Generator Shed Ideas | DIY Generator Enclosure
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 30 มิ.ย. 2024
- In this video, I show you some generator shed ideas to help you with how to build a generator enclosure. This particular DIY generator enclosure is fairly simple to build. It is a 4x4x4 wood structure. Many are converting those plastic suncast sheds into generator sheds but in this video I give you some ideas on how you might build your own from scratch using good old fashioned wood.
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Thank you very much. This is the most useful and informative video I have viewed on building a common-sense generator shed. I live in South Texas and I had to endure an unexpected record-setting freeze for a whole week without power and water. I now have a generator and want to build an enclosure. Well done. Thanks again.
You are very welcome. I am glad to hear that maybe it gave you some ideas to build off of (pun intended 😄). I have heard from quite a few from your area and it sounds like it was a really rough time! Glad you made it through and are taking steps to combat any similar circumstances should they present themselves in the future. Generators can literally be life savers! Thank you for the feedback and if you need anything, feel free to let me know!
I'm in the same boat!
Very helpful sir. I am planning my own generator shed and never thought about putting a weather monitor in it to add another level of protection. Excellent idea!
Really glad to hear it was helpful! I am actually in need of getting another one before hurricane season. Mine finally bit the dust haha. Thanks for the feedback!
Great advice.... the heat buildup was not something I would have expected to be so critical. I’m thinking of a concrete structure with a steel door but I will revise my tentative plan to include the exhaust port and a good size fan after watching this.
Instead of the double doors, I'm building mine with the hinge on the bottom making it a single door and serving as a drop down ramp making it easier to roll the generator in and out of the shed for servicing.
Definitely like the idea using the 4 x 4 on the bottom base in a pallet skid format making it easier to move with a skid loader. In a pinch I've moved my 10' x 10' skid shed with a few pieces of 2" x 10' electrical conduit as rollers on the ground and a section of 2 x 4 as an improvised pry bar.
Thats a good idea! I thought about doing that and dont remember why I didnt 😂
I like this idea. I don't live somewhere that would be conducive to have a tractor with forks so I would want the shed on wheels as well.
I’d nix the vents right next to the fan. The cool air inlet should be on the opposite corner of the enclosure so the controlled flow is across and through the generator, not short-circuited by adjacent venting. Great design l!
Thanks for the feedback Dennis.
Since the second opening is there .... the second fan .... perhaps something all metal.... could exhaust and draw more air from the floor. Under the shed is likely the coolest air. On the other hand, living in Michigan, the bottom is likely to be snowed in and struggle to pull fresh air inside the shed. Hmmmm
Thank you !!! My shed came out great. I Followed your design down to the exhaust and gasket. I poured a cement slab first .
Awesome! Glad to hear it is working for you! I like the idea of pouring a slab for it. I have to trim the grass around it.
Great job for a complete home job! Venting and noise abatement could possibly be addressed further but I am really impressed!
Thank you! Glad you liked it!
Looks pretty good. I attached a vent pipe before in similar fashion but the vibration eventually rounded out the screw attachment section of the generator and pipe attachment. Now I use a dryer vent hose which allows more volume and no vibe issues.
Thanks for the feedback!
Great video, I like your idea on using the box fan, far less expensive than a attic fan. I am building one right now. I'm using 75 pound rated gas shocks to lift roof and it holds it's self up, I weighted the roof piece before ordering size.The gas shocks were $15 on Amazon. Now I need to check out your other videos, THANKS!
Excellent video - Often generators need to run when it's raining or snowing & a nice shed like yours offers great protection. I think the only way to really quiet down a generator is to build a concrete enclosure for it.
Yeah, you are right, typically we are having to run these due to the weather being poor. I have been happy with the protection that it has offered. Thank you very much for the feedback!
Sweet video! My grandparents just bought a generator and I will be building one of these for them! Thanks!
Hey Kyle, I am sure your grandparents will really appreciate that. Enjoy the build! Thank you for the feedback!
This was the video I wanted to see. Excellent points about ventilation, easy to follow logic. I just got a generator because of weird weather in Portland and power grids going down. I am going to check out some of your other videos as well. Good job, sir.
Awesome. I think more and more people are starting to look into a secondary source for power with the electrical outages that we have seen all over the nation over the past couple years. I have a good amount of generator related videos. Let me know if there is something you are interested in that I dont have a video on yet. I havent done a generator related video in a while. Thanks for the feedback!
Nice & simple. Thank you! A suggestion, particularly since you mentioned maybe wanting more venting...
Change the vent you have in the back right, to another 20x20 vent WITH FAN. It's a bigger vent and a fanned vent, so more cooling, but maybe even better: a (single) fan failure should now be much less serious! (Put the 2nd fan on the other 120V phase to keep things balanced).
I do like the idea of another fan going in the event of one going down. Good idea!
Thanks for lots of great ideas. Planning a build for a smaller generator, but nonetheless needs protected from rain.
