Touring the Shed I Built For My Predator 9500 Generator (also see update video)

This is a tour of the shed I designed and built to keep my Predator 9500 out of the weather and help to further reduce the noise.

[@JustApancke]

I’ve watched an ungodly amount of these generator shed videos. Most cheap plastic sheds bought from Home Depot. This, however, is the most attractive looking one yet. We’ll see… I’ll keep watching.

[@stevefletcher52]

Very nice job and demo..I'll be making one for my 8000w Champion. You've given me lots of ideas..thanks!!

[@laurvonavi]

I like that you secured it with a chain and lock, I also have a 14mm thick chain with a high security yale lock made of steel with an 11mm molybdenum hub, practically hard to cut or break, you have 4 tons, I will secure it the same as you but I want a ground anchor of at least 14mm thickness to match the chain and the lock. ​

[@4X4JEEPMODS]

Dude that's crazy that probably cost as much as a generator that's an awesome setup 😁👍

[@cheetahb5]

@@4X4JEEPMODS I think it was a few hundred. I saved a bunch because I was able to bring home a giant antenna crate from work that was all 3/4” plywood. And that was when a sheet was running over $100 per.

[@Lugnut64052]

Very nice. Best one I've seen yet. I like the strut idea. If I made them the same part number as the ones on our SUV I'd always have a spare set.

[@kylehill4437]

Dude this is absolutely perfect, I wish I was this talented. Well done

[@generac43]

Absolutely incredible. Looks like you thought of everything including locking it down. Nice job. 👍

[@cheetahb5]

Thanks! Took a lot of design/redesigning on the fly.

[@rebellucy6200]

Nice work. I am surprised manufacturers do not sell these.

[@dlc2724]

Box voids the warranty. If generator brakes down don't let them know it was in a box

[@davidmarra7821]

You can add some flexible tubing off the exhaust and bury it under ground for 20 ' or so with the end coming above ground and then bent down slightly to keep water out. Will make it a lot quieter.

[@cheetahb5]

See the update video. I added a small muffler which significantly quiets things down.

[@mannys4036]

I would have dug out a hole and buried the whole generator underground to get rid of all that noise pollution. I would have like to hear how much you can hear it inside.

[@cheetahb5]

@@mannys4036 With the muffler on it now, I barely hear it inside. When the AC shuts off and the ESC ramps the engine speed way down, I don’t even hear it. Up in my bedroom, only the faintest of base. The update video was running at half load, more than what I ran in the first video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nXKthY15r7-hl9Esi=hOh6NyqHjd7O4eCS

[@billeckelberry6502]

Very nice job! Tin roof would lighten it but you made it work. Nicely thought out.

[@cheetahb5]

Thanks! Yeah I think the roof is over 100lbs. But I had the shingles laying around. Next tornado, I'm crawling in that thing. It's like a tank.

[@cayrick]

Very attractive and lots of creativity. Well done. In my case I went whole hog and lined my compartment with two layers of expensive sound material; one layer of MLV and 2" of rockwool. I put hoods on both ends; inlet and exhaust. The compartment ended up being 3x the cost of the Honda Generator (5kw) so I appreciate people who adhere to a budget. In your case I would wrap that exhaust pipe with heat insulation. You did not indicate if you put sound dampening mats on the wheels and props that touch the concrete but small mats are inexpensive on Amzn. Also many new generators, mine included, come with GFI plugs. These are sensitive and trip easily. If you have them, and plug your fan into them replace them with standard outlets.

[@cheetahb5]

I plan to get a rubber mat to set the gen on to isolate the vibrations. Just haven’t done it yet. My original design had a baffle wall in front of each intake so sound couldn’t go straight out. But the shed would’ve been even more massive than it already is. I might eventually add either hoods or an exterior baffle wall. I might end up swapping out one of the outlets.

[@cayrick]

@@cheetahb5 I have seen exhaust fan ducts made out of light gauge sheet metal that are commercially available. Line them with sound material and you are good to go.

