Noisy Generators.

[Pumpa]

Hi,
I am new to the forum and still finding my way. I recently bought a cheap generator, although not a expensive unit suit me for my camping. Its a bit noisy and not wanting to upset other campers I am looking for a soultion to try to lighten off the noise, any suggestions ?????.
Pumpa.:angel:

[sadbenn]

Why do you need a generator good duel battery set up and L.E.D lights

[DeanoH]

Hi Pumpa and welcome to the forum.

Generators are noisy things, even the super quiet Honda inverter types when used in a quiet environment.
The question I would ask is what do you use the generator for ? If its for lighting at night use LED lights and a small auxiliary battery tied to the vehicles charging system. If it's for keeping the fridge battery charged, use a bigger auxiliary battery or a dedicated fridge battery also tied to the vehicle charging system. If you have a three way fridge, which eat battery power like there's no tomorrow, run it on gas when camping or ditch it and buy a compressor type fridge ie. Engel/Waeco type.
As you noted generators are an anti-social piece of camping gear. They are smelly and noisy with the added dangers of fuel cartage/storage thrown in.
If you can do without a generator both you and your camping neighbours will have a much more pleasant experience.

Deano:)

[bee utey]

Hi,
I am new to the forum and still finding my way. I recently bought a cheap generator, although not a expensive unit suit me for my camping. Its a bit noisy and not wanting to upset other campers I am looking for a soultion to try to lighten off the noise, any suggestions ?????.
Pumpa.:angel:

Some suggestions:
1. Camp a long way from other campers.
2. Build it a dog kennel lined with 25mm fibreglass batts, my mate did this for running a genny at show days.
3. Trade it in on a Honda EU10i
4. Save up for some solar panels.

Cheers:p

[strangy]

Welcome to the forum.
Ditch the generator outight.
Generators have become an increasing source of dispute between campers.........if you cant camp without one dont go camping.:o

Despite the claims of brand x or y being the quietest, they can still be heard in the distance.
Generators from any manufacturer have no place in camping areas.

I am fed up with going out for a few days peace and quiet to have some folk with the energy "needs" of a small town show up in the afternoon disrupt the whole reason for camping in the first place.
IMO folks who "need" a gen for camping shouldnt be there and would be better off in a caravan and should then go to a park and plug in "essential" devices there and pretend they are camping.

Unless you are going on remote extended single vehicle travel, they are a completely unnecessary weight, bulk and above all, annoying device to others.

The best option as already stated;
Invest in a good dual or multiple battery setup with solar panels for longer stays and leave the peace and quiet of the outdoors that way for everyone to enjoy.

cheers

[Pumpa]

Thanks for the replies.
I was running my fridge for a while, as my gas was not working. I have since recetified the problem, and only run the gennie for lighting for about a hour. I have had no complaints so far, but I make sure I camp a distance away not to upset anyone.
I thought I might be able to purchase a type of muffler or something to rectify the problem.

Pumpa.:confused:

[bee utey]

If you are only using the genny for lighting, I suggest you get LED lighting instead. There are tons of good LED lights around at moderate prices, and they won't drag your batteries down. LED work lights like this one:

27W led work light (http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/320723152419'ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649)

...can light up a whole campsite at one go.

[mick88]

What's wrong with sitting back around a low camfire of gidgee or mulga coals in peace and quiet under the stars in the Australian Outback. It is so serene and pleasurable. After all that's why most of us go bush..to seek solitude and peace! A genny is a handy tool if you are travelling alone in remote area's, should you have the need to charge a flat battery, but thats about all. Lighting technology has advanced so far in recent years there are plenty of good options available if you really need to see what you are doing.

I have done some of my best work in the dark ;)

Cheers, Mick :)

[Bigbjorn]

My small generator can barely be heard a car's length away. My pet complaint about campers are those who must play overloud tasteless music the volume of which is steadily increased according to stubby consumption and the lateness of the night. These people are usually the ones whose mates arrive late and rev up their noisy vehicles and start loudly calling out welcomes. They are also usually the ones who complain most about noise made by other people. My second level winge is about uncontrolled noisy feral children.