You are welcome. Glad it was able to maybe give you a few ideas for your own custom build! Good luck and enjoy! Was a fun project.
I am going through the process right now of designing a shed. I prefer sheet metal and a square bar frame and was leaning towards expensive acoustic barriers and absorbing foam with bent vent openings to help deflect air but trap noise. The results you achieved have me rethinking if perhaps I could get away with far less especially since I wlll install a quieter generator a Honda 5000 sx than your Cat. Thanks! It was very informative.
Hey Cayrick, I do like your idea for a metal framed and sheathed shed, very strong structure. I personally am still very happy with how this turned out. I of course am from time to time thinking of ways I could improve it. But the wood seems to do a decent job of suppressing the noise, which wasn't my main goal but it was a nice bonus. Like you said, your 5000 sx should definitely be quieter than my Cat. They usually have a much lower db level. I am glad it was helpful and maybe gave you some ideas. Thank you for the feedback! Good luck with your design and build and just give me a shout if you need anything. I will help if I can.
Mine disguised as a compost heep build into the side of a hill.. its surrounded by dirt.. exhaust goes under ground.... Dirt insulation hides engine sound.... stays cool with underground venting and 2 fans.... made an electric start from inside the house.. ran hose from a garbage bin to 4 20 gallon tanks diguised as garbage cans....
Lot and lots of great ideas from all you guys. Thanx.. figured id share mine..
I took all the ideas from all these channels and combined them all into 1 project..
Hey Tim, now that sounds really interesting. I wish youtube allowed for pictures to be shared because I would like to see that. That's a really creative setup. I appreciate you sharing those ideas. So many different things you can do.
Tim, That's a great idea! Both stealth and low cost.
The only issue is the lid.. there is an actual heep on the lid.. have to use a floor jack to raise it and some jack stands to hold it up.. its a good 200ish lbs..
Bought 2 RV solar generators not too long ago... 10,000 kw a piece.. i dont know exactly what all that will run appliance wise... but will keep you updated.. im new to the solar thing, still learning..
Thanks for your video as well as the exhaust extension one. I bought a Firman tri-fuel and am working on setting it up. I don't need it to be portable so I poured a 3' x 4' pad for it, and am planning on using LP SmartSide panels with the frame anchored into the pad. We have natural gas which to me is the best way to go. I also am not a big fan of using a plastic shed. I think I am going to install either 1" foam or Rockwool insulation (everywhere except the fan and vents of course) to help with sound dampening. Our house is an older house built in the mid 60's with Rockwool insulation and it does wonders at making our house quiet to outside noise
Hey, sounds like you have a nice setup planned! Rockwool is a great insulator especially when dealing with heated space as it is fire resistant. Also is great for sound dampening. Only thing I would be cautious of is with insulation, of course, it can also retain the heat inside of the shed, which I am sure you know. Even with the venting. Now, everyone's situation is different as far as generator size, shed size, geographical location for temperature, etc. which I am sure you are taking all of that into account. I do like the fact that you will be able to use natural gas as your fuel source. I am thinking of installing a conversion kit on mine so it can also accept LP. Definitely keep me updated on your project. Would like to hear how it turns out! Thank you for the feedback!
A great way to keep your enclosure cool and protect the transition plate where the exhaust pipe exits the shed I recommend insulating your exhaust pipe. There are several automotive products that can be used.
Great tip! Thank you Daniel 👍 And Thank you for the feedback!
Nice work and advice on the tempature. Here in Alabama I will definitely install 2 fans.
This looks like a great shed plan for our generator. Thanks for posting,
At the risk of sounding critical - the cost of building a significantly larger shed would pay major benefits vs the inherent limitations of your small enclosure.
The smaller area means more noise, hotter environment & difficulty fitting things space wise.
I do agree for a Generator shed wood is far better material. Mainly as its sound deadening.
My yard shed is 8x12 and Gen only uses 30% of space so plenty of storage & shelf room for yard tools / garden supplies too.
I have a thermostatic controlled gable mount attic fan with auto louvered shutter.
Set at 80 degrees year round. Exhaust is ducted out of course, so attic fan sucks engine heat out.
2 large 10"x12" vents down low allow plenty of cool air in.
Propane feeds our 6kw DuroMax Generator from a 300 gal tank a few feet away.
A 40' 8/4 heavy extension cord with Nema L-14 30A TwistLock plugs carries power to our Reliance Controls 6 Switch 30Amp Manual Transfer Switch.
I manage to run most of our 6 bed 2500sq ft home on this set up.
Runs on .4 gal / hour and no need for gas cans !
Ran 6 days straight in recent Texas Ice Storm !
Hope this helps give some useful feedback.
Nice job on your Generator Video Series !