[@busterhyman6633]

I would be interested to see and here the MLF and Rockwool combo

[@pineychristian]

Good job. I did something similar with a metal shed cause it's fire proof. I also have a large cooling fan and intake system. I've seen people not add a fan and that's what kills electrical components is heat.

[@cheetahb5]

Thanks. I used the mineral wool because it’s fireproof. The gen has its own fan so that gets most of the heat out. Found one more place I need to duct out, although in really cold weather, it would help to warm the shed. Gotta work on that.

[@HyperionGamingTOPKEK]

I covered the CO2 sensor with silicone caulk to prevent it from randomly tripping itself off in mine. My exhaust isnt directly ported out, but dragged out by the same fan that drags the cooling air out of the enclosure. Reason being is I'd like to be able to move it easily for oil changes or to swap it out with a backup if it needs repairs since I'm off grid.

[@cheetahb5]

I have the sensor completely disconnected. I designed the exhaust so I can easily unclamp the pipe and remove it in order to take the gen out. Where it sits now, I think I can actually do the oil change without having to move it.

[@steve22933]

Excellent! you gave me lots of ideas, Thanks

[@allkindsofoutdooractivities]

Really nice build

[@cheetahb5]

Thanks!

[@domt7925]

Nice work dude

[@busterhyman6633]

That looks great. Not sure where you live but in Houston the shed gets 110 inside when in the sun. Once Generac 17500 is running I push 120 to 130 EASY. Note I have 3 fans larger than yours and one shut off at 130. My shed also has rockwool however if I were to do it again I would worry less about noise and more about heat. Run that thing for an hour under load in July and see how hot it gets. Of course if it's not raining we can always open the doors.

[@cheetahb5]

I am up in Nebraska. The shed sits on the northeast corner of my house, so it gets the least sun. I actually found another stream of air coming from the gen that is not out the cooling fan exit which was causing the shed to heat up. So I may have to find a way to pipe it out also. I need to get a remote temperature sensor for in there yet so I can monitor the temperature from inside the house.

[@busterhyman6633]

@@cheetahb5 Ya I just have an acurite remote thermometer from Amazon. I like your build I used the larger lifetime plastic shed. Might sell the Generac and go with a Westinghouse 15000 DF or the 28KW they have low THD

[@cheetahb5]

@@busterhyman6633 One of my Co-workers went with the low THD Westinghouse. He wanted a bigger gen since he has an all electric house. I've thought about getting a remote temp gauge for the shed.

[@miketroutsdad2102]

Awesome job! Any thoughts of putting one of those thick rubber horse stall mats under the generator on top of the concrete? I bet that would absorb even more sound.

[@cheetahb5]

Actually, yes I have thought about getting one of those. Just haven't gotten around to doing it yet.

[@Honestandtruth007]

Great job man and well done 👍 IT is hard to control the Muffler noise The Exhaust fan and the muffler exhaust should be at the same side of the wall to be more effective

[@cheetahb5]

Thanks! Yeah, I'm tempted to find a muffler kit for it, though as little as I'll probably use it, I really don't hear it much in the house. Like I said, specifically the reason I chose to aim the exhaust away from the house.

[@Honestandtruth007]

@@cheetahb5 Agree 👍

[@nhojcam]

You could add a silencer to the exhaust, like on a gun.

[@Honestandtruth007]

​@@nhojcam if anyone wants to Sleep good at night...... just watch My Muffler Silencer made from Ply-wood and Reduced to 57 db

[@wingloading]

Love the start collar idea. The right angle airflow design on these designs threw me for a loop. I designed the shed before my gen was delivered and while I put a 12" inch vent to accommodate the flywheel cooler, the airflow conflicts with the electric fan.

[@cheetahb5]

I discovered a second stream of air above the main, like right below and to the side of the muffler. There must be a second outlet to the fan that takes some heat from the muffler. Unfortunately, it heats up the inside of the shed. Great for winter, not so much for summer. I may have to add a second outlet pipe for it.

