# Cheap sound/weather enclosure for generator?



## FlyFisher (Jun 30, 2018)

I am thinking about some ideas for sound and weather protection for a couple generators. One idea that I have at the top of my list right now is a box with peaked roof made out of styrofoam insulation board. 

I would use something like OSB or thin plywood as an external skeleton, but with lumber prices right now that gets expensive quick.

All I am after is a bare box I can drop over the generator to dumb the sound down. 

Exhaust is a concern. The big generator I got came with a custom exhaust extension - it was going to be installed in an out-building and the exhaust extension was to route the exhaust up and out the wall of the building. I am thinking it is too long and extends up too high for what I am after, so maybe I'll find some pipe or high temp hose and make something work to push the exhaust through the wall of the "box" somehow (yea styrofoam will melt so there would need to be a flange to insulate). 

I'll have the big unit (open frame 15k rotary with a GX690 honda) running for a couple days at the end of the month out in an open field and want a way to knock the sound down as much as I can - its a loud beast. I was thinking of doing some other exhaust system on it, but the exhaust won't dumb down the sound that emanates from other areas. So if I can enclose it I capture everything better.


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## tabora (Sep 6, 2018)

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Arrow-Arrow-Storboss-Horizontal-Storage-Unit/1001834350


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## iowagold (Jan 22, 2020)

those sun sheds rock.
tab has good pix of his setup.


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## FlyFisher (Jun 30, 2018)

I am mulling this one over a bit. 

How much sound dampening would these provide? Would I need to line with foam too? 









Amazon.com: Lifetime 60103 Deck Storage Box, 80 Gallon, Desert Sand/Brown : Everything Else


Amazon.com: Lifetime 60103 Deck Storage Box, 80 Gallon, Desert Sand/Brown : Everything Else



www.amazon.com


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## Browse Deweb (Jan 16, 2021)

If you want something lightweight that you can just place over your generator, you should make something out of PVC and Foamular 250 R10 Insulation panels. I made a tent out of PVC that clips onto my Honda and it was a fun project. I didn't need any sound dampening though, so it's just a folding clip-on canopy:


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## FlyFisher (Jun 30, 2018)

Browse Deweb said:


> I didn't need any sound dampening though


Thanks for the thought. Sound dampening is a requirement. The GX690 with stock muffler at 3600 RPM is the epitome of a "screamer" class generator. It is very loud. The manufacturers specs show 74dB @ 23ft from the unit. I am not sure how accurate that number is, but it is a loud unit - if you are near it for very long at all you need ear plugs.


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## tabora (Sep 6, 2018)

FlyFisher said:


> I am mulling this one over a bit.
> 
> How much sound dampening would these provide? Would I need to line with foam too?
> 
> ...


That's way too small... That's only 14 cubic feet vs the 66 cubic feet of the one I posted.


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## FlyFisher (Jun 30, 2018)

tabora said:


> That's way too small... That's only 14 cubic feet vs the 66 cubic feet of the one I posted.


I measured the big generator and it will fit in there. If it fits all the other ones would also, depending on what I'm setting up etc. 

Why would I want a huge enclosure that is much larger than the unit?


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## tabora (Sep 6, 2018)

FlyFisher said:


> Why would I want a huge enclosure that is much larger than the unit?


Air flow and thermal distancing...


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## iowagold (Jan 22, 2020)

the big question is.
is this a temp enclosure or a perm enclosure?

as far as noise yea you want to be a flat 40-50 db max at 10 feet.
for perm structure....
we use a full concrete enclosure to stop the elf...
and a custom exhaust going up.

so any noise is up and not out.
the concrete is good for heat and noise.
that high mass thing.

and use steel on the outside for a faraday cage.
and a steel walk door.
heavy rebar, and lots of ground stakes...
make it emp resistant...
and the same on the knife out system too...
redundant grounding....
lots of overkill.

for temp structures look at the fire retardant insulation's.
gold or foil reflective... and the bed liner material helps too!
spray that on the inside of a sun shed.
and yes they now make it in white color.
you do want space for radiant heat..... and a high flow air system with a fan controller for the cooling.
but you can go the heat shield method as well that is cooled by the fan air.

if you go the eu7000is gen most of the work is done for you.
they make an exhaust setup for them that vents the gen heat and the exhaust gas in a dryer tube,
that can be shot up in the air with a proper vent cap.
and use punch screen baffles in the tube to break up the noise.
and use a filter on the shed air intake fan.


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## drmerdp (Apr 10, 2018)

Heres my current setup, it’s an old pic from before completion. But I like the plastic sheds. The insulation is flexible 1/4” foil faced foam with an adhesive backing. The EU7000 is super quiet to begin with... I can barely hear the generator over the exhaust fan.

Its a big enclosure but leaves space for a second eu7000 if that ever happens.


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