The 2500 is for surge Watts. This machine puts out 1800 watts on gasoline, and 1600 Watts on propane th-cam.com/users/postUgkxOTeIs0vv4_9B5hsmnLsk9r930uDQLu_Y . I purchased this and a manual generator transfer switch at the same time. On propane, I ran a window AC, refrigerator, and opened and closed my garage door at the same time without a hiccup. I ran the furnace and the refrigerator and garage door at the same time also without any problems. However, I had to run the microwave on medium in order to keep the generator from tripping. I have no idea what my wattage is on the microwave, so I would stick to something that's less than 1,000 watts. A week after I installed this setup, there was a power outage in my neighborhood. We have several houses with solar panels here, but I was the only person that was able to open and close their garage door and have morning coffee - oh yeah it ran a big Keurig with no problem. Also, the manual says it will run 34 hours on a 20 lb propane canister. My canister was still pretty heavy after leaving it running for 10 hours. This thing is not whisper quiet, so if you want to be stealthy about using something like this plan on building or buying a quiet box of some type.
Hello, just need to appreciate for your wonderful woodwork ideas th-cam.com/users/postUgkxe81Bz076USDt6sYU1rDcNa2LwCIKADgB Previously, I was looking for a few unique and most cases I get puzzled on what to do! This is the least demanding and most straightforward plans ever.
Piece of advice on your generator friend, When you want to shut it off, dont use the kill switch. Simply turn off the gas line valve, that way the generator will use all the gas in the carb. bowl assy, and you will not have to worry about the carb. getting all "varnished" up. Causing the needle and seat to stick. Causing you a hell of a time starting it up, next time you might need it. Thank you for making this video for all of us to see, and you did a fantastic job with your generator shed. Ill be doing that for my generator as well.
Excellent advice and I'm sure to keep it in mind. I just got a Predator 7kw that I haven't run it yet, but I've used gens a few times in the past and so I thought I "knew all about 'em", but I gotta admit I've learned a few things watching posts and reading comments on YT. You must have used the things plenty (unless someone told YOU about it). After hearing this noise-maker I've decided I'm going to make a big shed, and use wood and fiberglass insulation. Hard materials such as he used allow the sound to pass right through, plus the whole thing vibrates. But it DOES look nice.
shed is now 300...thank you bidenomics.....I don't see the point of all the vents and fan...etc. Why not just tilt the roof up...open doors and let it run? I could barely tell a decibel difference between shed closed and opened...
Using the Suncast or Rubbermaid shed is relatively cheap, quick and easy but won't significantly reduce dB levels. The best one I saw was where the owner bought a large wooden dog house and modified it. Amazon sells a few that are already insulated for under $250
Also on the exhaust I would go to 2 or 3 inch, no more than 3 inches from the exit on the motor To do away with the back pressure which you should be concerned with.
I think he was saying that long muffler is gonna ruin that generator cause of to much back pressure. It only needs 2 to 3 inches long .. lol not 2" -3" diameter exhaust 🤯
If I had one comment to make, move the gen closer to the exhaust wall so you have less "hot" pipe radiating inside the compartment. Consider wrapping the exhaust pipe with exhaust wrap.
Another thing you need to do is put high temperature never seize lube on the exhaust flange bolts. I have had them seize up on lawn mowers and they are no fun to get out, plus you run the risk of the bolts snapping off, or worse yet the casting breaking. Just a little insurance for the future.
I used this video to enclose my generator. A Walker flexible exhaust pipe from Amazon is the only difference. It turned out perfect! The sound dropped drastically!! Thanks so much for posting!!!
@@petebeasttexashomesteading Yeah this is pretty neat. Dorian is 90 miles off the coast of Florida right now around Daytona Beach. I'm about 20 miles inland. I bought a generator for this hurricane. We are blessed that the worst of it stayed offshore. Now I have to do something like this. Good video.
That's a lot of work and still sounds loud. I surrounded mine ( baffled) with sheet rock, plenty of air flow and it is very quiet. The cheaper way around it all. Works for me.
Sounds good but like I said in the video, I wasn't worried about the sound since I live in the country and my neighbor is far enough away. I built it more to keep it out of the scorching sun and rain.
One vent high and one low would likely suffice for airflow and the draft volume will increase with temp rise Majority of the heat is pumping out the exhaust
Got some ideas. Thanks. But I think I will make my enclosure out of masonry for sound deadening. I am a little concerned that vibration will eventually break the exhaust pipe, since that seems to be the only thing keeping your generator held in one place. Too much stress on that one anchor point.
Great thought processes, lots of thinking here. I love these type videos for sharing info. Your work helps countless people improve their generator enclosures. Thank you.
Exhaust pipe should be at least 2x the size. Way too much back pressure. Even though the muffler flange is small, it is meant to exhaust straight out... adding length causes back pressure and horrible on any small engine.
Great idea here as it definitely got the gears turning in my head now! Have my eyes on the Champion dual/fuel 9375/7500 - 8400/6750 generator... I will eventually go with a manual transfer switch inside my b/ment next to my mains. I don't think the unit has 50 amp. but will install a 30 amp power inlet box on the outside of basement wall. The beauty of this arrangement is the cost factor as in pennies on the dollar compared to the ALL-HOUSE units. I simply will turn off the breakers I don't need at any given time so as not to over-load the generator... The shed I have in mind I will build from scratch beginning with a pressure treated 4x4 floor frame sitting on pea stone topped with 1/2" plywood. I will build it large enough to accommodate a portable LPG tank, i.e. 20 or 30 Lb. tank... The interior walls will have a minimum air space 1 to 1.5' away from the unit & the LPG tank. The roof can be built with a two pitch or a single pitch, depends on my ambition or lack thereof! :) I will build two swing out doors with a padlock. When running the generator, I will simply leave the doors open. If necessary I will install vents at the roof peaks... The key here is keeping it simple & cost effective as I do admire your approach to this as well... Thanks for sharing... Bill Farr...
Very nice inexpensive way to store your generator. Did you consider adding an external muffler to help abate the noise? Also I put my generator on a "horse pad" I got from Tractor Supply. I welded a soup can lid on my external muffler, like what you see on big rig mufflers to keep the rail out. It stays shut when the generator is not running and flops up and down when running. The external muffler took an additional 10 decibels off the noise.
Great video! Thanks for sharing. I would have loved to know what the decibel level was before and after. If anyone wants to tweak your design please do so but do share your findings with the community. We all have the same goal in mind.
I didn’t read all the comments. But living in Florida generators are a part of life. I only have two suggestions, the first one is to put a bug screen over the exhaust exit and the second one is to get a cheap solar 12 V battery charger from Harbor freight etc. Job well done enjoyed the video
I lived in Fort Lauderdale for 8 years and I know what it's like before and after a hurricane.😩 I did put a threaded plug in the exhaust when not in use to keep the wasps out. I also did a video on mounting a 12-volt solar panel for the battery. Here's the video: th-cam.com/video/kDB-a8SInj8/w-d-xo.html
What if where it is doesn’t get much sunlight? Or any at all? How would you keep it charged?… Assuming there was a power outage. How could you be prepared?
@petebeasttexashomesteading thank you! I have been trying so hard to find something that will run on 240 V be a quiet inverter style and it’s seems like it’s impossible. I can’t find one. Why is that?
Or for a fraction of the price is use 1x2 frame and plywood adding 2 vents and get all from hardware store with a total cost under 80.00 and superior to deadening the sound
Excellent video, I did the same thing with my 17,500 Generac , Im not sure how you charge your battery, I have Insteon technology with Alexa I just plug the Insteon box into a outlet and plug the charger into the box and ask Alexa to turn on the battery charger or you can put it on a monthly timer to automatically come on for charging of the battery, I also added a LED lamp on top of the box to verify the charger is on. I found myself plugging in the charger, a real hassle...