[@wingloading]

@@cheetahb5 Same here. My electric fan is right above so that helps . It's a shame the muffler pipe sits in the middle of all that.

[@cheetahb5]

Yeah it limits what you can do with the exhaust air. I thought about just getting a flex pipe to route the second stream back towards the fan instead of trying to drill another hole in the shed.

[@Lego-fs2de]

Very nice shed. Couple of thoughts; take the wheels off when it’s in the shed - that would help in preventing somebody ‘rolling it away’. I’ve see lots of videos on these sheds, this one is the nicest but I wonder, in a power out situation why is everyone soooo worried about the noise?? Also, seems maybe too close to the house - I’d worry about carbon monoxide fumes creeping into the roof eve soffit.

[@cheetahb5]

@@Lego-fs2de The wheels locks are on when it’s in there. So it can’t move. I just don’t like to make a racket. For one thing I’m a light sleeper so quiet is good. Second, it’s better to not broadcast you have power. The wall behind it is the garage. In the update video, you can see I added a muffler, which directs the exhaust even further out. It’s a good 25ft or more from the nearest windows. And it blows out into the yard.

[@Honestandtruth007]

For those WHO wants to Sleep good at night a Generator Shed that gives 57 db Sound Level at 15 ft. Must be Real good to Sleep 😴😅

[@luisdiazdevillegas626]

Any chance you'd be willing to make some directions with the material you used. This is beyond amazing.

[@iamalwayswrite]

I just bought an ultra quiet Honda 7000 and put a gen tent on it.

[@myvids4329]

I love the shed design it looks great, but the exhaust needs some work. Hard to tell in a video, but your 9500 actually sounds louder than mine does with zero enclosure.

[@cheetahb5]

So I was running it without the ESC on, which makes it louder. I ran it recently with the ESC on and it was much quieter. I’m looking at adding a small muffler on the exhaust to help quiet it more.

[@charlesspidell1447]

Way too loud,mine is about 79 out of box

[@joseangferrer]

Excellent work! I'm working in a project for our home and I wonder if you could share the spects for the exhaust fan you used?

[@cheetahb5]

Thanks! I believe this is the one I ordered for the shed: www.homedepot.com/p/iLIVING-10-in-Wall-Mounted-Shutter-Exhaust-Fan-with-Thermospeed-Controller-65-Watt-820-CFM-Silver-ILG8SF10V-ST/316859554

[@dwmcever]

I built my 3500 gen shed at the same level as my pickup truck bed so I could easily move the portable generator back and forth to my truck.

[@cheetahb5]

Smart move. Makes servicing the gen easier too since it's at a comfortable height.

[@CarlFritz-rr1cs]

I have a standby at home too, do the enclosures make them run hotter? Where I live winters aren’t cold.

[@cheetahb5]

It can but you have to vent it properly. Since this gen is a closed frame, it has its own internal fan to pull cooling air in and expel it out the side. That’s why I duct that exhaust outside and provide large intakes on the sides of the gen.

[@mikeb8342]

I puzzled by all of these on YT..... why bother having a separate exhaust vent? Im thinking you'd get better results (and make it more portable when needed) by skipping the separate exhaust, make the box a bit roomier (maybe 9-12 inches clearance all around) and have the heat exhaust fan(s) run all the time. It's not like you have to be worried about CO and you could deflect the exhaust so it's not pounding one spot of the shed wall. IDK... sometimes applying KISS to something can reduce complexity and cost 🤷‍♂️.

[@cheetahb5]

With a closed frame gen like that, the exhaust air flow is significant in order to cool the engine. And it comes out quite hot. It would cost far more to make the shed bigger and put in more air intakes and more exhaust fans and that will just make it even more complex. Plus, the gen will be sucking in hotter air into its cooling intakes which will reduce the effectiveness and could lead to potential overheating, even with wall fans. Best solution is to dump the heat outside.

