So, it sounds like your muffler experience was very successful.
Oh, dude, you have NO idea.
Your experience seems to contradict some of the opinions expressed by
others that the other components (?perhaps air cooling fan?) create so
much noise that even the best muffler won't help.
Ok, well, you touch on some very important points,
and so I need to re-clairify, ans re-state the case.
That exahaust noise from that particular genrator
was SO loud and monotonous (the stock muffler
is not a muffler, its just a "spark arrestor") that it
would drive ME nuts, and I'm used to lots of noise.
Anyways, in my engineering endeavors, I set out
to remove ALL of that exhaust noise, and after
months of experiments, and even tried my hand
at muffler sound engineering (worse than Calculus),
I came up with the ATV muffler thing, and managed
to remove amost "all" of the exhaust noise. And yes,
to the point where all I was hearing was just the cooling
fan noise, and maybe some of the crankcase noise.
So I thought "damn!", if thats all I'm hearing, I done
really good! (which I did). The machine was really
usable at this point (where it wasn't before).
Did you do any other silencing work other than the muffler?
Yeah, so I started in on this aspect, but not to reduce
the remaining noise (since it was night/day difference),
but rather to wheater proof it - I wanted to make a
permanent dog-house thing out in the back yard so that
I wouldn't have to drag the thing out of the shed each
time I needed it. So I set out to do this - I dug a
trench out to the corner of the yard, ran underground
conduit, bunch if 10-gague THHN, yada, yada....
Then "scope creep" set it. Figured, hell, if I do all
*that*, I might as well make it "permanent", right?
Then I started looking into natural gas conversions,
(and as mentioned in a recent post here, found a
kit on-line for this exact same generator). Then I
said, well, if I do *that*, then I'm gonna need a
transfer switch, right? So I got ome of them. Then,
I said, if I do *THAT*, then I'm gonna need electic
start, cause I'm not gonna wanna go outside in the
cold, wet, dark to fire up the generator in the dog
house. So then I started looking into electric start
option kits for this B&S 10HP (Gen series) engine.
Started working with all these on-line small engine
parts houses, and it turnes out that there is a electric
start kit, but you may, or may not need a toothed
ring-gear on the flywheel of that engine. Turns out
that "some" of these 10 HP B&S engines already
have them, some do not - have to run the S/N's
with B&S to know, *or* take the front shrowd
off to see if you have the toothed flywheel or not.
If not, easy to get/install. It was at this point that
I said to myself: hey, what the HellerYa doin ??
Plus other things going on in my life, I abandoned
the whole permanent thing altogether, and back
in the shed the thing went. Sold the transfer switch
(still in box), and the generator. Toyed around
with making a go-cart with that 10HP engine, but
then reality set back in.
So, there you have it. So you want to hear my
story about my other generator? - Honda EX-650?
Naw, just kidding! - no story there anyhow.
If I had to estimate the noise breakdown of the
1,000 db that this thing puts out? well, guessing:
85%-90% is from the exhaust, and there is some
remaining noise from the cooling fans(s), and other,
but since my ears have been ringing ever since,
I may not be a good judge of this (perception wise).
I'm just glad its all over with. I got that generator
brand new at about 25% of original cost due to
scratch/dent, so I couldn't pass it up at the time.
It would have only been of value if:
- I would have completed the enclosure.
- Completed the electric start upgrade.
- Completed the natural gas conversion.
But then I re-evulated my needs. The little
Honda EX-650 I've had for darn near 10
years helped make up my mind. Portability,
low hassle, quiet, and sized for "just" what
I needed out weighed it all hands down.
What would I do with 5,000 - 5,500 watts
when the lights go out anyhow? - I wouldn't
be plugging my TIG welder into it when the
lights go out. All I really "need" is to run the
furnace, the TV (gotta have that!), computer,
and/or laptops, cable modem, the fridge,
maybe the freezer, coffee pot, and the
microwave, and not always at the same
time either. Yeah, true, my new Honda
eu2000i doesn't have 220, so I can't run
the Kenmore cloths dryer, or roast a turkey,
but ca-mon!, its mainly emergency use only.
After all of the many many months screwing
with generators, I have to say, it comes
down to two main catagories. If you want
full-on, fixed, auto start, "do everything"
5,000+ watt type capabilities, then go with
one of them tan colored permanent Generac
tpye deals you see at Sams club, or Home
Depot. If you just want something to service
the necessities in a standard household during
frequent power outages, go with the Honda
eu2000i and a few extension cords. Its
portable enough that even the most fraile
housewife can handle it (and carry it to the
front porch, back porch, driveway, etc).
And it fits nicely on the passenger floor
of a full size pickup/SUV for camping,
and taking it over to the in-laws etc. If you
have a lot of money, and some special
in-between needs, then look at the $2,000
eu-3000i w/ electic start (and no wheels).
This 5,000 generator that we're talking
about here is sort of a trick - its not ment
for residental use (even though it seems
like it is) - its ment for commercial job
sites to run power tools etc at construction
sites (or farm use or some this) - think
about it, at HomeDepot, they are located
right NEXT to the chop-saws, miter saws...
Bottom line: if you are so much as even
"questioning" the noise output of a generator
that you already have, then its *NOT* the
right generator for the given application.
On a construction site you're not worried
about noise, on a farm you're not worried
about noise. If you are at "home", and
you bought a construction-grade generator
by mistake, bite it and sell it on Craigs List,
and go get a Honda eu2000i (or eu1000).