I don't take it as critical at all. Everyone has an opinion and a lot of what you said, I can get behind. A bigger area is always better, I just wanted something that was portable so I could put it in its place when I needed it and store it when I dont. I personally didnt want a bigger shed right where my hookup is. Thus far I have been able to power my entire house which is similar size to yours along with the 4 ton AC and haven't had any issues with keeping the temperature at a comfortable running level. I may introduce another fan to force cooler air in though at one of my bigger vents towards the front just to help. I welcome everyone's ideas and am glad to hear your setup is working great for you! Perhaps others can also take some of the ideas and put them to good use. Thank you very much for the feedback!
@@HowToHomeDIY
Right on - yeah your portability factor is very good, my shed is in same spot 12 years & going nowhere !
Its all in what you need.
Do you still gas it up or do you plan to go Propane ?
I have 3 neighbors who put in 22kw twin cylinder propane whole house backups.
You know what they never saw coming - how crazy thirsty they are - about 2+ Gallons per hour.
Sucks that tank dry quickly...we were out for 6-7 days last month.
East Texas btw.
Are you in Texas too ?
Thx David
I agree. However I would build a smaller shed like this simply because I do not have a large enough yard to built a larger shed.
I built a similar structure with a shed roof and roof mounted exhaust fan with wall vents at floor level which draw air through the wall cavities from soffit mounted intake vents - lined with fiberboard sheathing to absorb the sound. The attic is actually an engineered duct system with absorption panels to reduce the noise out the exhaust fan - drops my db almost 30db with my trifuel Firman... shed is about 7 by 6 internal with a 6' ceiling height, so extra room to store the power cable and natural gas hose plus gas cans or LP tanks as back up...
Great video. I'm in the process of building my generator shed as well. I'm doing a similar exhaust extension as you, but i'm also having the main galvanized exhaust pipe seated inside metal dryer vent pipe as somewhat of a heat dissipation shroud. Might be a bit of overkill but I figure it will reduce exposure to the direct metal pipe and might even help with noise mitigation. For the interior of the shed I'm also looking at fire board options or some other heat/fire resistant material. The main goal I have with the shed is to reduce overall noise and lower the chances of the generator walking off in a SHTF scenario.
Nice job with great ideas!
Thank you for putting this together
Thank you! It was a fun project to work on. Glad it was able to give you some ideas!
The uninsulated exhaust pipe will and does emit an extreme amount of heat, probably double the engine and generator puts off. Highly recommend you go to an insulation supply store (not HD/Lowes) and buy the appropriate size "calcium silicate" pipe insulation, it's designed for extreme temps and will greatly reduce the emission of heat inside the enclosure. Also suggest building a slight slope on the roof, not much 2" would be fine, flat roofs are failures waiting to occur on any structure!! As stated on other comments design your venting to draw the air across the generator, have it right next to the fan that's where the air's gonna come from and right out not across the gen, great detail for positioning the out flow near the hot side of the generator. Plus how much quoted it would be with the walls/roof packed with rockwool insulation (also from insulation supply) maybe down in the 60db levels. Great info in your videos just some added improvements.
Very well done Thank you have considering to build one for my genny too. Great ideas
Thank you, so far I am very happy with it. I am glad it maybe gave you some ideas for your own build! Have fun with the planning and building!
Awesome video, I would slope the top and possibly shingle it and place 2 roof vents since heat rises
Yeah, both great ideas!
Hate to necro this thread but wanted to add one option for latecomers. To further soundproof the shed you could use one or two layers of acoustic ceiling panel to cover all interior surfaces except for your vent cutouts. You would also apply this to the roof portion. You'd be amazed how effective this is (just use panels without plastic content due to the interior heat).
I've used gypsum acoustic ceiling panels for soundproofing ever since I installed a telephone system at a hospital. That hospital provided doctors with dictation stations that looked like side-by-side toilet stalls of half-height (only enclosed on 3 sides). Each surface was lined with double layer acoustic tile. It was so effective that my co-worker wiring up the adjacent stall could not hear me at all when I spoke to him. For additional noise reduction in an urban environment this is a cheap and easy option.
I think you may be talking about Rockwool. It's superior in every way. I think my wall panels will have Rockwool mineral insulation plus their pressed panels over that.
Thanks for the video I have the weather cover protector but I am looking for something better. This is a great idea.
You are welcome! Glad you liked it. Good luck with whatever you decide to build. Thanks for the feedback!
This was Perrrrfect! Thank you!
You are very welcome, glad it was helpful! Thank you for the feedback.
Every DIY cabinet design I see seems to be crazy-over-the-top with ventilation which sort of defeats purpose of reducing sound. How do Generac systems survive with so little ventilation in their enclosures?
Thanks for the video. I would be interested in comparing the decibels without the box altogether and the close box. That would show the improvement of having the box.
Very nice video, well thought out project. Thank You.
Hey Shon, I am glad you liked it and gave you some ideas. Thank you for the feedback!
Great video! That’s one heck of a genny!
It definitely does what I need it to. Thanks for the feedback!
Thank you for your excellent DYI video, because I will be building a sound
You're welcome! Have fun with the build!
