflers)...also...raising the tail pipe itself up into the air so the left over sound is well above your ears and provides more distance and I mean like roof level....I have also heard of using a big bucket of water to help absorb exhaust sounds...Anything we can do to lower the pitch of the sound will also help. Also, keeping it well maintained helps.

[@kevinperry5669]

Moped Muffler

[@richardp4548]

Obviously - buy a quiet model first, but after that use the landscape to your advantage - put in a dry ditch or behind rocks, or dig a pit and use the spoil to fill sandbags or fabric bags and place around it like sand bags. Stagger an entrance for access and exhaust as sound does not travel around corners well. Then use an old soggy plywood roof, or use earth on top. Parking it on planks or a board supported at the ends like a bridge will prevent the ground vibration problem.

[@enoswhitaker7967]

I simply installed a smaller pipe to the exhaust. It works for motorcycles as well. Easy and cheap. Reducing noise level 50%

[@oliverhastings6371]

I shot my generator with a 9mm, job done, no more noise.

[@UhBuddy1976]

Everyone talks about inverter generators on how good they are, and how quiet they are. Well, let’s see how long they last and when they do break how much they are to fix. There is a lot more to an inverter generator than just a motor and an alternator. A lot of technology, and you know that technology is exposed to heat, cold, and humidity

[@hudatva]

I wish that you live here in KSA . thanks a lot

[@nonyadamnbusiness9887]

Just to correct the information, no small engine is splash oiled anymore. Flathead engines will not meet EPA requirements and OHV requires an oil pump. The easiest way to deal with a generator is to make a corral of filled concrete blocks in which to run it. It only has to be as tall as the generator.

[@brianroberts815]

Pretty good

[@Qui-9]

Tim would love the air compressor featured at 1:38.

[@guslapinski4854]

FIRE!

[@rajabhisham5603]

In the case of using a box , what about the overheating ?

[@gsftom]

Best way to eliminate generator noise is to put it far enough away from your home so that someone can easily steal it. Once it has been stolen, things will be nice and quiet.

[@scotts1389]

Get ya one of those new fangled quiet generators. I think they are called solar panels.

[@sylviaisgod6947]

What do you do at night?

[@williamweeks6990]

Two things you didn't mention is you can bury the generator and you can run the exhaust into a bucket of water as long as you leave a small hole for backdraft..I have used boards to silence one and it worked really well...also one thing you said that made me laugh was you could get a battery operated fan to use in the shed....not like there is a huge generator or anything in there to hook up a box fan 😊

[@spankynater4242]

Haha I also caught that battery-operated fan comment.

[@soundproofguide]

WATCH THE UPDATED VIDEO / MAY 2023 - kzbin.info/www/bejne/rGHKmp5rqbOrrZY

[@91prostreetstang]

How do you allow airflow??? That thing would burn up from no air

[@omorganstudios]

Yes those Honda generators are best. Lots of food trucks have them and one does NOT have to raise your voice to talk around them...👍

[@patricksquires6348]

I know this video is older but just fyi. There are recent vids showing that a few dollar piece of drywall leaned against the gen at 45 degree angle deflects the noise from the gen into the ground really really well. You would do this between you and the gen and with exaust facing away like you have in this video. Also there are vids where people demonstrate that the crank case emits most/more of the noise then the exaust. The cheap mufflers on the gens actually work quite well. Separately from the above it did make me wonder if a generator in a large hole in the ground would work really well. Hole… second thought - Would be bad for gas fumes while things were off and no air moving - boom when you started it.

[@gammtrix7244]

Did you ever test how well the built box reduces the sound and would the box possibly cause air cooling

[@davidgraemesmith1980]

I built what a neighbour thought was a dog kennel on stilts, made what looked like a metal mesh table and put a plywood box over it with one side open except for a heavy wool blanket as an insulating curtain and cable feed, generator used in it is only a small 2.6kw typically used for tools and camping, no noise complaints about it and at 1 meter away it had been registering 78db in the open and 1 meter from the box registered 62db.