Just an idea to help quiet the gen set just a bit more you could take the black iron fitting at the end of the exhaust and turn it upward and mount a muffler that fits a small tractor for an additional benefit of exhaust gas control and a marginally more quieting capability. Great set up though.
After watching your video it finally motivated me to do the same thing. For years I always had to roll my generator out of the shed and hook up everything to my house. Plus every time my power went out it was snowing or some kind of heavy rain from storms or hurricanes. I would always have to wait till the next day to hook up everything. So this past Saturday I purchased everything from Lowe's you used...the shed, attic fan, same air vents, power cord inlet cover for shed and a few small parts for my exhaust like the duct work and hardy backer board since my Champion generator muffler is on the side. Got it all built and ran some temperature test for 30 min 2 different times with a wireless thermometer in the shed and everything closed up. So far everything works excellent!!! No over heating in the shed and our outside temp was 90F. My Inside only got to 100F and it held it there but again it was 90F outside. If it's a hot day I'll just open the doors and roof and run it and if it's a rainy day most likely the outside temp will not be in the 90s as cold fronts from rain usually mean temps are in the low 80s or 70s or lower. If it's a snowstorm then I know the inside will be cooler than that lol That attic fan pulls a lot of air too. Thanks again for a great video. I'll do the solar panel project you did next to keep my battery charged.
Just wanted to give a great update...This past Thursday evening we had Hurricane/tropical storm Michael roll through VA and of course 170,000 lost power in a few hours including me. Well the shed performed excellent!!! I started the generator when the blowing rain slacked up and ran on on backup power for 13 hours in the shed. Saved me from the big task or rolling everything out like I normally did in the past. Nothing overheated and the attic fan did a great job!! Yesterday I installed a thermal switch in the shed that ties into the low oil shutdown wire. I got a switch that is rated for 120F. I ran a test yesterday with the fan on for about 20min for everything to warm up to normal temps. Then I unplugged the fan to simulate a fan failure. It took the shed about 4 min to get to 117F and at that time the switch kicked in and shut off the generator. Switch was $5 on ebay and a cheap way to have a fail safe just in case. My solar panel and charger comes in tomorrow so that will be the next hook up. Thanks again for the detailed video.
I was thinking about making a video on what I did for that and to show how simple it really is. I got the idea from another video on TH-cam. I only had to pick a good place where it could pickup a good temperature reading. 1st spot I picked was close to the air intake and that spot wouldn't get up past 110F but may have gotten hotter if it was a hot day outside. I ended up picking a place that was close to the attic fan area and that seemed to work great. Here is the original video I saw on the switch. He has 2 parts. 1 showing how to determine if you need N.O. or N.C. type of switch and the 2nd part is showing how he mounted it. It is a very simple hookup. Mine was a normal open switch like most generators use for low oil shutdown. th-cam.com/video/BX6sSLU_J4A/w-d-xo.html
During a hurricane in Texas when it's 95 degrees outside how do you keep the inside of the shed cool? You Don't... I have a firman tri-fuel generator and it doesn't stay under 110 and a Firman max temp is 104
Great idea. Would recommend you add twenty more bucks and put a remote temp sensor in the shed with the display in the house in the event of fan failure. Northern sells one with an alarm you adjust the temp on.
Great ideas and implementation. I suggest buying a dual fuel generator, and never put gas in it, as it is in standby for many months at a time. Buy a large propane cylinder (100lb), set it beside the enclosure, and make up a hose that will run into the enclosure. Run it on propane only, because gasoline may go bad after many months, and you are not likely to be taking the generator out. With propane, you would never have the chance of the gas going bad, carb gumming up, etc. Thank you for taking the time to make the video and share it with us! :)
Very nice. I just bought the same storage shed from Lowe's up here in Grand Rapids, Michigan on clearance for $78. I recently purchased a Generac XD5000E portable diesel generator to replace the Honda EB12D I sold a few years ago. We haven't lost power in about 4 years and after we lost power here for 4 days a few weeks ago when the weather was -30F, I will never be w/out a generator again. Anyhoo, I bought the same attic fan, too, and 4 soffit vents with screens on them. I plan on putting 2 of them on each side in the same location where you have your vents. I just have to use two of them side by side. I am thinking about buying the vents that you have an just installing some metal window screen behind them to keep the bugs/bees out of the enclosure. I suspect if they get in there, the fan would chew them up and spit them out, but I like bees, so if I can keep them from being decimated, then I'll try. Not sure if I'll make one giant hole or two smaller holes with maybe an inch between them on the intake side. I'll locate the other two on the fan side so they are in close contact to eliminate any blockage of airflow in front of the fan. I don't plan on doing all of this until it's much warmer. But I'll work on the assembling the sides with the vents in the meantime. Question: What did you use to cut your vent holes? I haven't touched the plastic, yet, to know how thick it is but I imagine that the sides are not solid. I just want to make sure I don't hack it up too bad when I start cutting into it. I'd rather do it right the first time and use a proper tool for the type of plastic that it is. If I have to go and buy something more appropriate than the blades that I have, then I'll do that sooner rather than later.Thanks for the video. It inspired me to get off of my duff and build something that I hope the neighbors will appreciate.Mike in Michigan
I put my generator, same model Firman, in a 8x10 metal shed and there’s something I need to point out. The heat generated by the generator is huge! I had 2, 6” vents on one side & a 300cfm shutter fan on the other. It wasn’t enough. So I ave a 2000cfm fan coming in to add more air flow. While running, some nearby plastic and foam curled from the heat. So plenty of air flow is a must. I just thought that you might want to have the generator shut off if the temp reaches a determined temperature, due to the fan failing. it will melt that little plastic shed in a heartbeat!
I built a doghouse for my generator out of exterior paneling and gave it a sloped shingle roof. It isn't as pretty as your's but mine cost only a fraction of your cost. I think the heavier material kills more sound than that thin plastic too. But hey, you've got a brick house and your neighbors are far away, so what do you care about how noisy it is? Very attractive build.
I pretty much did the same setup with my shed....except it is about 20' from he house. I don't think I would have a generator running that close to my house. I used Hardie Board where the exhaust comes through the shed and painted the Hardie Board with Drylock waterproof paint on the outside piece. Also used an aluminum dryer vent to help cover the exhaust.
Those things have to breath!!! Yeah pay no attention to anyone that has common sense and knows that if you put a running generator in a sealed box it'll fry the windings.. Yeah you guys are brilliant SMH!!!
I have had mine all together for a year. Vents for inlet air and an attic fan for removing heat. The attic fan also sucks air into the shed. If anything it has more airflow than being outside in the elements.
Are you happy with 4 inch thick blocks? I've been looking at the same blocks for my setup but thought that 4" may be overkill. (I believe these blocks are sold as blocks for a mobile home.) Now looking at the 2 inch thick blocks. I would be interested in your opinion on using 2" vs. 4". BTW, I was advised by City building and inspection that because I'm using a portable generator instead of permanent (whole house) that the pad will not be inspected. Also as far as carbon monoxide concerns I've seen minimum distance from window/door being 10 feet. That along with carbon monoxide detectors in your house and bedrooms should keep u safe.
After viewing dozens of shed videos, yours was the best!!! Thanks so much for the details. After building a platform for my shed, I fashioned my shed after yours making some changes. To keep the rain from coming through the vents, I used the magnetic floor vent covers which does a nice job keeping the shed floor dry. Thanks for a great video...
Informative and creative. I viewed a This Old House video where they said you needed to be five feet from the house or window/door opening for carbon monoxide gas safety. You may want to check your local code requirements. More important is you and your families safety. Thanks for the video.