Nice looking shed, you did a good job
Hey Allen, thank you very much. It was a fun project to work on!
I love it. By chance, have you ever checked the decibel rating change from the back side? I live in a highly populated area and would like to reduce sound for my neighbors. I assume all the ventilation in the back will greatly increase the sound. Thanks for the video. It is giving me lots of things to think about.
I have not checked the actual decibel reading back there. While it would be louder due to the vents, when I have walked behind it, I don't notice it to be a lot louder. Still definitely better than nothing. Thank you for the feedback! I am glad it gave you some ideas!
That was awesome thank you so much for sharing this
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for the feedback.
Thsnk you forcsharing. I am designing a fold up up enclosure for our portable generator. Mine will include some form of soundproofing, possibly mineral wool, as the generator is relatively close to my home office. I have used rigid foam panels to cover 3 sides and the top while operating the generator and it does help. Will be interesting to see what the noise reduction will be once the soundproofing material is integrated into the folding enclosure
I have a 17500 W portable gen, plans are to pour a concrete floor for it to sit permanently. In 64 and not able anymore to pull and push this monster. Lol.
This video gives me good ideas. One is to add a funnel system that gas can be poured into without having to get IN THE SHED or pull the gen out. Maybe a pump....?
what an amazing video , thank you so much!
Glad you liked it!
Great video- great ideas! Thanks for stressing safety!!
You bet! Glad you liked it. Thanks for the feedback!
Super informative!!! Thank you.
I live in Canada and when I'll need the generator most is in winter time. I would like to know what your climate gets to (cold wise) and of that makes a difference in how many vents I should use.
Hey T.P, thanks for the feedback! I am in the southern part of the US so our winters do not reach anywhere near as low as yours. I have talked to a guy who does live in Canada and he built a shed for his generator and he only had a exhaust outlet and I believe a vent for the cold air to come in. I thought that was interesting that it was cold enough that he only had one vent. But that is one person and everyone's circumstances will be different. So short answer yes it definitely could affect how many vents you might or might not need, what that actual number is, you may have to experiment with. I hope this helps!
Thank you for the video. I really like the quality materials and overall build. However, I think you could've done better in the cooling department. The best way to cool this enclosure is to have the intake vents placed low on left wall, directly in front of the engine where the engine blower sucks in fresh air. The opposite wall is where the exhaust fan should be. With this setup, there will be a more optimal cross-flow of air from left to right. No other vents are necessary as those will only interfere with the air flow. You want the fan to only pull air from that one vent in front of the engine so the engine gets first dibs on the cool air. Anyway, just a suggestion.
Thanks! Very helpful!
You're welcome! Glad you liked it!
Great video. These engines require pretty regular oil changes to achieve a long life. Also, if gasoline is left in the tank without stabilizers it can gum up the carb. For those reasons it may be prudent to plumb in a ball valve/drain enabling you to drain the oil easily to some outside container. A drain line for the gas tank also makes sense as you can run the old gas in any car without much issue. I'm getting a 13KW dual fuel generator and I'm thinking about making your enclosure, a little larger for serviceability. These units are heavy. I was also thinking about a rubber mat or base to absorb vibration. I love your rigid exhaust pipe, but I'm wondering whether the unit will walk with vibration and put stress on your rigid exhaust. That is why I'm leaning toward the flex exhaust option you did a great job of detailing in your other video. THANK YOU for your efforts.
Hey, I really like your ideas especially about the gas line. That could be very useful. So far (knock on wood) the generator has not walked at all. Maybe a lighter generator could, mine is very heavy so that may be why. I think a rubber mat is a great idea for two reasons. Vibration absorption like you said and also rubber meeting rubber can create good friction. And if you wanted to add some wheel chocks so there is no way the generator could roll at all that might be helpful too. The flex exhaust option is a very viable option and really isn't any more work at all. I am glad that you found them helpful! And THANK YOU for your feedback. I appreciate it.
It was really informative I'll will make a 46L x 46W x 46H all most just like it box for mine soon.
Glad you liked it! Thus far it has done the job for me!
Thank you! Very helpful!
Glad you liked it. Thanks for the feedback David!
Looks good. I would like to build something like this. Some ideas:
Frame with 2x3s instead of 2x4s to bring the weight down. Sides and roof of 11/32 plywood to bring the weight down further. Slight pitch to the roof, and extend it several inches on all sides to protect the walls from rain. I would do some airflow calculations and maybe reduce the intake vents. The intake vents will have a CFM rating from the manufacturer, and hopefully the generator will too. Or else make a good estimate. Have intake CFM rating exceed exhaust CFM by like 40 percent to be safe. Might not need the gaps in the floor. Too much venting defeats the goal of noise reduction - it's a tradeoff. If you want as much venting as possible, don't enclose it at all :p
Staple fiberglass insulation on the inside, unfaced, to absorb noise. Make a notch on the bottom side so that you could put two 2x4s underneath it and be able to move it with two guys if you don't have a tractor or pallet jack.