[slug_burner]

You can dig a hole and place the genset in there or you cab carry some heshen bags and fill them with sand/dirt and build up a wall around the genset.

I'd say with a little effort you could build a better muffler but I don't know that you can go an buy a kit as such. Try the mower mechanic get a good quite lawnmower's muffler and try sticking that on the end of the exhaust pipe.

[isuzutoo-eh]

Use headtorches. Wherever you look there will be light!
Granted may not be so easy with kids.

[sdt463]

I agree completely with all comments made about the noise emitted by generators, especially when there are other methods, solar panels etc which once set up are not only better for the environment but are maintenance free.
What really gets my goat though and generators pale into insignificance are trail bikes, and the people who insist in riding them round and round in circles forcing their noise dust and smell on all and sundry.
That's my rant, apologies if I am hijacking.
Dave

[d2dave]

If you must use a generator invest in a really good battery charger. You should then only need to run it for about one hour during the day to charge your battery for that nights power. During the day they are more bearable than at night. I have even had camping neighbours ask me if I mind them running their generator for an hour or so during the day and I don't mind.

What really ****es me off is when it gets dark and the camp next door fire's up the generator for lights, often a caravan, then sit by the camp fire and when they go to bed then turn it off. And as mentioned earlier the morons with their music but you don't need a generator for this.

Also make sure you have a quite generator like a Honda, not a Bunnings special. I myself use solar panels and as they can now be purchased very cheap I reckon this is the best way to go.

Dave.

[rovercare]

My small generator can barely be heard a car's length away. My pet complaint about campers are those who must play overloud tasteless music the volume of which is steadily increased according to stubby consumption and the lateness of the night. These people are usually the ones whose mates arrive late and rev up their noisy vehicles and start loudly calling out welcomes. They are also usually the ones who complain most about noise made by other people. My second level winge is about uncontrolled noisy feral children.

Sounds like me:D

[DT-P38]

Sounds like me:D

Me too! Sort of why we get away actually... Let the kids run amok for a while and allow the adults to let their hair down a bit with a few drinks. We certainly don't do it as an offense to others though.

Sounds like a lot of those commenting here would be better off in some form of solitary confinement (or maybe locked in supermans fortress of solitude) than out in public places with out going outdoorsy type people!

[roverfan]

If you have to worry about the noise of your generator or bitch about them you are camping in the wrong spot. Whats the point of getting away from it all to be surrounded by the same people you are trying to get away from.

Generators are great, not everyone spends the days wheeling and nights at camp some like to spend all day at camp and have a few creature comforts so dual batteries in your 4wd dont really help much.

[sdt463]

This is a great site, and there is no doubting how generous the members are here when it comes to helping a fellow member in trouble. Often with more than just their time.
But I think it may be going just a bit too far when you come across somebody camped by a quiet river, fishing rod in one hand, beer in the other. Solar panels charging his batteries and an electric moter on his boat.
Out of the goodness of your hearts, you feel sorry for him, as he obviously has not got a friend in the world. You camp right beside him and offer to share your children, your music, and probably your generator. His cup runneth over!!!
:wasntme: Dave

[DeeJay]

Having just come back from a couple of weeks going thru the Kimberlies, I can say most of the Parks up there ( incl Bungle Bungles) have generator & no generator camping area's. Either that or specifically no generators allowed. So, stopping in a convenient spot to recharge would be the option. Either that or taking your chances "out bush". It appears a lot of suitable area's are private land though.

[Bigbjorn]

So many people seem to think that generators are only used run refrigerators and lights. They have other uses. Power tools for instance.

[wardy1]

So many people seem to think that generators are only used run refrigerators and lights. They have other uses. Power tools for instance.

And just how often do you need to run power tools in the bush? Yeah I need my angle grinder, welder and circular saw when I'm away........ RIGHT.

As has been said prior, if used during the day, no problem and I really can't see you needing the power tools at night so I have no real problem there. Yes there are other annoyances (trail bikes and loud music etc) kids are seldom a problem after dark I've found and hey, we camped all over the country with ours and wouldn't have done it any other way!

Tolerance is conditional im my world.

