A noisy generator on camp is equivalent to living beside an airport in the city. Not only will the noise disrupt your camping experience and ruin the peace you seek, but it will also disturb the peace of the wildlife around.
Luckily, there are ways to go about making your generator quiet for camping without any disadvantages.
Some of the ways to quiet a generator on camp include installing a generator silencer, setting the generator away from your home and others which will be explored later in this article. This way, you can enjoy the peace of the wild and also enjoy portable power all at once.
Why Are Generators So Noisy?
Before a generator generates electricity, there are a lot of mechanical processes involved. A generator that runs on fuel generates electricity using an internal combustion engine.
This means that the power you’re getting is generated by little explosions going off in the generator. This combustion is enough to produce noise and even if this is put under control, there’s still the problem of the exhaust producing noise to face.
Due to the combustion, the fumes have to be channeled out through an exhaust channel. This exhaust channel serves as a means to channel out all the noise from the internal engine and that produces noise too.
Further, any generator that produces more power( more internal combustion) is likely to produce more noise.
Although this is only applicable to cheaper models because the more money you spend on a generator, the quieter it usually is even if it generates higher energy.
Also, the noise a generator produces depends on where and how the generator is positioned. If you place the generator close to you, the noise will be louder.
Other factors include; placing the generator on shaky or shallow surfaces and placing the generator near walls. These factors among others amplify the sound of the generator.
How To Quiet A Generator For Camping
To get maximum satisfaction from your camping experience, we’ve explored effective ways to quieten the noise from your generator. Check out the list below.
1. Change the position of the exhaust pipe
While camping, one of the best ways to reduce the noise of your generator is to place the generator with the exhaust pipe facing away from you.
Most generators come with the exhaust pipe fixed horizontally with it, although this makes it easy for movement, it increases the sound of the generator.
However, if you change the position of the exhaust pipe, most preferred skyward, there’s a high tendency that the noise will reduce drastically.
Some models of generators make it easy to point the exhaust pipe upward while some require that you seek professional assistance to achieve that.
2. Install A Generator Silencer
Installing a generator silencer is another great way to reduce the disturbing noise that the generator produces. Attaching a muffler or silencer to the exhaust pipe helps to reduce the generator noise by 10-15 decibels.
Before attaching a muffler to your generator, ensure that the muffler is quite compatible with your generator because some mufflers are designed to fit in certain types of generators.
Also, the size of your engine, the size of the resonator, the model, the type of adapter, and the correct number of diffuser discs required should be put into proper consideration too.
If you don’t know your way around fixing a muffler, there’s always the option of seeking professional services.
3. Sound Absorbing Mat
Generator noises are not only caused by the combustion in the engine but it is also caused by the vibration and this is where the sound-absorbing mat comes in.
A sound-absorbing mat does not directly reduce the noise the generator makes, however it reduces the vibration and that automatically reduces the noise. So while getting a sound-absorbing mat, get one that is soft and fire-resistant.
This ensures that you achieve noise reduction without compromising on safety. Try out the sound-absorbing mat and watch your generator generate less vibration and noise.
4. Set The Generator Away From Your Home
Setting your generator away from your home or your camping site goes a long way in reducing generator noises.
Although this does not provide a permanent solution to the loud generator noise, it still causes a bit of reduction in the noise. To enjoy this method, ensure that you have a long extension cord handy.
More importantly, ensure the chord is not broken because a broken extension cord is quite dangerous.
Another advantage of setting your generator far from you apart from noise reduction is that it keeps you safe from the hazardous gas from the generator.
5. Buy a zombie box portable soundproof enclosures
Zombiebox is a good choice for reducing generator noise. It is portable and withstands harsh weather conditions.
Its usefulness extends to other equipment and not just portable generators, this proves its effectiveness.
What the zombie box does is that it allows you to enjoy less noise without disrupting the performance of your generator or any equipment you’re using it for.
With the zombie box, you can enjoy your camping experience without being a nuisance to your neighbors or the entire wildlife.
Also, you don’t have to worry about the weather because it is designed to withstand all weather conditions. Whether rain, snow, or sunshine, the zombie box got you covered.
6. Make A Generator Quiet Box
You must have noticed some big-size generators, especially in companies being used in a steel box. These boxes are used because they reduce the sound of the generator going out of the box.
If you possess technical skills, it is quite easy to make this generator quiet box yourself. The trick to achieving this perfectly is to have the idea that the generator does not overheat at the back of your mind.
