home generator noise and neighbors

Anyone have problems with neighbors complaining about running a gas powered generator all night? Any good replys for said neighbor?

Reply to
dbasedos
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"Sorry, I just looked up the local noise ordinances, and discovered I shouldn't be doing this, so I'll stop. Hey I've stocked up on some beers and I can throw some chicken and steak on the grill, c'mon over tonight."

Banty

Reply to
Banty

I took my generator to a car muffler shop and had them weld on a motor home/RV generator muffler. This quiets it down quite a bit, but still noisy. Can get rid of more noise by sticking generator in an enclosure.

Reply to
Bill

Hi, It depends on level of noise, and time of the day.

Reply to
Tony Hwang

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What about "all night" was confusing re: time of day?

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Reply to
dpb

Unless it is running an occupant's heart pump or something similar how about respecting your neighbors and turning it off?

Reply to
George

can throw

Some generators like Honda EU series you cant hear twenty feet away, or you can put a real muffler on other units.

Reply to
ransley

Yep - it's spelled out in the local noise ordinances. Well worth the OP looking up - he can bet his neighbors have.

Banty

Reply to
Banty

Maybe it's running a sump pump, which is the main reason I use *my* generator. I can tell you that my next-door neighbor was quite appreciative of my offer to let him plug an extension cord into my generator so that he could run his sump pump too; he figures that's a small price to pay for putting up with the noise.

Reply to
Doug Miller

During the Florida hurricanes in 2004 and 2005 when we didn't have power for weeks at a time, I ran mine 24/7. I know it annoyed some of my neighbors but I cut them off at the pass by storing their perishables in my fridge and freezers. I let them cool off in my AC and let them cook on my electric stove.

Reply to
Sanity

If its a residential area the simplest thing to do is to use something beyond big box quality. You can barely hear the Honda portable generators. If larger capacity the non big box version generac units are quiet. There is a 20kw unit at a location where I work and you can barely tell it is running from 20 feet away.

Reply to
George

Depends on your reason for running it.

A good response is: "Would you like to plug in your refrigerator or freezer until the power comes back on?"

Reply to
Edwin Pawlowski

Yes, if it's a situation of a long-running power outage. But the OP didn't mention that (seems one would...), and it would have to be a rather long one to even come to seeking our advice. Plus, in such a situation many generators would be running - and in my nieghborhood when there have been long power outages there has been no issue with that occassional night use when everyone's in the same boat.

But, yeah, if that's it, an offer to help out with said generator *might* help, but he has to be careful not to come off like they guy who holds a loud party and thinks the way to bring people over to his 'side' is by inviting them :-/

My bet this is more a situation like, he's camped out in an RV at a friend's house and the neighbors are not happy about the generator. But he'd have to come back and give more information.

Banty

Reply to
Banty

I'd complain too about the RVcampout. In an extended outage the offer of some power would keep me quiet

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Reply to
bigjimpack

Only if you supply a unrestricted air intake.

Reply to
tnom

As in up said neigbors rectum?

Reply to
irunallthetime

That would piss me off. He can plug into the house in that case.

Reply to
Edwin Pawlowski

yes, to the problem part, if one runs a very noisy unit at close proximity to neighbor's house/bedroom window and does so especially without the courtesy of knocking on their door "Hey, just kindly letting you know am having an issue ________, thus need to run the gen at night, won't be running for more than ________, hope you understand"

if said neighbor has lived there for any length of time and mutual respectful relations are maintained "Hey there, how are you and do you need any help with that ______, I have some tools to assist you", then it would not be an issue

if no dialogue is maintained with neighbor, then it's high time to establish one, a bottle of scotch or similar goes a long way to smooth over a non-maintained dialogue

place yourself in the position of the neighbor, are you the kind of neighbor in attitude and demeanor he/she would wish to have? how would a neutral party(not someone who knows you) evaluate the situation?

Reply to
Minnie

Cover the generator with blanket of egg paper cartons tied together with string.

Reply to
Jerry

Cover the generator with blanket of egg paper cartons tied together with string.

And don't forget to keep the fire extinguisher handy.

Reply to
Sanity

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