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How‌ ‌To‌ ‌Make‌ Your‌ ‌Generator‌ ‌Quiet‌ ‌As‌ A ‌Cricket for Camping etc

how to make a generator quieter

The‌ ‌realm‌ ‌of‌ ‌power‌ ‌generators‌ ‌has‌ ‌been‌ ‌around‌ ‌since‌ ‌small‌ ‌engines‌ ‌became‌ ‌more‌ ‌commonplace.‌ ‌They‌ ‌are‌ ‌great‌ ‌machines‌ ‌that‌ ‌offer‌ ‌a‌ ‌reliable‌ ‌source‌ ‌of‌ ‌electrical‌ ‌power‌ ‌in‌ ‌almost‌ ‌any‌ ‌environment.‌ ‌There‌ ‌is‌ ‌a‌ ‌reason‌ ‌most‌ ‌underdeveloped‌ ‌countries‌ ‌still‌ ‌use‌ ‌this‌ ‌type‌ ‌of‌ ‌power‌ ‌generation.‌

But how to make your generator quiet as a cricket for camping, RV etc? ‌In‌ ‌this‌ ‌article,‌ ‌we’ll‌ ‌look‌ ‌for‌ ‌the‌ ‌best‌ ‌ways‌ ‌‌ ‌‌to‌ ‌reduce‌ ‌the‌ ‌noise‌ ‌levels‌ ‌of‌ ‌your‌ ‌electricity‌ ‌generators in 2024‌ .‌ ‌We’ll‌ ‌list‌ ‌several‌ ‌solutions‌ ‌that‌ ‌we’re‌ ‌sure‌ ‌will‌ ‌no‌ ‌doubt‌ ‌be‌ ‌of‌ ‌great‌ ‌help‌ ‌on‌ ‌your‌ ‌generator‌ ‌soundproofing‌ ‌journey.‌ ‌

You may also want to check out our article about Quietest 7000 Watt Generator and Best Quiet 4000 Watt Generator in 2024.

How to make a generator quieter: Best ways in 2024

Mass loaded vinyl
  • Can be used alone
  • Or for soundproof box and shed
  • Affordable
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Quiet technology generator
  • Quiet technology
  • Economy mode
  • Quite expensive
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How to make a generator quiet as a cricket for camping etc

1. Use Mass Loaded Vinyl

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As with most engines, generators have lots of moving parts that create constant impact sound.

Impact sound is produced by the mechanical impact of 2 or more objects, and it is able to travel through most structures and materials through vibrations.

A simple and very effective solution to reduce the impact noise coming from a generator is to use some mass loaded vinyl.

Mass loaded vinyl is one of the most effective and readily available materials for soundproofing. Placing a small MLV mat under your generator can help with the absorption of noisy vibrations.

Keep in mind that when you are camping, the earth can be one of your best absorbing materials, but once it has been coupled with an MLV mat, you’ll be well underway of making your generator as quiet as a cricket.

You can also put your generator in a box or shed and cover the walls with MLV if you want to make it even quieter.

We recommend using the Noise Grabber Mass Loaded Vinyl and the Trademark Soundproofing highly rated MLV rolls, they are affordable and super effective.

2. Use a soundproof generator box

The question of how to silence a generator has lead tons of people into a creative rampage of ideas, often with excellent results. Placing your generator inside a soundproof generator box is definitely a super effective way to reduce noise levels.

Unfortunately, this solution is a bit harder, mainly because finding appropriate dimensions for a box that fits your generator can be difficult for some people.

This is why most soundproof generator box manufacturers produce custom-build boxes that fit all your specifications. 

Soundproof generator boxes have the strong advantage of creating a self-contained, silent, and super reliable power generation system.

The bulkiness of the build might hinder your dreams of outstanding portability, but we are sure they will light a whole new passion for a different type of camping.

Soundproof generator boxes work great for the glamping enthusiasts, and they are a great addition to any underdeveloped piece of land you might be using to hold those yearly bonfire meetings. 

3. Use a silent portable generator

Champion 4000-Watt Quiet Technology Generator

If your generator proves to be too bulky or noisy to handle, you can always resort to purchasing a new portable generator that is much quieter.