[@christopherknee5756]

You are the first person I have read that mentions a distance at which the sound level was measured. The sound level of any engine is louder, the closer you get to it. Now, the question is, did you set the sound level meter (please tell me you didn't use a cellphone) to the A-weighting. The A-weighting filter setting adjusts how the sound level microphone hears so that it closer mimics the human ear. If you had a sound of 25000 Hertz, the sound level meter would hear it just fine. A human being would not hear this sound.

[@davidgraemesmith1980]

@@christopherknee5756 I used a sound measurement device I borrowed from a health and safety inspector I worked for as a labourer aka gopher, can't remember too much detail about it except it used two microphone inputs and a weird looking at the time built in VDU similar to on the malachite SDR/spectrum analyser.

[@truthhunter3538]

I built a 4’ x 8’ x 8’ wood shed on concrete for my generator pipe for exhaust, insulated walls and ceiling with exhaust fan with thermostat! It hooked up to exterior panel with its own breaker! Just turn off main breaker and turn own it! Safe for linemen and save for me!

[@ryandavis4689]

I used a shyt ton of potting soil to dig it into a "pillbox". Left back side open to redirect sound waves away from residence and allow for adequate ventilation. Like sand bags but dirt bags...lol Been working for years daily

[@paladro]

bunker style nice

[@ernestwalden3894]

My 9400 watt duel fuel generator is loud but it's heavy as hell. Its over 250lbs. Its like pulling a car around. Its a beast.

[@jayrpyne7067]

Moving the generator away from the house requires wire gauge considerations and becomes important ... the longer the wire ...greater the load loss. Can become very expensive.

[@stevenott4539]

your right JRP , father in law is retired electrician , said don't extend beyond 20 feet , with 10 gauge , my rig , 14 horse v twin 8000 watts B&S

[@sandyvan8260]

Choking off both the proper ventilation for the generator as well as the cooling space required is a sure recipe for trouble.

[@JustScottPaid]

I just finished watching the #3 video. With the stock muffler removed he had 90 decibels. It went down to 71 after the plywood was leaned on it.

[@aaliyahsfuncorner9382]

Hi , I am from Auckland city, we are going to start food truck here, can you please advise the way to use generator outside in rainy conditions ?

[@bmw575]

Great video!!!

[@Dan-qp1el]

Take your generators camping everyone.......I love to listen to all that racket when trying to enjoy nature.

[@alvarezsix2341]

You could create a pyramid kind of with the wood plywood and basically make it more closer together you just have to cut it in the right angles

[@Victor-tl4dk]

Airflow to the generator is very important! You don't want it having trouble producing clean energy with a low THD I think!

[@bol.8749]

The noise don't come from the muffler. Plug a larger fan into the generator to keep it cooler.

[@philhall5609]

Forget it just spend the money up front and get a Honda inverter. They are the quietest on the market and very well made. I have had a 3000is for 16 years. Runs great, the lowest noise of any gen. On the market. No problems. It is not that heavy. So yes it is worth the $.

[@deansynan7424]

Well Done!!!

[@davidschipsi1316]

Any box should have fresh air only duct, vent, opening to cool the engine and gen head made in such a way that the intake air does not mix with the heated air under the box. The box will pressurize and will need a vent back out. An exhaust fan will not be sufficient to keep heated air from recirculating though the engine and run too hot. The engine carb intake should have new air also. This is how Enclosed generators work. The front of the engine and the back of the gen head is where air is pulled in.

[@michaelcastaneda679]

What about routing the generator's exhaust thru a tank of water?

[@billjenkins5693]

I built a large, well ventilated dog house. Removable roof for refueling, and the front wall hinges at the bottom for easy removal and maintenance. I actually painted it to look like a dog house to deter thieves. Next I will insulate it to help with the remaining noise.

