Quiet backup generator?

[roger wiegand]

The recent storms are providing yet more evidence that our electrical infrastructure is crumbling; we have multiple friends across the northeast who are without power for 3-4 days now, for some not for the first time this year. Others have gone without power for weeks at a time in recent years. This has me re-thinking adding a backup generator. I've resisted the notion largely because the ones that have been near to us are irritatingly loud, both in actual use and during their periodic "exercise" runs.

Are any of you aware of any particularly quiet units? This would be permanently installed with automatic switching, powered with natural gas. I need to do a load calculation, but I'd try to keep it on the small side. I wouldn't plan on running AC or the electric dryer, just the furnace, fridge, lights, computer, and perhaps a table saw . The specs I've looked at so far are short on noise information. I'm not sure why they should have to be louder than, say, an idling car.

[Robert Engel]

I have a friend with a Generac unit that is surprisingly quiet. Can't remember the model but it has a propane powered engine.

[Jim Becker]

None of them are truly "quiet" but where you put them and how you baffle sound can make a difference. Mine was running from 4pm on Friday through 6pm on Sunday due to storm-related outages, largely caused by trees hitting infrastructure. It clearly was running given the sound level of the thing! There is no comparison to an "idling car" because the engine in the generator is running more-or-less at full throttle. That all said, I have zero regrets on making the investment. We have no water and no septic if power is out.

You're not going to save a ton of money by being selective with the circuits a unit will run as the actual cost difference between a whole house unit of 20-22kv and one of lesser capacity, once you include installation costs, isn't significant. My 22kv Generac cost $9K installed turn-key. It runs both of our HVAC systems as well as everything else with no issues regardless of season. Note, I do not have the feed to the shop on the generator since that's a separate feed from the meter. Ours uses natural gas (the only utility from the street we have other than coms and electric) and the whole house automatic transfer switch came with the unit standard. A whole house transfer switch is significantly less complex to install than doing only specific circuits which reduces installations costs...that helps narrow the cost gap that I already mentioned.

[Bill Dufour]

Do they make them water cooled? that is the easiest way to reduce noise levels.
Bill D

[James Cheever]

Another vote for a natural gas, Generac 22KW whole house generator. Running the entire house is the way to go; really simplifies the install. If I remember correctly, our turnkey cost was just at $10K, including the gas run and hookup. We also have an ABT switch that kicks it on with a power loss and unloads and shuts it down once power is restored. The system also does an automatic test run each Saturday to ensure the system is operating normally. From insiode the house we can hear it, but only as a low rumble. If you are talking or listening to music or TV, it doesn't interfere at all.

[Mac McQuinn]

I just did the yearly maintenance yesterday on my 2006 Honda EB5000 Contractor generator and at idle, it's quiet enough to talk over standing next to it. At load when the auto kicks up the speed, it's certainly louder although not nearly as loud as most on the market. I'm into quite equipment, If there was something sufficiently quieter out there , I'd certainly give it a look.
Mac

[Rod Sheridan]

Noise level is inversely related to price.

That was sort of a tongue in cheek comment, although it's true.

At work we have a 1,500 Kw generator that you can barely hear run at 30 feet. Critical grade silencing is available for a price.

Perhaps contact your local Caterpillar dealer if you want to spend the money to get a quiet set. I'm sure there are other manufacturers available locally, I just don't who else would be in your area.........Regards, Rod.

[roger wiegand]

Thanks, I was definitely planning on a whole house system, not just selected circuits. I was just saying we'd choose not to run the AC or dryer if the power were down. Generacs do seem to come in air cooled and systems with coolant and a radiator. I'll have to see if I can compare them. Appreciate the comments.

[Marc Jeske]

Can't you reduce size and price by reducing total load by just turning off individual unneeded branch ckt breakers?

If it starts automatically with "Too much" stuff on, the main breaker may trip.. you then go turn off the uneeded breakers, and re start gen?

