Generator Etiquette

[Victor Vectis]

7 minutes ago, Thomas C King said:

I'm not really sure what you mean, our fridge is far louder. But you know, it's our preference, not yours...

 

Ignoring the ascerbic tone, the intention of the original post was not selfishness, but selflesness; thinking of others, requires knowing what they think.

Are you getting the hint?

[Thomas C King]

Just now, Victor Vectis said:

Are you getting the hint?

Yes, I need a randomised controlled study.

[tree monkey]

11 minutes ago, Thomas C King said:

I'm not really sure what you mean, our fridge is far louder. But you know, it's our preference, not yours...

 

Ignoring the ascerbic tone, the intention of the original post was not selfishness, but selflesness; thinking of others, requires knowing what they think.

Don't take it personally, this is one of those "can of worms" type questions, the very fact you asked shows a great deal of consideration and thought.

[PhilR]

Engines and generators are usually at the blunt end of the boat. Sitting areas and TV's are usually at the sharp end.

So it is the boat moored behind that has to suffer the noise and smells.

[Guest]

26 minutes ago, Thomas C King said:

I'm not really sure what you mean, our fridge is far louder. But you know, it's our preference, not yours...

 

Ignoring the ascerbic tone, the intention of the original post was not selfishness, but selflesness; thinking of others, requires knowing what they think.

Sorry, but are you really saying your fridge compresser is louder than your genny?

 

 

[nicknorman]

29 minutes ago, Thomas C King said:

I'm not really sure what you mean, our fridge is far louder. But you know, it's our preference, not yours...

 

Ignoring the ascerbic tone, the intention of the original post was not selfishness, but selflesness; thinking of others, requires knowing what they think.

Yes I appreciate that, which is why I was careful not to accuse you of being selfish (unless, despite the feedback you are getting, you decide continue with genny running 9hrs a day!) Credit to you for asking the question. However I also feel that since you have gone to the trouble of asking the question, I should give you a frank and honest answer, including a hint of the mood that encountering a running generator puts me in!

[Thomas C King]

14 minutes ago, The Happy Nomad said:

Sorry, but are you really saying your fridge compresser is louder than your genny?

 

 

Standing next to each, no. Sitting in the boat, yes.

 

A possible explanation: The Honda EU22i is rated at 52dBA at 7 meters, which is below normal conversation at a distance much shorter than we or another boat sits from it. A normal fridge is apparently 32 to 47 dBA, and I am sitting much closer to the fridge than the generator, and without insulation.

Edited July 16, 2020 by Thomas C King

[Guest]

4 minutes ago, Thomas C King said:

Standing next to each, no. Sitting in the boat, yes.

 

A possible explanation: The Honda EU22i is rated at 52dBA at 7 meters, which is below normal conversation at a distance much shorter than we or another boat sits from it. A normal fridge is apparently 32 to 47 dBA, and I am sitting much closer to the fridge than the generator, and without insulation.

But (assuming your figures are correct, I havent checked) lets not forget that people sit outside or open windows. So they cannot hear their fridge or freezer, but will hear your genny from much further away.

 

(Additionally a fridge or freezer compressor does not run continuously, if they do there is something wrong with it).

[nicknorman]

2 minutes ago, Thomas C King said:

Standing next to each, no. Sitting in the boat, yes.

 

A possible explanation: The Honda EU22i is rated at 52dBA at 7 meters, which is below normal conversation at a distance much shorter than we or another boat sits from it. A normal fridge is apparently 32 to 47 dB, and I am sitting much closer to the fridge than the generator, and without insulation.

Acoustics are a complicated thing. The 52dBA at 7 metres cannot be compared to 32 to 47dB without specifying a distance. The fridge is no doubt 80db if you stick your ear on the compressor, and the genny 10dB if you walk far enough away.

 

And it is a logarithmic scale so 52dBA is 10 times as loud as 42dBA.
 

But more relevant is that the attenuation rate / propagation of sound is very frequency dependant. Low frequencies travel a lot further without loss, than high frequencies. Which is why elephants use very low frequencies to communicate over long distances. So 50 metres away from your genny I will still be able to hear the very low frequency element of the sound even though the higher frequency elements will long since have faded out below hearing threshold.

[Thomas C King]

4 minutes ago, The Happy Nomad said:

But (assuming your figures are correct, I havent checked) lets not forget that people sit outside or open windows. So they cannot hear their fridge or freezer, but will hear your genny from much further away.

 

(Additionally a fridge or freezer compressor does not run continuously, if they do there is something wrong with it).

I was more responding to the question over why I would be okay with the genny's sound (the suggestion to instead live by the M6). Obviously wouldn't judge whether it's okay for people who are nowhere near our fridge!

[Guest]

Just now, Thomas C King said:

I was more responding to the question over why I would be okay with the genny's sound (the suggestion to instead live by the M6). Obviously wouldn't judge whether it's okay for people who are nowhere near our fridge!

Either way.

 

I think you are getting the vibe of what folk think, which is what you asked in the opening post.

[Thomas C King]

6 minutes ago, nicknorman said:

Acoustics are a complicated thing. The 52dBA at 7 metres cannot be compared to 32 to 47dB without specifying a distance. The fridge is no doubt 80db if you stick your ear on the compressor, and the genny 10dB if you walk far enough away.

 

And it is a logarithmic scale so 52dBA is 10 times as loud as 42dBA.
 

But more relevant is that the attenuation rate / propagation of sound is very frequency dependant. Low frequencies travel a lot further without loss, than high frequencies. Which is why elephants use very low frequencies to communicate over long distances. So 50 metres away from your genny I will still be able to hear the very low frequency element of the sound even though the higher frequency elements will long since have faded out below hearing threshold.