Sounds like you have some good ideas for your build! I still can’t complain with how mine functions. I wanted as much venting as possible but wanted it in a enclosure to keep the elements off of it. Sound dampening to me was at the very bottom of the list. But I got some which was a nice bonus. I think everyone will probably do theirs differently based on what they want out of it and where they live. Good luck with the build! Would like to see it when it’s done.
The best insulation, wether for heat, cooling or sound is airspace. Rather than heavy plywood, use 2 layers of thin sheets with an airspace. Or even rigid foam capped with plywood. Nature is the best vent, because heat rises. Open at the bottom and offset vents near the top. Sound travels in a straight line, so offset any openings .
I love the idea an will build one for my home, thank you for the step by step!!
You are very welcome, I am really glad it was helpful to you. Good luck with the build. Thank you for your kind words and for watching!
I really like how you made it the only thing I would do is add some screen on the inside to help keep out pest because here in Southern Nevada about the only time we need to use them is in the summer when the Nonsoons hit. But we do have a lot of Mud dobber's and they like the dry hot air and if you ever pissed them off before you know how they can be and besides the screen also helps other things out also. But really like your videos keep up the good work.
I can't remember what I did in this video since it was almost a year ago but when I built this I did put screen over all of the vents and even stapled it to the underside for that very reason. Has done a fairly good job keeping critters out! Thanks for the feedback!
Thank you for this helpful video. In your view, what is an acceptable temperature inside the generator shed (whilst running)?
Hey Marc, you are welcome, I am glad it was able to help you! Based on what I have found, I would not want the ambient temperature to go above 120 degrees fahrenheit. The temp of course is going to be influenced by the outdoor temperature as well. I have a sensor in the shed monitoring it and may be installing a thermostat on the generator wiring that shuts it down if it gets too hot. Can never be too careful. Thank you again for your feedback and I hope this helps!
thanks for sharing i like this video
Great job sir
Thank you Wayne. Hope it gave you some ideas.
Awesome shed build! Now just add some sound deadening insulation around those vents, should bring thos DB's down :), now im wondering could one build a muffler for the exhaust extension could be something to add to your series. Overall good job man.
Thanks a lot for sharing this. It is a great build. Are those trim boards 1x3s or 1x2s? Also, it looks like the roof overhangs the rest of the shed by a bit. What was the reasoning behind that choice?
I like what you have done here. Not to be critical, but the first thing I did was to convert to natural gas and I love it. One hell of a better solution to gas jugs and no worries about making it to a gas station should ice storm occur. One problem I had with my shed was tendency of generator to move around in my box over several hours of running so I removed the wheels and secured the frame of the genny with sheet metal or wood screws. I used a plastic shed at first and needed to keep centered. This stopped my exhaust pipe from wandering as well. Also, it gets HOT in there! Maybe enough to melt that plastic fan? Also...
I do hate building a soundbox and then putting all of those vent holes in it, seems to defeat the purpose. Hmm..I do so wonder if you've thought of other ways of providing ventilation? Perhaps if unit were raised a few inches off ground? I found a small metal squirrel cage type fan and mounted it, provided several vent holes in the floor and it works well. Anyhow just a few of my thoughts. Well done my good man.
Hey Larry, it is funny you mention about converting to natural gas. I recently have been considering putting a natural gas conversion kit on it. If for nothing else other than to have an alternate option to power the generator. We don't have the ice storms here like it sounds like you have but when a hurricane comes, the gas stations sell out in a hurry. Maybe a future video haha. So everyone's situation may be different but the reason I personally am leaving the wheels on is because I am not leaving it out in the shed at all times. So far I haven't noticed any movement but this particular generator is quite heavy. Some wood or metal wheel chocks would probably do the trick. But if you are leaving it in there, the way you did it is a great way to go. As far as the fan goes, if it is getting to a temperature that it can melt the plastic then something would need to drastically change as it would be well above a comfortable operating temperature for the generator to be running. Now that being said, as I mentioned at the end of the video, I may add more ventilation just because I try to be as cautious as possible and maybe even another fan just as a backup. But so far after running the generator in the shed for a number of hours, the temperature hasn't gotten too high, which I attribute to the amount of air the box fan is pushing out and the exhaust pipe going directly outside. I do like the idea of your squirrel cage fan, that could definitely be helpful. For their size, they can have a fairly good CFM rating. You have some good ideas, thank you for sharing them! Hope to see you around!
Very nice.
Thank you! I am glad you liked it!
I looked at your DYI and it was very interesting and very informative. I have a nice Generator and wish I knew someone like to you to have one built like that for me. What state do you reside in? If you live in my state and would build one, I would certainly contract you to do so. Great job! Thanks for the video.
