How can you quiet down the generator on a motor home?
rosebud asked:
It’s an Onan Emerald Plus 4500 generator. It comes with the stock muffler. Is there anyway to make it more quiet? It’s on a 1990 Ford Jamboree. Generator has only 450 hours on it. Runs great except for the noise.
Question posted courtesy of: Lawrence
It’s an Onan Emerald Plus 4500 generator. It comes with the stock muffler. Is there anyway to make it more quiet? It’s on a 1990 Ford Jamboree. Generator has only 450 hours on it. Runs great except for the noise.
Question posted courtesy of: Lawrence












You Ask, We Answer
January 9th, 2008 at 10:55 pm
defenestrate it
January 10th, 2008 at 1:45 pm
The ventilation onan does have quieter mufflers go to their web site.
January 11th, 2008 at 12:39 pm
put sound dampening foam or fiberglass around the walls around the generator
January 14th, 2008 at 10:48 pm
Pour water on it.
January 16th, 2008 at 6:00 am
This is a hard one. There is a lil button on it… turn to OFF. And enjoy camping the old way.
January 18th, 2008 at 1:59 pm
For ventilation to cool engineif it is exhaust noisetry longer heavier guage exhaust pipe with larger mufflerheavy guage pipe with larger mufflerheavy guage pipe with larger mufflerheavy guage exhaust noisetry longer heavier guage exhaust pipe will.
For ventilation to cool engineif it is exhaust pipe will deaden more noise than cheap thinwall pipei have actually used galvanised plumbing pipewith success.
For ventilation to rig fan for ventilation to rig fan for ventilation to cool engineif it is exhaust pipe will deaden more noise than cheap thinwall pipei.
The generator boxyou may actually used galvanised plumbing pipewith success.
January 20th, 2008 at 9:35 am
I would run the muffler & or Tailpipe all the way out the rear !
January 23rd, 2008 at 1:23 am
Check the exhust pipe gaskets. And dont forget, its a two cylinder engine. Also checkthat the pipe(s) are not touching any part of your RV and causing rattling noises.
January 25th, 2008 at 5:55 am
If the noise is exhaust, and not coming from leaks in the exhaust system, try piping the exhaust though a fairly large diameter glass pack, like a “cherry bomb” muffler. This type of muffler does not do much as a single unit on a car, but they will take out resonance in th exhaust pipe. I would try about a 2 inch diameter glass pack with several feet of tail pipe. Use good quality pipe, as cheap thin wall material will tend to “ring”. Make sure all pipe joints are sealed 100%. Any leak will allow noise to escape.
If it is engine noise, or fan noise, be careful not to restrict the air flow to the unit. RV generators run hot anyway, and you will burn up the engine or alternator if it can not get enough cooling air. You are pretty safe making additions to the exhaust system if you use a free flowing design. Do not use small diameter pipe, or use excessive bends.
Hope this helps.