I noticed that also, the location of the fan with the louvers pointed down will most likely disperse the exhaust (CO) far away ... maybe? the inlet vent is also supplying fresh air. Propane burns cleaner, probably lasts longer than gasoline, should you forget to run the bowl dry and the carb become gummed up I still give this man a 10, excellent job; lots of us will learn from him
I love the design, curious for an update video of pros and cons lessons learned. My concerns for my own needs (everyone’s is different) is more sound proofing and exhaust muffler and the security against theft (in my area theft of generators isn’t uncommon)
I did all the hole with the shed assembled. But if it's easier you can assemble the shed and figure out and mark everything, then disassemble and cut it out with a jig saw or sawzall.
Good idea...I would get some insulation boards glued around the inside....probably cut that noise by half. I will do something like this myself when I retire for our home. Build a small shed out of standard material..put siding on the outside..and insulate the interior. Put in a few roof vents and side wall vents for air...all good
Pete: If you want to increase your sound attenuation. Here are a couple idea's: 1. Glue a 1" high density Rock Sil board to the plastic wall for mass and high frequency absorption. 2. Glue regular R15 RocSil insulation from the paper side to the board; low frequency absorption. 3. Add an external plywood air inlet duct 12" x the width of the enclosure x the height of the enclosure. With a inlet grill at the top 1/2 the area of the lower one. ( this will increase the air velocity through the higher inlet and develop two 90 degree bends in the air flow). Line the duct with the 1" RocSil. 4. Do the same on the exhaust side but make the air exhaust larger than the air inlet, again at the top. The bends in the air flow reduce the sound waves escape as they travel in a straight line and are absorbed partially by the insulation and converted to heat. 5. Increase the size of the exhaust pipe and point the elbow up and out through the duct top ( point the trumpet to the sky ) as long as possible with out increasing the back pressure to much for the engine. You could use a universal coupling for easy removal of the generator, for use outside the enclosure. You appear to have room to move the generator 5" to the right. This will not reduce the sound as much as those I worked on and had built for the motion picture mobile generators during my career. But the design principles are the same as I used for the 22 - 100 KW, truck mounted; air cooled generators we used. For the record the best temporary enclosure I ever built was: a room of straw bales 12' high with 'U' shaped entrance and exit halls, with a straw bale roof on 2x8's on the flat covered with a tarp. Bert
bert skelton I bet you’ve got some amazing stories and have worked on some interesting stuff. I grew up around a bunch of old timers that I use to really enjoy listening to and as I was reading your comment it kind of reminded me of those guys. One was a retired civil engineer, and old union iron worker, a diesel mechanic and a couple cattle ranchers. I worked with all of them as often as I could after I got of work and weekends I would help them out with various projects and I learned more from those men in a handful of years than I think I learned altogether through school. I spent 23 years as a plumber got my master license and all that and I owe it to all those guys because between em they knew darn near anything you could throw at em. Anyway I enjoyed your comment and thanks for shaken loose the memories I have trouble remembering where I’m at most the time so when I think of something good it makes for a good day haha.
It sounded like there was more of a volume change when you stepped back to close the doors than there was when you actually closed the doors. A lot of cameras and cell phones will auto adjust the volume of loud sounds so there is probably more of a sound difference for you than we hear on the video. You would probably have had much better sound deadening and saved a lot of money by building this out of plywood instead of buying a hollow plastic shed. You could have also built some sound baffles on the outside or inside of the vents to help reduce the noise coming through them.
Re: "Flexible Exhaust Coupling" I would think if you don't do so any weight you add, is going to cause damage to the generator's muffler mounting points.
For you guys concerned about the " noise " It's not like you run the generator all the time, and If your power is out I don't know why it would be inconvenient to have a little noise given the situation at hand. There will be plenty of noise around you with other generators running, chainsaws etc.
@@Shanchelle You beat me to this issue. My sister lives in Louisiana and recently went through these last two hurricanes (Laura and Delta). She had neighbors that had their generators stolen. One couple the thieves stole the generator while they were sleeping in the house. The other neighbor they weren't home when theirs was stolen.
jim jones Most open type generators are pretty loud but the shed is really not intended to reduce the noise level too much unless you insulate it. It's more to protect it from the weather.
During an emergency, it will be music to his ears. Especially when he's inside with airconditioning, hot water, cold food in the fridge, lights and ceiling fans. I know of which I speak :-)
My thoughts exactly. What's the purpose of exhausting outside anyhow? Got a fan big enough for a big attic, it can move the air in a small plastic box.
My neighbor has one of those plastic containers that he ordered from some open box deal, well it didn't come with any hardware now he doesn't want it. He offered it to me for free, I looked it over and thought 💭 the same thing, didn't feel like looking for the hardware. Now watching your video I might check ✔ to see if he still has it.
I am currently bulding a structure for my generator. I will absolutely have my generator elevated off ground level. One flood will ruin that generator.
Yeah I thought about that too, but decided to do it this way to keep the fan from getting black and nasty over time. But I'm sure it would work just fine without the pipe.
Nice job, Pete! Have you thought of lining the inside with some insulation batting to lower the sound even more? Fireproof batting probably better for sound-proofing than styrofoam sheets.
@@petebeasttexashomesteading You can sound blankets as well acousticalsolutions.com/product-category/sound-blankets/?Sound_Blankets_-_Google&_vsrefdom=p.4382&keyword=p.4382._k_EAIaIQobChMIuJi3vua65QIV5B-tBh2TVwbcEAAYASAAEgIpoPD_BwE_k_.cr22385&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIuJi3vua65QIV5B-tBh2TVwbcEAAYASAAEgIpoPD_BwE
Love this idea, Pete. I bought a shed and all the parts (except exhaust pipe) after seeing your video. I think I will position the exhaust fan low enough to take care of the exhaust. Everyone adding comments don't take into consideration this is for emergency power only and must be monitored at all times. Mine will be set up far enough away from my home that should anything go wrong the house would be safe. And no, it will not be operated at night. Day operation only! Thanks for posting!
Thank you, actually you really don't need an exhaust pipe, the attic fan will pull all the exhaust out. But I would keep the air inlet low so it goes through the generator and the exhaust fan up hi like mine because heat rises.
Great video. I'm in the process of finishing my basement and adding a whole house generator with transfer switch. This gave me a great idea on how to store, protect and run the generator all from one place. Thank you.
@@Timmerd888 the smile at the end was a hint that it was a play on words...'union'...never as simple as ONE person doing it...union boss, organizer,union rep, blah, blah..blah...
I don't know about that. When I start my old 12kW Generac it's about all that can be heard for a good 50 yards. It's nearly impossible to listen to my telephone (or cell phone). It will drown out everything. I can't imagine all my neighbors simultaneously cranking out similar levels of dBs. I would imagine that every little bit helps, .............to preserve sanity if nothing else.
Most people don’t have one. Noise is an issue. Theft is an issue. Other people will be pissed that you have lights and exhaust coming from your chimney and they don’t.
Are you still using this and how does it work still? Did it work out OK? What type of generator do you recommend? I would like to get a propane or dual fuel so I don’t have to mess around with fuel preservation.
The generator is grounded to the house ground while he is using a 240 twist lock if everything is wired correctly. The frame is tied to this ground. You can not have 2 ground paths or a double bonded neutral. That is a NEC violation and will trip the gcfi on the generator.
Nice job. Thinking I may want to do something like this as well. If you have the shed vented with an exhaust fan, is the exhaust extension really necessary.....especially since it is facing the fan and getting sucked right out?
@@petebeasttexashomesteading exhaust gas can enter the soffit vents. If you keep this config, install a carbon monoxide detector inside your house to be safe.
From the Consumer Products Safety Commission Follow these safety tips to protect against CO poisoning. NEVER use a generator inside homes, garages, crawlspaces, sheds, or similar areas, even when using fans or opening doors and windows for ventilation. Deadly levels of carbon monoxide can quickly build up in these areas and can linger for hours, even after the generator has shut off. Use portable generators OUTSIDE ONLY. Keep them at least 20 feet from doors, windows, and vents that could allow CO to come indoors.
