Hondas Getting Louder

Francesca Knowles wrote:
They're certainly louder than advertised, and right out of the box.

It always gets my goat when someone says they're "quiet as human conversation". Phooey!

What they don't tell you is that human conversation is measured at three feet away face-on, while the "same" noise level from a Honda is measured at a minimum 25 feet, and with the muffler pointed away from the meter.

Your wife is probably just finally really hearing the blasted things.

Sounds like someone has generator envy.:B

n7bsn wrote:

As for your claim that the level is away from the exhaust (claiming the exhaust would be louder) some U of Alabama students did a study a few years back that your claim is, well, "it depends". They did several "beam pattern" runs and found enough variability in their results I would say "not proven" (yes I've actually read their report, have you?)

Yes I have- at least as much of that report as I've found online. And since it may be of interest to the O.P., I'll post a link to it here.

Francesca, do you know what spreading loss is?
Do you know how to calculate it?
Do you even know what it is?
Do you understand there are weighting scales?

As for your claim that the level is away from the exhaust (claiming the exhaust would be louder) some U of Alabama students did a study a few years back that your claim is, well, "it depends". They did several "beam pattern" runs and found enough variability in their results I would say "not proven" (yes I've actually read their report, have you?)

60 dB at 1 meter is the same measured energy as 60 dB at 7 meters. Yes if you are 1 meter away it would be louder then 60 dB

ktmrfs is correct, I've never checked my cell-phone "sound" ap, but I'm betting it's only good to maybe +/- 6 dB for accuracy and probably +/- 3dB for repeatability.

This is why I always reported sound as db/meter.

With my trusty iPhone app (which I well recognize may be less than precise), the Hondas measure about 80 decibels in Eco mode, warmed up, 30 paces away, with the exhaust pointed away. I agree with my wife; they are louder. Now the app-meter may be off — but off by 30 db? OTOH, this "meter" does allow for calibration. So, next time I will calibrate to the "normal speech" of 60 db at one meter and measure the generators again — though such a calibration may not be accurate throughout the curve. What I would like to do is try a new muffler, but at that price, it's not going to happen.

How accurate is that iphone app???????

Did you use that same app on the same phone in the same location to compare db's???

I think your imagination is running wild!!!!

enahs wrote:
We have two Honda EU2000 generators. Normally we run them alternately unless the AC is needed. So each one has about 400 hours. DW says they are louder than when new — confirmed by a db meter check (iPhone app). Any ideas on why or what to do? New muffler runs whopping $140. Have cleaned the spark arrestor — will do again.

to get an accurate db check you need to know which db scale was used by honda, there are multiple db scales based on a variety of conditions.

Second, having used calibrated verified NIST traceable db meters I can tell you that inexpensive (<$250) db meters can vary all over the place in accuracy. the inexpensive ones are good for a side by side qualitative test, but not a quantitative test.

And finally test conditions are usually done under controlled conditions, either indoors in a chamber or outdoors in what is called an "open field" test where the ground is flat and level without any ground cover or trees/shrubs etc. to reflect the sound.

So, your iphone "db meter" may be ok for comparing one generator to another, but not comparing a generator to a published specification.

n7bsn wrote:

Francesca Knowles wrote:
They're certainly louder than advertised, and right out of the box.

It always gets my goat when someone says they're "quiet as human conversation". Phooey!

What they don't tell you is that human conversation is measured at three feet away face-on, while the "same" noise level from a Honda is measured at a minimum 25 feet, and with the muffler pointed away from the meter.

Your wife is probably just finally really hearing the blasted things.

I'm sorry you don't understand sound measurement, even more so that you are posting like you do.

:h

Take a look at this table: human voice is 60 db at 1 meter, or about three feet.

Then take a look at the below chart from Honda, which CLEARLY STATES "Product sound level measured at 7 meters". You'll notice that they do NOT give the same distance-from-source info for "normal speech".





If your objection is to my meters-to-feet translation, I apologize. The genny's seven meters is exactly 22.99 feet; and the human voice's one meter is 3.28 feet. The fact remains that the distance is seven times greater, and I assure you that the genny exhaust is pointed away from the meter.

Your I phone app for measuring db is not accurate nor calibrated. I have one of the same apps on my phone.

Francesca Knowles wrote:
They're certainly louder than advertised, and right out of the box.

It always gets my goat when someone says they're "quiet as human conversation". Phooey!

What they don't tell you is that human conversation is measured at three feet away face-on, while the "same" noise level from a Honda is measured at a minimum 25 feet, and with the muffler pointed away from the meter.

Your wife is probably just finally really hearing the blasted things.

I'm sorry you don't understand sound measurement, even more so that you are posting like you do.

OMG!!! Hondas getting louder? You may have to paint them yellow so they don't embarrass the other red ones in the campground!!! Tongue in cheek of course!!

I'm sure with many hours on them, they probably are somewhat louder, and your technique for measuring is also probably within the norm! It's not a requirement to be scientifically correct when measuring!!! Sometimes your ears are the best for comparisons.

I know my Champion (horrors!!) is a bit louder than my sons H---a, but when both are running at max or off eco, either will not be mistaken for anything other than a generator!!