Camping with the Sound Police

[TomG2]

This is not intended to be another quiet generator versus noisy generator discussion, but I am curious where people camp who run their generators for much of the day. I am a full timer and travel extensively. I use my generator for overnight parking in Walmarts etc. I either stay at parks with hookups or where none are needed. I do not go camping where I need to hear my generator or yours all day and all night.

[pnichols]

For built-in generators, this helps reduce/elminate the exhaust concerns - especially with respect to campers close by:

http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/item/gen-turi-generator-exhaust-system/14041

I came close to buying it once, but decided that it wasn't necessary for the more remote drycamping that we do. We also pressurize the interior of our coach during long generator runs to ensure that changing wind directions don't bring any fumes inside.

[SoundGuy]

mabynack wrote:
This reminds me of one of my worst camping experiences. We were tent camping in central California and some guy pulled up next to our tent at 10:00 p.m. in a motorhome and fired up his generator. He ran it all night about 10 feet from us. It was smoky and noisy. We packed up and left at sunup instead of spending the weekend.

So the offender got what he wanted and you lost your weekend ... perfect. :R

[mabynack]

This reminds me of one of my worst camping experiences. We were tent camping in central California and some guy pulled up next to our tent at 10:00 p.m. in a motorhome and fired up his generator. He ran it all night about 10 feet from us. It was smoky and noisy. We packed up and left at sunup instead of spending the weekend.

[1stgenfarmboy]

Most people now days don't have a care in the world about the other people around them, it is all about me, I understand if someone has a medical need for the geny to run, but you can camp without having 110v power, and do it for several days, If it is over 90* or below 50* you need AC/heat, but to run it for the TV and microwave or to run the AC when it's 75*outside I mean come on, I am one of those guys that likes to camp somewhere quiet and that is getting hard to find.

[Veebyes]

When it comes to noise from an onboard genny, the main source to the neighbours, is the exhaust. How do you reduce that?

My 5er is so-called genny prepped whuich means the cables are there & a tin genny enclosure is in the basement. NO sound insulation installed whatsoever. I hate to think how much noise the genny would make, internally & externally, if one was ever installed.

I have experience with a boat genny. Have a 6KW diesel genny in my boat. A typical marine genny is heavily sound insulated. It does not have a radiator which needs to draw in & expell air & is a source of engine noise escaping. It draws cooling water from outside through a heat exchanger then ejects it into the exhaust system, which helps quiet the exhaust. The only open exposure a marine genny needs is a source of air from outside to run it.

Unfortunately RV gennys cannot be sound insulated that way. They can be insulated to reduce the noise to the occupants inside but those around them suffer.

The best solution is an inverter type genny which most of the time won't be running much over an idle. Trouble is they are not cheap.

[pnichols]

westend wrote:
pnichols wrote:

What Honda needs to do is introduce a new variable speed portable inverter generator line that TOPS OUT at 53dB instead of STARTING OUT idling at 53dB. They do have one model that idles at only 47dB, but they need to add several more of various power ratings. I know that it can be done, as I've stood right next to and tried to hear certain ultra-low sound level high power commercial generators at shows, fairs, etc., that truly are the Sound of Silence.


There will be a fair amount of engineering to accomplish your "low sound" goal in this endeavor and I'd bet that there will be a horse power ceiling and consequent electrical output limit to reach this goal.

Coming at sound reduction from another angle like Soundguy did with his EU2000 is a more efficient process, IMO. Look at what the Japanese can do with generator boxes (sorry, can't find a link this morning). The Japanese enclosures really cancel a lot of the sound transmission and are an easy solution. The downside is that one of these enclosures adds approx. $200 to the generator cost.

For those wishing to explore sound reduction at an engineering level, this Study from VPI covers a lot of ground.

Probably those ultra-quiet big commercial diesel generators on trailers that I mentioned earlier are designed exactly that way - merely putting the generator guts in a fully enclosed rigid material (i.e. steel) cabinet that is heavily sound insulated on the inside of it's walls.

Any thing that OEM's like Honda can do, or want to do, to reduce sound levels even further on their small inverter generator models is OK w/me. I just think that the camping world would welcome some improvement here by rewarding an OEM with even higher sales and rewarding it's customers with less complaining from the Sound Police.

In fact, Honda was headed exactly that direction years ago when they designed my little four cycle 54 dB EX650 portable generator that I keep harping about. It's way too heavy for it's power of only 650 watts at 51 lbs., because ... the cabinet is all steel and the cabinet is nicely insulated on it's interior walls.

Contrast that with, say, the popular Honda EU2000i with a (rated) power of 1600 watts and weighing only 45.6 lbs.. The designers got that low weight through use of a plastic material case with (probably) only partial covering of it's interior walls with insulating material, if any. What Honda designers were heavily counting on was the up and down in engine speed that is made possible via use of inverter technology ... betting on that a lot of the time owners would be requiring less than full power which in turn would mean lower engine RPM a lot of the time. The result of this plastic case and inverter technology is a generator that is just barely OK soundwise (except for some high frequency "ticking-type" noises) during low power usage but not OK soundwise when delivering higher power. For those of us who can stand a steady sound better than a constantly changing sound, an inverter generator is really irritating with it's up and down noise while powering a cycling appliance such as a microwave or an air conditioner.

