Generator Question

[Medic118]

I was looking for some advice about generators. I have a coleman 5000 watt I bought for home use and I was wondering if there is any modifications that can be done to the muffler to make it quieter so I can use it camping. It is way to loud to use as it is.  Thanks for any advice.

[SpeakEasy]

The best way to modify it for use in a camping area is to leave the gasoline out.



-Speak

[dthurk]

I was looking for some advice about generators. I have a coleman 5000 watt I bought for home use and I was wondering if there is any modifications that can be done to the muffler to make it quieter so I can use it camping. It is way to loud to use as it is.  Thanks for any advice.

Let me know if you come up with a practical way of doing it.  I've got a 5500 watt Wheelhouse here, and would be very interested in doing this.  Have thought of letting neighboring campsites plug in, there should be enough power there for a few.  That way, they couldn't complain about the noise.  We can run our 220 volt water pump, 2 hot water furnaces and a kitchen circuit that powers our refrigerator on this thing during power failures.

[abbear]

Not having one of these (which in some folks eyes would make me an 'expert' but I know better) I would think that there are two things to deal with here.  First would be the exhaust noise.  I don't know how tuned the exhausts are on these things but that would be my first question.  Also when you add more noise suppression in the muffler you usually change the back pressure to the head which affects the jetting in the carb.  What you may want to do is find someone at a performance motorcycle shop who can turn you on to someone who makes exhausts for a living and understands the intricasies involved.  Then you might sell him on the idea to use you generator as a test bed so he can develop a line of generator exhausts.

Second problem would be mechanical noise - that is all the noise the engine makes other than exhaust noise.  That might be able to be taken care of by building a baffled enclosure lined with sound deadening material.

This could be fun.  Expensive fun but fun nonetheless.  And I'd be really interested to see what the muffler would look like if a real tuner took a run at it!

[kykamper]

what about the ATV Stealth Exhaust (available @ Cabela's)?  I'm not very mechanically inclinded but I've often looked at this and wondered why it wouldn't work on a generator.

[brainpause]

what about the ATV Stealth Exhaust (available @ Cabela's)?  I'm not very mechanically inclinded but I've often looked at this and wondered why it wouldn't work on a generator.

That's an excellent idea. I have seen those in Cabela's, but had never thought of it. Hmmmm...I have a 50 dollar gift certificate to Cabelas, and also a generator that is available for me to borrow...Hmmmmmmm...

Larry

[nineoaks2004]

I had a coleman 5000 in a van for work. I ended up replacing the exhaust system with one from an Onan generator. The exhaust should have a place for 2 screws on either side of the place that the exhause pipe screws in. Just unscrew the original pipe and bolt the Onan exhaust system flange onto this. There is really no way to quiten the generator noise down. I tried an insulated box but the generatoe overheated. I ended up using hearing protectors when i had to sit in the van while running the generator.