[@wooddawg4868]

Nothing can beat a generator being in the open air. Their not designed to be enclosed period. Portable generators are loud but even with a fan in the shed the lifespan is reduced.

[@cheetahb5]

A regular open frame generator yes. But this closed frame inverter has specific intakes and a specific exhaust which is being vented overboard. I could see more of a concern if this was say the primary power source for an off grid place, but when being used very frequently for short power outages, there doesn’t seem to be much in the way of a longevity impact.

[@gsolo328]

This is awesome and a great design. I'm wondering if you are losing some efficiency by having the exhaust and intake close together? I see you have the exhaust pointed down, but they are still relatively close together. Any plans to extend the intake? I love the heat sensor idea for the fan!

[@cheetahb5]

Thanks! It was a home grown design. Are you referring to the metal pipe above the small hood? That’s the engine exhaust and the hooded one is just a cooling fan. The intakes are on the sides of the shed, so I think they’re far enough away.

[@recumbentrevolution6540]

That is a very nice looking generator shed. What is the dimension of your shed ?? It looks like the perfect fit for the predator 9000

[@cheetahb5]

I used my AutoCAD to design the shed to fit the gen. The shed is 51” deep by 56” wide.

[@mannys4036]

The shed is amazing but that is one loud generator; louder than any I've heard. Plus I would hate to be the neighbor listening to that. Was that the only available spot? It is close to your house as well.

[@cheetahb5]

Watch the update video. It’s significantly quieter now. It was the best spot that worked for a structure like that.

[@mannys4036]

@@cheetahb5I understand; I wasn't trying to be a smart ass because the shed was built like a home; beautiful. You have great skills; I am envious.

[@cheetahb5]

@@mannys4036 thanks. No offense taken. It was louder than I thought it would be when I did the first video. I realized the majority of that noise was the exhaust, which is why I went back to the drawing board and worked out the muffler setup. That worked great. The rattly noise you hear in the second was due to trying to use a concrete form as an insulator for the pipe in the through-wall fitting. It broke and the pieces are what’s rattling. Those are gone as I realized the brackets holding the muffler hold the pipe centers as well. I just stuffed rock wool in there since it’s fire proof. Much better now.

[@ernestkanu1247]

I am impressed with the struts. I have had problems with that for my shed. An online website calculated 65Ibs/300 N struts for my 31 Ibs lid dimension of 54 ins by 52 ins, but the struts arms easily stripped OFF from their point of attachment to the shed frames. I am guessing the 65Ibs/300 N struts has too much force, so I reordered a lower 200N struts from Amazon which I am yet to try. How did you come up with your struts weight and the points of attachment for the installation of the arms? Thank you!

[@cheetahb5]

So I figured out how much of each kind of lumber and panel and shingles I had on there to give me my overall weight which I came up with to be right about 100 pounds. I went looking at struts online and I read about their sizing recommendations so I picked up the pair of 100 pound struts. There were two ways you can install the struts, either the way I did where they kind of slope the same direction as the roof or you can go the opposite direction where they sort of pushed into the roof. There are measurements based on the length of the lid and the length of the strut as to where you place the brackets. Unfortunately I had one of the lower brackets about a quarter inch too close and when the lid closed the body of the strut actually pushed against the bracket and bent it. I was able to bend it back but they are sending me a replacement. Go here (www.amazon.com/PAMAGOO-Toolbox-Basement-%F0%9D%9F%B4%F0%9D%9F%B1-%F0%9D%9F%AD%F0%9D%9F%AD%F0%9D%9F%B1-%F0%9D%98%84%F0%9D%97%B2%F0%9D%97%B6%F0%9D%97%B4%F0%9D%97%B5%F0%9D%98%81%F0%9D%98%80/dp/B08P2V6MSM/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_bdcrb_top?ie=UTF8) and look at the installation manual under the product guides section. It has the formulas.

[@ernestkanu1247]

@@cheetahb5 Thanks!

[@hot2warm]

Is that an inverter generator? Sounds loud af

[@lawnpro979]

I'm building one like this at present, wondering how you did the roof? 2x4's ??