Agree with all of that (didn't know about elephants though). I bought the generator based on dBA as a guide, and partly because (Journey with) Jono recommended it for low sound, but the proof is in the pudding, and people don't share tastebuds.

[ditchcrawler]

3 hours ago, Thomas C King said:

No, but we only have a 7amp charger for a 100amp LiFePo4 battery. I'll see if we can get something bigger for a 2200W generator.

 

We decided to buy a generator over solar for now, because solar won't cover us in Winter. How do people work in Winter without making noise? Fair enough if it drives people nuts, we'll try to keep away from people for now. I didn't think it a problem because quite a few other boats seem to do it.

 

9 hours a day would definitly pee me off, get a 50 amp charger and you will be done in 2 hours and save 7 hours of noise and petrol. 100Ah doesn't sound a very big battery bank, I am surprised that will even last for 24 hours

[Victor Vectis]

56 minutes ago, Thomas C King said:

Agree with all of that (didn't know about elephants though). I bought the generator based on dBA as a guide, and partly because (Journey with) Jono recommended it for low sound, but the proof is in the pudding, and people don't share tastebuds.

Oh dear.

 

Advice from a Youtuber.

 

?

[Naughty Cal]

There is nothing more annoying than a boat running a genny or the engine to charge batteries. 

 

Your 9 hours running a day is very excessive and aside from the annoyance factor must be costing a small fortune.

 

You need a bigger battery bank and a bigger charger.

 

I think you already get the gist of what most people think of gennys from the other responses.

[nicknorman]

1 hour ago, Thomas C King said:

Agree with all of that (didn't know about elephants though). I bought the generator based on dBA as a guide, and partly because (Journey with) Jono recommended it for low sound, but the proof is in the pudding, and people don't share tastebuds.

As generators go, the Honda is definitely amongst the quietest and massively better than open frame types that run at constant speed despite the load. But it is still noisy compared with blissful silence!

 

Another consideration from your point of view is that having a generator running with a very light load/ charging a battery very slowly, is very inefficient and consequently costly. I’d bet it cost you several £ per kilowatt hour compared to 16p or whatever for domestic leccy.

[GRLMK38]

@Thomas C King if you decide to sell the Honda at a bargain price having been convinced by the above it's worthless please let me know.  

[roland elsdon]

5 hours ago, nicknorman said:

I really hate generators. Not just when they are really loud, but when one can hear the nearly sub-sonic faint rumble at all. What is the point of trying to relax in the countryside on a boat when there is a constant faint rumble (or worse) of a generator. And this applies to you too. Why bother to live on a boat when you have constant engine noise for most of the day? Is it just because it’s cheaper than a house? Why not just put a caravan next to the M6?
 

I can appreciate that some people have to run a generator for an hour or two a day especially in winter, and one way to make that more bearable for others is to let them know how long for / when you will be turning the damn thing off. But that is no consolation if the answer is “in 9 hours time“.

 

Running generators and inflicting the noise on others is very selfish, exactly akin to tipping your Elsan out on the towpath, chucking your rubbish in the cut, not clearing up your dog poo, playing loud music  etc etc. Anti-social behaviour. Your choice - are you a considerate person or a selfish anti-social one?

I love generators, especially those frame ones. They make such an interesting noise converting road tax paid toxic fuel into noise heat and the side effect of storing electrons to use later, to watch crap tv.

I think they should be mandated on all craft, to run any time of day or night, or is that legislation already on trial in certain locations.

Share the noise the joy the fumes and the risk.

[Tracy D'arth]

2 hours ago, GRLMK38 said:

@Thomas C King if you decide to sell the Honda at a bargain price having been convinced by the above it's worthless please let me know.  

Form an orderly social distancing queue please. You rotten lot, you only want to con him out of his genny.

I'll top any offer with a wine gum.

TC'

[sueb]

Maybe a marina mooring with electricity is more appropriate for your needs.

[matty40s]

6 hours ago, tree monkey said:

Don't take it personally, this is one of those "can of worms" type questions, the very fact you asked shows a great deal of consideration and thought.

Only if he acts on advice in my first post and sells the genny to someone who will only use it one hour a day.

[magnetman]

Listening to other people's infernal combustion engines while their boats are stationary is the worst thing about living on a boat that I have ever encountered. In 25 years living on boats off grid and on grid.

 

Loud music is bad as well but why the hell do people without a mains power connection need to use so much power? Surely if you wanted that much electric you would arrange your life around systems which provided electricity without requiring other people to suffer the noise. 

 

I suppose it's a cost benefit analysis and at some point other people's comfort becomes irrelevant..

 

 

 

 

Edited July 16, 2020 by magnetman

[Jen-in-Wellies]

12 hours ago, GRLMK38 said:

@Thomas C King if you decide to sell the Honda at a bargain price having been convinced by the above it's worthless please let me know.  

 

14 hours ago, nicknorman said:

But more relevant is that the attenuation rate / propagation of sound is very frequency dependant. Low frequencies travel a lot further without loss, than high frequencies. Which is why elephants use very low frequencies to communicate over long distances.

If you do decide to sell the generator, would you consider a straight swap with an elephant?

Jen ??

[Sir Nibble]

Peace and quiet seems impossible to find. I do a lot of camping and seek out sites with no noise rules. It's on the booking form, there are signs at the entrance but always, always, first thing in the morning the radios go on. You would think that in this country quiet is illegal.

[BWM]

17 hours ago, Thomas C King said:

Even in this case, I'm still none the wiser how people are getting electricity in Winter. Unless running an engine is the thing to do, even though it's louder?

You are less likely to upset people in winter as folks are indoors with windows and doors shut.

 As has been said, buying a more suitable charger and adequate battery bank will pay off. You will need to charge less often and the generator will last longer when working hard - running on idle for long periods kills the engine.