[@soundproofguide]

That's awesome! You should send me some pictures and details and I could maybe share that on an upcoming video for DIY ideas on generator enclosures. [e-mail]

[@billjenkins5693]

@@soundproofguide Ok, but wont have any photos of it until Friday or Saturday. Friends and family got quite a kick out of it looking just like a doghouse and its functionality. I'll take several photo to give those interested an idea of how to build their own. I dont know much tech stuff, and only know how to send photos by Email. LOL! Can barely work this phone! I'm still stuck in the stone age. :)

[@soundproofguide]

@@billjenkins5693 Appreciate the effort. 😊

[@brookewenger986]

Can you send me the link for instructions so we can build a sound proof box? I can't find them. Thank you !

[@TheAlexgert]

Also if you Let the Generator far away from your home you will have problem with loss of power. Due to the cable resistance

[@GalileonPrime]

I would worry more about it being swiped!

[@tchads_57]

The cord also has to have the proper gauge wire for safety reasons. The longer the cord, the lower (heavier) the gauge.

[@sylviaisgod6947]

@@GalileonPrime Disconnect the neutral bonding wire from the frame, replace it with one of the 120V hot legs, problem solved.

[@thomasmcgovern2431]

I rigged my Duramax dual fuel generator with the gen turi exhaust system,which takes exhaust noise up 16 feet thru pipes,and it also takes heat with it,so noise,heat and fumes are up above our campers and others,also have a box that Al this goes into,so on full load noise is around 42 decibels.

[@christopherknee5756]

Please do a video of your setup. This sounds like the complete answer.

[@theramblingsoflarry9290]

What about airflow for cooling

[@TheAlexgert]

I was thinking your first idea but what really happened with the cooling of Generator ?. We have problem there.

[@karryhardman8735]

Yes, you can have a problem, the engine could overheat. The engine operating temp could be as high as 200* f in that box with no problems. However, the generator wiring insulation maybe only rated at 105*c or 220*f

[@Maine307]

I put mine in the attic . Works great. I ran the exhaust to the chimney.

[@soundproofguide]

That’s a great way to do it if it’s done safe. Thanks for commenting

[@BladeRunner-td8be]

2:27 the guy running the table saw doesn't know what he's doing to the point of endangering himself and people behind and around him. After running a table saw for a minimum amount of time, it becomes evident as to why. This tells me that this guy has almost zero experience with a table saw. I'm not even going to waste my time explaining it. Other than that, this video was beneficial to me. Cheers

[@6Sally5]

Exactly

[@lxespitia396]

Never done this but digging a hole and if it works good luck 👍

[@gene2200]

Built my own "zombie" box with 1/2 plywood and 2bys, 1st I heard it called that, anyway used a 12" 1600 fps soffet fan that blows into a 1foot sq exhaust port or box that blows into the earth down outside of the enclosure to keep it cooler and 4 directional 4" intake tubes, (tin exhaust tube) on opposite side and 4 2" vents up top for heat to escape after shutdown. Has 1ft clearance on sides and 2ft above generator. I used rockwool on front, rear and top, it's fireproof and its very quiet at 50 ft, just a slight hum for a fully featured Westinghouse DF 9500watt, has 3yr warranty. Steer away from HF, Chinese junk for same price with no extras, warranty or features! Did put a small desk fan in back that blows across the cylinder, hottest it's ever got out of airstream was 130 on a 100 day, take off any useless heat guards. Has over 1000hrs and can't complain yet! Remote feature is also great.

[@MrMcWally]

So a tiny hole in your box will make it useless, but leaning plywood against your generator will greatly reduce sound? I'm confused now lol

[@YourMajesty143]

Unlike a box, the plywood is angled so that the noise is directed downward. A box is not angled, it's just 4 vertical walls which keep the sound inside without any directional focus. So a hole would disrupt the acoustics from being enclosed inside.

[@westmcgee9320]

You’re right. He got caught slipping.

[@alfredmirabueno4654]

Why don't we just design a pyramid box? it's angled to the ground while having slits for exhaust?

[@user-1A-2A]

He said leaning boards will reduce the noise by 10 decibels. A hole in the box will let the sound waves out. You are trying to compare apples and oranges.

