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 > Generator dB rating

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Boon Docker

Mountain Foothills of Southern Alberta

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Posted: 05/16/23 12:31pm Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

Latner wrote:

Boon Docker wrote:

swimmer_spe wrote:

jjrbus wrote:

I find the dB ratings to be misleading, not useless. Some sounds within a rating can be more annoying. Then "quiet" generator is relative, A quiet Honda generator is quiet compared to an open frame construction generator. But hardly quiet.


What I speak of is that.... You can carry on a conversation around the Honda ones.Good luck doing that to a Champion.


That's funny and doubtful.

Honda 2000 - 57db
Champion 2000- 53 db

How can the Honda be quieter with a higher db rating?


Honda @ rated load is 57, 1/4 load is 53. Champion only claims 53, probably 1/4 load but don't give @ rated load db.


Yep, the 53db is more than likely at 1/4 load. So they both have the same rating.

swimmer_spe

Sudbury, Ontario, Canada

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Posted: 05/16/23 12:54pm Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

Boon Docker wrote:

swimmer_spe wrote:

jjrbus wrote:

I find the dB ratings to be misleading, not useless. Some sounds within a rating can be more annoying. Then "quiet" generator is relative, A quiet Honda generator is quiet compared to an open frame construction generator. But hardly quiet.


What I speak of is that.... You can carry on a conversation around the Honda ones.Good luck doing that to a Champion.


That's funny and doubtful.

Honda 2000 - 57db
Champion 2000- 53 db

How can the Honda be quieter with a higher db rating?


I have never seen any of the quiet Champion ones.

swimmer_spe

Sudbury, Ontario, Canada

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Posted: 05/16/23 12:56pm Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

wing_zealot wrote:

I don't know what you mean by "Honda Quiet". Since Honda doesn't make a 3500 W generator, there is nothing to compare it to. So how many dB's do you consider to be "Honda Quiet"?

Secondly, are you looking for 3500 W surge or continuous?

At least for me, It's hard to be helpful when the parameters seem to be rather vague.

I'd also like to mention, that i thought dB measurenments for portable generators was always at 7 meters, at 1/4 load. That's the only dB ratings i ever recall seeing.


What I want is 30A available at all times. That is the rating of my trailer. So, as I understand that works out to be about 3500-3800W

Even at full load, the smaller 3000W ones seem to be quiet in comparison to most others.

pianotuna

Regina, SK, Canada

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Posted: 05/16/23 01:08pm Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

Swimmer_spe

look for 80% of 30 amps for the continuous load. i.d. 24 amps.

For surge use a 'load support' inverter charger. I recommend Victron


Regards, Don
My ride is a 28 foot Class C, 256 watts solar, 556 amp-hours of Telcom jars, 3000 watt Magnum hybrid inverter, Sola Basic Autoformer, Microair Easy Start.

Boon Docker

Mountain Foothills of Southern Alberta

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Posted: 05/16/23 01:19pm Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

swimmer_spe wrote:

wing_zealot wrote:

I don't know what you mean by "Honda Quiet". Since Honda doesn't make a 3500 W generator, there is nothing to compare it to. So how many dB's do you consider to be "Honda Quiet"?

Secondly, are you looking for 3500 W surge or continuous?

At least for me, It's hard to be helpful when the parameters seem to be rather vague.

I'd also like to mention, that i thought dB measurenments for portable generators was always at 7 meters, at 1/4 load. That's the only dB ratings i ever recall seeing.


What I want is 30A available at all times. That is the rating of my trailer. So, as I understand that works out to be about 3500-3800W

Even at full load, the smaller 3000W ones seem to be quiet in comparison to most others.


The db rating for the Honda 3000 is pretty good.

bikendan

Goodyear, Arizona

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Posted: 05/16/23 01:53pm Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

swimmer_spe wrote:

jjrbus wrote:

I find the dB ratings to be misleading, not useless. Some sounds within a rating can be more annoying. Then "quiet" generator is relative, A quiet Honda generator is quiet compared to an open frame construction generator. But hardly quiet.
o

What I speak of is that.... You can carry on a conversation around the Honda ones.Good luck doing that to a Champion.


