Soundproofing/Waterproofing a Honda Genny
 

A couple of months ago, somebody in a boating forum described using a
modified cooler to house a honda 2000 genny. I passed on those posts to
my talented stepson and today we came up with a proto-type, that he may
eventually market for roughly $150 on E-bay. This is the first one with
more improvements envisioned before it goes to market. This cooler is a
Coleman 5 day, 100 qt. we got on sale at Walmart for $35. Only problem
with it is that it's not high enough, forcing us to cut a hole into the
top of the door.

Here are some pictures with comments in the captions. Please share all
opinions.

http://tinyurl.com/2kqwjd

Outlay was as follows....

$35 cooler
$10 ventilation pipe/exhaust
$30 padded cooler cover

Plus an hour or two of labor.

Results....this modified cooler cut down the sound about a third. Most
of the remaining noise comes from the exhaust. Also pertinant, the
gen-box looks good on the back of my upper swim platform and it
provides waterproofing for the genny, which will allow me to use it in
the rain. (We get a little here).

Again....don't hesitate to be critical and/or creative.

Thanks!

-Greg Schoenberg
"She Said Yes"
2002 Regal 2465
Kalama, Washington

Soundproofing/Waterproofing a Honda Genny
 

"dene" wrote in message
oups.com...
Results....this modified cooler cut down the sound about a third. Most
of the remaining noise comes from the exhaust. Also pertinant, the
gen-box looks good on the back of my upper swim platform and it
provides waterproofing for the genny, which will allow me to use it in
the rain. (We get a little here).

Again....don't hesitate to be critical and/or creative.

Thanks!

-Greg Schoenberg


Looks like a clever solution to the problem. The one thing I'm wondering
about is cooling. How does the generator get enough air circulation for
proper engine cooling?

Soundproofing/Waterproofing a Honda Genny
 

Stanley Barthfarkle wrote:
"dene" wrote in message
oups.com...
Results....this modified cooler cut down the sound about a third. Most
of the remaining noise comes from the exhaust. Also pertinant, the
gen-box looks good on the back of my upper swim platform and it
provides waterproofing for the genny, which will allow me to use it in
the rain. (We get a little here).

Again....don't hesitate to be critical and/or creative.

Thanks!

-Greg Schoenberg


Looks like a clever solution to the problem. The one thing I'm wondering
about is cooling. How does the generator get enough air circulation for
proper engine cooling?

There is some air flow from the unused cord hole, 2 1/4 in diameter,
six 1/2 inch vent holes, and the lid.....I cannot, nor need to, close
the lid completely. Ran the genny with ceramic heater for 10 mins. No
sign of excess heat.

I think (hope) Honda genny's shut down automatically if you overheat
them.

-Greg

Soundproofing/Waterproofing a Honda Genny
 

dene wrote:
A couple of months ago, somebody in a boating forum described using a
modified cooler to house a honda 2000 genny. I passed on those posts to
my talented stepson and today we came up with a proto-type, that he may
eventually market for roughly $150 on E-bay. This is the first one with
more improvements envisioned before it goes to market. This cooler is a
Coleman 5 day, 100 qt. we got on sale at Walmart for $35. Only problem
with it is that it's not high enough, forcing us to cut a hole into the
top of the door.

Here are some pictures with comments in the captions. Please share all
opinions.

http://tinyurl.com/2kqwjd

Outlay was as follows....

$35 cooler
$10 ventilation pipe/exhaust
$30 padded cooler cover

Plus an hour or two of labor.

Results....this modified cooler cut down the sound about a third. Most
of the remaining noise comes from the exhaust. Also pertinant, the
gen-box looks good on the back of my upper swim platform and it
provides waterproofing for the genny, which will allow me to use it in
the rain. (We get a little here).

Again....don't hesitate to be critical and/or creative.

Thanks!

