Trying to Quieten the 110KVA Generator

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awemawson:
Well throwing caution to the wind I did fire it up with a full compliment of ‘inmates’ ensconced in their cottages. With the incomplete ceiling I am measuring 60 dBa at the gate to their courtyard occasionally dropping to 59 dBa.

There is a noticeable decrease in the noise which presumably will continue to improve as I finish the ceiling. I’m expecting the exhaust radiator air tunnel to improve things as well.

However I’m conscience not to run the generator too long at the moment as there is masses of Rockwool bits around to clog air filters.

awemawson:
Today I got the last of the Rockwool sound insulation installed. The last panel was a bit of a pain as it needed a 50 mm 'extra' bit fitting that for the life of me I couldn't get to stay put as I fixed the mesh. Cosmetically not ideal but probably has zero effect on the sound deadening!

So what's the results?

Well when I began I was measuring 107 dBa adjacent to the generator, and 71 dBa by the cottages courtyard (this last figure seems to have been recorded optimistically low by me on earlier posts)

Now I am measuring on brief tests today 95 dBa inside the generator room, and 59/60 dBa by the cottages courtyard.

The 12 dBa reduction in the generator room is obviously very significant but I'm surprised the the remote reading isn't less, though it IS the same 11/12 dBa reduction.

. . . still got the canvas 'radiator exhaust tunnel' to go !

Apart from the canvas, re-installing a spot light fitting, and a major hoovering up that's about it for the generator room.

russ57:
12db is pretty good - a subjective reduction to 1/4 if I recall my acoustics.

Are you planning to seal the rockwool in any way? Even a light spray paint would help I would think, without affecting the performance.

A walk around the enclosure with the meter may pinpoint any significant 'spot' leaks. Covering those with lead sheet ought to help.

Last question - does the generator noise vary with load?

-russ

AdeV:
Apparently, 60dbA is about the equivalent noise level to a conversation in a restaurant.... so not bad, considering the size of the engine. If you've got a few quid left over, you could always add a layer of AcoustiBlok (tm) sheet - this is (apparently) seriously sound-deadening stuff - their 6mm sheet is claimed to reduce sound levels by 32dbA, which would get you nicely below "Library" sound levels (40dbA). Since their website doesn't quote prices, you know it's going to be dear...

I was planning to use this to keep a generator quiet on my transporter; but after I stopped racing some mumbleteen years ago, the project lost any sense of urgency it might have had in the first place...

awemawson:
Russ I’ve been considering some sort of spray to make it less friable but paint would be inflammable so my thought at the moment are along the lines of a solution of sodium silicate.

I’m sure that the generator note will change with load, in fact I know it does, but the actual noise level subjectivity seems the same.

The biggest escape point is probably the door where I have those pvc strips, but I can’t block it as loads of air is needed for cooling and combustion.

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