[Mudsloth]

Ok, i own three feral children, especially feral after a week in the bush. My mates are all loud, especially when drunk and we still catch fish and come away from all our camping trips with new friends. How I hear you ask? I carry 3 very long extension leads, set the small 4 stroke generator at the very end of them and only use it when absolutely necessary. Buy yourself a couple of high amp hour batteries not deep cycle just standard car ones, wire them in the back of the vehicle, charge em all day with a high amp solar panel and if that doesn't give enough charge start the car for 15 mins. You're camping! Bugger the electricity!

[bee utey]

One memorable stinking hot night my mate and I went camping on my dad's 400 acre bush block. Being younger we took the 2.5kVA genny, the microwave oven and a portable evaporative air conditioner! No-one to hear us and we turned it off at 10pm anyway.

Look if you are camping like I used to, doing off road racing or crazy stuff like that, everyone had generators and worked half the night. But I'm past all that and like a peaceful night. When I stopped the off-road stuff I sold the genny and bought a 75W solar panel. Now I have two panels, a big battery and a 1kW inverter and battery drills. I don't need a genny anymore. It's that simple. If I need a bit more in the batteries to get by I run the car for an hour, in the daytime.

My mate who had the genny and the microwave now has a 4kW inverter and a 160 amp alternator on the car. He can even run the electric chainsaw off the inverter for small jobs. The genny is well and truly retired.

If I were forced to have a genny now it would be one of those Christie Engineering ones that only do 12V. That and the inverter would suffice for most things.

Oh and we used to weld with car batteries, 36V in series will weld a broken axle no worries.

[Bigbjorn]

Ok, i own three feral children, especially feral after a week in the bush. My mates are all loud, especially when drunk and we still catch fish and come away from all our camping trips with new friends. How I hear you ask? I carry 3 very long extension leads, set the small 4 stroke generator at the very end of them and only use it when absolutely necessary. Buy yourself a couple of high amp hour batteries not deep cycle just standard car ones, wire them in the back of the vehicle, charge em all day with a high amp solar panel and if that doesn't give enough charge start the car for 15 mins. You're camping! Bugger the electricity!

Use the long leads to tie the feral children to trees a long way from the camping area.:D

A sawn off shoved under the nose of rowdy drunks usually quietens them. An old maritime mate of mine told me this. He lived and worked in a social circle that regarded a sawn off in the Gladstone bag as essential a piece of work gear as a thermos flask.:wasntme:

[rovercare]

Use the long leads to tie the feral children to trees a long way from the camping area.:D

A sawn off shoved under the nose of rowdy drunks usually quietens them. An old maritime mate of mine told me this. He lived and worked in a social circle that regarded a sawn off in the Gladstone bag as essential a piece of work gear as a thermos flask.:wasntme:

You never pull a weapon unless your prepared to use it, it usually ends with being beaten so your mum won't recognize you

[roverfan]

Only ****ing scum and dogs think its tough or in any way cool to pull a gun on someone.

If you want to pretend to be a man come with fists only and risk a pounding.

[Bigbjorn]

Only ****ing scum and dogs think its tough or in any way cool to pull a gun on someone.

If you want to pretend to be a man come with fists only and risk a pounding.

And in the old school painter's and dockers's, seamen's and wharfie's pubs and clubs you would get that too, in spades.:D

[953]

Sounds like me:D

x2
Cheers Dean.

[Homestar]

I thought I might be able to purchase a type of muffler or something to rectify the problem.

Pumpa.:confused:

Hi Pumpa, the exhaust noise is not your only problem if you want to quieten it down. The engine also contributes plenty of DB's. You would also need to enclose the whole engine, and that would lead to cooling issues, as it would not have been designed to run like that. The quieter enclosed units have different fan arrangements.

Like the others said, ditch the genny and enjoy the great outdoors like it should be:)

[Mudsloth]

A sawn off shoved under the nose of rowdy drunks usually quietens them. An old maritime mate of mine told me this. He lived and worked in a social circle that regarded a sawn off in the Gladstone bag as essential a piece of work gear as a thermos flask.

Never said we were rowdy, just that we got drunk. If anyone ever pulled a gun on me and my friends and didn't use it within a second flat they would be burly. Stupid thing to say Brian.