I really appreciate that! That is very humbling! You may be able to find someone in your area to do it. Would be a good job for someone and maybe they have ideas that I didnt think of! Thank you again for the kind feedback! 🙂
Love the idea I Service many generators where people leave there gens covered and under there porch one the ground this attracts corrosion like crazy and a year old generator now looks 30 years old this would be perfect for them since they have no real space for a shed. A question I have is the exhaust pipe to keep heat down or fumes out of shed?. Some of my gens I work on do not have a pipe tip they have flat front with spark arrester piping that outside would be a nightmare to design. Why could you not produce airflow from the opposite side of the exhaust and vent it with say screening on the other side. Keep the 20 inch vents on each end maybe add a RV vent to roof .
Hey James, the exhaust is for both the fumes and to keep the heat down but more importantly the heat. A lot of that generator's heat is coming from the exhaust so want to get it out as fast and direct as possible. I have seen the generators you are talking about and it can make it more difficult. If there is just no way to get a exhaust extension on then yes you would have to completely rely on venting and I would probably only have them on 2 sides and yes the roof with probably a fan. By only having them on one side for intake and the other for exhaust, in a way it creates a wind tunnel to keep that air moving quickly. By opening vents in other parts it could take away from the ability to move air through and across the generator and out quickly. Now, depending on where you live with how hot the air temp is and how large of a generator it is, venting alone may not be enough. There are a lot of variables that can come into play. Thank you for the feedback!
Greatvideo
Thank you for the feedback! Glad you liked it.
Great video, Thankyou , how is the 20 inch fans working out? Is it still working? Because that's what I was thinking of using. Please let me know! Thanks Again for a Great video!
I am building a wood shed now and using an extension. I like the hardee board idea. How did you attach the hardee board? looks like nuts and bolts.
second question. are those household cold air return vents you used?
thank you. your videos have been very helpful .
Hi, I was wondering about the minimal distance from walls. Isn’t it dangerous to be close to the walls? Do we have to worry only about the muffler?
Great video!!! Question tho... Is there any back pressure issues with the straight pipe?
Any? Maybe very little but obviously the longer the pipe, the more it could create some back pressure. Thanks for the feedback!
Great video, very informative. One question, have you given any consideration to insulating or adding sheet rock to the inside of the gen shed, to further quiet the genset?
Hey Ray, I personally have not just because the sound does not bother me and I am out in a rural area where my neighbors aren't a concern. Also, it gets very hot here so I didn't want to add anything that may actually promote keeping the hot air in the shed. Everyone's situation will be different. If for instance you do need the sound reduction and aren't too concerned with the ambient air temperature due to where you live then great solution in my opinion would be rock wool. It has good sound dampening and is fire retardant. If I was to incorporate this into mine, I would need to come up with a way to introduce cool air into the shed. I hope this helps! Thank you for the feedback!
this video is very helpful! thank you for making it!, you deserve more views and likes though,,, i already subscribed!
Thank you for your kind words! It was a fun project to plan out and do. Many more projects to come, so as long as I am able to help people, that's what I really care about. Thank you for your feedback and subscribing, I look forward to seeing you around!
I would have like to have seen the dB measurements from the other 3 sides (with those huge vents). It would appear to me you have made a great weather shed for your generator, but I’m not convinced of the sound reduction, particularly with an open side facing the house.
Hey Scott, yeah just got it from the front. You can of course customize yours how you would like. My main focus was on providing shelter from the weather and any decibel drop was just a bonus. Which it does provide on the sides as well to an extent as opposed to just being in the open. I can barely hear it in the house now. So works for my purposes. Thanks for the feedback and good luck with the planning!
Exactly, a hole that size will certainly let some good noise out.
I have a shed for my generator's. It's very quiet and vented. I however had just put in new insulation (rockwool) and hung new sheet rock in my entire house. I used the rockwool in the shed as sound diffuser covering the exposed studs(with small strips of course) and blocking the actual vents( I allowed for a gap at the top of the insulation and 4" in front of the actual opening to allow the fan to pull out heat/fumes). Think of a sound studio with diffusers, only made of fire resistant rockwool. You can barley tell they're running.
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@@DavidSanchez-ib4ft Hello. I am thinking about building a shed for my generator too. Did you sheet rock the interior of the shed, or just exposed rockwool? Thanks.
What kind of temperature are you getting? Do you think adding some insulation would have helped with the sound?
N.Florida here. Building mine out of block to withstand hurricane force winds. What is the name of the module you use to monitor the inside of your gen-house? Agree that is a worthy investment.
I am going to build a shed and appreciate your ideas. You have some great ideas and thoughts. Question : I'm assuming you store your generator in the shed because of the pipe attachment and would not want to hook it up each time you want to use it. Do you have any concerns of normal humidity and moisture damaging internal parts of the generator such as the carburetor, etc, over time with it being outside even in the shed ?
I actually do not leave it out in the shed. I wait until there is a hurricane off the coast and then I hook it all up. I appreciate the feedback Larry!
@@HowToHomeDIY Thanks for the reply !!!
You should add sound deadening material and make it even more quieter
How do those vents work for keeping the water out? I was thinking about building one with an over hang on the roof to give a layer of rain protection for the vents, but I'm not sure if it's necessary.