-Greg Schoenberg
"She Said Yes"
2002 Regal 2465
Kalama, Washington

That looks like a great idea to me. For my Honda EU2000i, I use a
Rubbermaid "Roughneck", #2162,
35-gallon, storage container, but I use it for storage only to keep the
mice out and discourage thieves. These cost $14.99 at Target.
http://www.rubbermaid.com/rubbermaid...d=HPProd150029

The EU2000i fits in the storage container with lots of room to spare
and no need to cut the lid. However, the container isn't insulated and
wouldn't provide any significant sound attenuation. However, you might
be able to glue some sort of insulation on the inside of it, or put
something on the outside, I dunno. If you did happen to run into heat
problems, you could mount some 12V computer fans on the container. The
problem, of course, is that the holes for the fans will also let some
noise out. People generally minimize this problem by making a couple of
U-turns in the airflow path. The EU2000i is already relatively quiet,
but it would be nice to make it even quieter.

If you cut a hole in the top, I would suggest a cover for the hole to
keep the mice and bugs out during storage.

The one criticism I would have is that you probably should do some
sophisticated heat tests and/or provide a caveat that you're not
responsible for overheating damage. I think you can buy a temperature
sensor that fits underneath a spark plug to measure heat. Or, another
idea might be to rent some good temperature measuring equipment from a
rental equipment company and measure the temperature at several
locations on the generator. I believe generator companies typically
rate their generators for operation at an ambient temperature up to
100F. That would mean you would have to heat your garage, for example,
up to 100F and then put the generator in the enclosure inside the
garage to run the heat tests.

Soundproofing/Waterproofing a Honda Genny
 

Looks like a great prototype. A taller cooler should help a lot. Is the
genny mounted to the bottom of the cooler to prevent shifting while
underway? How hot does the exhaust vent become with high power loads?
Could it be protected from inadvertent touching? I would continue to very
carefully monitor generator cooling.

I would also recommend the exhaust be vented at the lowest practicable level
to ensure no carbon monoxide spills into the cockpit. One would assume that
prevailing breezes would place the bow into the wind at anchor and that
speed while underway would do the same. But, you never know when something
will happen and cause/allow carbon monoxide to get into people spaces.
Perhaps the most dangerous situation would be using the genny while tied to
the dock. A few carefully placed carbon monoxide monitors/alarms would
provide an acceptable comfort level.

Butch
wrote in message
ups.com...

dene wrote:
A couple of months ago, somebody in a boating forum described using a
modified cooler to house a honda 2000 genny. I passed on those posts to
my talented stepson and today we came up with a proto-type, that he may
eventually market for roughly $150 on E-bay. This is the first one with
more improvements envisioned before it goes to market. This cooler is a
Coleman 5 day, 100 qt. we got on sale at Walmart for $35. Only problem
with it is that it's not high enough, forcing us to cut a hole into the
top of the door.

Here are some pictures with comments in the captions. Please share all
opinions.

http://tinyurl.com/2kqwjd

Outlay was as follows....

$35 cooler
$10 ventilation pipe/exhaust
$30 padded cooler cover

Plus an hour or two of labor.

Results....this modified cooler cut down the sound about a third. Most
of the remaining noise comes from the exhaust. Also pertinant, the
gen-box looks good on the back of my upper swim platform and it
provides waterproofing for the genny, which will allow me to use it in
the rain. (We get a little here).

Again....don't hesitate to be critical and/or creative.

Thanks!

-Greg Schoenberg
"She Said Yes"
2002 Regal 2465
Kalama, Washington

That looks like a great idea to me. For my Honda EU2000i, I use a
Rubbermaid "Roughneck", #2162,
35-gallon, storage container, but I use it for storage only to keep the
mice out and discourage thieves. These cost $14.99 at Target.
http://www.rubbermaid.com/rubbermaid...d=HPProd150029

The EU2000i fits in the storage container with lots of room to spare
and no need to cut the lid. However, the container isn't insulated and
wouldn't provide any significant sound attenuation. However, you might
be able to glue some sort of insulation on the inside of it, or put
something on the outside, I dunno. If you did happen to run into heat
problems, you could mount some 12V computer fans on the container. The
problem, of course, is that the holes for the fans will also let some
noise out. People generally minimize this problem by making a couple of
U-turns in the airflow path. The EU2000i is already relatively quiet,
but it would be nice to make it even quieter.