Makes absolutely no reduction in noise when you close it. (Listening on this video) Messing with your exhaust and reducing ID, will restrict it and overtime could make it run much hotter and bam. Your done. If I had your money I would burn mine, because this seems like a complete waste.
A$20 box fan moves air better than a 130$ attic fan, during an emergency who cares about noise, my roof is open and runs fine with just ventilation in and out no insulation, my opinion is to much thought about it, just want safe power, noise, bah, humbug.it might cover up the chain saw sound anyway from storm damage, I'd look at a high $ general if that worried, I don't have a manison so I run what I need till power is restored, but that's just me.
I'm not an electrician or expert but just Do not like it from a safety standpoint. First, the exhaust should be ten feet from any structure. Second - ground it.? Third - what if the fan fails - burning melted plastic next to a house? NOt good. When doing DIY involving gas fired engines, electricity, and the outdoors I'd be very very careful.. Two nightmares - the house catches fired and insurance will not pay. Imagine asking the generator manufacturer about the design being enclosed, and hot exhaust pipe being extended and customized? What is code for how far this is supposed to be from the house.? What is in a bad storm something hits the box and collapses the plastic or presses down the hot exhaust pipe against the plastic? Nightmare 2. People go to sleep and dont wake up. Imagine a slight wind towards the house wall and a window with a little air pressure against it that isnt air tight. This happens. Most deaths in a hurricane or flood happen AFTER the event - this is one example of why. Please be careful. At the end - a cord inlet box? So, you have a cord that goes theu the box then downward to the generator? Water could follow that cord down to the plug outlet on the generator. This is is why antenna wire going into a home goes lower than the inlet point, then enters - waters drips off below the entry point. Sorry, this is one idea that looks real nice but thedevil is in the details safety wise.
Yes all those scenarios could happen. But I would never run the generator all night. We only run it for a few hours a day to keep the refrigerator/freezer cold and for the well water pump and septic pump. Unfortunately there are many people that think they have to have electricity 24/7 but in reality we don't. Thanks for bringing up those points.
Fortunately insurance will pay. They pay for accidents and stupidity. I do like your little structure but probably would attach concrete board the the entire inside just for protection and even mover insulation.
Howard, safety first. However, you are a very paranoid individual. ANYTHING....YES ANYTHING can and will happen in life!! That's why we have insurance. And yes they would pay if something were to go wrong here. They won't pay if it's in your policy that you are especifically not allowed to use a generator for a power source if the power goes out in your house and you store it in a store bought plastic storage box to protect it from the elements.......get it?!......Get a grip dude! I can come up with a million reasons why why should not drive cars, fly on a plane, eat red meat, paranoid people like you posting ridiculous and comical comments on the web, etc.......get it??!! LMAO times 20! Nice job on the generator storage box partner!....don't let keyboard nut jobs like Howard get the best of you!
Great idea. But if that is your house, you are way too close. You need min. 20 feets away. And how can you keep you feet dry when operating it when it rain, that is a tricky question. But check out the manual, it's not easy to find the right spot. But that is the most amazing setup I ever saw.
Looks good & easy to assemble, but does not do much on cutting down on the sound. Might want to line the inside with some soundproofing boards & lay down a thick rubber work mat to cover the floor. Also outside do not put a brick or gravel under the exhaust pipe, but lay down a couple inches of sand a foot wide to absorb the sound. May also want to invest in some great exterior paint to help it hold up to the sun.
The 2500 is for surge Watts. This machine puts out 1800 watts on gasoline, and 1600 Watts on propane th-cam.com/users/postUgkxOTeIs0vv4_9B5hsmnLsk9r930uDQLu_Y . I purchased this and a manual generator transfer switch at the same time. On propane, I ran a window AC, refrigerator, and opened and closed my garage door at the same time without a hiccup. I ran the furnace and the refrigerator and garage door at the same time also without any problems. However, I had to run the microwave on medium in order to keep the generator from tripping. I have no idea what my wattage is on the microwave, so I would stick to something that's less than 1,000 watts. A week after I installed this setup, there was a power outage in my neighborhood. We have several houses with solar panels here, but I was the only person that was able to open and close their garage door and have morning coffee - oh yeah it ran a big Keurig with no problem. Also, the manual says it will run 34 hours on a 20 lb propane canister. My canister was still pretty heavy after leaving it running for 10 hours. This thing is not whisper quiet, so if you want to be stealthy about using something like this plan on building or buying a quiet box of some type.
Hello, just need to appreciate for your wonderful woodwork ideas th-cam.com/users/postUgkxe81Bz076USDt6sYU1rDcNa2LwCIKADgB Previously, I was looking for a few unique and most cases I get puzzled on what to do! This is the least demanding and most straightforward plans ever.
Piece of advice on your generator friend, When you want to shut it off, dont use the kill switch. Simply turn off the gas line valve, that way the generator will use all the gas in the carb. bowl assy, and you will not have to worry about the carb. getting all "varnished" up. Causing the needle and seat to stick. Causing you a hell of a time starting it up, next time you might need it.
Thank you for making this video for all of us to see, and you did a fantastic job with your generator shed. Ill be doing that for my generator as well.
Excellent advice and I'm sure to keep it in mind. I just got a Predator 7kw that I haven't run it yet, but I've used gens a few times in the past and so I thought I "knew all about 'em", but I gotta admit I've learned a few things watching posts and reading comments on YT. You must have used the things plenty (unless someone told YOU about it). After hearing this noise-maker I've decided I'm going to make a big shed, and use wood and fiberglass insulation. Hard materials such as he used allow the sound to pass right through, plus the whole thing vibrates. But it DOES look nice.
Nice trick. This should work for a push mower.
@Robert Murrell Its good for a year they say but turning off the gas and running equipment out of fuel works best of all.
OR,just use ethanol free gasoline and not worry about it
@@tupapisoyyo676 some generators don't like that lol
shed is now 300...thank you bidenomics.....I don't see the point of all the vents and fan...etc. Why not just tilt the roof up...open doors and let it run? I could barely tell a decibel difference between shed closed and opened...
So buy ya a shed and open the roof and doors then. Some of us want to keep a generator and it's components out of the rain and snow.
Still sounded loud to me. Maybe line the inside with ridged insulation board, you can buy it at HD or Lowes for like $4.00 for 4x8 sheet.
Using the Suncast or Rubbermaid shed is relatively cheap, quick and easy but won't significantly reduce dB levels. The best one I saw was where the owner bought a large wooden dog house and modified it. Amazon sells a few that are already insulated for under $250
@@The_Happy_Aviation_Enthusiast What kind of nutcase runs a an electric gas generator indoors?
@@The_Happy_Aviation_Enthusiast I don’t think he plans to live inside the generator shed, with the generator running or not lol
@@Tron-Jockey Any chance you've got a link to one of those?
You can not hard mount the exhaust pipe..., it will crack at the flange. Use 1 inch flex instead.
Do you have a link to buy this 1 inch flex
Also on the exhaust I would go to 2 or 3 inch, no more than 3 inches from the exit on the motor To do away with the back pressure which you should be concerned with.
Lol. A 5 liter v8 can breathe through 15' of 2.25" piping. Why in the world would a little single cylinder 13hp engine need anywhere near that?
I think he was saying that long muffler is gonna ruin that generator cause of to much back pressure. It only needs 2 to 3 inches long .. lol not 2" -3" diameter exhaust 🤯
How bout ditching the plastic and consider a flex pipe on the exhaust becauseause vibration ... Bro physics
If I had one comment to make, move the gen closer to the exhaust wall so you have less "hot" pipe radiating inside the compartment. Consider wrapping the exhaust pipe with exhaust wrap.
