Generator quieting

AFHauler wrote:
I have a Honda 3000 EU, I am looking for some ideas to quiet it down. Anyone had success with this, want to share some ideas?

Check out this thread (but be prepared for a lot of reading). Has multiple ideas for quieting the 3000 kw sized generators.

3000W Chinese Gensets Info

And here's another:

My $500.00 almost silent generator with pic.&db readings

Air conditioning? Trade the EM for an EU :)

Are you just charging the battery? Consider 200+ watts of solar to reduce or eliminate the need for running a generator.

Watching tv? Consider a small inverter.

Also time to review your charging system to reduce run time.

AFHauler wrote:
I have a Honda 3000 EU, I am looking for some ideas to quiet it down. Anyone had success with this, want to share some ideas?

RTompkins3 wrote:
Check out this thread (but be prepared for a lot of reading). Has multiple ideas for quieting the 3000 kw sized generators.

3000W Chinese Gensets Info

And here's another:

My $500.00 almost silent generator with pic.&db readings

FAR simpler for the OP to sell his Honda EM3000 open frame genset for a class leading Honda EU3000iS and not have to do anything additional at all ... it's as quiet as it gets when we're talking portable generators and heck, it even has electric start. :B

Sound Guy, do you have a link to your Quiet Box? I can't see spending hundreds to quiet my Honda, but if you have a less expensive way, I am very interested -- thanks in advance!

Never mind -- I just found the link:

Sound Guy's Quiet Box -- lots of photos on how to build it

Thanks for posting those photos! (Is is sad that I am really excited about spending some quality time examining this project?)

profdant139 wrote:
I can't see spending hundreds to quiet my Honda, but if you have a less expensive way, I am very interested -- thanks in advance!

Yeah, I'd have loved to have duplicated jauguston's genset quiet box but from scratch I figured I'd have been into at least $400 Cdn for materials alone, which I just couldn't justify. The biggest savings was achieved by utilizing an existing plastic storage box (about $12 @ Home Depot) in place of custom building one and forgoing the really expensive noise control barrier material, instead using some Reflectix that I happened to have on hand. The only part I did have some difficulty sourcing was some high heat insulation for the exhaust box but jauguston kindly sent me a small piece he had left over from his own project, otherwise most other materials I already had on hand in my workshop so overall cost was minimal. If there is any one improvement that I'm sure would make a noticeable difference it would be to use purpose designed noise control barrier inside the box instead of Reflectix but with West Marine here having to import it from the US and the exchange rate being as awful as it is I just can't justify the expense. With the genset running inside the box noise is greatly reduced but then placing the box in the back of my Avalanche with the cargo compartment closed up (but vented) really adds to the effect. I realize most don't tow with an Avalanche but anyone with a truck equipped with a hard tonneau cover could I'm sure achieve similar results. It's always easy to just throw $$$ at any project and make it successful but the real trick is achieving acceptable results while keeping the cost of the project within reason. ;)

After spending a half hour studying Sound Guy's Quiet Box (see link above), I am sure that this method would reduce noise for almost any generator. His link provides detailed guidance.

Two of his innovations are particularly clever -- first, he rigged up a fan, mounted on the box, to blow fresh air into the generator's intake, and the fan is powered by the generator itself. Second, his vertical exhaust port serves as a baffle for the exhaust, without (I think) creating significant back-pressure in the exhaust system.

Thanks again, Sound Guy, and well done!

profdant139 wrote:
After spending a half hour studying Sound Guy's Quiet Box (see link above), I am sure that this method would reduce noise for almost any generator. His link provides detailed guidance.

Two of his innovations are particularly clever -- first, he rigged up a fan, mounted on the box, to blow fresh air into the generator's intake, and the fan is powered by the generator itself. Second, his vertical exhaust port serves as a baffle for the exhaust, without (I think) creating significant back-pressure in the exhaust system.

Thanks again, Sound Guy, and well done!

Thanks, but the credit really goes to jauguston for his own quiet box design on which mine is based ... his rv.net discussion from 2007 can be found here if you're interested.

Although it may not seem so at first glance quiet box design for an enclosed inverter genset such as the EU2000i is entirely different than for an open frame genset. The former has a cleverly designed plastic case that not only helps reduce noise but also directs and keeps separate cooling intake air, hot engine air that needs to be exhausted, and engine exhaust. With open frame gensets there is no control over movement of these 3 elements which simply meander about the generator as it's running ... not an issue when sitting in open air but when enclosed presents the problem as to how to properly intake cooling air and exhaust both hot engine air and exhaust so the engine doesn't overheat and shut down. Typically, most of these open frame generator boxes utilize high capacity fans at both ends of the box, one to intake cooling air in large volumes and another at the opposite end to vent out hot engine & exhaust in large volumes. OTOH, take a look at jauguston's pics and you'll note his inverter genset quiet box design is very similar to some of these clever Japanese quiet box designs which are intended to keep the 3 elements - intake air, hot engine exhaust air, and engine exhaust - completely separate at all times, as Honda engineers intended. Some such as jaguston's don't even utilize a fan but those that are most effective all feature a multi chamber exhaust baffle, another concession I made because I was utilizing an existing plastic box rather than a custom designed box that would be much more costly to build. The principles in designing an inverter genset quiet box are the same, only the execution varying somewhat in the interest of cost ... but they are quite a bit different than a quiet box designed for use with an open frame genset.

Thanks everyone, I am going to install 450 watts of solar and get a Honda 2000I for everyday use. I have had the 3000EM for a long time. I don't think I have more than a fifty hours on it. It only gets used for the air conditioning, two or three times a year. I had thought of getting a Honda 3000I but it is just to heavy and I have no permanent place to mount it on the TT. Leaving it in the truck is not an option. So , from your ideas I will experiment with some sound reduction boxes, panels etc.

Thanks again.

AFHauler wrote:
Thanks everyone, I am going to install 450 watts of solar and get a Honda 2000I for everyday use.

Good choice. When funds allow get another and run your air.