Which Champion generator are you referring to? Open frame contractor-style or inverter generator?
Nearly every owner of a Champion inverter generator, that I've seen post on various RV forums, loves their Champion.


Dan- Firefighter, Retired">, Shawn- Musician/Entrepreneur">, Zoe- Faithful Golden Retriever(RIP">), 2014 Ford F150 3.5 EcoboostMax Tow pkg, 2016 PrimeTime TracerAIR 255 w/4pt Equalizer and 5 Mtn. bikes and 2 Road bikes

valhalla360

No paticular place.

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Posted: 05/16/23 01:53pm Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

wing_zealot wrote:

I'd also like to mention, that i thought dB measurenments for portable generators was always at 7 meters, at 1/4 load. That's the only dB ratings i ever recall seeing.


I've seen a variety of test conditions and many that just list a dB with no test conditions specified.

Even if you are right and it's always at 1/4 load, that can be misleading:
- 1/4 of of 4500w generator would be 1250w...in the ballpark of what you would be drawing with the air/con running.
- 1/4 of a 2000w generator would be 500w...you aren't running the air/con with 500w, so reality when running the air/con will be more like 2/3 load and typically much louder than the 1/4 load rating.

We found this to be very true when we switched from a 2400w Yamaha to 4500w Champion. At idle, the Yamaha sounds quieter but kick on the air/con and the Champion is clearly quieter. Also, there's no question it will kick the air/con compressor over with the bigger generator.


Tammy & Mike
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bikendan

Goodyear, Arizona

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Posted: 05/16/23 01:55pm Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

swimmer_spe wrote:

Boon Docker wrote:

swimmer_spe wrote:

jjrbus wrote:

I find the dB ratings to be misleading, not useless. Some sounds within a rating can be more annoying. Then "quiet" generator is relative, A quiet Honda generator is quiet compared to an open frame construction generator. But hardly quiet.


What I speak of is that.... You can carry on a conversation around the Honda ones.Good luck doing that to a Champion.


That's funny and doubtful.

Honda 2000 - 57db
Champion 2000- 53 db

How can the Honda be quieter with a higher db rating?


I have never seen any of the quiet Champion ones.


Then you need to, before passing judgement.

swimmer_spe

Sudbury, Ontario, Canada

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Posted: 05/16/23 02:38pm Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

bikendan wrote:

swimmer_spe wrote:

Boon Docker wrote:

swimmer_spe wrote:

jjrbus wrote:

I find the dB ratings to be misleading, not useless. Some sounds within a rating can be more annoying. Then "quiet" generator is relative, A quiet Honda generator is quiet compared to an open frame construction generator. But hardly quiet.


What I speak of is that.... You can carry on a conversation around the Honda ones.Good luck doing that to a Champion.


That's funny and doubtful.

Honda 2000 - 57db
Champion 2000- 53 db

How can the Honda be quieter with a higher db rating?


I have never seen any of the quiet Champion ones.


Then you need to, before passing judgement.


Also, if you see my first post, it specifically asked for somewhere that compares them. So, I will wait for that before passing judgement.

swimmer_spe

Sudbury, Ontario, Canada

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Posted: 05/16/23 02:45pm Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

bikendan wrote:

swimmer_spe wrote:

jjrbus wrote:

I find the dB ratings to be misleading, not useless. Some sounds within a rating can be more annoying. Then "quiet" generator is relative, A quiet Honda generator is quiet compared to an open frame construction generator. But hardly quiet.
o

What I speak of is that.... You can carry on a conversation around the Honda ones.Good luck doing that to a Champion.


Which Champion generator are you referring to? Open frame contractor-style or inverter generator?
Nearly every owner of a Champion inverter generator, that I've seen post on various RV forums, loves their Champion.


The open frame ones. Here in Canada, I have yet to see any other style for them.

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