Generator question

[NC trailer trash]

I'm ready to hit the road with my CTC. I have a shore power and generator power set up and would like to make my gen quieter. I know the inverters are the trick but right now that isnt an option. Does anyone have a working set up for quieting a standard generator? I.E. muffler set up, dampener box, etc...

[Onajourney]

A 50' extension cord does the trick if you're able to locate it that far. It's need to be a 12awg if you are running an AC.

[NC trailer trash]

The extension cord idea is great but not doable in my situation I'm running 30 Amps @ 120/240 VAC. For 50 ft I would need a 6AWG or maybe a 4.

[Grummy]

In my experience, there is not much you can do if you are talking about a "contractor" type generator. Sure, if the muffler is original, you probably can play with that to see if you can redirect where it exits and even change the tone of it. Tone alone could make a big difference between annoying and tolerable.

But there is a lot more noise than just the exhaust. What it comes down to is imagine you build that generator in a box. That box still needs adequate intake air for cooling and fuel mixture, but also adequate exhaust porting for the hot air and obviously the exhaust. And, guess where the noise comes out then ? Correct. Right out of all the holes you had to put in the box so it could even run.

You can block noise from heading certain directions however... just imagine your contractor generator running on the ground in front of you. Then imagine it with a 1" sheet of pink foam leaned up against it. The noise will be less in front of that panel, even if the top is not covered. SO, you can attempt some noise control with simple experiments with something like coroplast sheets with an open cell foam glued inside.

And before I forget, MOUNTING.... a lot of noise is amplified if the generator is not mounted on really good rubber mounts. There are quite a few styles of anti-vibration mounts, even small air bags are out there. If your generator is just sitting on a floor somewhere, that alone could double the volume.

Some of the ways RV gensets control noise is by running at 1800 RPM instead of 3600. So that right there drops noise levels. I don't know of any contractor type units that run at 1800rpm.

The newer inverter units already built in a box that run under that 60db level have had an awful lot of engineering put into them to control noise. Not only have they worked hard to manage exhaust note, but equally so, the general air flow that cools both the motor and the alternator portion.

If I was in your shoes, I would definitely try something... we all know how annoying a loud generator can be.

[featherliteCT1]

The extension cord idea is great but not doable in my situation I'm running 30 Amps @ 120/240 VAC. For 50 ft I would need a 6AWG or maybe a 4.

To clarify, the online wire sizing calculator I use says if 120v, 30 amps, 3% voltage drop, then 12AWG is good up to 72 feet. If 2% voltage drop, then 12AWG wire is good up to 49 feet.

I personally use a 100 feet long, 10AWG extension cord.

https://explorist.life/wire-sizing-calculator

[Shadow Catcher]

There inherently quiet generators and there are those who build a box with sound proofing insulation and a COOLING fan (one recommended a radiator fan) I wouldd do a searc.

[troubleScottie]

The small Honda generators are very quiet. 10-20 feet away with the exhaust pointed away and often cannot hear it even under load eg Honda EU2200IC 2200-Watt Companion Portable Inverter Generator. Generally more expensive, but very reliable. Only serious issue is the duration of fuel. I had to run one 24x7 for a bit. The standard tank run for about 4 hours, if I recall correctly. A pain to refuel in the dark and stormy conditions.

I have not tried their larger versions, so not sure on the noise.

If money is not the major issue, those electric power inverter generators are great. Obviously no noise. You can recharge them during the day when noise is less an issue. I own a couple of EcoFlow. They come in different sizes, with add on batteries and/or cabling to run them in parallel. We use them in place of our generator -- lighter than a lead acid battery, no fumes, no fuel issues, standard ac outlets, usb and 12VDC.

[OP827]

I got a no-brand inverter 2000W generator from Walmart and it is also reasonably quiet and maybe twice as cheap as Honda 2000W. No reliability issues after 7+ years, although I do not run it very often, maybe a few times a year. Since all gasoline contains up to 10% ethanol these days, it is important to remove fuel when storing to avoid water condensation as it will NOT start until the old fuel and water is removed from the tank and fuel lines.

[philpom]

The most affordable option would be a 2 sided plywood box with a top on it. Orient the open side of the box to point away from you (hopefully not at your neighbors) and that will make a huge different. We use to do that all the time when we used a generator for power at our cabin. If you search online there are plenty of plans that are much more elaborate but at a $$ cost and complexity cost.