How to Quiet a Generator for Camping
Camping adventures can be for several days. So you will need to get lightings and power some essential appliances like your mobile phone and laptops. As a result, you will need a generator. But how messed up will it be if your generator is giving uncomfortable loud noise. Therefore, you need to reduce the noise of the generator. The first thing you need to do is get a generator that will provide you the power you need. If you see that the power you need is not much, you can get a generator with less power. And as a result, less noise.
In addition to placing your generator further away from your campsite. Some other ways on how to quiet a generator for camping will be discussed in the article.
Why noisy generator is bad for camping?
How best will it be if a generator does not make noise at all. But due to some of the components that the generator is made of, it will make noise. But this noise can be reduced to the minimum.
A camper and a generator are best friends. For a camper, a generator is of great importance. But a noisy generator will not be good for camping. It will be causing a nuisance to the camping adventures.
Now that you have gotten a generator but its noise is an issue. There are ways we can go to make the generator quiet. There are actually some simple guides and useful tricks to go about reducing the noise of your portable generator.
Why are generators so noisy?
Before we get started, here is a question we have to answer first. Getting to know the cause of noise in a generator will let us know how we can solve the noise problem. Actually, some portable generators are quieter than others, this is because they are not created equally. But no matter what they still make some disturbing noise. And sometimes how you use the generator, in terms of maintenance and setup, can also affect its noise. So keeping the generator in good working condition by regular servicing. This is a quick way to reducing the noise of the generator.
The following are the possible reasons for the noise of a generator:
Power Output
One of the determinants of the noise of the generator is its power output. The stronger the generator the louder it will be. This implies that bigger generators with higher output power will be louder than smaller and compact generators. These smaller generators will surely produce less power.
The Generator’s Technology
An advancement in generator technology is the manufacturer of an inverter generator. They produce less noise when compared to a conventional generator. They are more efficient and reliable. You can easily transport them as they are compact and not as heavy as the conventional generator. The inverter generators are reliable and they supply a steady flow of power. But when it comes to power output, it is less than the conventional generator. They are not that powerful, they produce enough power to power some essential appliances like your mobile phone and laptops.
Generator Soundproofing
This is a feature that comes with some generators. Some of these generators have soundproofing systems that have been fitted from the factory during production. But some, you have to get it fitted on the as the owner. Cheaper generators do not have this property.
The positioning of the Generator
It does not always have to be the components of the generator that are responsible for its noise. The way you place the generator can also be a factor in its noise making.
How to make the Generator Quiet
Now, let’s see some useful ways to reduce the noise of the generator.
Reducing the Vibration
We have mentioned the positioning of the generator could also cause the noise of a generator. So, you can actually adjust the positioning of the generator to reduce its vibration and its noise. If you place the generator on an unstable or shaky metal or wooden surface, it will create some disturbing vibrations.
You can find a soft surface like some dirt or grass. This will help to dampen the noise of the generator. So avoid hard surfaces like wood or concrete. They will only increase the noise of the generator. If at your camping area you could not find a soft ground, you can get an anti-vibration mat along. Anti-vibration mats will serve as the soft ground to reduce the vibration and to prevent the noise of the generator.
Sound Deflectors
If you don’t have enough space in your camping area, placing the generator at a reasonable distance can be hard. And its noise will be disturbing. The best solution for you is to get the sound deflectors. The sound deflectors will help to turn the sound wave of the generator in a different direction.
After that you made sure that your generator is stable, the sound deflectors get the noise of the generator away from your campsite. To make a sound deflector, you will need four sheets of plywood and one sheet of material. This material should be non-flammable, and with high resistance to heat and electricity.
Use of exhaust muffler
The noise of your portable generator can be reduced by the use of an exhaust muffler. The noise of the generator comes out through the exhaust pipe. So you can install a muffler to the exhaust pipe of the generator to quiet the generator. The muffler has perforated tubes which it uses to deflect the sound wave of the generator engine. Thus, reducing the loud noise of the generator. With a quality muffler or you improve on its quality. You will go a long way in reducing the noise to around 10 to 12 decibels.
Getting a muffler for your generator might be difficult because different generators have different sizes of an exhaust pipes. So getting the perfect one to match your generator exhaust pipe size might not be easy. To get what you want easily, you can seek the help of a specialized generator mechanic. They will help you get a perfect matching size for your generator. Or come up with a better option or idea to replace the generator’s muffler.
Conclusion
A generator is a very good appliance to have when going on camping. Especially, where you will need electricity. But one of its downsides is its noise. So some measures need to be taken to reduce the generator. Some of these methods have been mentioned in this how-to quiet a generator for camping article. In addition, you can make use of a baffle box or you can resolve to use an Inverter generator. An inverter generator is quieter than a conventional generator. Only that if you need more power, you can connect two separate inverter generators of the same type in parallel. With this, you will get doubled the power output of the inverter generator.
