Want to make a generator quieter? Learn 6 best ways to make your generator quieter for gaining more and more benefits with this power producing gadget.
Generators now have become one of the basic needs of today’s people. This amazing machine serves you in many ways. It’s a blessing during the time of power shortage or when you and your family and friends are camping.
The thing that is the only drawback of this incredible machine is that it produces quite louder noise. But fortunately to control the noise level of the generator is in your hands now.
Don’t want to make any effort? Then buy these top 3 tools to make a generator quieter.
- Easy To Istall
- Reduce Noise And Smoke
- LightWeight
- Highly Compatible
- Affordable
- Made In United States
- Auto Accessory
- Lightweight
- Air Exhaust Valve with Silencer
- Compressed Pneumatic Air
- Easy To Install
- Alloy Metrial
WHY ARE GENERATORS SO LOUD?
The generators contain many mechanical and technical spare parts that run at a time for providing a better service. The sound of these running spare parts makes an unbearable noise.
But basically the noise level of the generator entirely depends on the components quality. If a generator is cheap, surely it was made from low quality spare parts that obviously produces loud noises.
While an expensive generator doesn’t generate much louder noise. However it still makes some noise. There are no generators in the market who don’t create noise. But there are some factors which are the main reason for louder noise in any generator.
MUFFLER: The poor quality of the muffler is one of the biggest reasons for the loud noise in the generator. Try to use a good quality muffler and replace the muffler after every couple of years to get better service.
ENGINE: A cheap quality engine is also a big reason for generating louder noise in any generator. If your generator has a low quality engie it will definitely make louder noises. However if the engine is good in quality it can still make noise because of some minor issues just like loose components or rig fault.
DIRECTION: The direction of the generator and its exhaust pipes also matters the most. If you placed the generator near your living, you definitely would feel much louder noise.
Secondly, the exhaust pipes are the most noisy part of the generator. That’s why trying to place them in an appropriate direction can minimize the noise level.
CAN YOU SOUNDPROOF A GENERATOR?
Yes it’s a reality that the generators create a lot of noise which is quite annoying and disturbing. But it’s also a fact that by doing a little effort you can make a generator quieter and soundproof.
Probably you can’t fully vaish the noise generated by the generators but you can effectively minimize the noise level by following some simple ways. That is what we are going to discuss below.
6 BEST WAYS TO MAKE A GENERATOR QUIETER
HOW TO REDUCE GENERATOR NOISE
Let’s begin our journey of how to make a generator quieter. We will start this from the very beginning and that is to buy that one generator who is much quieter and advanced.
Now there are a huge number of generators available in the market who don’t produce much noise and also they are well equipped with the latest features.
But if you already have a generator, don’t worry. Because we are going to teach you how to make a generator quieter.
However from the below given 10 ways some are simplest and less costly while some are tricky and costly. So select the one way which suits you the most.
1. BUILD A SOUNDPROOF BOX FOR GENERATOR
Well this is the easiest way to make a generator quieter and the cheapest one as well. A sound proof box doesn’t completely stop the noise of the generator but it can minimize the noise level up to 85 %.
For making a soundproof box you need some essential thing that you can easily find at any plumber’s shop or online.
To build a soundproof box you just have to follow the following steps.
- Firstly measure the full dimension of the generator. Remember that the soundproof box will be slightly bigger than the generator. So it can easily fit into the box.
- Cut 6 pieces of medium density fiberboard according to the measurement.
- Don’t forget to cut ventilation holes in a diagonal position on the fiberboard. Otherwise the heat doesn’t get a way to go outside and this can exhaust your generator.
- Add a mass loaded vinyl layer inside the panels then apply green glue on each side of the mass vinyl to make it strong and durable.
- Now add a layer of foam mats and seal it with a green glue.This will be good for reflecting sound inside the box.
- After that assemble the box with the help of screws and glue where needed.
- With the hinges don’t forget to attach a lid. This helps you while taking in or out the generator from the box.
- In the end, attach kinks in the ventilation duct to deflect the sound waves.
Here we have built a handmade soundproof generator box within a few hours.
2. USE WATER MUFFLER FOR GENERATOR
Okay so this is the easiest way to make a generator quieter and it costs nothing. The things you require are already in your home so you don’t have to spend any extra money.
You will be surprised by that but yes water can act as a muffler and can reduce the noise of the generator by around 5 to 7 decibels. So let’s know how the whole process will be done.
Firstly you need a 5 gallon of bucket of water, clamps and a hose pipe.
- Fix the hose pipe to the exhaust of the generator and the other end of the hose in the water bucket using clamp.
- Make a few small holes in the hose pipe. That will make it more safe and don’t allow the water to backflow.
