Quiet RV generator?

[followingsea]

Originally Posted by DGEndeaver

...We drag race ...

But spending a $1k more for a generator that makes a little less noise is important?

[THenne1713]

While Honda is the Gold Standard, it is $$ compared to several GREAT competitors in db/ reliability, low weight and quality power from both Harbor Freight, Northern Tool and several others. CONSUMER REPORTS and several other magazines (probably) has good summary/ reviews in the Annual or some Monthly pub? Might even be some online, or some online RV Pubs?

[sibe]

Still going strong here about "quiet"

wow the jab at drag racer, yep noisy place why a worry, it hit a note....

I spend weekends at off road motorcycle events, Saturdays are 200 kids on loud chain saws... LOL... So back ground noise is apparent. We have a rule in place 10pm quiet time.. Well that rule waged wars.. This rule was written back in the early 80's.. Most motorhome had fairly loud gens onboard.. many people truck or tent camped.. fast forward to current times..
Even 10-12 years ago at our events, Friday nites would have 6-10 RVs mainly staff,, Saturday nite after the kids got done, maybe 15-20 RV would spend the nite..
Now, Fridays we pack in 25-50 and Saturdays we can see 100-150..
We have a mix of late 1986 thru 1998 RV's Class C mainly. then many Mid 2000 units and 2-4 hand fulls of top end units. So most of these have reasonable power units, some solar etc..
Our Rule now bends of 10pm.. We all want quiet at nite after a long day racing.. You can hear a nat fart and frogs are annoying.. A whisper of that quiet honda gen running a C Pap or AC on a 80 degree nite..
We ash our tenters and truck guys if the small generators bither them, we get a NO but that Arse with the Lowes Contractor gen needs to go...

I guess my point here is , where we camp, use discretion and common sense.
IMO If you need a generator as I do, and are on a budget or you have a 6 digit salary, use smart shopping and more common sense, BUY a QUIET unit, from Honda or the many other knock offs that are as quiet or so close...

We have so many people running H3000 2 -H2000, Predators and their kin... even with onboard units.. As they are so quiet..

[followingsea]

Originally Posted by THenne1713

While Honda is the Gold Standard, it is $$ compared to several GREAT competitors in db/ reliability, low weight and quality power from both Harbor Freight, Northern Tool and several others. CONSUMER REPORTS and several other magazines (probably) has good summary/ reviews in the Annual or some Monthly pub? Might even be some online, or some online RV Pubs?

No, there is no good independent information to help you make a choice on small generators.

Making electricity with an engine is not rocket science. Nor is an RV a control systems for a fire control system for surface to air missiles.

My five year old $88 harbor freight gets the job done for charging batteries. My Onan gets the job done for running two A/C.

[followingsea]

Originally Posted by sibe

Still going strong here about "quiet"

...
I guess my point here is , where we camp, use discretion and common sense.
IMO .

When it comes to noise once you are running A/C units it does not matter. Once you have a TV on it does not matter. Once there are other people around it does not matter.

When it comes to charging batteries for an hour a day, you can do that while doing other chores and it does not matter.

[rayray67]

I use a wen 56380i inverter generator very quite.

[followingsea]

Went to the library to read Consumer Report article on small generators. Not very helpful because it is very limited.

It does not help you decide between different kinds of generators. In the RV category it only considers expensive and more expensive inverter generators.

I have looked and found not good reason to buy one of these status symbols.

[Itinerant1]

Originally Posted by followingsea

Went to the library to read Consumer Report article on small generators. Not very helpful because it is very limited.

It does not help you decide between different kinds of generators. In the RV category it only considers expensive and more expensive inverter generators.

I have looked and found not good reason to buy one of these status symbols.

As you've stated soooooooooo many time already that your cheap generator does the job but yet still have some monster generator as a backup. Not all rvs have the luxury.

Oh and let's not forget solar is useless.

[Mark_K5LXP]

I have a Wen 2kW inverter and at an event that also had several Honda 2200's running, I could not discern one over the other. So while the Wen isn't any better/quieter, it was less than half the price of a Honda. I've read the Wen is a clone/ripoff of a Yamaha. Looking inside the elecronics modules look different but maybe the engine is the same/similar, don't know.

What makes the inverter sets more quiet and economical is when they ramp down engine RPM under lighter loads. A data point I'd like to see is SPL over the range of output, not just at idle or full bore. Under full charge my converter uses about 400W, so for that task a 1kW or a 2kW unit would be plenty. But, which one would be quieter at that load? A 1kW would be running at nearly 50% but for a 2kW that might only be a bit above idle. It's a whole lot easier to heft around a 30lb 1kW vs a 60lb 2kW, but unknowns are fuel useage and SPL under light loads. Would be interesting to see comparisons of those parameters.

Something I'll do if I'm running mine in close quarters is to locate it as far away as I can, and use a folding table on its side as a sound barrier. Cuts down on the noise quite a bit and is quick and easy to deploy.

Generator story, a couple years ago at a campground there was someone running a contractor genset all...day...long. I paced off the distance when I walked the dogs and they were almost a quarter mile away from us. Man, those things are obnoxious.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

[steve52]

If you want to really make it quiet, put it in a quiet box.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGt97K2Bobw

[jcussen]

Originally Posted by steve52

If you want to really make it quiet, put it in a quiet box.

Wonder how long it would take to overheat?

[GypsyR]

Not long. The only hole he cut was for the exhaust. He backed and filled a LOT when the commenters got on him about it. Another fine example of someone pretty good at making videos but has absolutely no clue at all what he's doing. He's mistaking heat insulation for sound insulation, among other things.

[jcussen]

Originally Posted by GypsyR

Not long. The only hole he cut was for the exhaust. He backed and filled a LOT when the commenters got on him about it. Another fine example of someone pretty good at making videos but has absolutely no clue at all what he's doing. He's mistaking heat insulation for sound insulation, among other things.

He didn't learn, and he still has no clue. Follow up video has fan blowing into box, but no place for the hot air to escape.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efmkyWbWof8

[cavie]

2 Hondas in parallel. Costly yes! Long lasting. Repairable?. Yes.

Harbor Fright cheaper. yes. Repairable? Not so much!

You get what you pay for.