Obviously some water will be able to get in, it isn't completely water tight due to the vents but it is very minimal.
I believe you would be better off with a attic fan as they have a shroud and would move more air than your box fan. I would use two attic fans and put one on a heat temp switch that would come on if the primary fan failed.
The reason I went with a box fan is because from what I have found, box fans have a much higher cfm than attic fans and I wanted to get the air out as fast as possible. But of course many use attic fans and they seem to work well for them. I do really like your idea of having two fans though with one on a heat temp switch to kick it on. I may just have to look into doing that myself. Good idea!
Great shed... where did you get the piece of hardy board?
Hey Mike, you can get it at any big box home improvement store. It is Hardie Plank fiber cement siding so they come in long strips that you would just need to cut off what you needed. This one is 8.25 inches wide. Thanks for the feedback!
Is the exhaust pipe extension necessary? Won't the fans vent the exhaust without the need to have a dedicated routing?
Maybe in a much larger shed but the exhaust comes with a huge amount of heat. Also if wood is too close to the exhaust, it will definitely start on fire.
Nice Shed good Idea! I have a question for you.
Is there away to tell when you maxing out your generator before it shuts off?
Is there a meter that can be used?
u deserve more subs :')
Hey Xenonite, thank you very much. The daily growth has been good so must be doing something right haha. Thank you again for your kind words and look forward to seeing you around!
@@HowToHomeDIYkeep up the great work on tutorials about homes👍
@@Hanowu Will do, thank you again! Just let me know if I can help with anything.
We generally lose power during snow storms, so over heating would less of a concern. Don't generally have issues in summer.
Hi, just seen your video, novice builder and maybe a dumb question. I was wondering, do I place the fan to blow out the hot air or do I place the fan so it blows in cold air to keep cool?, I'm attempting a 4'x6'x6' shed,TIA
How waterproof is this during a real heavy rain? That is what I need as we get a lot of rain and storms here on the gulf coast. We do lose power occasionally.
I have the same weather as you, the generator has never been wet.
10000 watt Pulsar generator dual fuel and I had a very large shed made to fit the generator so it would have ample room on each side. I drilled holes in the bottom of the floor which was made with 3/4 Plywood and raised it off the ground as its sits on the same type of four by fours that you have. I put a fan underneath the floor to blow the cool air up into the generator compartment I had it designed to have the roof which is covered with shingles and very heavy to have a fascia board which produced a false type enclosure. The hot air would Escape by rolling out from underneath the roof. Obviously it isn't enough my question is how much heat is acceptable to run that generator with. I shut it down when it gets to about 185 degrees. I feel that that is too much so now I have been shutting it down at 165 degrees. It is an air-cooled motor attached to the generator unit powered by either propane or gasoline. (321 cc engine) Gas Tank is on top of the unit as they all seem to be and the propane is on the side near the ground and I always think to myself you don't want to put that tank very near that shed or even inside of the shed as it was once suggested to me. I use a 20 lb propane cylinder with it so I have the tubing run outside for safety sake. I talked to the manufacturer's representative and I was told that generator is not made for that although it was sold that way that you could run it during a storm and a long-term run and it would run for about eighteen hours on four gallons gas which I thought was exceptional. I have never had to try it out since I have it. But I did want to use it once and the thing weighs about 525 pounds, a teleagraph pole from abandoned Telegraph line fell on my fence and damaged fence and I wanted to get it off and repair the fence. So I hauled it down there once 700 feet. And back 700 feet and I said never again and I bought a smaller generator for more portable use. What is your recommendation for maximum temperature range on a generator if you can. Factory rep was not able to help me. Just told me it's not made for that. The generator is Chinese made and sold under the name of Pulsar. It is so quiet you can be 20 feet awasy and you do not even hear it running. The smaller generator that I bought also Pulsar is the same way. You don't even know it's on. Plus the smaller unit has remote on and off. I live on the edge of a small City. I have a few of farmlands and the river in the distance. High winds that tear off limbs from the trees and drop them wherever almost three times a week. The trees are Elam and they are dying from lack of water even though the river is near by and we've had more rain in the last month and they've had in 10 years of rainfall recordings.
Hey Thom, I like some of your ideas for your shed. I like the idea of a fan blowing cool air in. And 4 gallons of gas to run for 18 hours is great! To answer your question, there is no exact answer as the manufacturers are going to tell you exactly what you have been told probably due to liability issues. From the research I had done, I found that you dont really want the generator running in an ambient air temperature above 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Since the engines are not liquid cooled the fear is that above that 120 degrees that the core is at a much higher temperature and could start having issues. Now, there are many places where the ambient temperature reaches that in the US just because of the weather and people run generators there but they have also been known to overheat. SO I try to keep mine at 120 degrees or under to be safe and so far, I have been able to stay around there. But weather is going to play a big factor in your ability to do so. Hope this helps! We have gotten a ton of rain as well!
do you have a link to that sensor you have inside of your gen box shed.