[@cheetahb5]

@@lawnpro979 I had to stare at a photo to remind myself (imgur.com/a/zr5HKag). The sides and back are 2x8s I believe. The sides were cut down to create the slope. The connect to a 2x4 laying flat on the front. The rest of the beams are 2x4s cut on an angle and notched so it and the flat 2x4 rest on the top of the wall framing. The roof is then covered with 3/4” plywood, felt, and shingles. It’s at least 100lbs.

[@lawnpro979]

@@cheetahb5 Ok thanks, WOW I bet it is heavy!

[@cheetahb5]

@@lawnpro979 yeah that’s why I had to get those two gas assist struts. And they’re rated pretty heavy.

[@lawnpro979]

@@cheetahb5 yea. I understand,,,, I got the front of mine fished today and will be completing the roof tomorrow, or hopefully, GOD it's hot here in TX! Were in Bellville

[@cheetahb5]

@@lawnpro979 oh yeah, any sort of construction when it’s hot as hell sucks to no end. Good luck!

[@MidgetMoto]

What is that tech you use to measure your current load? Can you link it?

[@cheetahb5]

This is the updated version of what I bought: www.amazon.com/dp/B097TRZ4JM?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details&th=1

[@sewTeri]

Do you sell the pattern? We just the predator 9500, it still seems loud to me

[@cheetahb5]

@@sewTeri No I don’t. It’s just something I designed myself and of course things change as you build. I will tell you, the biggest way to quiet it down is to add a small muffler. Check out the update video I did. It makes a world of difference.

[@larrymoore5811]

Going to get really hot. I would want that far away from house in case of fire.

[@Paul-co9lb]

Doesn't the heat from the exhaust ruin the magnets? I like the ease of extending the exhaust this was but everything I've read says the magnets won't hold up. Has it worked for you?

[@cheetahb5]

I haven’t run it enough yet to see. It seems like it would be more like a dryer vent and I know there are magnetic dryer vents.

[@mikeb8342]

The magnets seem to be for the cooling exhaust. The engine exhaust is separate (above it).

[@NeighborBones]

if doing this be sure to check the inside temperature .

[@cheetahb5]

@@NeighborBones I’ve been meaning to get a remote thermometer for it so I can monitor the inside temp.

[@ebony5766]

The heat from the exhaust WILL demagnitize the magnets. I tried it with rare earth magnets, and in an actual operation they failed.

[@cheetahb5]

Engine combustion exhaust or cooling fan exhaust?

[@Donny_Juanny]

By the time you buy that generator, and all the materials for that shed, you could almost invest in a Generac.

[@cheetahb5]

Not even close. I’m in about $2500-2700 total. For a Cummins, I was quoted $14k. I expect Generac to only be a little cheaper.

[@Tearflavoredcereal]

😂 yeah right ! Have you prices out a generac setup? 😂😂😂😂😂

[@percyfaith11]

Trouble with whole house generators is that you are forced to buy over capacity. Probably a 15Kw generator to power everything in the house at once, which is ridiculous.

[@mikeb8342]

They have 7-8kw auto gensets but they start in the upper 2s to lower 3 thousands.... and that's just the genny/enclosure. Add to that this setup let's you use the genny elsewhere off-site if needed.

[@mikerossman9863]

Sounds like that generator has a mis to it, it have fresh fuel in the tank with stabil?

[@cheetahb5]

Yes it does. I’m going to fully drain it here soon and store it empty.

[@XJ290]

What kind of current meter you using for measuring load? I want to do something similar but haven’t really looked yet. Nice shed.

[@cheetahb5]

I use this one: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001Q1G4WK/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1. I want to get ones that show per line current also.

[@steveadal4735]

Isnt there a quieter generator developed yet apart from expensive hondas? 😢

[@cheetahb5]

This one is a Harbor Freight Predator. It’s actually pretty quiet. This video I kinda did worst case where I had about 50% load with the ESC turned off so it was revving at full speed.

