How to Quiet a Generator?

Electricity generator is more of a necessity than a facility these days. It is used as a backup of electricity and can be unavoidable sometimes in many places. It is extensively used in offices, camping sites, commercial places and even at homes.

However, this necessity couldn’t be allowed to serve us by compromising the peace of our environment. Unfortunately, standard generators in their specific setting are known to make a lot of noise, which can be very frustrating. However, there are a few things that you could do to make those noisy generators to operate quietly, with no loss of efficiency.

Table of Contents

#1, Techniques for making your generator to operator quietly

As we all know, if a generator is too noisy and produces too much sound that is unbearable for our hearing capability, we need to take the necessary steps for it. Lowering the noise of a generator is not easy because when it is working the noise is there consistently. But we can still try to make it a little more comfortable for our ears.

At first, you need to understand the level of noise and which of the factors are causing an increase in the overall noise of the generator. You will need to know how much the generator is making noise actually and how much it gets enhanced due to external impacts like placement, and surround things. Only then you will be able to figure out how much and in which ways it can be lowered.

#2, Understanding the Sound Rating of the Generator

The majority of the generator brands are offered with their sound rating measured in decibels. Understanding these ratings would allow you to make you accurate calculations or devising a mechanism that would minimize the sound impact.

In most of the cases, such dB ratings are normally measured at a distance of 7 meters from the placement of the generator. If you are not sure about the noise rating of your existing generator, then contact the manufacturer, who can tell about the noise rating specific to that model.

#3, Soundproofing

To overcome the loudness of your generator, soundproofing is the most dependable technique to try. You need to make a customized r a ready made soundproof box for your generator. It might not be a good solution for camping generators but would work well otherwise. You need to ensure that the box with the generator inside is placed over some rubber legs. This would cut down the vibration as well.

#4, Positioning the Exhaust Pipe

The exhaust pipe of the generator is the point where a significant amount of noise is produced. You need to strategically adjust those to minimize unwanted sound. Try to direct the exhaust pipe in the opposite direction where you or others around you would be. You may also direct the exhaust pipe towards the sky. This latter approach is possible with some of the newer models of the generator.

#5, Placement of Generator

Whether you are at home, camping site or any other place, always ensure to maximize the available space. If you have an ample amount of space in your vicinity then place the generator as far as possible from where you are. Keeping it far would considerably reduce the noise of the machine. However, you need to be careful with the placement in a way that your neighbors do not start to get that loud sound.

#6, Replacing Muffler of the Generator

Replacing muffler is one of the most workable techniques for reducing the generator’s sound. You need to install a replacement muffler of a larger size. As you might be knowing that the job f muffler is to muffle the sound that is coming out of the generator’s exhaust pipes.

These exhaust pipes then run and connect with the generator’s motor. The inside of the muffler is stuffed with perforated tubes, which are essentially designed to deflect all the sound waves coming from the motor. The exhaust pipes are known as the 2nd main culprit for noise after the engine of the generator. Therefore, enhancing the quality of the muffler would significantly bring down the noise coming from the generator. As an estimate, the muffler enhancing technique can bring down the noise of the generator by a margin of 10 to 12 decibels, which is quite decent.

#7, Using Sound Deflectors

If your generator is placed in the open and without any soundproof box then sound deflectors could also be used for minimizing the sound impact of the machine. It may sound technical to many people but it a very simple technique to execute. In this approach, you need to have 4 plywood sheets along with a non-flammable sheet as well. You may consider drywall here, which is a good quality option. Carve these sheets around 3 feet tall and 4 feet wide or just as the size of your generator.

Just place these sheets on al 4 sides of the generator strategically at a specific angle. On the exhaust side, make sure to have the drywall piece of the sheet only or you may end up catching fire. The placement should be in such a way that there should be room for airflow as well. If everything is rightly placed then the unwanted generator sound would be deflected downwards. Finally, the overall noise impact would be minimal.

Soundproofing helps in several ways because we can lower the sound waves a lot more and the overall noise can be managed in this way. Deflectors and correct placement also help in case if you need to enhance the soundproofing effects. Using one or more such methods can surely provide sufficient support for keeping the overall noise under control.

Video Credit: Soundproof Guide

Conclusion:

You are never too late in realizing and fixing the unwanted excessive noise produced by your generator. Several techniques can be tried for bringing down the loud noise of the generator in any setting that they are placed in. One or more of the techniques discussed above would work in your case.

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