Another thing you need to do is put high temperature never seize lube on the exhaust flange bolts. I have had them seize up on lawn mowers and they are no fun to get out, plus you run the risk of the bolts snapping off, or worse yet the casting breaking. Just a little insurance for the future.
I used this video to enclose my generator. A Walker flexible exhaust pipe from Amazon is the only difference. It turned out perfect! The sound dropped drastically!! Thanks so much for posting!!!
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After coming thru Irma. This is on my to do list.
Yes it feels good to be ready for a power outage.
@@petebeasttexashomesteading Yeah this is pretty neat. Dorian is 90 miles off the coast of Florida right now around Daytona Beach. I'm about 20 miles inland. I bought a generator for this hurricane. We are blessed that the worst of it stayed offshore. Now I have to do something like this. Good video.
Great setup. I just would add a grounding rod next to the box for safety
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Probably has one for all the telephone lines right there
Just cut the pipe, thread both pieces, and connect with a 3/4" coupling.
That's exactly what I did.
Take about 6" of the pipe and replace with flex pipe and some band clamps.
Nice, thanks for taking the time to share. Nice job putting it all together. Your list is a bonus.
Thank you
With the plastic walls being hollow, I wonder if you could drill a hole and spray foam in between for sound deadener
Good idea. Definitely want to use the low expansion type.
That's a lot of work and still sounds loud. I surrounded mine ( baffled) with sheet rock, plenty of air flow and it is very quiet. The cheaper way around it all. Works for me.
Sounds good but like I said in the video, I wasn't worried about the sound since I live in the country and my neighbor is far enough away. I built it more to keep it out of the scorching sun and rain.
The weight of the sheet rock would probably be better than the thermal insulation others have suggested!
I think I found the idea for having a freezer outside in this type of Freezer shed, to help keep it dry and vent cool air in. Thanks
I was thinking of doing something like this myself, but you gave me some additional ideas and things to consider...... GREAT JOB!!
Thank you
One vent high and one low would likely suffice for airflow and the draft volume will increase with temp rise
Majority of the heat is pumping out the exhaust
Passive cooling!
Great project, Will be doing the same soon. Love the Idea
West Texas Prepper Cool thank you.
West Texas Prepper u
Got some ideas. Thanks. But I think I will make my enclosure out of masonry for sound deadening. I am a little concerned that vibration will eventually break the exhaust pipe, since that seems to be the only thing keeping your generator held in one place. Too much stress on that one anchor point.
Exactly
Great thought processes, lots of thinking here. I love these type videos for sharing info. Your work helps countless people improve their generator enclosures. Thank you.
Thank you 🙂
Point exhaust away from home with another pipe! Again exhaust fumes!
Exhaust pipe should be at least 2x the size. Way too much back pressure. Even though the muffler flange is small, it is meant to exhaust straight out... adding length causes back pressure and horrible on any small engine.
Agree... Gonna burn out the exhaust valve.
Great idea here as it definitely got the gears turning in my head now! Have my eyes on the Champion dual/fuel 9375/7500 -
8400/6750 generator... I will eventually go with a manual transfer switch inside my b/ment next to my mains. I don't think the unit has 50 amp. but will install a 30 amp power inlet box on the outside of basement wall. The beauty of this arrangement is the cost factor as in pennies on the dollar compared to the ALL-HOUSE units. I simply will turn off the breakers I don't need at any given time so as not to over-load the generator...
The shed I have in mind I will build from scratch beginning with a pressure treated 4x4 floor frame sitting on pea stone topped with 1/2" plywood. I will build it large enough to accommodate a portable LPG tank, i.e. 20 or 30 Lb. tank... The interior walls will have a minimum air space 1 to 1.5' away from the unit & the LPG tank. The roof can be built with a two pitch or a single pitch, depends on my ambition or lack thereof! :)
I will build two swing out doors with a padlock.
When running the generator, I will simply leave the doors open. If necessary I will install vents at the roof peaks...
The key here is keeping it simple & cost effective as I do admire your approach to this as well...
Thanks for sharing...
Bill Farr...
Sounds like a plan.......👍
Very nice inexpensive way to store your generator. Did you consider adding an external muffler to help abate the noise? Also I put my generator on a "horse pad" I got from Tractor Supply. I welded a soup can lid on my external muffler, like what you see on big rig mufflers to keep the rail out. It stays shut when the generator is not running and flops up and down when running. The external muffler took an additional 10 decibels off the noise.
Awesome job! You've taken a lot of the guess work out of the project, thanks for the idea.
Thank you
Larger exhaust diameter pipe and you need a flex connection. The vibration wil probably break the welding .....
With the fan and vents, I don’t think he needs to pipe the exhaust out at all. Fan will pull it out.
Still sounds loud. You should cut out and glue fire resistant foam on the inside walls to help absorb the sound better
I know this video is several years old but thank you for sharing how you store and protect your outdoor generator. Researching after hurricane Berly…
i did get some ideas, the fan and the plug opening i will use. but mine is wood 4x6 x8, almost complete.
Great video! Thanks for sharing. I would have loved to know what the decibel level was before and after. If anyone wants to tweak your design please do so but do share your findings with the community. We all have the same goal in mind.
I didn’t read all the comments. But living in Florida generators are a part of life. I only have two suggestions, the first one is to put a bug screen over the exhaust exit and the second one is to get a cheap solar 12 V battery charger from Harbor freight etc. Job well done enjoyed the video
I lived in Fort Lauderdale for 8 years and I know what it's like before and after a hurricane.😩 I did put a threaded plug in the exhaust when not in use to keep the wasps out. I also did a video on mounting a 12-volt solar panel for the battery. Here's the video: th-cam.com/video/kDB-a8SInj8/w-d-xo.html
What if where it is doesn’t get much sunlight? Or any at all? How would you keep it charged?… Assuming there was a power outage. How could you be prepared?
@abrammatthew756 You could just run a longer wire from the solar panel to the charger to make sure the solar panel is in the sun.
@petebeasttexashomesteading thank you! I have been trying so hard to find something that will run on 240 V be a quiet inverter style and it’s seems like it’s impossible. I can’t find one. Why is that?
Or for a fraction of the price is use 1x2 frame and plywood adding 2 vents and get all from hardware store with a total cost under 80.00 and superior to deadening the sound
Excellent video, I did the same thing with my 17,500 Generac , Im not sure how you charge your battery, I have Insteon technology with Alexa I just plug the Insteon box into a outlet and plug the charger into the box and ask Alexa to turn on the battery charger or you can put it on a monthly timer to automatically come on for charging of the battery, I also added a LED lamp on top of the box to verify the charger is on. I found myself plugging in the charger, a real hassle...
Nice job. One thing you may consider to reduce the sound further is by gluing acoustic tiles to the inside of the shed, and wrap the exhaust pipe.
Your fan is also letting out the noise of the generator put a weather cover( a hood) over your exit vent.
Ineluctable Smith Good idea, someone else mentioned to put baffles on the inlet and outlets.
Just an idea to help quiet the gen set just a bit more you could take the black iron fitting at the end of the exhaust and turn it upward and mount a muffler that fits a small tractor for an additional benefit of exhaust gas control and a marginally more quieting capability. Great set up though.
After watching your video it finally motivated me to do the same thing. For years I always had to roll my generator out of the shed and hook up everything to my house. Plus every time my power went out it was snowing or some kind of heavy rain from storms or hurricanes. I would always have to wait till the next day to hook up everything. So this past Saturday I purchased everything from Lowe's you used...the shed, attic fan, same air vents, power cord inlet cover for shed and a few small parts for my exhaust like the duct work and hardy backer board since my Champion generator muffler is on the side. Got it all built and ran some temperature test for 30 min 2 different times with a wireless thermometer in the shed and everything closed up. So far everything works excellent!!! No over heating in the shed and our outside temp was 90F. My Inside only got to 100F and it held it there but again it was 90F outside. If it's a hot day I'll just open the doors and roof and run it and if it's a rainy day most likely the outside temp will not be in the 90s as cold fronts from rain usually mean temps are in the low 80s or 70s or lower. If it's a snowstorm then I know the inside will be cooler than that lol That attic fan pulls a lot of air too. Thanks again for a great video. I'll do the solar panel project you did next to keep my battery charged.
