making generators quiet...

[Wimperdink]

Mount a dvd player or computer on the handlebar of an exercise bike. Alternator in place of the wheel. And offer to let the campground kids watch dvd's.

[Engineer Guy]

Wimperdink ~

What you describe is mighty close to what's in our very old 'Lifecycle'. You pedal 'against' a Car Alternator. The 'Load' is a ~1.5'-long, Wirewound-on-Ceramic Resistor I hadn't seen for years. The Alternator 'Field' Winding is turned on/off in varying degrees by Microprocessor Electronics, depending on what profile and difficulty of Bike Ride has been programmed in. It seems as though something as simple as a Rheostat or ample Potentiometer could vary Field Winding energy, and thus Pedal resistance and charging rate. A small Battery, like out of a uninterruptible PC Power Supply, is also charged to start the Bike Electronics. However, most of the energy generated goes to the Wirewound Resistor.

I read years ago about a fella in AK who derived power from his Stationary Bike. It went to his TV. If the Kids wanted to watch, they had to pedal. That would likely cut down on the Childhood Obesity that seems to be topic these days.

There would be some frictional losses, but a 'regular' Bike fitted into some type of homemade set of 'V' Rollers [for maximum energy transfer] then driving a Alternator 'safely' attached w/Gears or Belts out-of-reach would be a good solution for those so inclined...

[Maverick71]

Howdy,

Sound attenuating a gen set to accomodate others can be quite challeging and expensive not to mention towing around a heavy and bulky gen set.

The external walls of the sound sttenuated gen set enclosure must be 11 ga steel sheet, one layer of lead-vinyl, one layer of two inch fiberglsas, and the internal wall surface is constructed from 18 gauge perforated galvanized steel sheet.

The air inlet and outlet ducts need to be turned up on the outlet and down on the inlet. Each duct must be constructed from 11 ga sheet metal and covered on the inside with two inches of sound attenuating foam.

A hospital grade exhaust silencer is required with exit pointing up.

This type of contruction will tend to provide about an 85 dBA noise level at a distance of three feet from the perimeter of the gen set enclosure. About 75 dBA is the sound level of normal conversation. With smaller gen sets, additional sound attenuation can be achiefed with this type of construction.

When all is said and done, it would be better not to operate the gen set if it annoys other campers.

Take care,
Maury

[NCOretiredEd]

When I first joined this site a few months back, I had many questions. One was about best to get, size, noise etc etc, generator. I was given some good leads but nothing in that thread was read as I have here which draws me to conclude that I will forget the idea of getting a generator. As I don't like being annoyed, I also don't want to annoy anyone else. So there go my pans for a 32 inch LCD TV, 1000 watt microwave, 500 watt boombox and central air and heat.

unless I become an "RV'er" and not a TearDropper.

[stevem50]

yep, i had given up on the idea of a generator, but it seems this topic still stirs a bit up. the way i see it now that i have a few trips under my belt, all the extras are better left home.

[2bits]

500 watt boombox

Hehe... I don't think you would need to worry about the generator noise with that!

[vreihen]

500 watt boombox

Hehe... I don't think you would need to worry about the generator noise with that!

I wonder if you could use it to create white noise to cancel out the sound of the generator?????

[NCOretiredEd]

500 watt boombox

Hehe... I don't think you would need to worry about the generator noise with that!

I wonder if you could use it to create white noise to cancel out the sound of the generator?????

I know some music noise I'd gladly drone out with a generator. But in all serious about generator noise, I first asked that question because of AC usage. It was recommended that a generator no less that 3000 watts should be used for AC usage. Now they put out alot of noise unless one can afford a Honda. Putting AC up against annoyance to my neighbors, I'd keep the $3000.++ in my pocket.

[Pyrofish]

I don't know how it would work for genny's, but I know a method that works great on ball mills. Ball mills have a running 3/4 HP electric motor and a bunch of lead balls tumbling all over themselves. It's loud and annoying.

We make the boxes out of thin plywood to encase the mill, then line them with ceiling tile. They don't call it acoustical tile for nothing! I've tried duct board too, and that worked pretty well, but nothing beat acoustical ceiling tile. That, coupled with a long heavy extension cord should do the trick. In Florida, so you know, some days it's mid-nineties here in the spring time.

I have a buddy who is the classic don't-give-a-damn-about-anyone-else RV'er. He cranks a noisy 6500 up every morning at 7 to turn on the AC and make coffee.... I may make a box for his and see how it works :-) We're not camping sans shore-power till next spring again though, so maybe this thread will be twice as old .

[Mukilteo]

One guys effort to quiet his gen.
http://www.alpharubicon.com/altenergy/gensetquiet.htm

[Rock]

Engineer Guy - rather than mess with the car alternator it might be better to use a DC treadmill style motor. They're typically in the right voltage range and used for wind generators. I have thought about that very thing - I always have my bike anyway.

Vreihen - Your idea is not so far fetched. All Honda Odyssey minivans for the last 10 years or so have had active noise cancellation. In a nutshell uses a microphone to listen to cabin noise, does some signal processing and then sends out sound through the stereo to cancel out engine noise - specifically because at cruising speed the engine shuts off one bank of cylinders for efficiency throwing the motor out of balance. It's a project beyond me however.

Eric

[Mukilteo]

This may be what I try instead of trying to make my large propane fueled generator quiet.
[/url]http://www.generatorsales.com/order/Honda-EU2000i-Tri-fuel.asp?page=EU2000i_Tri_Fuel[/url]


uses propane, natural gas, or gasoline.

[Pottercounty]

Sell it,.. get a Honda & a 75ft long cord so you can stick it back in the woods aways... Nobody should complain...much..

[Mukilteo]

I need the big one to run tools.
I don't camp around anyone.