What resources to look at for building a quiet generator compartment?

belfert · March 05, 2021, 04:14:05 AM

I need to build a quiet compartment for my new Wrico generator. Any suggestions for resources to read about how to design my compartment?

buswarrior · March 05, 2021, 06:31:02 AM

Soundown is the good stuff for lead lined dampening.

Used to be discussions on this, both here and on BNO, check the search?

ALL the air needs to be forced to go around corners, incoming and outgoing, the cavities lined in sound absorbing material. Big squirrel cage fan, turned slowly by a multi-speed motor, on on a remote radiator.

Temperature monitoring of the cabinet, and a method of fire suppression is icing on the cake.

That's the executive summary, anyway.
I will be starting the same sometime this coming summer on the new build.

Happy coaching!
Buswarrior

richard5933 · March 05, 2021, 07:07:05 AM

This is where I bought supplies to re-do the soundproofing on my generator bay:

https://www.soundproofcow.com/

lostagain · March 05, 2021, 07:58:48 AM

I am sure Dick Wright would have good advise for you.

chessie4905 · March 05, 2021, 11:58:12 AM

There was a substantial discussion here one to two months ago.Its about at page 33.

belfert · March 05, 2021, 04:36:35 PM

I talked to Dick at Wrico back when I bought my generator from Wrico at the end of October. He said he would call me back with some ideas, but he never has. I spent quite a few hours searching here last fall and not finding a whole lot.

I watched a bunch of videos on YouTube of generators mounted in buses. I know judging volume from a video is questionable, but they all seemed louder than the Powertech I just got rid of.

The Powertech generator with quiet enclosure was not that fancy, but the noise level and vibration level was very low. The aluminum enclosure simply had about an inch of foam in it. A squirrel cage blower sucked in air from the bottom and pushed it out the end through the radiator.

windtrader · March 05, 2021, 07:00:23 PM

Hi Brian,

If you are basing your comparisons of sound volume levels from any video that is not specifically calibrated to some audio standard, then is really is not a valid benchmark to compare other sounds. Human hearing is so subjective it can some sound is lower than actually higher than another.

When I peeked under the cover of acoustic abatement and sound proofing, the easiest path for me was to follow the trailer of those large wheeled industrial generators; the kind you'd find a huge concert, disaster recovery center, etc. It always amazed me when walking by one how quiet some where.

Sound has a way of leaking out from any opening. You really need to shut the door or close the window to notice the reduced volume.

The fundamental challenge is you have an engine inside that needs to take in and exhaust air, meaning you have to have a open air passage way. Big hole for sound to pass through. Yet, they have super sound engineers that have figured out how to really cut the sound. Poke around for techniques and materials they use and adapt to your own design.

belfert · March 05, 2021, 08:46:12 PM

Quote from: windtrader on March 05, 2021, 07:00:23 PM
If you are basing your comparisons of sound volume levels from any video that is not specifically calibrated to some audio standard, then is really is not a valid benchmark to compare other sounds. Human hearing is so subjective it can some sound is lower than actually higher than another.

When I peeked under the cover of acoustic abatement and sound proofing, the easiest path for me was to follow the trailer of those large wheeled industrial generators; the kind you'd find a huge concert, disaster recovery center, etc. It always amazed me when walking by one how quiet some where.

I did mention that trying judge generator sound levels from a video is pretty questionable.

I considered renting a quiet diesel generator just so I could look at the soundproofing, but $300 after taxes and fees is a good chunk of money.

luvrbus · March 06, 2021, 04:53:00 AM

Go to a rental store and take picture of a portable light stand generator it will surprise you how little it takes for a quite generator the air intake is the noise maker on a Kubota,your little Cat engine was a lot less DBA than the Kubota

belfert · March 06, 2021, 07:11:37 AM

If I had known the Cat engine is a lot quieter than the Kubota I might have been just replaced the generator head on my Powertech generator. Too late now as the Powertech is gone and I already have the Wrico replacement.

I don't know that a rental place is going to allow me to open up a light tower to look at the soundproofing.

belfert · March 06, 2021, 07:22:46 AM

I only want to do this project once. I don't want to build an enclosure and rent a forklift to install the generator only to find it is too loud so I have to start over. My biggest issue will be remote mounting the generator. Wrico included a giant squirrel cage blower for the radiator, but that thing is huge. I don't know where to put the blower and radiator that doesn't involve taking up half a luggage bay. My luggage bay space is already small as I have less luggage space than a 40 foot MCI.

I am hoping there are books or websites that have theory or whatever on how to quiet a diesel generator.

luvrbus · March 06, 2021, 07:41:49 AM

Quote from: belfert on March 06, 2021, 07:11:37 AM
If I had known the Cat engine is a lot quieter than the Kubota I might have been just replaced the generator head on my Powertech generator. Too late now as the Powertech is gone and I already have the Wrico replacement.

I don't know that a rental place is going to allow me to open up a light tower to look at the soundproofing.

You never know till you ask

buswarrior · March 06, 2021, 09:54:53 AM

I don't recall anyone referring to a book or web presence for quieting a generator in all the years we've both been fooling with the internet and buses.

I have always been motivated to watch for that stuff, I was already totally fed up with mechanical and fan noises before we had internet...

The dribs and drabs of archived discussion, and the odd picture "back then" is about it, best as i can remember?

Seems most busnuts are focused on cheapest price point, not quietest install...

Happy coaching!
Buswarrior

richard5933 · March 06, 2021, 10:17:26 AM

If you're looking for some advice and guidance on soundproofing, the site I linked to earlier has lots of good information. Here's just one of their pages with advice: https://www.soundproofcow.com/soundproof-a-space-restaurant-office/soundproof-a-car-compressor-boat-pump-or-other-equipment/

belfert · March 06, 2021, 10:35:11 AM

I am not looking to go cheap on this, but neither do I want to spend new Prevost conversion money on it either. I would like to be at a couple of thousand max. I need to buy new steer tires and a new TPMS system this year also. As already mentioned, my main concern is not having to do the project twice.

I found a website that talks a lot of theory on making a generator quiet. I have not had a chance to read the whole thing yet.