Awesome 👍
Just wanted to give a great update...This past Thursday evening we had Hurricane/tropical storm Michael roll through VA and of course 170,000 lost power in a few hours including me. Well the shed performed excellent!!! I started the generator when the blowing rain slacked up and ran on on backup power for 13 hours in the shed. Saved me from the big task or rolling everything out like I normally did in the past. Nothing overheated and the attic fan did a great job!! Yesterday I installed a thermal switch in the shed that ties into the low oil shutdown wire. I got a switch that is rated for 120F. I ran a test yesterday with the fan on for about 20min for everything to warm up to normal temps. Then I unplugged the fan to simulate a fan failure. It took the shed about 4 min to get to 117F and at that time the switch kicked in and shut off the generator. Switch was $5 on ebay and a cheap way to have a fail safe just in case. My solar panel and charger comes in tomorrow so that will be the next hook up. Thanks again for the detailed video.
@@deejaybustab Wow that's awesome. You should do a video on the switch and how it all worked for you after the storm.
I was thinking about making a video on what I did for that and to show how simple it really is. I got the idea from another video on TH-cam. I only had to pick a good place where it could pickup a good temperature reading. 1st spot I picked was close to the air intake and that spot wouldn't get up past 110F but may have gotten hotter if it was a hot day outside. I ended up picking a place that was close to the attic fan area and that seemed to work great. Here is the original video I saw on the switch. He has 2 parts. 1 showing how to determine if you need N.O. or N.C. type of switch and the 2nd part is showing how he mounted it. It is a very simple hookup. Mine was a normal open switch like most generators use for low oil shutdown. th-cam.com/video/BX6sSLU_J4A/w-d-xo.html
Here is part 2 showing how he spliced it into the low oil shutdown wire.
th-cam.com/video/KSTIbvAZlu0/w-d-xo.html
During a hurricane in Texas when it's 95 degrees outside how do you keep the inside of the shed cool? You Don't... I have a firman tri-fuel generator and it doesn't stay under 110 and a Firman max temp is 104
Great idea. Would recommend you add twenty more bucks and put a remote temp sensor in the shed with the display in the house in the event of fan failure. Northern sells one with an alarm you adjust the temp on.
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Could even wire it in with the low oil sensor for overtemp cutoff
Great ideas and implementation. I suggest buying a dual fuel generator, and never put gas in it, as it is in standby for many months at a time. Buy a large propane cylinder (100lb), set it beside the enclosure, and make up a hose that will run into the enclosure. Run it on propane only, because gasoline may go bad after many months, and you are not likely to be taking the generator out. With propane, you would never have the chance of the gas going bad, carb gumming up, etc. Thank you for taking the time to make the video and share it with us! :)
That mod to the exhaust surely voided your warranty.
Who accurately covers warranty anymore they just sell them not cover them
Very nice. I just bought the same storage shed from Lowe's up here in Grand Rapids, Michigan on clearance for $78. I recently purchased a Generac XD5000E portable diesel generator to replace the Honda EB12D I sold a few years ago. We haven't lost power in about 4 years and after we lost power here for 4 days a few weeks ago when the weather was -30F, I will never be w/out a generator again. Anyhoo, I bought the same attic fan, too, and 4 soffit vents with screens on them. I plan on putting 2 of them on each side in the same location where you have your vents. I just have to use two of them side by side. I am thinking about buying the vents that you have an just installing some metal window screen behind them to keep the bugs/bees out of the enclosure. I suspect if they get in there, the fan would chew them up and spit them out, but I like bees, so if I can keep them from being decimated, then I'll try. Not sure if I'll make one giant hole or two smaller holes with maybe an inch between them on the intake side. I'll locate the other two on the fan side so they are in close contact to eliminate any blockage of airflow in front of the fan. I don't plan on doing all of this until it's much warmer. But I'll work on the assembling the sides with the vents in the meantime. Question: What did you use to cut your vent holes? I haven't touched the plastic, yet, to know how thick it is but I imagine that the sides are not solid. I just want to make sure I don't hack it up too bad when I start cutting into it. I'd rather do it right the first time and use a proper tool for the type of plastic that it is. If I have to go and buy something more appropriate than the blades that I have, then I'll do that sooner rather than later.Thanks for the video. It inspired me to get off of my duff and build something that I hope the neighbors will appreciate.Mike in Michigan
Hey Mike, I used a jig saw or a sawzall to cut the plastic, just drill a hole in the side and put the sawzall/jigsaw blade through.
Sounds like a plan! Thanks again for making the video.
I put my generator, same model Firman, in a 8x10 metal shed and there’s something I need to point out.
The heat generated by the generator is huge! I had 2, 6” vents on one side & a 300cfm shutter fan on the other. It wasn’t enough.
So I ave a 2000cfm fan coming in to add more air flow.
While running, some nearby plastic and foam curled from the heat. So plenty of air flow is a must.
I just thought that you might want to have the generator shut off if the temp reaches a determined temperature, due to the fan failing. it will melt that little plastic shed in a heartbeat!
I built a doghouse for my generator out of exterior paneling and gave it a sloped shingle roof. It isn't as pretty as your's but mine cost only a fraction of your cost. I think the heavier material kills more sound than that thin plastic too. But hey, you've got a brick house and your neighbors are far away, so what do you care about how noisy it is? Very attractive build.
Awesome thank you
You could line that shed with sound-deadening foam panels as well. And put areal muffler on that exhaust as well.
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I don’t understand the fan are you trying to dissipate the heat cause the exhaust is vented
@@texasproud3332 but the motor isn't it will heat up really fast in a box, fan will help make negative air pressure and draw cooler air across it
Majority of the noise is from the engine not the exhaust
@Gman 2060 Exactly, the heat needs to leave that enclosed space around the motor. 😉
I pretty much did the same setup with my shed....except it is about 20' from he house. I don't think I would have a generator running that close to my house. I used Hardie Board where the exhaust comes through the shed and painted the Hardie Board with Drylock waterproof paint on the outside piece. Also used an aluminum dryer vent to help cover the exhaust.
Pretty sweet man. I'll probably copy that for my generator. Pay no attention to the complainers.
Thank you 👍
me too looks great thanks
Those things have to breath!!! Yeah pay no attention to anyone that has common sense and knows that if you put a running generator in a sealed box it'll fry the windings.. Yeah you guys are brilliant SMH!!!
I have had mine all together for a year. Vents for inlet air and an attic fan for removing heat. The attic fan also sucks air into the shed. If anything it has more airflow than being outside in the elements.
Are you happy with 4 inch thick blocks? I've been looking at the same blocks for my setup but thought that 4" may be overkill. (I believe these blocks are sold as blocks for a mobile home.) Now looking at the 2 inch thick blocks. I would be interested in your opinion on using 2" vs. 4". BTW, I was advised by City building and inspection that because I'm using a portable generator instead of permanent (whole house) that the pad will not be inspected. Also as far as carbon monoxide concerns I've seen minimum distance from window/door being 10 feet. That along with carbon monoxide detectors in your house and bedrooms should keep u safe.
nice clean residential look.
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The prices have gone up drastically. Just the shed is $275 now
$380-400 now
After viewing dozens of shed videos, yours was the best!!! Thanks so much for the details. After building a platform for my shed, I fashioned my shed after yours making some changes. To keep the rain from coming through the vents, I used the magnetic floor vent covers which does a nice job keeping the shed floor dry. Thanks for a great video...
