Generator noise containment system

[Trishntek]

I have been toying with the idea of creating some kind of baffled container for my genset which would cut the noise about half. Has anyone ever done this?

My thought would be to build a frame from which the unit would be suspended by bungees or springs. It weighs about 100 lbs. Then put an insulated box around it with a fan drawing air through either a serpentine insulated 8" flexible hose or an insulated duct with a 180 degree turn in it.

Whether hose or duct, there would be one for intake and one for exhaust. Thinking the intake would be low and the exhaust high or even some kind of chimney.

The box would probably be 3/8" plywood with either egg crate foam or fiberglass insulation. Is it really worth the trouble? Is this something tried and fried? All CONSTRUCTIVE comments are welcome!

[Token]

You are overthinking this.

If you have a loud-ass generator of DOOM, all you can do is mitigate.

Best mitigation is sound redirection. Up is a great direction for sound.

Get some 3/4 inch plywood, two sheets, some strong zip ties.

Cut the plywood to 4x4 size. Drill holes on all corners for zip ties to fit through.

Enclose loud-ass generator of DOOM with plywood and zip tie together.

You can even tilt two opposite sides for even better redirection of sound.

Anyting else is just a placebo to make yourself feel better.

Btw the best design involves getting a long power cord and parking the generator right next to the JOTS. No one really cares about noise near the JOTS.

[capjbadger]

A quick search will net you a number of threads on this very subject.

-Badger

[jkisha]

You are overthinking this.

If you have a loud-ass generator of DOOM, all you can do is mitigate.

Best mitigation is sound redirection. Up is a great direction for sound.

Get some 3/4 inch plywood, two sheets, some strong zip ties.

Cut the plywood to 4x4 size. Drill holes on all corners for zip ties to fit through.

Enclose loud-ass generator of DOOM with plywood and zip tie together.

You can even tilt two opposite sides for even better redirection of sound.

Anyting else is just a placebo to make yourself feel better.

Btw the best design involves getting a long power cord and parking the generator right next to the JOTS. No one really cares about noise near the JOTS.

This is almost exactly what we do with ours, except we lined the inside of each sheet with old carpet as an extra precaution. We put the generator box on the edge of the camp with 100' extension cord to where we needed power.

The most interesting side benefit was watching as people walked by and almost everyone came up to the box to look inside, especially when the generator wasn't running. I think this year we may put an old fake skeleton or huge spider inside the box.

Also, I really like the idea abut the twist ties. We screwed the box together last year, but the screws didn't hold all that well in the sides of the plywood.

JK

[Trishntek]

Soooo heat was not an issue without air coming in from the bottom somewhere? It is just 3kW air cooled system. I would not say it's the genset of DOOM, but it does probably put out 60 or 70 dB.

[jkisha]

it's a 4 foot square box, open at the top. Heat rises; and didn't seem to be a problem last year. Though I'm not sure I'd recognize if my generator was suffering heat stroke or not.

JK

[Stickygreen]

sell the loud ass generator of DOOM and get a quiet Honda inverter genset. way better quallity, and it will last forever.

[Token]

sell the loud ass generator of DOOM and get a quiet Honda inverter genset. way better quallity, and it will last forever.

Hey! Everyone gets to fail at least once before they come to jebus!

It is the Benejeserit Way!

[Captain Goddammit]

Suspending the genny is gonna be a pain in the ass and probably ineffective. Just set it on the ground. Everyone has already said the two things there are to say... If you MUST bring a loud-ass generator then surround it with a plywood box open at the top, or if you really wanna do things right, sell the fucking thing and get a Yamaha or Honda super-quiet set. You'll be SO glad you did.
It's not just that shitty generators are loud; it's the irritating constant 3600 RPM noise they make. 70dB of good music is one thing...

[dragonpilot]

We put the generator box on the edge of the camp with 100' extension cord to where we needed power.JK

So! That was YOUR generator on the edge of your camp NEXT TO MY TENT!

[Token]

We put the generator box on the edge of the camp with 100' extension cord to where we needed power.JK

So! That was YOUR generator on the edge of your camp NEXT TO MY TENT!

Was your tent the double wide at the end of the row with urinal troughs on each side?

[Trishntek]

OKay, in that case, I'm going to make a 4 side pyramid and take the top foot off. I'll raise one side of it about an inch to let in cooler air. I'll put some kind of absorbent material inside and see how it does in the back yard.

[jkisha]

We put the generator box on the edge of the camp with 100' extension cord to where we needed power.JK

So! That was YOUR generator on the edge of your camp NEXT TO MY TENT!

LOL. I hope not!

Actually, we're pretty careful about placing the generators so that they don't bother anyone. Honda's are nice, but they're also pricey. I'd rather have the extra wattage and deal with the noise via a baffle box.

JK

[Token]

OKay, in that case, I'm going to make a 4 side pyramid and take the top foot off. I'll raise one side of it about an inch to let in cooler air. I'll put some kind of absorbent material inside and see how it does in the back yard.

Inverted pyramid is best.

Here is what is used at airports for jet engine blast.

[much2naughty2]

My RV came with a Gentron 3.5 KW. After 3 camping trips, last Thursday I ordered the Honda EU3000is. WOW what a difference. You can stand over the top of it and carry on a conversation. I ordered it over the Internet on Thurday and it arrived Monday. Amazing service. Price was $1799, no tax, no shipping.

[Trishntek]

My RV came with a Gentron 3.5 KW. After 3 camping trips, last Thursday I ordered the Honda EU3000is. WOW what a difference. You can stand over the top of it and carry on a conversation. I ordered it over the Internet on Thurday and it arrived Monday. Amazing service. Price was $1799, no tax, no shipping.