What we all need for maximum camping flexibility is inverter portable generators and inverter built-in generators that come from the manufacturer enclosed in more rigid cabinets with thick insulation on the inside of those cabinets - OR what we all need for ultimate camping flexibility is affordable fuel-cells powered by propane that keep our RV batteries constantly charged up rain or shine, shade or shine, day or night.

I for one do not wish to be tied to a power pedestal or arrested by the Sound Police - life is too short and RV's are too expensive for that. 🙂

[Veebyes]

Nobody likes unecessary or thoughtless noise from a genny.

With an inverter & decent sized battery bank nobody needs to be running a genny all night unless it is very hot, in which case maybe they should have gone to a CG & plugged in. The difference between cost of gas burned & CG fees would not be great. The appreciation of silence from non genny running neighbours, priceless.

Nobody wants to listen to the always high reving screamin demons that most of the built ins are.

Consideration for others is not difficult. Not running during traditional quiet hours, no matter where you are, is always appreciated. In busy dry camping areas around mealtimes it is "Gentlemen, start your gennys". Gotta have that electric coffeemaker & that microwave. Well, some do.

Once the battery bank is topped off there is no need to be running a genny all day. Most like peace & quiet however if at the NASCAR track who is going to notice the genny?

[westend]

pnichols wrote:
What Honda needs to do is introduce a new variable speed portable inverter generator line that TOPS OUT at 53dB instead of STARTING OUT idling at 53dB. They do have one model that idles at only 47dB, but they need to add several more of various power ratings. I know that it can be done, as I've stood right next to and tried to hear certain ultra-low sound level high power commercial generators at shows, fairs, etc., that truly are the Sound of Silence.

There will be a fair amount of engineering to accomplish your "low sound" goal in this endeavor and I'd bet that there will be a horse power ceiling and consequent electrical output limit to reach this goal.

Coming at sound reduction from another angle like Soundguy did with his EU2000 is a more efficient process, IMO. Look at what the Japanese can do with generator boxes (sorry, can't find a link this morning). The Japanese enclosures really cancel a lot of the sound transmission and are an easy solution. The downside is that one of these enclosures adds approx. $200 to the generator cost.

For those wishing to explore sound reduction at an engineering level, this Study from VPI covers a lot of ground.

[Crabbypatty]

Here on LI we have many people who buy campers but arent rvers. We have great parks to go to and they use it for quick getaways. With that comes all the comforts of home like microwaves using every possible light etc.

So during the summer season you just have to deal with it. In the off season the real rvers come out and its all quieter.

[FLY_4_FUN]

Heres a weird situation for you all to consider. I build/fly giant scale R/C aircraft and many events have dozens of 100cc plus gas engines running sun-up to sun-down. Some are nitro, some are jets and some are REALLY LOUD!!! We love the hobby, and the noise is part of it just like jet ski's, ski doo's etc I suppose. At the end of the day when flying is done and all is shut down the worst thing anybody can do is fire up a loud contractor generator and let it bang away for hours. That will really tick off folks like no other. Its kinda funny, but sorta shows how there are acceptable noise levels even at specialty events and many tolerate noise better than others. I love the noise of our planes and props...but love my Honda 2000 because its quiet enough to not cheese off my flying buddy neighbors.

Daryll

[TheBigdog]

Noise doesn't bother us, but please turn off the bright lights before you go to bed.

[hotpepperkid]

He noise I don't really mind unless it is one of those construction types. What I do mind is the smell of some old Onan whos carbartor needs adjustment

[TomG2]

toedtoes wrote:

Not exactly. Your takeaway is that people who are "camping" don't run into generators being run all day and night. That is the faulty part. Yes, people who are camping run into this - more often than is shown by this thread because: 1) by default, this forum is populated with people who are more likely to have and use a generator than other forums dedicated to camping; 2) people who have and use a generator are more likely to make allowances for generators being run outside of the rules; and 3) there is a halo effect on forums - people tend to claim to "NEVER" break the rules, to "NEVER" act rude, self-centered, or self-serving even though in the real world they often do just those things.

So, just because you "see" most people agreeing with our above "general consideration policies", in real life many of these same people will ignore these policies because it doesn't fit what they want.

I agree. I am not omniscient and I cannot state what the people who do not post really feel or experience.

[time2roll]

Idling Honda EU series does not seem bad to me. And I have been annoyed many times with EU running an air conditioner or contractor generators both with noise and fumes. Got run out of my RV all day once in Yosemite with a super quiet diesel in a Class A from the exhaust going perfectly in my direction. I was leaving the next day and thankfully generator hours are well enforced. Just saying it is not always the noise.

[toedtoes]

DrewE wrote:
I have been to more than one campground where, for reasons I cannot readily understand, they seem to be rather secretive about the generator hours. It's hard to put too much blame on people for overrunning them when they are neither posted on bulletin boards nor noted with the other campground rules and regulations in the informational pamphlet.

Vermont state parks seem to often be offenders in this regard. I know I've mentioned it on the comment cards a few times that it might be a nice idea to post the established generator hours somewhere a little more visible.

My point is that the OP's "takeaway" that people who "camp" are not having to deal with others using their generators day and night is false. We "campers" do have to deal with this. Sure, some may be caused by situations as you describe, but just as many, if not more, are caused by people who believe "the rules don't apply to me".