Thank you
wow, I wonder how much it would be to make one from brick....hmmm
Informative and creative. I viewed a This Old House video where they said you needed to be five feet from the house or window/door opening for carbon monoxide gas safety. You may want to check your local code requirements. More important is you and your families safety. Thanks for the video.
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I noticed that also, the location of the fan with the louvers pointed down will most likely disperse the exhaust (CO) far away ... maybe? the inlet vent is also supplying fresh air.
Propane burns cleaner, probably lasts longer than gasoline, should you forget to run the bowl dry and the carb become gummed up
I still give this man a 10, excellent job; lots of us will learn from him
I love the design, curious for an update video of pros and cons lessons learned. My concerns for my own needs (everyone’s is different) is more sound proofing and exhaust muffler and the security against theft (in my area theft of generators isn’t uncommon)
Sound proofing mine a bit more works great. Great idea bro!!!!
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HELLO PETE, THE HOLES THAT OPENED FOR THE VENTILATION, WERE MADE WITH THE SHED DISASSEMBLED OR ALREADY INSTALLED, I THANK YOUR RESPONSE
I did all the hole with the shed assembled. But if it's easier you can assemble the shed and figure out and mark everything, then disassemble and cut it out with a jig saw or sawzall.
You should put some Rockwool insulation on the inside to help with sound. It's also fireproof.
Good idea...I would get some insulation boards glued around the inside....probably cut that noise by half.
I will do something like this myself when I retire for our home. Build a small shed out of standard material..put siding on the outside..and insulate the interior.
Put in a few roof vents and side wall vents for air...all good
Pete: If you want to increase your sound attenuation. Here are a couple idea's:
1. Glue a 1" high density Rock Sil board to the plastic wall for mass and high frequency absorption.
2. Glue regular R15 RocSil insulation from the paper side to the board; low frequency absorption.
3. Add an external plywood air inlet duct 12" x the width of the enclosure x the height of the enclosure. With a inlet grill at the top 1/2 the area of the lower one. ( this will increase the air velocity through the higher inlet and develop two 90 degree bends in the air flow). Line the duct with the 1" RocSil.
4. Do the same on the exhaust side but make the air exhaust larger than the air inlet, again at the top. The bends in the air flow reduce the sound waves escape as they travel in a straight line and are absorbed partially by the insulation and converted to heat.
5. Increase the size of the exhaust pipe and point the elbow up and out through the duct top ( point the trumpet to the sky ) as long as possible with out increasing the back pressure to much for the engine. You could use a universal coupling for easy removal of the generator, for use outside the enclosure.
You appear to have room to move the generator 5" to the right.
This will not reduce the sound as much as those I worked on and had built for the motion picture mobile generators during my career. But the design principles are the same as I used for the 22 - 100 KW, truck mounted; air cooled generators we used. For the record the best temporary enclosure I ever built was: a room of straw bales 12' high with 'U' shaped entrance and exit halls, with a straw bale roof on 2x8's on the flat covered with a tarp.
Bert
Thanks for all the info, it looks like you have quite a bit of experience with sound deadening.
Lets make it easier....use egg cartons.
bert skelton I bet you’ve got some amazing stories and have worked on some interesting stuff. I grew up around a bunch of old timers that I use to really enjoy listening to and as I was reading your comment it kind of reminded me of those guys. One was a retired civil engineer, and old union iron worker, a diesel mechanic and a couple cattle ranchers. I worked with all of them as often as I could after I got of work and weekends I would help them out with various projects and I learned more from those men in a handful of years than I think I learned altogether through school. I spent 23 years as a plumber got my master license and all that and I owe it to all those guys because between em they knew darn near anything you could throw at em.
Anyway I enjoyed your comment and thanks for shaken loose the memories I have trouble remembering where I’m at most the time so when I think of something good it makes for a good day haha.
It sounded like there was more of a volume change when you stepped back to close the doors than there was when you actually closed the doors. A lot of cameras and cell phones will auto adjust the volume of loud sounds so there is probably more of a sound difference for you than we hear on the video.
You would probably have had much better sound deadening and saved a lot of money by building this out of plywood instead of buying a hollow plastic shed. You could have also built some sound baffles on the outside or inside of the vents to help reduce the noise coming through them.
Good job, only thing I would add is a flexible exhaust coupling to isolate vibration from the box.
Thank you
Re: "Flexible Exhaust Coupling"
I would think if you don't do so any weight you add, is going to cause damage to the generator's muffler mounting points.
Not enough sound difference, not a bad idea, it is out of the weather. Wood may be better.
For you guys concerned about the " noise " It's not like you run the generator all the time, and If your power is out I don't know why it would be inconvenient to have a little noise given the situation at hand. There will be plenty of noise around you with other generators running, chainsaws etc.
Some people think of a more severe emergency and the risk of someone hearing it and trying to come steal it.
@@Shanchelle You beat me to this issue. My sister lives in Louisiana and recently went through these last two hurricanes (Laura and Delta). She had neighbors that had their generators stolen. One couple the thieves stole the generator while they were sleeping in the house. The other neighbor they weren't home when theirs was stolen.
Fill the hollow plastic walls with exspandable foam ?
looks nice but sounds loud as hell
jim jones Most open type generators are pretty loud but the shed is really not intended to reduce the noise level too much unless you insulate it. It's more to protect it from the weather.
During an emergency, it will be music to his ears. Especially when he's inside with airconditioning, hot water, cold food in the fridge, lights and ceiling fans. I know of which I speak :-)
Nice Job, Thanks For Your Video.
I'm considering a similar setup
Instead of cutting the black iron pipe and welding, just use a black iron gas union, mush easier.
My thoughts exactly. What's the purpose of exhausting outside anyhow? Got a fan big enough for a big attic, it can move the air in a small plastic box.
My neighbor has one of those plastic containers that he ordered from some open box deal, well it didn't come with any hardware now he doesn't want it. He offered it to me for free, I looked it over and thought 💭 the same thing, didn't feel like looking for the hardware. Now watching your video I might check ✔ to see if he still has it.
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Looks very nice, good job.
Thank you
Very nice man but here in Miami they will probably take the shed with the generator in it but very nice nevertheless
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It's to close to the house. Min 10 feet from house
I am currently bulding a structure for my generator. I will absolutely have my generator elevated off ground level. One flood will ruin that generator.
Why did you use the muffler extension if you have the box vented?
Because the fan in time would get all nasty and black from the exhaust fumes but yeah not absolutely necessary.
Excellent ideas & choice of large Costco generator, fan, vents, anchoring etc.! 👍
Thanks 👍
Is the exhaust pipe needed since you have an exhaust fan running? I'd have it running all the time and a smaller one at that
Yeah I thought about that too, but decided to do it this way to keep the fan from getting black and nasty over time. But I'm sure it would work just fine without the pipe.
Pete B. Humm, makes since. Thanks
even with the air flow it would have generated a LOT of heat. Possibly to the point of vapor lock in the fuel system.
since it's vented, is the exhaust pipe actually needed? I think I will copy this brilliant design for my generator as well, thanks for the video
Thank you, The exhaust is not absolutely necessary but is will keep the fan and interior from getting all black.
Nice job, Pete!
Have you thought of lining the inside with some insulation batting to lower the sound even more?
Fireproof batting probably better for sound-proofing than styrofoam sheets.
Yes I have but I live out in the country and no nieghbors around pulse I can barely hear it once I'm inside the house.