[@OlGoodJoe]

@@user-1A-2A These are two different sound dampenings going on here. Angling the boards against the generator deflects the sound downwards and into the sound absorbing grassy ground. If it were concrete it would not work as well. The other was a cabinet where it is designed to hold the sound waves inside the box and just like a damper in a speaker box if there is a hole in it, the sound waves will escape.

[@allanpolk2681]

The instructions for the generator I have says to leave at least four feet of free air around the unit to prevent overheating. How is enclosing it in a wooden box not going to cause it to overheat and possibly ruin the generator ?

[@allanpolk2681]

@Michael Miner Isn’t a plywood box a solid barrier? Plywood seem pretty solid to me. I guess that I’ll have to make a 10’x10’ shed with insulated marine plywood walls to give it plenty of breathing room. Another project.

[@cvspvr]

ventilation ducts

[@jamesgaudreau8315]

Hey man! You'll have to install some fans/vents. I'm still in the process of designing my compartment for my generator, so I can't help you with specifics, but a dude on a forum told me he built his with vents that had small fans built in, and he somehow wired the fans in with the generator so anytime it was running the fans were running as well

[@allanpolk2681]

@@jamesgaudreau8315 Sounds cool, no pun intended. I’ll look into the fans, maybe on on each end. Do you think that both should exhaust the air, or maybe one to exhaust and one to bring in cooler air from outside. Just a thought.

[@jasonmekush5280]

one of my employees built a sound box and it overheated after a few uses

[@tiacohen2173]

Im really surprised that you did not mention the cheapest (dollar wise ) method wich is to simply dig a hole big enough to set it down in this and or sandbags are the cheapest methods. Though they do both require quit a bit of work Though I will say lots of people will benifit from your video to include myself. Thanx so much!! Sincerely, Mike Rowe Rowe's Restorations Keep up the good work!!!

[@francisvazquez13]

And how to protect it from the rain?

[@titusho4608]

First of all thank you this for n many other video ! Love it . I’m looking for a generator that can pump up 10-15amps about 1200watts and pay about 1-2k what would you suggest?

[@Walkercolt1]

For how long, and what KIND of load and 15 amps is 1800 watts. What EXACTLY do you need to run? Fridge? Lights? It makes a BIG difference. Electronics like computers throw a whole different thing into the equation. Be glad to help if I have more info...

[@titusho4608]

Ricky Earp it’s 4x exhaust fans from work place it’s 2amps each 120v max watts said on it it’s 231watt .... I’m from CA we keep having power outage here . Thank you for the reply 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

[@LivingInFloridaPanhandle]

@@titusho4608 get a Honda 2200EU tried and tested

[@sylviaisgod6947]

@@titusho4608 Typical California solution...wild fires from power lines - shut off power for a week 10,000 people running portable generators in the dry brush -no problemo!

[@titusho4608]

@@sylviaisgod6947 I end up getting two.... works great ..... this model is out of stock everywhere in the bay ... only Amazon was available

[@thedoughguitarg9348]

Bout to use this for a project

[@soundproofguide]

Awesome! Let me know how it turns out!

[@thedoughguitarg9348]

Soundproof Guide it worked and got a A today

[@orlypalomar]

No noise sample before and after each modification?

[@jimtalor7971]

All these techniques to quiet genny are out the window if we get attacked by those monsters from " A Quiet Place" lol!

[@sniffles8655]

😂😅😅😅 They would destroy the generator. Those monsters were crazy!

[@russellhancock9765]

My Dad said a car muffler would kill the horsepower of a generator, and that is something to think about too.

[@Bwanar1]

Don't run your extension cords any longer than necessary and if you do need to, make sure you match your gauge size to the distance and load to be used. Running too small of an extension cord a long ways could overheat, causing damage or even a fire.

[@duskyman1]

It also makes the devices consume more amps... You're actually consuming more power from your generator cuz part of it is heat. I found out a long time ago my generator couldn't start a circular saw with too long of an extension cord..... But with a short extension cord.. no problem

[@jasonmcaninch]

Yes it's called resistance