I know this is off topic but I have a 5500 watt Homelite Generator with Briggs and Stratton engine. I use this for my camp and it's pretty loud!
Does anyone have any tips on how to quiet it down? I am thinking about building a box and adding some insulation. I'm concerned about being able to cool it down. I was thinking about putting a household box fan on one side of it to get air to it and a vent on the other side to release air?
Any help would be great!

 

Get a long extension cord and put in the bushes where don't go there.....LOL

Have you call the company and see if they might have something that might work for you?
Just asking.....

 

Put an extension on the exhaust to turn and run it up. Put the tip of the exhaust about 6'high, and don't forget to put some type of water cap on top. We used to do this in the Army and it helps quite a bit. We also used to border the generators with sand bags to a height of 4'. You don't need sandbags just anything non-flammable that creates a noise break. Hope this gives you some ideas.

 

There's nothing you can do to make it quite! It's the cylinder thats make all that noise not the muffler! I tried to put a car muffler on mine and it was just as loud! If you want something quite look into a expensive Honda generator! or even one that liquid cooled.

 

I used to dig a hole and put the generator in it then throw a 4x8 board over it!I dont think the exhaust is the noisey part.It's the piston slap,valve lash main/rod bearing clearances that are necessary for an air cooled engine to operate.

 

I think building the box would work, I'm just wondering about keeping it cool. If I build the box and put the fan on it will that really keep the noise down that much?

 

If you are talking about putting a box around the entire generator,yes,it should help quite a bit. At my job,we run a lot of liquid pump chemical process machines,and they can be quite noisy when all on at once. We set up plastic boxes with acoustic foam in them ,helped a lot,but the motors did run a lot hotter.Your plan for a fan is a good idea.If you put acoustic foam inside, the angles and direction of the ridges of the foam do a real good job taking the bite off the bark of the sharp note you get off the air cooled four stroke generator. Regular foam will help, but spending a little more on acoustic foam will pay off in the long run. Or, you could rig a box around the area the exhaust comes out,it would require high temp foam, but then you wouldn't have to worry about the motor overheating.

 

We encountered the same problem with ours at the deer camp. What we did is build a small shelter resembling a dog house. A shingled, shed style roof and all, but we left the back side wide open (facing away from the shack) and made the front side open (hinged) for access to start and fuel the generator. The acoustical foam works wonders! Make sure to leave enough clearance on the sides to allow for cooling. It made a HUGE difference in the noise so now we can even leave it run at night to charge up the 12 volt batteries.

 

Do you go camping @ one place only or various different loacations? If different locations, I'd have to think lugging a box around from place to place each trip would get kinda old. I'd think selling the Homelite and getting a quieter generator, Honda, Yamaha Etc would be the best deal. Heat is hard on equipment and so lots of it will shorten the life of it.

Rude Dog

 

Good point! I was thinking more of my own situation and didn't stop to think about that. In that situation my setup would be impractical! I would think a few pieces of structural foam would be light and easy to configure a quick easy sound deflector though!
Good hunting!