NOISEY GENERATOR

maillemaker wrote:
There is not much you can do. Sound deadener can help, but as was said make sure it's fireproof and make sure you don't intrude into the airspace around the generator.

In my RV the generator compartment is totally open on the bottom. So parking over pavement makes it seem a lot louder than parking over grass.

I have considered buying some sort of "egg crate foam" to lay on the ground under the generator. But there's always the risk of it getting blown around or sucked up into the generator area blocking airflow. I've also considered building some kind of foldable "dog house" that you could set up next to the RV to block in some of the sound. But that would be a pain to stow.

How about a piece of heavy carpet (that is easy to store) and that you just lay on the ground under the generator compartment? I've also noticed that the outside sound is reduced when parked on grass or dirt, so a piece of heavy carpet there should work pretty good.

There is not much you can do. Sound deadener can help, but as was said make sure it's fireproof and make sure you don't intrude into the airspace around the generator.

In my RV the generator compartment is totally open on the bottom. So parking over pavement makes it seem a lot louder than parking over grass.

I have considered buying some sort of "egg crate foam" to lay on the ground under the generator. But there's always the risk of it getting blown around or sucked up into the generator area blocking airflow. I've also considered building some kind of foldable "dog house" that you could set up next to the RV to block in some of the sound. But that would be a pain to stow.

Do you run the air conditioner a lot when off grid? Otherwise 200+ watts of solar and a Honda 2200 might help.

DFord wrote:
Unfortunately, OEM generators for RVs all operate at a constant speed of 1800 or 3600 RPM in order to produce 60Hz power. So far, Onan and Generac have failed to get up to speed with inverter technology that would allow them to run only as fast as required to meet usage demands.

...

I few years ago, I corned a rep at the Onan booth at an FMCA rally and raised a fuss with him about their using such ancient technology. He liked what I said and made a video of me complaining on his camera to take back to the factory. I haven't heard anything about upgrades to their products so far but they're way past due!

The (diesel fueled) Onan QD 6000 and QD 8000 RV generators are inverter generators that vary their engine speed with changes in the load.

Just as some clarification comments:

1. Our built-in Onan RV generator changes loudness level with the instantaneous amperage load on it - even though it's running at a constant 3600 RPM. i.e. It's not as loud when running the microwave or electric heater as it is when running the air conditioner. BTW, wlhenever the inverter generators are called upon to deliver their full loads - they spin at above 4000 RPM ... which indeed makes them "loud" then.

2. Our built-in 4000 watt built-in RV generator only consumes about 0.4 gallons per hour when delivering it's full load. As comparison, our 4400 watt stick house emergency generator averages at least 12 hours runtime on 5 gallons of regular E10 gas.

3. However as full discloser, for long battery charging runs when RV drycamping we carry along one of the quietest portable suitcase generators ever offered ... and it runs at a constant 3600 RPM up to it's maximum power output level at a constant hum level of only 54 dBA. That little genny is the long discontinued (but still available used) Honda EX650.

DFord wrote:
Unfortunately, OEM generators for RVs all operate at a constant speed of 1800 or 3600 RPM in order to produce 60Hz power. So far, Onan and Generac have failed to get up to speed with inverter technology that would allow them to run only as fast as required to meet usage demands. Honda and all the Honda knock-offs have no problem making inverter type generators. My solution was to buy a small inverter generator and set it next to my MH. After it tops off my batteries, it idles down and I can hardly hear it while I watch TV with my lights on. It runs about 5 or 6 hours on a gallon of gas which beats the pants off the gallon an hour the onboard generator uses. Newer models use technology that permits you to start/stop and monitor how much gas is in the tank on your phone.

I few years ago, I corned a rep at the Onan booth at an FMCA rally and raised a fuss with him about their using such ancient technology. He liked what I said and made a video of me complaining on his camera to take back to the factory. I haven't heard anything about upgrades to their products so far but they're way past due!

There's no incentive because there is no competition. Why spend money on innovation when you can still make a mint selling Model A Fords in 2019?

Unfortunately, OEM generators for RVs all operate at a constant speed of 1800 or 3600 RPM in order to produce 60Hz power. So far, Onan and Generac have failed to get up to speed with inverter technology that would allow them to run only as fast as required to meet usage demands. Honda and all the Honda knock-offs have no problem making inverter type generators. My solution was to buy a small inverter generator and set it next to my MH. After it tops off my batteries, it idles down and I can hardly hear it while I watch TV with my lights on. It runs about 5 or 6 hours on a gallon of gas which beats the pants off the gallon an hour the onboard generator uses. Newer models use technology that permits you to start/stop and monitor how much gas is in the tank on your phone.

I few years ago, I corned a rep at the Onan booth at an FMCA rally and raised a fuss with him about their using such ancient technology. He liked what I said and made a video of me complaining on his camera to take back to the factory. I haven't heard anything about upgrades to their products so far but they're way past due!

Does it need a new muffler? Our Onan has a muffler on it.

“For what we pay for motorhomes,...” we should be able to unnecessarily bother all our close neighbors with generator noise. Heck, solar is new. Once the bugs are worked out...

SM49 wrote:
I have a 2004 four winds 28a class c with a generac quietpac 40g generator, how can I quiet it down

I would suggest adding (glueing?) sound proofing material onto all of the interior walls of the cabinet in which the generator is installed by the motorhome builder.

The fireproof sound proofing material used by boaters would be best. When you attach any of the material - make sure to not block or decrease the air flow path size - of where cooling air enters and exits the areas around the generator.

Make sure to include the interior cabinet wall right above the generator so as to reduce sound transfer into the coach interior. For the ultimate in any generator vibration isolation from the interior, high performance isolation mounts (they're not expensive) can replace the simple rubber feet that probably are used with the stock installation by the motorhome builder.

IMHO ... you should ignore the smart-alec/wise-guy comments earlier. For what we pay for motorhomes, they better be able to be used just about anywhere anytime to protect and provide for the users comfortably without hookups ... just as a small stick-house does with hookups. A built-in motorhome generator helps do just that.

By the way FWIW, our stick-house in a rural location looses grid power occasionally and our small emergency generator helps sustain us just fine!