Generator quieting
A while back someone mentioned looking for a quieter muffler to reduce the noise of their gen. That question brought to mind that a video needs to be made which should clearly show that much of the...
Forum Discussion
centerline wrote:
one only has to remove a panel from the housing of their generator when its running to see the proof of concept.... the exhaust is already exiting to the outside, with NONE of it exiting within the housing, but when an access panel is removed, the exterior noise nearly doubles... good sound deadening insulation in the box surrounding the generator and engine is the answer...
Exactly right ...so long as the sound deadening material still leaves enough room around the generator's top and sides for air circulation in accordance with the manufacturer's installation recommendations.
Also - at least with respect to Onan's "Micro" series of built-in RV generators - probably the bottom of them should be left completely open to the ground since they have a huge volume of cooling air circulating down there.
In addition one shouldn't neglect replacing most of the stock shock absorbing mounts with well engineered high end marine type ones of the recommended G-force ratings so as to stop all motion transfer into the RV's structure.
All of the above could easily be done by the RV manufacturer up front at only a modest adder to the purchase price. The owners of built-in RV generator's - and those camping close to them - sure would have a different overall opinion of them if the manufacturers had been doing this since day one.
It makes no sense to install a ~$3K-on-up built-in generator in an RV without also doing it right from the beginning. Solar is nice, but IMHO it should be backed up with outstandingly quiet, reliable, and convenient RV generator capability. (That is ... until propane fuel cells for RV's finally reach their full potential.)