- Be sure that the generator is placed higher as compared to the water bucket. That’s how the water can’t flow into the generator’s exhaust pipe.
By performing this method you can use water as a generator silencer or muffler.
3. USE SOUND DEFLECTORS
Using sound deflectors is another best way to make a generator quieter. But the sound deflectors don’t make a generator quieter or reduce its noise. It only deflects the noise and doesn’t let the sound reach you.
It sounds a little technical but it’s just the simplest process to make sound deflectors. If you don’t want to make it by yourself you can easily purchase it from the market.
But making it by yourself is less costly then buying it. You just have to follow some simple steps and soon you will have your own handmade sound deflectors. What you have to do is.
- Take 4 sheets of plywood and a sheet of drywall material. Drywall is one of the best non-flammable materials because it can resist the fire very well.
- Make sure that the plywood pieces are 5 feet wide and 3 fit tall. You can also choose the measurement just according to the size of your generator.
- Place each piece of the plywood against the generator at a specific angle.
- By placing all the pieces of plywood in a specific angle. A room is created around the generator for the airflow.
Here you have made your own sound deflectors.
4. USE SOFT PLACE FOR THE GENERATOR
This way to make a generator quieter is a little logical but it really works. Before placing your generator you have to make sure that the place should be able to dampen the sound instead of amplify.
For such purposes a soft and rubberized surface is the best option. Because a soft surface can easily dampen the sound as compared to any hard surface.
A soft surface can stop the vibration of the generator while it’s running and that reduces the noise level of the generator.
Don’t place your generator on a concrete based floor, wood or asphalt because instead of absorbing the sound they make it louder and increase its frequency. Try to place a generator on grass or simple dirt. If you don’t have such a surface at home or if you don’t want to keep the generator close to your garden then using a rubberized surface is another best idea.
A rubber foot, Anti-vibration pads or a rubber mat can be considered as a generator soundproofing material and makes a massive difference in its noise level.
5. PLACE THE EXHAUST PIPES IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION
This might seem obvious but placing the exhaust pipes of the generator in the right direction does work to make a generator quieter.
Place the exhaust pipes in the upward direction (vertical position) or simply away from your home or campsite. Turning the exhaust pipes in this way can reduce the noise level easily.
If you have that one generator which has an option to set the pipes according to your desired direction, you must go with the upward direction. If it doesn’t have such an option then try to place the exhaust pipes away from your living place.
6. FIT A GENERATOR SILENCER OR MUFFLER
Well this is a pretty costly way to make a generator quieter but it’s the most advanced and reliable method to control the noise pollution created by your generator.
Choose any one among a silencer or muffler. It’s totally up to you and your budget. But going with a generator silencer is quite better because it significantly reduces the noise level as compared to a muffler.
While fighting a muffler is also not bad. A muffler can also muffle the sound. However choose the right size of muffler that should be capable of muffling the sound produced by your generator.
In short, the bigger the generator the bigger the muffler you need. A right size muffler can make a generator quieter around 10 to 12 decibels.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
A: Well in this modern age, it’s not impossible to make your generator quiet as a cricket. However you have to make a little effort to make it quieter just according to your wish.
You can apply many of the methods just like, add a silencer with the generator, keep it away from your home or living, build a soundproof box, place the generator under a soft or rubberized surface and many more.
A: Diesel generators are much quieter as compared to gasoline generators. The reason behind this is that the gasoline generators are much smaller in size and run at higher RPMs as diesel generators. This is one of the main reasons gasoline generators produce louder noise.
A: The egg cartons-materials are not supposed to be a good material for absorbing the sound. But it can break the sound waves into several frequencies and spread them in various and opposite directions.
By doing this the egg-cartons materials can reduce the noise level and vibrations radically.
A: There is a huge list of fabrics that can absorb sound effectively and you can easily find them in the market. The most common and popular sound absorbing fabrics are
Mass-Loaded vinyl
Acoustic Fabric
Green Glue
Drywall
Hanging Baffle
Acoustic Mineral Wool
Sound Absorbing Underlayment
A: Cardboard boxes are not found much efficient in absorbing or blocking the sound. However you can do simple tricks to make a cardboard box able to minimize the sound waves and echoes.
You can apply any of the soundproof fabric on the cardboard box or by placing it along with walls, ceiling or floor. Doing this with any cardboard box will definitely make it capable of absorbing or minimizing the sound.
BOTTOM LINE
Hopefully we have guided you in the easiest and simplest way that the described ways to make a generator quieter would not be much difficult for you to understand and implement.
Go with any one of the mentioned ways or apply many of them with the right combination to decrease the noise level of your generator. It’s entirely up to you.