Generator

[Andy Zarse]

We had this "genny-all-night" debate on CA a couple of years ago and it all turned ugly when it was suggested that sabotaging someone else's genny was a good thing to do. Apart from being a criminal offence (criminal damage?) one would imagine it's a pretty sure-fire way to getting your head (or at least your car headlights) kicked in.

Might an offer of cold beer and a request for a little consideration be a better way forward rather than a resort to the destruction of the private property of others?

[Piglet]

We had this "genny-all-night" debate on CA a couple of years ago and it all turned ugly when it was suggested that sabotaging someone else's genny was a good thing to do. Apart from being a criminal offence (criminal damage?) one would imagine it's a pretty sure-fire way to getting your head (or at least your car headlights) kicked in.

Might an offer of cold beer and a request for a little consideration be a better way forward rather than a resort to the destruction of the private property of others?

Yes yes I know....I'm actually too weak and weedy to inflict damage (and much too much of a coward) anyway I appear to be hardwired to obey all laws which is quite irritating for others at times! 

It's the fumes from a genny as much as anything that are a problem - it always amuses me that those using the cheap and nasty smelly ones overnight always manage to tuck them away from their own tents and point them in the direction of their neighbours!   

[Snoring Rhino]

 a niose rating of 90db

That will please the neighbours.

I was trying not to respond the Psycho running a gennie 24/7 - but since you've started Barry 

Camp near me and run your gennie 24/7 and you might find it becomes faulty after the first night...

Wasn't commenting on the 24/7 running time, was pointing out that 90 db is enough to wake the dead, and the dead drunk. That is a very loud genny.

I dont think you will find 90db is very loud, the db scale doubles every increment and the small 650w gennys seem to be around 95db as a comparison. Saying that, consideration of ones neighours is a fair point, I spent an afternoon the other week touring the local Humphries Skips to find a silencer to fit on to mine, managed to find a twin box system thats spot on and shouldnt upset anybody now.

[Barry]

90 db is a bit loud.

The decibel scale is logarithmic, so every 3 dBA doubles the noise and every 10 dBA means a ten-fold increase: 90 dBA is 10 times louder than 80 dBA.

The law in the Uk for factories.


The Noise at Work Regulations 1989 say employers must reduce the risk of hearing damage to the lowest level reasonably practicable and maintain all equipment. The Regulations set two action levels, at 85 and 90 dBA.


Second Action Level: 90 dBA (2006: 85 dBA)
Employers must:

reduce exposure to noise by means other than ear protectors
mark ear protection zones
provide ear protectors to all exposed persons and ensure they are used in ear protection zones.
Employees must use ear protectors which have been provided.

From 2006 the exposure limit will be 87dBA. This will be the maximum permissible exposure measured inside any protective equipment.

We run a 58 db genny and that sounds loud at 2 am in the morning on MB, so we switch it off.

[Snoring Rhino]

I stand (or fall over) corrected sir, and it does highlight the implication of buying a cheap genny and thinking that a 90db genny is going to be more social than a 95db one

[Werner]

There's already something about this topic in the campsite netiquette part of the CA guide, I hope everybody agrees to this:

- Have a chat with your campsite neighbors before setting up a noisy generator alongside their pitch – offering cold beer or some electricity for their cooling devices will usually ensure acceptance.
- Setting up your tent close to a generator is entirely your fault - you have no reason to complain about noise if the genny was there first!

I've just bought a genny myself last week and the noise-level was the most important feature for me - not only because of the campsite neighbors, but also I myself don't like spending a whole week besides a noisy genny. But there is of course the price. Comparing 1-kw-gennies,  i found that cheapies run for less than 100 Euros, they're simple but produce usually around 90 db or even more. For a similar sized low-noise genny (less than 60 db) you have to pay at least 200-250 Euros, and if it should be an inverter type genny - sensible enough for electronics like DVD-Players. TV's, cameras - it's around 300-350 EUROS.

In general: we'll switch it off around 1 am, turn it on again around 8-9 am, we like a quite night ourselves For the cooling devices that's no problem, they'll keep the temperature until next morning and if we still need light after 1 am there are candles, gas-powered lights and torches and our battery-powered portable stereo will also still work.

[Werner]

We'll have (only) a 6kW this year, to be doubled up by the Friday for the gigs. The generator during the week will be boxed in to reduce noise, and will only run about 18/24. No clue about noise level

If it's the one you used last year, that was really low-noise, I guess less than 60 db

[rcutler]

No Werner, The one paddy had last year was a 35Kw if I remember correctly.

[Lawnmower Man]

If it's the one you used last year, that was really low-noise, I guess less than 60 db

I guess that depends on how yo look at it.  Lets face it the Flying Baggettes were loudish and it all came from that generator in a roundabout kinda way. 

t

[LangTall]

No Werner, The one paddy had last year was a 35Kw if I remember correctly.

30 KVA low noise diesel to be precise. Problem with that thing is, it weighs 1500 kilo's, so taking that one with us would leave no space for beer this year.

Usually on our campsite, we switch of when the last one goes to bed, as the stereo is mostly running all the time. And our neighbours won't complain, as they are hanging out with us anyway.