[@h2omonsta619]

Can the exhaust be routed through water for more sound dampening?

[@cheetahb5]

So I’m looking at adding a muffler to the end of the pipe which should help a lot. Either that or create a sound baffle/deflector to bounce the sound into the grass where it will get absorbed.

[@jameskendricks4508]

Any plans available? I would consider building one for my Ginny.

[@cheetahb5]

Designed it myself and sketched it rather basically in Autocad. Best I could provide.

[@JohnCillian]

This will probably not work on hot climate like Arizona/Texas. Very cool nonetheless

[@mobettaspice]

Looks great. But I don’t really hear a difference.

[@cheetahb5]

In the house you would. I designed it so the exhaust points away from the house, so the majority of the sound goes that way. I may potentially add a small external muffler to further quiet the exhaust down.

[@TrangHoang-hq6lu]

Mine predator 9500 sound doesn’t sound as loud as your

[@cheetahb5]

When I filmed, I was running under load without ESC on. Plus, the microphone distorts the sound and makes it sound louder than it is.

[@Donny_Juanny]

I think the altercation to the exhaust has a lot to do with how loud his is now. Mine under load is nowhere NEAR as loud.

[@BrightthgirB]

Agreed, mine is nowhere near that loud.

[@gaetansimard1594]

Those units are so loud! Very hard to quiet down.

[@cheetahb5]

So I was running with the ESC control off in the video, so the gen was running at full rpm. Recently I ran it with ESC on and it’s much quieter. I’m thinking about adding a small muffler to the exhaust which will cut a lot more noise.

[@jayboshuis3791]

I don't think the cabinet does a very good job of making the generator quiet. A lot has to do with the exhaust pipe coming straight out at you.

[@cheetahb5]

One of the reasons I have it aimed away from the house. I may look at adding an external muffler to quiet it down more.

[@lanemccullough7506]

Regarding your exhaust setup. During your narration you call both pipes leading out of the shed "exhaust". I'm working on my design and I really like the "Start Collar" hack for the exhaust but I think that you are using that for your intake (?). If so, what did you use (how did you connect) your extender from the exhaust?

[@cheetahb5]

So I have 2 exhausts: one for the engine combustion exhaust (tail pipe) and the other for the engine cooling fan exhaust (flex duct). If you watch the updated video, you’ll see I added a bit of extra ducting to redirect another part of the cooling fan stream towards my exhaust fan. The intakes for the gen are located on the ends and are fed by those big louvered sections in the side walls. For the tailpipe exhaust, I got an adapter (1.5”ID to 1.5”OD). The ID end slips over the gen exhaust pipe after you take the spark arrestor off. I clamp it with a 1.5” exhaust clamp. I them fit a 1.5”ID flex exhaust pipe over the other end of the adapter and secure with another clamp. Then I run the flex pipe out through the side wall.

[@gordd7348]

To be honest it does not seem to make much difference. I really don't know how I can be standing next to my Mazda car and barely hear the motor running and these generators make so much noise. They are not practical in the city.

[@cheetahb5]

Check out my follow-on video. Much improved.

[@bubbatime]

Instead of dropping $1000 on a shed, just buy a better inverter generator. You can get them for like $1800 . And they are quiet

[@cheetahb5]

That gen was $2k. I built the shed for the additional weather protection and security. I prefer to keep it as unobtrusive as possible, hence the additional sound mitigations. All inverters this size have about the same noise level. I just wanted quieter.

[@EM0601-x4h]

Sounds the same lol 😂

[@cheetahb5]

@@EM0601-x4h Check the update video

[@johnsn10]

I would get rid of the insulation. That generator is going to over heat and melt the insulation

[@cheetahb5]

The gen has a built in cooling fan since it’s a closed-frame. It draws air in its sides that comes in from the wall vents and exhausts through the tube to the outside. So the heat is dumped overboard. Plus, it’s rock wool insulation so it would take nuclear temps to melt it.