How I quieted down my generator and made it mobile a "Redneck Generator"

My Quieter Redneck Generator

I am starting a  project on my 1989 11 hp DYNA 6000. Mine has a decal that reads Quiet Power  and they say engineers don't have a sense of humor! When I used it during a recent power outage it was so loud I wanted to shut it down after 10 minutes luckily the power came back.

So here I go. I have bought all the stock steel and plumbing stuff $80 from Home Depot and a walker muffler #18136, $33 from my local NAPA store. This muffler is small, measuring 12 inches in length and 8 inches in width  and 4 inches in height perfect for this use.  I am also adding 10 inch pneumatic wheels so my wife can get it outside if I am not home, I also think the wheels should insulate some of noise of the metal frame on the ground . No doubt the same engineer thought that dragging 300 lbs of steel across the garage floor sounding like fingernails on a chalk board, was something most people would love!

 I have had the wheels in a box for years, I think its time I put them to use. The noise factor wasn't a problem when we lived in the woods but now that I live in the suburbs I don't want to deafen my neighbors.

First thing I did was remove the factory muffler or should I say spark arrestor, ( it certainly doesn't muffle noise!) I screwed a section of 1 inch black pipe right into the motor block ( Briggs & Stratton motors are made to do this)  then an elbow downward to another pipe, another elbow, more pipe, another elbow and one more pipe. This brought the exhaust out, down,under and back up on the other side out of the way of the electrics. I then made 3 braces that weld to the pipes and bolt directly to the motor, so that vibrations won't crack the pipes. I intend to wrap the exhaust pipes (this will help with protecting me from the heat of the pipes and hopefully help quiet the exhaust a bit.

Original " muffler "

rear axle and lower exhaust pipe

exhaust pipe routing

Lower braces bolted to motor welded to exhaust pipe

                                              upper brace bolted to head and welded to pipe
next I took some of the metal I had bought from HD and fabricated mounts for the rear axle. I bolted the wheels on. Then I started looking at it and it hit me "I can make it look like a farm tractor! A REDNECK GENERATOR" . So using a swivel plate I mounted 2 wheels on 1 plate! Ta Da instant farm tractor!    

2 wheels bolted to 1 swivel 

rear axle and wheels

Then I added an elbow pointing backwards, a close nipple to a union and welded the male half of the union to the inlet side of the muffler. Then I added another brace from the motor mount bolt to the bottom of the muffler securing it to the muffler with a large radiator hose clamp. I used the union and clamp setup in case I ever need to take the muffler off to service the motor.

 

Male half of union welded to shortened muffler inlet

Lower brace clamped to muffler

Radiator clamp and Walker muffler # 18136

Side view

In case anyone noticed the round silver thing with a rubber hose below the muffler this is the flow regulator so that this generator can run on Natural gas or Propane or Gasoline. Nice feature!


I have wrapped all the pipe with exhaust wrap I got at my local speed shop $ 40 for 50 feet. Then I used my Infrared thermometer on various areas  1) pipe at engine block 830 degrees F   2) down pipe 475 degrees   3) lower pipe 450 degrees   4) up pipe at muffler coupling 350 degrees   5) muffler body 154 degrees   6) tailpipe 80 degrees  ( that is not a typo, exhaust is only 80 degrees!! ) These readings were taken with engine running for 1 hour after I wrapped the exhaust. So the wrap does a good job of keeping the heat in, it also got rid of the tinny noise from to pipes. Now it is quiet enough to run without disturbing the neighbors or me.

Right side view

Left side view

Front view

 
Well here's the results:
          Before I modified the exhaust and added the wheels at 5 feet away it registered 130 decibels on my Smartphone sound meter app!!!!! This about the same as a rock concert or loud child screaming or a very busy street.

           After modifications cell phone in same location 78 decibels !!! That is about as loud as an alarm clock or some of those annoying ringtones .

            For some perspective a quiet residential area or a public park is about 40 decibels. 


                 So for about $130 and a few hours of work it was well worth it. Now I don't have to worry about deafening my neighbors, or my wife breaking her back if I am not around during a power failure to keep the house powered up. But to be honest with you and  myself  I must say that I think it looks so cool and different that just the looks of it,  makes it worth it!


        I thank Joel Jennings of Joelsgarage.blogspot.com for the idea his article is what gave me the  push I needed to get this done.      Thanks Joel