Diesel vs Gas - lets get some data

[Dutch Star Don]

Would this be with or without the wife yacking?

Just checked, the Play Store for Android had a dozen of them for free.

[wolfcreek]

My pusher is so quiet I can hear all the other stuff rattling about... DW not included....

[Fiesta48]

The older I get the quieter the RV becomes...
My diesel was a noisy as my gassers until I spent hours getting all the rattles out.
Wind noise is the worst for us on our diesel.
If my wife would get my attention first, I might listen.
If we would get all the pots and pans out (many duplicates) or isolate them all the rattles would be gone.
Then a good dB reading could be taken.

[Tom N]

Common sense tells me the further from the engine the quieter the driver's position.

Many gas engined coach are noisy because of improperly installed or gasketed engine covers.

How about adding a front engined diesel (FRED) to this study.

I downloaded Sound Meter. I'll check my noise level in a few days.

-Tom

"My wife either has a hearing problem or she is just ignoring me!"

[96 Wideglide]

Originally Posted by Theberrys

Shouldn't we also take a reading in the bedroom to keep things unbiased?
Dick

My wife does'nt allow any recording from the bedroom !!

[afrohman]

Downloading the app and want to be part of this...

[RVNeophytes2]

Originally Posted by jondrew

I propose to make this a sticky topic. Let's all actually measure the noise level of our MHs and post it in this thread.

Troublemaker

Really, this is a great idea.

But, to be fair, we have to all rally and drive the same stretch of highway in the exact same wind conditions. Then, we can compare readings at the after-party

I put one of those iPhone app decibel meters in our cockpit on a rough stretch of highway near the house. It rang in at 86dB at the driver's seat, 84dB at the passenger seat, and about 79 in the living room. Then, I got the wife's Honda Crosstour out, and drove the same stretch in the same wind, at the same speed. It showed about 79.

On the Interstate, I imagine that your late model Fleetwood will be nearly as quiet at my older Patriot Thunder. Plus, as someone suggested, the engine sound is greatly reduced with a pusher; then, it further fades as the length of the coach increases. In a 45' rig with the door(s) to the bedroom closed, the engine is nearly undetectable on some rigs.

[CampDaven]

I look forward to the spreadsheet on the G v D study of all the models over the last 5 years or so.
I need to finally conclude that my gassers were louder my DPs, even though it didn't really matter. I loved them all!
This is a unique post, but what is the point when we know the conclusion?
Just my view from the saddle


Dave and Nola, RV Mutants

[Easyrider]

I knew diesel pushers were more quiet than my gasser before I bought the gasser. I got the gasser anyway, because it was affordable and I wasn't worried about sound levels when most of our use of the rv is within a half hour drive of our home. We only travel long distances when on vacation a couple times of the year. Noise really wasn't even a consideration when purchasing our rv. But for anyone who has a new sound meter or phone app, this may be a fun way to use it- once.

[jondrew55]

It's a data gathering exercise. An opportunity to take some subjectivity out of the discussion. Of course people need to start posting data before I start making the spreadsheet. I'll post some numbers after I get back from my trip next week.

Originally Posted by CampDaven

I look forward to the spreadsheet on the G v D study of all the models over the last 5 years or so.
I need to finally conclude that my gassers were louder my DPs, even though it didn't really matter. I loved them all!
This is a unique post, but what is the point when we know the conclusion?
Just my view from the saddle


Dave and Nola, RV Mutants

[aauummm]

Originally Posted by RVNeophytes2

Troublemaker

Really, this is a great idea.

But, to be fair, we have to all rally and drive the same stretch of highway in the exact same wind conditions. Then, we can compare readings at the after-party

I put one of those iPhone app decibel meters in our cockpit on a rough stretch of highway near the house. It rang in at 86dB at the driver's seat, 84dB at the passenger seat, and about 79 in the living room. Then, I got the wife's Honda Crosstour out, and drove the same stretch in the same wind, at the same speed. It showed about 79.

On the Interstate, I imagine that your late model Fleetwood will be nearly as quiet at my older Patriot Thunder. Plus, as someone suggested, the engine sound is greatly reduced with a pusher; then, it further fades as the length of the coach increases. In a 45' rig with the door(s) to the bedroom closed, the engine is nearly undetectable on some rigs.

I downloaded Noise Reader for Android yesterday. To have any accuracy at all it needs to be calibrated. I took readings in our 2011 CRV on smooth asphalt, 45 mph, 30 mph crosswind. My result was 55 dBA. Sitting in my study at home gives me 26 dBA.

I don't think that results will be comparable in that there are too many variables involved in taking sound readings in a moving vehicle. Type and condition of the pavement, velocity and direction of the wind, type of tires, background noise, calibration of the app, type of phone and the microphone sensitivity, vehicle speed and engine rpm, year of the engine and transmission, etc.

[Betr2Trvl]

Originally Posted by Mike and Cha

What??????????????...I can't hear you I'm the owner of a Gas MH....Pun Intended. Really who cares, it's all a matter of choice. I didn't choose a gas over a diesel for the noise aspect, ours is actually pretty quiet unless climbing a grade, even then not bad. I chose a gas MH because I can do all my own maintenance. Do you really need to do studies, graphs, charts ect...I think everyone knows a diesel MH is going to be quieter in the drivers seat...the engine is in the rear, and my "smart" phone didn't tell me that.

What I don't understand is that for all the "noise / ride / power / towing" justifications for owning a DP, I would expect to see them all towing enclosed trailers with Mercedes S63s or BMW Alpina B7s at least, if not Bentleys. Certainly not succumbing to driving CRVs and Jeeps (which they proably spend more time actually driving as well).

If you want a 40'+ MH / DP that's fine, and good for you. The continual superioritity attitude / validation a for owning one gets old after a while though. It's no different in the sports car world either how people justify what they bought, so I'm used to it but there gets to be a point......... (and measuring noise levels pretty much takes the cake).

I'll leave it at that for now.

[George Schweikle]

A very interesting idea. In addition to sound measurement, and probably far more difficult, it would be neat to have data for:

RV classification (Class A, B, C)
Engine type & displacement
Transmission manufacturer and type
Drive details (Puller, pusher)
Single or tag axle
Suspension (Leaf / coil spring, Air bag, etc)
Vehicle length
Vehicle weight
Vehicle model, production year & current mileage
Cost of vehicle when new
Weight of Toad (if used)
Mileage (over long period, typical speed and terrain)
Maintenance cost per mile (over several years)

I guess I just wrote a specification for the ultimate buyers guide . But I wonder if the forum has the capacity to support a basic spreadsheet that could be edited by users to add their data? (Of course, no one would ever "Fudge" their information )

Originally Posted by jondrew

It's a data gathering exercise. An opportunity to take some subjectivity out of the discussion. Of course people need to start posting data before I start making the spreadsheet. I'll post some numbers after I get back from my trip next week.

[MJoyce]

I'll take a listen to ours when we get it out next - probably not until Memorial Day. I'll even turn down the radio for a moment or two.