Whatever you do, ensure that your main aim which is lessening the generator noise is achieved. And if you don’t possess technical skills, you can always seek help from someone who does it or just purchase it.
7. Try The Water Bucket Hack
The benefits of water are not limited to just maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Well, if water can help reduce your generator noise then it’s helping you lead a healthy lifestyle void of disturbing noises.
To reduce the noise of your generator with water, simply fix a pipe to the exhaust pipe and put the other end of the pipe in the water. The water muffles the sound from the exhaust and causes a quieter environment.
The interesting part about this method is that the water creates soft bubbling sounds which are far better than the outright noise the generator produces.
8. Place Your Generator On A Soft Surface
The surface on which you place your generator is another factor that determines the loudness or quietness of your generator.
In trying to reduce the noise of your generator, placing your generator on hard surfaces will only make your chances slimmer. Surfaces like concrete, wood, or asphalt are likely to increase the noise of the generator.
While camping the best soft surfaces to place your generator in is grass or a pile of dirt. These surfaces will help to dampen the sound of the generator thereby decreasing the noise drastically.
With this method, you don’t have to spend money buying generator quieting devices and you can also enjoy your camping experience.
9. Replace The Generators Mufflers If Faulty
Faulty generator mufflers can also be the cause of loud generator noises. The purpose of fixing the muffler initially is to reduce noise, so a faulty muffler defeats the purpose.
When a muffler is faulty, expect to hear the noise you hear from a generator without a muffler. This noise can be annoying and disturbing hence the need to fix the faulty muffler.
It is quite easy to fix a faulty muffler; however, to avoid the repetition of such occurrences, employ the help of a professional when fixing it.
10. Install Rubber Anti-Vibration Pads
Vibrations in generators do not only cause noise pollution, it also causes damage to the internal parts and shafts of the generator.
While it is possible to reduce the vibrations by following maintenance guidelines, you’ll need to find another way around that when the generator is getting old or when you need to take the generator someplace else.
The best way to arrest this situation is to install rubber anti-vibration pads. Since they are made from materials that dampen noise like springs, rubber, or air, they can easily reduce the vibration of your generator.
There’s every possibility that the anti-vibration pad will not reduce the generator’s vibration completely, but be rest assured that the vibration will not exceed the anti-vibration pads.
11. Use water as a sound dampener
Water is quite effective in reducing generator noise. This doesn’t require you to invest much effort or spend excess money to achieve this. You don’t need to buy a full tank as just a container full of water will do the trick.
- The next step is to connect a pipe or a hose to the exhaust pipe and insert the other end in the water container. The water will act as a muffler and dampen the sound of the noise coming from the exhaust pipe. It’s as easy as that and doesn’t require any special skill.
12. Change the location of your generator
The location of your generator determines the level of noise it produces. If the generator is near you, then the noise will be more loud, annoying, and disturbing.
The next best thing to do is to put a bit of distance between you and the generator. This not only helps in reducing the generator noise but also reduces the risk of being affected by the dangerous content of its exhaust.
How Loud Is A Normal Generator?
Before concluding on how loud a normal generator sounds, we need to first know how sound is measured.
We measure sound in decibels therefore the sound of an average generator is measured from between 60 and 70dB. Although this varies according to size since smaller generators do not produce noise as much as bigger ones.
However, portable generators are usually louder than the average backup generator. This is because the cheap and portable design does not come with sufficient noise-canceling features.
Features like mufflers and anti-vibration pads might be missing hence making the generator produce too much noise.
When measured, most portable generators have a sound level from between 70dB to 100dB. These noise levels are too high and can cause damage to the ears.
There’s a distinct difference between the average generator and portable generators. This requires that you make certain of your decision to purchase a generator that is worth its price and meets your needs perfectly.
Final Verdict
When going camping, you plan to leave behind all the inconveniencing, annoying, and disturbing noises right?
This purpose is however defeated if there’s still some noise that disturbs the serenity on camp.
Aside from the fact that some camping sites have rules and regulations against noises and disturbance, the noise of your generator can be a nuisance to you and your neighbors.
It is in the light of this that different ways to reduce the noise your generator makes on camp have been explored in this article.
These ways have proven to be effective and don’t require you to break the bank. Now, the key to enjoying perfect peace and tranquility is in your hands as the earlier you begin to affect these ways, the better.