I do NOT know if this is ok, but makes sense to me as a "Free" NO cost way to "seperate" ckts when the house panel is fed.

Marc

[Kev Williams]

If you're anywhere near where an earthquake may happen (I am), give serious consideration to NOT getting a natural gas unit. At least with gas or propane, you CAN go get some, even if 100 or more miles away. If the NG stops, your genny is useless...

[Brian Elfert]

If you're anywhere near where an earthquake may happen (I am), give serious consideration to NOT getting a natural gas unit. At least with gas or propane, you CAN go get some, even if 100 or more miles away. If the NG stops, your genny is useless...

I figure if the disaster is big enough to lose both electric and natural gas service that I would probably want to leave the house. My house is heated with natural gas so I wouldn't have heat even with a generator. I have a natural gas generator.

I also have a diesel generator in my converted bus and 130 gallons of diesel I could use, but it is wired for 120 volt although it wouldn't take much to convert back to 240 volt.

[Brian Elfert]

I had a Kohler backup generator at my last house. (This house too.) One time I was gone for the weekend and I stepped out of the car and noticed a little bit of noise. I investigated and the generator was running as the power was out. It was barely audible. The garage door had opened as normal so I didn't realize the power was out.

The generator at my current house sticks out like a sore thumb when you pull up to the house. I talked to the realtor who sold me the house and he didn't think it would turn people off if I sold the house. I plan to put up fencing to block the generator if/when I sell. Placing the generator elsewhere would have cost at least $1,000 more to run the gas and electric to it. It was a DIY project that cost me less than $4,000 so another $1,000 was huge.

[Jim Becker]

Can't you reduce size and price by reducing total load by just turning off individual unneeded branch ckt breakers?

If it starts automatically with "Too much" stuff on, the main breaker may trip.. you then go turn off the uneeded breakers, and re start gen?

I do NOT know if this is ok, but makes sense to me as a "Free" NO cost way to "seperate" ckts when the house panel is fed.

Marc

As I noted, in the current market, there's not a whole lot of saving to be had with a smaller unit and "selective" circuits" because the installation becomes more costly. And to meet code, you must either use a whole-house transfer switch for the "whole schmegeggie" or use a transfer switch and panel designed to isolate specific circuits. In no instance should there be a startup issue if the system is installed correctly.

[Mike Cutler]

Roger

Go whole house backup if that is feasible. If propane and natural gas are reliable in your area during power outages this is a good option. It will be about $10K-$12K to have it ready to go.
I elected to go with gasoline, because of the unpredictability of propane delivery in my area in the event of a power outage. Natural gas is not an option for me.
I have the Generac 17,500 "portable" unit. At 500lbs. full of gas, "portable" is kind of stretching it. I replaced a little 4000watt Coleman Powermate with it. I got tired of sequencing loads after losing power last October for 4 days. My wife got really tired of it! and that's how we ended up with the Generac.
It is loud, but I can accommodate that due to my lot size and proximity to neighbors. If I wanted to, I could get a Zombie Box enclosure and really quiet it down. It comes in through and external inlet power box and is breaker protected. There is a mechanical interlock in the panel to prevent the main and the generator breaker from being able to be physically closed at the same time.

Whatever you do, please install it per code.
Look at Zombie Box if you need an enclosure. They're specifically designed for generators.

[Scott T Smith]

Noise is directly related to the operating RPM. Large, commercial generators typically operate at 1750 rpm, and are less noisy than the 3,600 rpm smaller units.

If you need less than 7KW, the Honda EU series are very quiet. We have one as a backup generator for my wife’s mobile veterinary hospitals (they have onboard diesel Generators).

If you need more than 7KW, Kohler has some very quiet enclosures available for their 25KW plus units.

I have some Onan 10KC RV diesel generators that are pretty quiet.

Hands down though, the most quiet generator that I ever did not hear was a “movie tone” model by MQ Power. We actually stood right next to a 50KW unit and the only way that we knew it was running was to put our hands over the exhaust pipe. I kid you not - it was that quiet.