@@petebeasttexashomesteading You can sound blankets as well acousticalsolutions.com/product-category/sound-blankets/?Sound_Blankets_-_Google&_vsrefdom=p.4382&keyword=p.4382._k_EAIaIQobChMIuJi3vua65QIV5B-tBh2TVwbcEAAYASAAEgIpoPD_BwE_k_.cr22385&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIuJi3vua65QIV5B-tBh2TVwbcEAAYASAAEgIpoPD_BwE
Please move it away from the house..... 🔥 Fire hazard! 🔥
dont want it to get stolen
Love this idea, Pete. I bought a shed and all the parts (except exhaust pipe) after seeing your video. I think I will position the exhaust fan low enough to take care of the exhaust. Everyone adding comments don't take into consideration this is for emergency power only and must be monitored at all times. Mine will be set up far enough away from my home that should anything go wrong the house would be safe. And no, it will not be operated at night. Day operation only! Thanks for posting!
Thank you, actually you really don't need an exhaust pipe, the attic fan will pull all the exhaust out. But I would keep the air inlet low so it goes through the generator and the exhaust fan up hi like mine because heat rises.
I have 4 of those large Suncast storage boxes and they work great and hold up well.
👍
Was concerned about how to ensure there was sufficient air flow. I like your plan. Well done.
Thank you
Pete B. Is there a reason why wouldn’t you put in additional venting in the back wall.
@@petebeasttexashomesteading kikiw
Nice work on this. Im fixin to go with a Duromax 13000 gen. Anybody with history on Duramax?
Great video. I'm in the process of finishing my basement and adding a whole house generator with transfer switch. This gave me a great idea on how to store, protect and run the generator all from one place. Thank you.
Awesome! I'm probanly going to do this too, now that you've walked us through it! Thanks so much!
Awesome, thank you 👍
Hi... Use a union
Why would he use a UNION for a DIY project... :)
To disconnect and reconnect the exhaust like he said earlier in the video.
@@Timmerd888 the smile at the end was a hint that it was a play on words...'union'...never as simple as ONE person doing it...union boss, organizer,union rep, blah, blah..blah...
Just watched ya video, great job ! Not over thought just getting her done !
Thanks 👍
Here's the thing.... Noise shouldn't be a concern anyway because if your neighborhood is without power... Everyone's going to be plugged into one
I don't know about that. When I start my old 12kW Generac it's about all that can be heard for a good 50 yards. It's nearly impossible to listen to my telephone (or cell phone). It will drown out everything. I can't imagine all my neighbors simultaneously cranking out similar levels of dBs. I would imagine that every little bit helps, .............to preserve sanity if nothing else.
Most people don’t have one. Noise is an issue. Theft is an issue. Other people will be pissed that you have lights and exhaust coming from your chimney and they don’t.
Are you still using this and how does it work still? Did it work out OK? What type of generator do you recommend? I would like to get a propane or dual fuel so I don’t have to mess around with fuel preservation.
I DONT SEE A GROUND CABLE GOING OUTSIDE TIED IN TO A GROUND ROD IN THE GROUND
The generator is grounded to the house ground while he is using a 240 twist lock if everything is wired correctly. The frame is tied to this ground. You can not have 2 ground paths or a double bonded neutral. That is a NEC violation and will trip the gcfi on the generator.
Nice job. Thinking I may want to do something like this as well. If you have the shed vented with an exhaust fan, is the exhaust extension really necessary.....especially since it is facing the fan and getting sucked right out?
Thank you, the exhaust pipe is not absolutely necessary but it will keep the inside of the shed and fan blades from getting black.
2 CLOSE TO THE HOUSE. EXHUAS GAS
I thought about that too, but it's a very open area with the exhaust pointing down.
@@petebeasttexashomesteading exhaust gas can enter the soffit vents. If you keep this config, install a carbon monoxide detector inside your house to be safe.
@@Mike1614b Thanks, but I never run the generator at night, only for a few hours a day to keep the fridge and freezer cold.
From the Consumer Products Safety Commission
Follow these safety tips to protect against CO poisoning.
NEVER use a generator inside homes, garages, crawlspaces,
sheds, or similar areas, even when using fans or opening
doors and windows for ventilation. Deadly levels of carbon
monoxide can quickly build up in these areas and can linger
for hours, even after the generator has shut off.
Use portable generators OUTSIDE ONLY. Keep them at
least 20 feet from doors, windows, and vents that could allow
CO to come indoors.
Makes absolutely no reduction in noise when you close it. (Listening on this video) Messing with your exhaust and reducing ID, will restrict it and overtime could make it run much hotter and bam. Your done. If I had your money I would burn mine, because this seems like a complete waste.
It is still very annoying loud ,,,try insulating the box
Most people that live in an urban environment do insulate them. But I live in the country and once I go inside the house, it's not very loud.
I believe the goal was to keep the generator out of the rain and snow while running it. Mission accomplished.
A$20 box fan moves air better than a 130$ attic fan, during an emergency who cares about noise, my roof is open and runs fine with just ventilation in and out no insulation, my opinion is to much thought about it, just want safe power, noise, bah, humbug.it might cover up the chain saw sound anyway from storm damage, I'd look at a high $ general if that worried, I don't have a manison so I run what I need till power is restored, but that's just me.
I'm not an electrician or expert but just Do not like it from a safety standpoint. First, the exhaust should be ten feet from any structure. Second - ground it.? Third - what if the fan fails - burning melted plastic next to a house? NOt good. When doing DIY involving gas fired engines, electricity, and the outdoors I'd be very very careful.. Two nightmares - the house catches fired and insurance will not pay. Imagine asking the generator manufacturer about the design being enclosed, and hot exhaust pipe being extended and customized? What is code for how far this is supposed to be from the house.? What is in a bad storm something hits the box and collapses the plastic or presses down the hot exhaust pipe against the plastic?
Nightmare 2. People go to sleep and dont wake up. Imagine a slight wind towards the house wall and a window with a little air pressure against it that isnt air tight. This happens. Most deaths in a hurricane or flood happen AFTER the event - this is one example of why. Please be careful. At the end - a cord inlet box? So, you have a cord that goes theu the box then downward to the generator? Water could follow that cord down to the plug outlet on the generator. This is is why antenna wire going into a home goes lower than the inlet point, then enters - waters drips off below the entry point. Sorry, this is one idea that looks real nice but thedevil is in the details safety wise.
Yes all those scenarios could happen. But I would never run the generator all night. We only run it for a few hours a day to keep the refrigerator/freezer cold and for the well water pump and septic pump. Unfortunately there are many people that think they have to have electricity 24/7 but in reality we don't. Thanks for bringing up those points.
@@petebeasttexashomesteading It's nice to see some people can take constructive criticism like a gentleman...
@@docz2010 thank you
Fortunately insurance will pay. They pay for accidents and stupidity. I do like your little structure but probably would attach concrete board the the entire inside just for protection and even mover insulation.
Howard, safety first. However, you are a very paranoid individual. ANYTHING....YES ANYTHING can and will happen in life!! That's why we have insurance. And yes they would pay if something were to go wrong here. They won't pay if it's in your policy that you are especifically not allowed to use a generator for a power source if the power goes out in your house and you store it in a store bought plastic storage box to protect it from the elements.......get it?!......Get a grip dude! I can come up with a million reasons why why should not drive cars, fly on a plane, eat red meat, paranoid people like you posting ridiculous and comical comments on the web, etc.......get it??!! LMAO times 20!
Nice job on the generator storage box partner!....don't let keyboard nut jobs like Howard get the best of you!
Great idea. But if that is your house, you are way too close. You need min. 20 feets away. And how can you keep you feet dry when operating it when it rain, that is a tricky question. But check out the manual, it's not easy to find the right spot.
But that is the most amazing setup I ever saw.
Looks good & easy to assemble, but does not do much on cutting down on the sound. Might want to line the inside with some soundproofing boards & lay down a thick rubber work mat to cover the floor. Also outside do not put a brick or gravel under the exhaust pipe, but lay down a couple inches of sand a foot wide to absorb the sound. May also want to invest in some great exterior paint to help it hold up to the sun.
Nice job--I'll use some of your ideas. Thanks.
Thank you