Can I Make My Generator Quieter?

  • By: Umer.A
  • Date: October 10, 2021
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You can make a generator quieter by doing a few DIY hacks, such as installing a muffler or using a sound deflector.

Generators have grown to be a necessity for our life. If you live in a remote area where the electricity supply is limited or scarce, getting a generator will be the only option. Unfortunately, the more significant generator you use, the more noise it will create. This can, in time, result in permanent damage to your hearing.

But after a few steps, you can end up saving yourself from noise pollution. We have listed some tips to reduce the generator’s noise significantly.

Face The Exhaust Pipes Up or Away from You

To reduce the noise level, you can face the exhaust pipes away from your home. That way, its sound waves won’t be directed towards you or your house. This can reduce the noise level to some extent. This is ideal for campsites where you won’t have any neighbors disturbed by the noise.

Another way to reduce the noise by exhaust pipes is limited to some generator models. Those generators, which come with long exhaust pipes, can direct the pipe’s face upwards. This way, the sound from exhaust pipes will go up in the air and disperse.

If your generator has no extension to the exhaust, you can get one from your home depot. But it won’t be as effective as the one that comes with the generator.

Move Your Generator Further Away

The next thing you can do is the old-fashioned method; placing the generator at a distance from your house or campsite.

Now there are few things to consider before you go on with this. First, is your home or campsite the only one in the area? If your answer is no, you should take care of your neighbors. Because if you place your generator at a distance from your campsite or home. It’ll be closer to your neighbors and disturb them.

If the answer is yes, you can place it as distant as you want. The length of your cord only limits it. Usually, the decibels on the generator manual are measured at a 7m distance. So, if you’re going to get those decibels, place the generator at the measured distance. But remember, the further away you put it, the quieter it gets.

Place The Generator on a Soft Surface

If you can’t distant the generator due to any reason, don’t be disheartened; we’ve got another tip for you. It’s the surface of your generator. If you place it on a hard and solid surface, the noise will be amplified.

But if you place your generator on a soft surface, that will absorb the vibrations and reduce noise. For example, if you’re out camping, it’s better to put the generator on dirt or grass. These soft surfaces will significantly reduce the noise from the generator.

You can get a sound-absorbing mat as a substitute if you don’t have access to soft ground such as dirt or grass.

Use Sound Deflectors to Quiet Your Generator

If the soft ground technique doesn’t make a difference in the noise, another simple technique can make a huge difference. It is very simple and often effective. And it’s cost-friendly too as it requires simple plywood sheets. This can reduce the noise level by 10 decibels.

For this, you’ll require three or four plywood and a non-flammable sheet. First, make a plywood enclosure in an A-frame shape. The plywoods should be in such angels that they deflect sound waves into the ground. And the non-flammable sheet should be where the exhaust is located. This will make sure the sheets won’t burst in flames.

This will direct the noise into the ground, and your surroundings will be quieter.

Build An Acoustic Enclosure or Baffle Box

If you are not satisfied with the results of the sound deflectors, you can use the plywood sheets to make an acoustic enclosure for the generator. It uses the same method as the deflector sheets. But it completely covers the generator as it has quiet boards that absorb all the vibrations. This, in turn, will drastically reduce the noise level from the generator.

To make an acoustic enclosure, you’ll need a few plywood sheets, quiet boards, foam sealer, and a few L-brackets. When making one at home, we’d recommend that you make a few openings in the box. If you don’t, the heat generated inside will build up and damage the generator. You can overcome this by cutting holes in the exhaust side.

If you’re not a DIY geek, you can get a ready-made box from Home Depot.

Buying the right sized generator

If you plan to purchase a noiseless and new backup power generator, you should consider a few things. The first one would be getting the right-sized generator. Because if you have the types of equipment that don’t require a heavy-duty generator, you don’t have to own a big one.

It won’t be because of the fuel consumption or the consistency in the power supply. Instead, it’ll be the noise generated by that generator. Bigger generators tend to create loud noises than smaller ones.

Small generator

Can you put a silencer on a generator?

A silencer is a perfect solution to reduce noise. It will save you and your neighbors who might be getting disturbed by the noise. Of course, you can get an automotive silencer for your generator too.

Why are generators so loud?

Generators are as loud as they are because they generate electrical energy from mechanical energy. They use engines that make noise even in an expensive model. But the cheaper a generator is, the more noise it will make.

While in some rare cases, a generator might make a loud noise if it requires some repairs.

Replace Your Generator’s Muffler to reduce the noise?

A muffle is used to silence the generator’s noise coming from exhaust pipes. These muffles have perforated tubes that deflect sound waves and reduce up to 12 decibels of the noise level.

You can replace your generator’s muffle, but the replacement will hardly fit. In this, a DIY project will most likely fail, so we recommend hiring a specialized mechanic or engine repairman.

Can we reduce the noise by reducing energy levels?

Yes, because as you put the load on the generator, it detects that it needs to use more fuel to provide the supply. This will release more gases from the exhaust pipe and generate more noise.

Reducing the energy level from the generator will result in reduced noise.

Conclusion

If you have a loud generator, you can combine our tips to reduce the noise. It will be effective and may even let you forget about your generator. Although, it may be limited to your neighborhood too. Because if you live in a residential area, using your generator at a distance from your home might work for you, but not your neighbors. To stay on the safe side, we’d recommend getting an acoustic enclosure and a muffle for your generator. They can significantly reduce the noise level.