Do you have any plans/build list for this shed?
Can you post a link to your thermometer set up. I bought the Govee brand but did not last long.
Thinking a small fan installed in the floor to bring cool air from the ground into the shed would help......(?)
All you vents are bringing the noise level to be very high, db still to high. Add fans as intake and fan out put, I did that and the temps stay around 80 ° f . Also consider sound proofing it
What about a winter shed? Some extra ideas? We get a good three feet of snow each year and besides building a shed on a high platform what could be some alternatives? Also, where can I find YOUR plans?
Hey Brian, yeah building it up off the ground in that case would be a really good idea. You may also considering pitching the roof some to help with snow accumulation, also using a dark roofing material so that the sun can help heat and melt the snow and ice. You may not need as many vents as me with it being used in a much colder application. I actually did not draw up my plans, I just came up with a base idea and put it together. It is 4x4x4. Studs are 2 foot on center and it took 2 1/2 sheets of plywood. I have had quite a few requests for the plans, maybe I should draw some up one of these days. I hope this helps!
@@HowToHomeDIY Yes! It does help. After months of planning and good Summer weather arriving, I will start building. Price of wood, as you know, has sky-rocketed so I may have to skimp on the extras. No plans on hand yet so I'll wing it. Again, thanks,
Brian
I would think all those vents work to keep the inside cooler but let’s more of the noise out. Your next step would be some sort of noise damping inside of shed
Yes the more vents the less noise will be kept in. For me personally my goal was just to get the generator out of the elements and keep it cool while doing so. It definitely did dampen the noise to an extent which was really just a bonus for me.
I live in Canada and the only time we really lose power is in blizzards. I don’t think I’d have that many vents on mine I want it to stay warm cause it will work in -10 to -30
Might be a stupid question, but do you have the fan where it's pulling air out? Not blowing in? I just want to make sure
Currently it is setup to only push air out. I am thinking about adding one to the vent on the side to pull air in as well.
Have you consider wrapping the exhaust pipe with manifold heat shield tape?.
Yes, I have been considering doing that. Seems like it would be beneficial. Good tip!
I would have put some screen under the 2x4's for the floor just to keep the mice, but nice job.
I did. It’s been so long ago that I made this, did I not talk about it in the video?
What temperature are you seeing inside the enclosure when the generator is running? I am in the process of enclosing my 13000 watt generator and concerned about the heat during the summer in west Texas.
Yeah that is definitely a concern. The ambient temperature definitely plays a key role in all of it. The hottest mine got up to was 118 degrees Fahrenheit. That was on a very hot day though. I have considered adding a fan and thinking of a better way to help introduce cooler air in just to be safe.
@@HowToHomeDIY Thank you. I will be adding a fan a way to monitor temperature
Do you have an actual how to video for building the shed? That would be helpful, thanks
Hey so I have a Honda 6500 generator with a built in radiator what do you recommend as far shed? Thanks
Hey Abraham, you could still do something similar to this build. You may have to move some things around depending on your generator setup though. Even though it has a radiator, I would still want there to be good ventilation in the shed as it will still get very hot. The radiator will help keep the core of the generator cool but the ambient temperature will still be very hot without proper ventilation. A example of this would be if your car engine runs for a while and then you open the hood, even though it is liquid cooled it still gets very hot under the hood. Hope this helps!
Did the heat distort the plastic fan or the plastic grate?
I have seen hinges installed this way numerous times. With how you installed the hinges makes having a latch and lock moot. All anyone has to do is remove the screws from the hinges and the doors will come off. Hinges need to be installed like a door to your house. Otherwise great little shed.
I get what you’re saying but I don’t personally think it makes it moot, like many things we do, it’s more of a deterrent and not as easy as just opening it. But yes you could install inside hinges to make it a little more difficult. Appreciate the feedback Sean.
What ambient temperatures do you see inside the enclosure when running the generator under load? I ask because I have found that the internal temperature inside my enclosure is really too high for long term use even though I use both an intake and exhaust fan. I have asked several people who have built generator enclosures if they know the inside temps and no one seems know. Most air cooled generators are only supposed to work in a maximum of 104 degree F (40 C) ambient temperature. Putting them into a box that gets up to well above 104 degrees F could drastically shorten the life of the generator. Even with a lot of air movement via intake and exhaust fans, the inside temperature can still be too high. The main issue that I see is that, even when you extend the exhaust outlet to outside the enclosure, and even if you wrap it in some sort of fiberglass heat wrap, all of the heat radiating from the muffler itself is still trapped inside the enclosure. The only option I can think of is to take the muffler off the generator, run the exhaust pipe directly from the engine block(wrapping it in heat wrap) to the outside of the enclosure and then put a muffler outside of the enclosure. I haven't had a chance to try this yet, but I am hoping to do it soon.
How load is it from the back where the vents and fan are at?