Your last generator Maintenance Run

[3930dave]

Acoustics ....


Generator is about 15 feet from the house, exhaust end pointed away and out into an open field. Intake (battery, status light, etc) end faces house. Due to terrain it cannot be further away. It's not terrible on the weekly test runs, but still noisy enough that it will be annoying on longer duration runs.

Considering setting a removable wooden fence panel a foot or two back from the intake end in hopes it will be effective in diverting/deadening noise. But I'm also concerned it might somehow do the opposite and pick-up/echo/amplify the noise.

Not sure how yours is enclosed now, but you may want to build a complete shed/enclosure - some nice designs on here, and countless on Ytube.... poking around on there, I notice Paul Short posted a multi-year update on his - one of the best compact ones I've seen.

To your panel question - I think you will get some reduction. Roughly in the middle of the vid below, the guy instruments a crude panel test, dropping about 10 db :

Rgds, D.

 

[grsthegreat]

Ive run into generac air cooled inside complete enclosures. Im usually called to try and repair damaged generator. Melted control panels, etc.

they need complete air movement. personally, who cares about a little hum when its cold, dark, wet outside and no utility power.

 

[daugen]

GRS, I have roasted a few flowers in the flower bed with the exhaust of a 22kw that had been running all day. I always checked airways, looked for mud wasps, made sure all plants were at least a couple feet away. But that hot exhaust goes further than that, and with a lot of force, lot of air goes through there. Or at least it should...
At least that heat will tend to melt any snow on the hot end, but the intake and deep snow is what I'd worry about.

This is why I don't want to use the remote control start on my Westinghouse gen. Not only do I really need to take the cover off it while running, but
you just never know what critter has decided to spend the night. I want to eyeball the gen before I start it.
Before with the Generac, just never worried since it was inside that enclosure. An enclosure where I thought the decals peeled off a few years too early...but then this was NC summer sun.
My experience with the 20 and 22kw Generacs was flawless. Of course I put a smart charger on the battery three times a year so it always started. Didn't like starting in very cold weather, what engine does, think it has something to do with the propane not vaporizing well.

GRS, you ought to write a book.

 

[daugen]

Dave, good video, funny how 10db less can be four times quieter. OSB board is heavy and dense; sheet rock doesn't seem very durable being used this way.
I wonder if there is a lighter equivalent to heavy plywood or OSB. Usually one wants to trap air inside which deadens sound. Above my pay grade.
And it shouldn't blow away in a storm too...I'd put handles on each piece and then run a strap through them.

 

[Diggin It]

Not enclosed at all right now, other than the factory enclosure. I put the 4 x 4 posts in as sacrificial bumpers for the tractor, mowers, etc. The two at the house end are still around 6', so the thought is some 5' dog ear boards as a sound baffle. No air flow issues at all.

 

[grsthegreat]

Ah,that wont hurt it at all. Im surprised you even are bothered by that noise. Seems like a great location.

 

[Diggin It]

Biggest issue is that there are two windows under that awning. One I'd like to keep at least partially open. The other has a window A/C mounted, so it doesn't fully seal which lets quite a bit of noise pass, even road noise (road is just beyond the LP tank). I'm looking at doing something to seal it better since I don't plan on taking the A/C out during the off season. Maybe that will work well enough that I won't need the fence.

 

[TMGT]

Hey grsthegreat, I just picked up an older (2005) 25k Generac, model 47253. Looks like the newer transfer switches will work with it.
I have 2-200amp main panels so I have to either run a 400a or 2 200a switches.
I don't think generac has a single panel with 2 200a switching gear inside like briggs and stratton does.

I think I did ok, $1k for the gen with 320hrs on it, was taken out of service 3yrs ago due to the stand it was on settling and needing an upgraded service rated ATS.

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[grsthegreat]

Hey grsthegreat, I just picked up an older (2005) 25k Generac, model 47253. Looks like the newer transfer switches will work with it.
I have 2-200amp main panels so I have to either run a 400a or 2 200a switches.
I don't think generac has a single panel with 2 200a switching gear inside like briggs and stratton does.

I think I did ok, $1k for the gen with 320hrs on it, was taken out of service 3yrs ago due to the stand it was on settling and needing an upgraded service rated ATS.View attachment 748953

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go with 2 separate switches...way less expensive than a single 400 amp switch. id have to look up and see if its a 1800 rpm or a 3600 rpm model.

 

[TMGT]

It's a 3600rpm model, wish it was an 1800. Guessing the Mitsu is a decent engine in this application. Generac seems to have used them for a long time.

The plan was 2 switches due to cost, I have the room but wish they had a model with dual switchgear in a single enclosure like B&S does for a cleaner install.

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