When you go camping, you want to enjoy nature and get away from all the worldly chaos. Definitely, natural surroundings induce feelings of peace and tranquility. We all know that without a generator, you cannot even think of RV camping. Whether it is to charge your phone, power a bigger appliance, or light up the whole campsite, it is only possible if you have a generator. However, there is a big downside associated with using the generator while RV camping i-e its noise.
With these 9 best ways to make your camping generator quiet, you can make your camping experience more fun and calm, without hearing the noise of your camping generator.
To avoid ruining your enjoyment, we have listed down all the solutions to quiet your generator and save your head, ears, and nerves from that unbearable buzz.
So let’s get started,
Contents
Ways to Make Your Camping Generator Quiet
Here we will talk about 9 ways to make your camping generator quiet, and camping friendly.
Place Your Generator A Little Farther
The principal factor to not forget is where you place your generator. If you put it near the camping site, it would disturb you even if you have a comparatively quiet generator.
Placing it at a distance can help you get rid of its continuous buzz.
A good rule of thumb is to keep it at 20 feet from the campsite. At this distance, you can cut most of the noise and enjoy nature.
If the camping site is long enough and there are no neighbors around, invest in some good quality extra-long extension cords. This way, you will be able to place your generator as far as possible.
Keep the Exhaust Pipes Away From You
When you set up your generator, never forget to position its exhaust pipe away from the camping site.
In some models, you can turn the exhaust pipes towards the sky, while in others, you have to set their positions up to lessen the noise.
Place It at a Softer Surface
There is one more thing that you can do while setting up the generator away from the camping site. Place it on a softer surface. A softer surface will dampen the noise, thus lessening the noise perception.
You can immediately spot the difference in sound if you place it on a more rigid surface like wood, concrete, or asphalt. Such surfaces add up to the unpleasant buzz of the generator.
Generally, you can easily find soft surfaces while camping. Dirty, damp, and grassy surfaces are great options as they absorb most of the sound produced from the constant rumbling of the running generator.
Let’s consider that you want to place it at a softer surface, but unfortunately, you can’t find any softer surface. So, what can you do? Here, an anti-vibration mat would be the savior. As it is made up of rubber, it lessens the vibration and absorbs the noise. Just place the mat underneath the generator and turn it on.
Get a Quieter Generator
If you haven’t purchased your generator yet, this is the first tip for you.
Buy yourself a generator that fits your needs. Spending some extra money to get what you really need is better than buying a cheaper one and then regretting it for life.
Weigh the power output you want, the noise you can bear, and the price bracket you can afford. If you cannot handle the noise at all, then avoid buying one with a loud sound.
If you need it only to power up small gadgets like mobile phones, tablets, or laptops, then a smaller generator with less power output and sound will work perfectly. Such generators usually work on a few hundred watts.
On the other hand, if you need to charge larger appliances like a microwave, refrigerator, or A/C unit, indeed, a generator with higher output will work. For this, get a generator with at least 2000 – 5,000 watts. As it will have a loud sound, you will need to look for other ways to stop the noise.
There are also generators in the market that are quieter with high power output, but they are way more expensive. You can try them if you have that much money to spend.
Use Sound Deflectors
You might wonder what sound deflectors are and how expensive are they?
Simply put, a sound deflector can be any hard surface that can turn the noise path. It turns the path of noise away from where you are. As mentioned earlier, placing the generator away can make your campsite quieter. What if your generator has short cords, or there are neighbors at the place where you want to run it?
You will appreciate it if you bring four plywood sheets and one drywall sheet. The drywall sheet is non-flammable, so it’s better to use it. Each sheet should be four feet wide and 3 feet tall.
Place these sheets around the four sides of the generator at an angle. Also, put the drywall sheet on the side of the exhaust pipe so that the sheets don’t catch fire.
This arrangement will allow good airflow while deflecting the sound waves too.
Built an Enclosure
Another trustworthy and best solution is to build an enclosure for the generator. Just as you built a box, the enclosure would be identical. The main concept is that the box will contain the sound waves, thus lessening the noise drastically.
You can simply buy one or make it at your home. Make a base on which you will place the generator and add the walls and roof of wood or bricks.
Another quick yet straightforward way is to make it out of a fireproof insulator.
Whatever option you choose, don’t forget to keep the box vented adequately for proper airflow. Otherwise, heat will be built up in the box and damage the generator.
Get a Baffle Box
A baffle box is also an enclosure that contains sound waves and quiets down your generator. You can check the “how to make baffle box” guides to make one for you.
Replace the Generator Muffler
Exhaust pipes and motors are the loudest part of the generator. Since nothing much can be altered in the motor, you have the exhaust pipes to alter.
Replacing the generator muffler is one of the widely used strategies to quiet the generator. As you already know, the muffler’s job is to muffle the sound coming out of exhaust pipes.
Muffler construction has perforated tubes to deflect the sound waves and eventually lower the sound. It improves the quality of the generator by reducing 10-12 decibels of sound.
Use Water as Muffler
If you are not ready to do some work on installing a muffler, try a water muffler. Still, you have to do some customization.
Bring a 5-gallon water bucket, a hose, and a clamp. Now, secure the hose to the exhaust pipe with a clamp. Place the other side of the hose into a bucket of water. Water will act as a sound muffler and will quiet down the generator 5-7 decibels.
Also, place the generator at a higher place than the bucket of water to avoid water flowing back into the exhaust pipe. You can also make some holes in the hose to prevent any possibility of water flowing back.
Read More About Camping: What is Dispersed Camping?
Why Is Your Generator Loud?
Now you know how to make your camping generator quiet, you should also know the reasons why your generator is acting up like that.
The obvious reason is it’s built. It’s just made that way
A generator with a strong engine produces more power and definitely will be louder. Whereas a smaller generator would have a smaller engine and is therefore quieter. Also, the type of generator matters a lot. Usually, inverter generators are quieter and more energy-efficient.
The brand also plays a significant role. Brands utilize some proprietary technologies and include soundproofing technologies to make them quiet. For example, the generator may have a rubber layer around the engine to reduce the noise, eco mode, or engine smart control switches to accommodate the sound with power output.
Additionally, the type of fuel on which your generator runs makes it more or less noisy. Gas-powered engines are somewhat quieter than diesel-powered ones.
The Way You Use It
Another important factor that counts to its loudness is how you use it, and here you have the most control. The positioning of your generator and different soundproofing methods can decrease the noise.
If you don’t take note of these things, the volume level will be higher to annoy you throughout your vacation.
Conclusion
Following these eight strategies, you can drastically quiet down the noise level of your generator while enjoying camping.
Above all, you aim to get rid of the city hustle and get some peaceful, close-to-nature hours.
We hope it works for you and you get the best time of life.