Generator Muffler Modifications?

 

I have a Coleman Powerbase 5000 generator I use just for home
emergencies. It has a Briggs and Stratton 10Hp engine. The stock
muffler is way to loud for me to use with neighbors so close to my
home.

Does anyone know of any good resources,links etc. to where I can get
info. on modifying the stock muffler to produce a quieter one?


Thanks,

UW

 

 hoopy@blahblah.net wrote:


You could try the google advanced groups search on this newsgroup, it's
a frequent topic.

Synopsis: You can put on a better muffler (modifying the current one is
quite doubtful). Car mufflers (with home-brew adapters) work, or you can
get better mufflers already made to fit by someone else (such as Jack's
small engines, or others). A heavy muffler should be isolated from the
engine by flex tubing, which can be expensive. Back-pressure is not much
of an issue if you go to even small-car exhaust components, as they are
for engines a lot bigger than your generator motor.

But: The best muffler in the world won't do anything about all the other
noise that an air-cooled engine throws off. Which is a lot.

So: then you get into enclosures ("mufflers" for the whole generator).
These need to allow for adequate cooling airflow, intake air, and
exhaust. Routing and baffling those airflows to effectively block noise
while permitting enough airflow so as not to cook the generator is a bit
of work, but not impossible if you are reasonably clever. On the
simplest end, a sturdy fence which ends up directing most of the sound
UP works well enough for some folks. Others have built fiberglass-lined
doghouses, some of which are even decorated to really look like a
doghouse...

--
Cats, coffee, chocolate...vices to live by

 

hoopy@blahblah.net wrote:


It has been covered a number of times that the noise is not just from
the muffler, and changing out the muffler will have minimal effect.  A
sandbag wall around the generator has been mentioned as a possibility,
and enclosures are possible, but noise is just the nature of the
beast.  FWIW, take the generator to most muffler shops and they can
use the muffler for a subcompact car and threaded pipe to weld up your
substitute muffler.

 



Tried all of that - subcompacts are all 4 cylinder,
and not tuned for a 1-cylinder ehxaust note. See
adjacent post, but ATV mufflers are the way to
go, and there is a particular Yahamma ATV one
that works like pure magic on this B&S 10HP.
(I can see if I can dig up the Yamaha model)

 



Had the EXACT same generator, been there, done that!
Then sold it and got the Honda eu2000i and love it! As
far as an answer to your question, yes, I did manage to
solve the noise problem before I sold it, but it was a bit
of a challange.  Being able to weld (arc, TIG, MIG etc),
I tried ALL sorts of scratch-design mufflers, none worked.
Then! - I went with an ATV muffler. Yup!, I bought a
bunch of ATV (4-wheel recreational vechile) mufflers
on E-bay (lots of em there) and starting experimenting.
The one that worked the best was from a Yamaha I
think,  Since most ATV-heads are all interested in hopping
up their ATV's, they all sell their original stock mufflers
on E-bay. Its a long thing with a heat shield, and a long
inlet pipe.  Handed up putting rubber shock mounts
along the side of the gen frame, hacked off the long
inlet pipe into a bunch of pieces, and TIG welded up
a custom pipe to make the 90 to the engine. Works
well, and I'd have to say it sucked up 99.97% of the
noise (if not more) - it was amazing. The challange is
mounting the muffler since the gen frame is fixed, and
the engine in on rubber mounts and dances around.
I was concerned that this would crack the pipe/welds.
But since I had the long ATV muffler mounted to the
side of the gen frame on rubber shock mounts too,
it seemed to be ok.  If you are crafty with either one
of them cheesy Lincoln wire-feed MIG welders, or
a "real" welder for this purpose (TIG welder), then
this is a worth while endeavor for you.  I was simply
AMAZED that this ATV muffler worked SO darn
well.  If not, just get the ATV muffler on Ebay, and
take the generator, and ATV muffler to the local
welding/fab shop, an have them make it fit/work.
It takes the generator to truely "un"usable in any
kind of residental neighborhood to very usable.
Good luck!