Generator sound shield 5e

SanityCheck

Anyone know where you can get a used one? While the noise is not horrible a sound shield would be a great improvement but a new one is $$$ and I have other things to spend money on. No offense.

Handymans342

I think you will find out the generator works better without the shield

Stodge

Might be able to assemble one from marine plywood and the stuff they use on engine hatches for soundproofing.  

rasbury

10-4 to Stodge......the pan on mine is all rusted out and would assume if you find one "used", it will be in the same condition.

Black_Diamond

++ to Handy. It runs better without it, or at least without the service panel installed. 

Honestly, the noise does not drop that much with the sound cover. 

rasbury

When I first got mine, mine would cut off and assume it was getting to hot with the cover on- removed it and have been fine. I have "tuned it up" since but have not tried to run it with the cover back on...wonder what I did with that darn thing?

Handymans342

When I worked at Verizon the Onan generators with sound shields would not let the air come out fast enough so they overheated. We had to modify the openings. We discovered it before the recall. LOL

rasbury

when mine was cutting out, it was 95 degrees as well so that may have been some of the issue, it's pretty quiet anyway....can't imagine it makes much difference.

Liberty44140

I've wrestled with removing the service panel as well. I've read that it will run better without due to cooling, but I've also read that being liquid cooled it will make no difference. Still wrestling with it  I would NOT recommend using without any enclosure at all, especially if you have one. Our rinkers blower intake vents are not well designed so rain water easily comes in and hits the generator. On my previous Rinker, an 01 310, I had no sound shield at all and enough rain water came in and hit the top of the generator over time that water got in the stator and blew it and the rotor. $5k repair. Not worth it. If you dont have a sound shield then you should make sure that water can not hit the top of your generator. Cheap and easy fix is adding blowed duct to the air intake to channel rain water somewhere other than the top of the genny. I did that this year and posted pics in another thread even though I have an enclosure. 

Black_Diamond

I never truly figured out what the deal with removing the service panel did to make the genny run.  I can tell you I did put it on once after a major effort to get it running and it died as always, zero issue with it off.  It is not an engine cooling thing directly, I suspect either lack of air flow and/or vapor locking. 

I do agree with Liberty about running vent hose to keep the water off it, even with the sound cover.

Dream_Inn

@BD, hopefully your issue did not have to do with the CO sensor on the genny.  I remember you having the issue, do you remember what the alarm was?

I do use the sound shield and have to say I have noticed both on my 400 and my 310 the difference with and without it.  Maybe it's just me, but I like things to be real quiet.  Heck, my blower was louder than my genny so I changed it and now is as quiet as the genny.