Well there ya go,,,,, that's about 3X the price of mine.

[dragonpilot]

We put the generator box on the edge of the camp with 100' extension cord to where we needed power.JK

So! That was YOUR generator on the edge of your camp NEXT TO MY TENT!

LOL. I hope not!

Actually, we're pretty careful about placing the generators so that they don't bother anyone. Honda's are nice, but they're also pricey. I'd rather have the extra wattage and deal with the noise via a baffle box.

JK

Nah...I knew it wasn't you. But SOME people need to get a clue!

[Stickygreen]

sell the loud ass generator of DOOM and get a quiet Honda inverter genset. way better quallity, and it will last forever.

Hey! Everyone gets to fail at least once before they come to jebus!

It is the Benejeserit Way!

yes, I owned a Honda EB5000x before, I bought a EU3000is. What a difference. Jebus saved me!

the EU3000is is a great machine.

And yes there expensive, but worth every penny.... not just for the sound levels, but for so many other reasons to.

[much2naughty2]

Trishntek, it was 4 x as expensive as our Gentron, and if money is tight, I can certainly understand sticking with the DOOM generator. It worked every bit as well, and seemed well constructed. Only issue we had was no one for 100 feet around it could talk or sleep, and could be heard all over the campground. We got ugly stares everytime we started it up. Other than that, it was/is golden. Anone want to buy it?

[Trishntek]

Well putting it by the JOTS with long drop cord certainly is tempting cuz I don't think we'll be very far from them. Got a few other shade structure things to finish,,,, then I'll take this pyramid thing on and let you all know whether it's a waste of time.

Token, thanks for the zip tie idea, that will simplify the "hinges". Don't think a giant parabolic pyramid to the sky would accomplish much tho,,,,,

[FIGJAM]

Im going to leave my genny in the back of my truck surrounded with that spicky foam.

Hope I only need to run it 2 or 3 times during the week.

Its a porter cable 3500 and not quite as loud as the cheapies, but it will be closer to me than anyone else.

[Trishntek]

Yeah, if our camp theme was not based mostly upon electrical gadgets, it would not be a big deal. We will have solar and deep cycle batteries which we hope will be sufficient for late-night music and a few lights. Although if anyone wants to play with our toys, that would probably require use of the genset.

I did build the pyramid today. Four sides out of a 4x8 sheet of 3/8 playwood. Two sides are a solid triangle and the opposite sides are split down the middle. I attached a half-side to each side of the full-side piece and they fold up nicely with the zip ties. One of these sets I cut the top foot off to provide a directional vent out the top. They are a bit loose right now. Once on the playa I will tighten the zip ties and put the wavy foam inside, because the pieces do not fold flat for transport with the foam in place.

It certainly cannot hurt to try! I've had this genset for several years in anticipation of the smart grid getting stupid. It really was not intended for a camping environment when I bought it. With everything else on my plate, the genset noise concern has always been low priority. That just shows you how close to ready I am!

[Token]

I want to know if its Trish or Tek doing all this fabrication.

If it's Trish, tell Tek I'm taking you out on a date so we can get some carpentry done.

If its Tek doing all the sawing, they need you for the temple build, over that way --->

[Trishntek]

I want to know if its Trish or Tek doing all this fabrication.

If it's Trish, tell Tek I'm taking you out on a date so we can get some carpentry done.

If its Tek doing all the sawing, they need you for the temple build, over that way --->

It's tek,,,,, Trish is my supervisor and personal source of encouragement.

edit: If you look closely at our avatar, Trish is the upright female and tek is the one bowing before her with his cock hanging low.
edit #2: here's a closeup so you can appreciate the details

[SilverOrange]

While I appreciate the aesthetic that you are going for, I believe the purpose for the baffle box is to redirect the sound waves straight up. (The only way they can go.) It seems like a pyramid, especially with a gap between the base and ground is going to be redirecting the sound down and probably out through the gap around the base. Seems to me that this will lessen the overall effectiveness. But hey, I could be wrong!

[Trishntek]

I can certainly understand that idea of focusing sound downward. The pyramid on the outside will be covered with wavy foam inside and will be thicker on the bottom, wider part of the pyramid which should make it more like a box and mitigate the parabolic affect of the outer shell. The genset itself will also rest on an absorbent surface as well.

We shall see! It will either get the Pink Flamingo stamp of approval, or go up in flames! On the other hand,,,, it will probably go up in flames eventually anyway!

[capjbadger]

While I appreciate the aesthetic that you are going for, I believe the purpose for the baffle box is to redirect the sound waves straight up. (The only way they can go.) It seems like a pyramid, especially with a gap between the base and ground is going to be redirecting the sound down and probably out through the gap around the base. Seems to me that this will lessen the overall effectiveness. But hey, I could be wrong!

Inverted pyramid...

-Badger

[illy dilly]

Its really too bad they don't let us dig 6" deep holes with the dirt mounded around the side, just to set gennies in.
I understand all the problems that it causes to the playa the rest of the year, but it would just make generator sound control so much easier.

[Trishntek]

I've thought about putting a perimeter of wood just outside the pyramid with absorbent material on it to simulate what you are saying. Leaving the air gap under it for cool air circulation while inhibiting the noise from down there.

[Token]

And on the top of the pyramid we can put a bunch of playa dust and pour some vinegar so it fizzes and bubbles like a volcano!

You are seriously overthinking the cooling aspect on a vast dry salt bed famous for its winds.