Noisey House Generator

mkirsch wrote:
Nope.

Sound measurements are made in the most favorable conditions. Case in point, the Honda's dB claim is measured with minimal load. In the case of an RV generator that is designed to be installed in a compartment inside an RV, the sound is measured with the generator inside a compartment. Probably a well-insulated compartment, not typical of the average RV.

Every 3dB is a doubling of sound pressure, so even though going from 58dB to 66dB doesn't seem like much, it's a huge difference in the amount of noise.

Are you sure that Onan noise levels are measured with their generators, inside their green cases .... made with the whole thing inside some additional kind of enclosure? That doesn't make sense to me ... a substantiating link would be appreciated.

I don't take along my dB sound meter with us when we go RV camping ... but our built-in 4000 watt Onan generator sure SEEMS a lot quieter than any Honda EU2000i I've listened to close by when rev'd up providing it's full 1600 watt output. The Onan's particular sound frequency spectrum definitely makes it's sound less irritating, too.

That's one reason I appreciate our little 25+ year old Honda EX650 generator so much. It's constant 3600 RPM at a constant 54dB sound level - at all loads it can supply - is only a low frequency humming sound that is hardly noticeable at all outside and inside when we use it for battery charging at camp sites. Of course there is a price to pay - it's dry weight is around 51 lbs. due to an all steel case with plenty of insulation inside.

P.S. The trouble with solar is you gotta be camped in the sun for it to work ... which cannot be counted on anymore with the many U.S. weather patterns we find ourselves winding up in on RV trips. We're almost always in the sun when on the road, but the alternator charges things then. When camped, we count on one or the other of our two generators to always deliver the goods.