[regulator74]

I tried to do a search on the forums here for this question but it didn't return anything (seemed to hang up). Has anyone been able to successfully add a large muffler (maybe from a car) to their geny to make it quieter? I've seen a couple of vids on it on the web, but just curious if anyone here has done it. I've to a coleman 5000, its works great but just loud as hell.

 

[Rabble]

If you plan to use it in the same location all the time, I have an Idea I'm sure will work but I haven't tried it yet. (my gen is broken, waiting on a part) Drill holes all over the length of a piece of steel pipe, 6 or 8 feet long. Use muffler pipe or conduit , pinch one end closed and bury it in the ground surrounded with gravel, then top it off with dirt. The open end of the pipe is plumbed to the generator exhaust. Don't use anything that will melt or burn. The trick is, you don't want to cause back pressure on the engine, so the pipe diameter, hole diameter, and pipe length must be enough to allow for free flow.

 

[smoothED]

If you plan to use it in the same location all the time, I have an Idea I'm sure will work but I haven't tried it yet. (my gen is broken, waiting on a part) Drill holes all over the length of a piece of steel pipe, 6 or 8 feet long. Use muffler pipe or conduit , pinch one end closed and bury it in the ground surrounded with gravel, then top it off with dirt. The open end of the pipe is plumbed to the generator exhaust. Don't use anything that will melt or burn. The trick is, you don't want to cause back pressure on the engine, so the pipe diameter, hole diameter, and pipe length must be enough to allow for free flow.

Thats a good idea, I've used a caddy muffler bushed down to the exhaust size of the motor, 3/4 I think, worked really well.

 

[regulator74]

Great I ideas. I will have to find the video a guy made using a $19 roadrunner muffler with flex pipe. I think it required some welding though, I don't have a welder, but know how to weld so maybe I can borrow one.

 

[smoothED]

Great I ideas. I will have to find the video a guy made using a $19 roadrunner muffler with flex pipe. I think it required some welding though, I don't have a welder, but know how to weld so maybe I can borrow one.

You'll need a pipe threader too, and some black pipe, ya wanna take the stock muffler out, thread pipe for in it's place then add a bell reducer to get up to the size of your flex pipe

 

[Kalifornia Guy]

Here is some info on using a auto muffler. regulator74 this may be the video and article you seen.
http://www.alpharubicon.com/altenergy/gensetquiet.htm

 

[test]

Absolutely. My father runs a muffler off his big diesel generator that came off the Alaska pipe line. Works great.

 

[regulator74]

Here is some info on using a auto muffler. regulator74 this may be the video and article you seen.
http://www.alpharubicon.com/altenergy/gensetquiet.htm

Thats it bro! Lol I've gotta try something like this. The first time I ran the gen about 2 months ago my wife was like OMG!!! Thats loud!

 

[emclo]

Most of the noise from a generator is not coming out of the muffler, you need to build some sort of sound isolation box that still provides plenty of cooling air flow. Checkout RV.net, lots of talk over there on the subject as campers are always trying to be quiet!

 

[CPT Shortcut]

As a military guy I've used generators of all types and sizes for years and years.

We always quiet ours down with a few simple techniques.

1. Dig a hole about 1/3rd the height of the generator (so it sits down in the hole) and surround the sides with plywood or sandbags.

2. Dig a trench about 2ft deep and extend the exhaust pipe down along the trench and back up out of it. Fill with loose dirt.

That's it. Don't drill holes in the pipe. Fool with mufflers only if you have the skills to do it.

If you generator setup is permanent, put it on a concrete pad and build a brick wall around it.