They are lightweight, quite powerful, and sometimes very silent if you go for a quiet technology generator.

Thankfully, many brands offer a wide range of portable low sound generators with custom-built tech that aids in noise reduction.

Following our recommended specifications, the Champion Quiet Technology portable power generator is the best solution on the market.

It has some awesome integrated features like low fuel consumption and clean electricity for sensitive electronics.

Even if it’s your first time stepping into the generator realm, you’ll find this machine easy to use and very reliable. 

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4. Move the generator exhaust to a silent position

Generators are essentially small combustion engines that spin an electrical generator to create energy that can be used or stored.

The mechanical nature of any combustion engine produces tons of noise, and most of it comes out of the exhaust port of the engine. 

An extremely simple solution for reducing the noise coming from your generator is to move the generator’s exhaust port into a silent position. Simply place the engine exhaust in a direction that faces away from you.

Keep in mind that this will not make the generator itself silent, it will simply redirect most of the noise emanating from the generator away from you.

5. Build a DIY soundproof generator shed

If you enjoy embarking in fun DIY projects, building your own soundproof generator shed can prove highly satisfactory. There are a few things to keep in mind before building your own generator shed.

You should always make appropriate measurements of your generator before building, that way you can control the size and complexity of your DIY soundproof generator box.

It’s also very important to check the materials you are going to use for the soundproofing, as some materials have very low heat resistance or soundproofing characteristics.

We recommend you use metal or high-density wood, alongside some sturdy soundproof panels or mats that are capable of withstanding the high temperatures of a running engine. 

6. Place some sound deflectors next to your generator

It might be very obvious to some, but placing any type of hard surface between yourself and the source of the noise might be one of the best solutions.

There are great sound deflective materials that are usually used for large TV sets to amplify their sound.

Thankfully, we can use these same reflectors to deflect the noise of the generators away from us.

These TVSoundscoops noise deflectors are large enough to be placed next to your generator’s exhaust or engine, providing some noise reduction. 

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7. Muffle the generator exhaust to improve quietness

Sometimes replacing or adding a muffler to your generator’s exhaust can be a great way to reduce noise levels.

A muffler is a noise reduction box that is usually found built-in on most engine exhausts. They are, however, known to be a bit dodgy in practice.

A good experiment you can run on your generator is the removal of the exhaust muffler. 

Check if there is any difference after removing the muffler, if you can hear that the removal didn’t impact noise levels at all, you can be certain it wasn’t doing anything in the first place.

You can use any type of muffler as long as it is compatible with your generator’s exhaust. Make sure the generator is off and cooled down before performing any replacements. 

You might want to contact your local friendly mechanic before attempting to silence a generator exhaust with a new muffler.

8. Put the generator at a distance

Placing your generator further away from you is by far the most simple way to reduce noise levels. Most generators are labeled in the decibel range, meaning that when you make a purchase, you’ll most likely find an approximate decibel number in your generator’s label.

The rule of thumb when it comes to quietness is to have as little decibels as possible, and this can be hard to find with large and powerful generators.

If you are looking for quietness, stick to small and portable camping generators with low decibel ranges.

It is also important to understand the 7 meter or 23 feet label that is attached to most generators. This measurement indicates the distance at which the labeled decibels where recorded, usually 7 meters or 23 feet.

So if you are to move your generator further than 23 feet away from you, you’ll likely be able to reduce the amount of noise you can hear.

We recommend using a long electrical extension that you can use between you and your generator.

make your generator quiet cricket

Conclusion

As far as soundproofing your generators, we’ve learned that there is still ample room for new technologies and accessories to be developed. We’ve also learned that often the simplest and most common-sense ideas can yield the best results.

So as far as our initial question on how to make your generator as quiet as a cricket for camping, we have found some of the best applicable solutions you can start doing today. 

In conclusion, if you’re looking to reduce the noise levels of your generator, place a mass loaded vinyl mat under it, or for better effect, use MLV to make a soundproof generator box or shed.

We recommend the highly rated Noise Grabber Mass Loaded Vinyl and Trademark Soundproofing MLV.

Alternatively, if you’re not on a tight budget, go for a silent generator. We recommend the highly-rated Champion Quiet Technology generator.