If you cut a hole in the top, I would suggest a cover for the hole to
keep the mice and bugs out during storage.

The one criticism I would have is that you probably should do some
sophisticated heat tests and/or provide a caveat that you're not
responsible for overheating damage. I think you can buy a temperature
sensor that fits underneath a spark plug to measure heat. Or, another
idea might be to rent some good temperature measuring equipment from a
rental equipment company and measure the temperature at several
locations on the generator. I believe generator companies typically
rate their generators for operation at an ambient temperature up to
100F. That would mean you would have to heat your garage, for example,
up to 100F and then put the generator in the enclosure inside the
garage to run the heat tests.

Soundproofing/Waterproofing a Honda Genny
 

I think you're going to need to rig a big computer cooling fan into the side
to get real air through that box.

Would I sell that on eBay? Only if I didn't mind inviting lawsuits for the
first one that catches on fire. Plastic fires are very nasty, especially
with gasoline nearby.

I do, however, think it is a promising idea. Thanks for sharing.

Bill Longyard


"dene" wrote in message
oups.com...
A couple of months ago, somebody in a boating forum described using a
modified cooler to house a honda 2000 genny. I passed on those posts to
my talented stepson and today we came up with a proto-type, that he may
eventually market for roughly $150 on E-bay. This is the first one with
more improvements envisioned before it goes to market. This cooler is a
Coleman 5 day, 100 qt. we got on sale at Walmart for $35. Only problem
with it is that it's not high enough, forcing us to cut a hole into the
top of the door.

Here are some pictures with comments in the captions. Please share all
opinions.

http://tinyurl.com/2kqwjd

Outlay was as follows....

$35 cooler
$10 ventilation pipe/exhaust
$30 padded cooler cover

Plus an hour or two of labor.

Results....this modified cooler cut down the sound about a third. Most
of the remaining noise comes from the exhaust. Also pertinant, the
gen-box looks good on the back of my upper swim platform and it
provides waterproofing for the genny, which will allow me to use it in
the rain. (We get a little here).

Again....don't hesitate to be critical and/or creative.

Thanks!

-Greg Schoenberg
"She Said Yes"
2002 Regal 2465
Kalama, Washington

Soundproofing/Waterproofing a Honda Genny
 

"dene" wrote in news:1169276883.977097.126110
@l53g2000cwa.googlegroups.com:

Again....don't hesitate to be critical and/or creative.



Bye bye, little Honda (snif)!

The HOT AIR coming out of the COOLING SYSTEM is heating the INSIDE of the
Coleman cooler and being sucked back INTO the cooling system! That slot
in the top isn't near enough cooling to keep it from destroying the
engine. It's breathing its own hot cooling air!!

NO, no no no NO!....

What you SHOULD have done was cut a hole and put in a piece of internal
ductwork the same size as the WHOLE hot air outlet around the exhaust,
that whole grillework where the hot air comes out around the muffler
inside the gen's case. On the OTHER end of the cooler, you should have
opened a hole to let outside air INTO the cooler, sucked in by the vacuum
the air blowing out the cooling air exhaust causes, which will fill the
cooler with COOL air, NOT its own hot cooling air. The intake should
have a little rain cover pointing down and open all along the bottom.

The slot in the top is totally unnecessary if you use the cooling I
describe, so no "cover" to keep the rain out will be necessary. Drill
some holes in the bottom of the cooler, say 3/4", so any water that
stands in the bottom of the cooler will simply drain out under it.

Air comes in one end....right by the controls and expensive electronic
inverter electronics keeping them COOL. Hot air and exhaust comes out
the OTHER end, forced out of the case by an internal ductwork that
prevents it recirculating inside the cooler and causing the electronics
and engine to overheat.

I have both the EU1000i little 1KW suitcase and the MUCH BETTER designed
EU3000i 3KW genset. The 1KW runs way too fast for longevity, as does
your 2KW. The EU3000i only turns its 6.5hp engine 1200 RPM up to about a
1800 watt load. I ran my stepvan shop off the 1KW for a year and it
started to show signs, hard starting, etc. I stumbled into the EU3000i
in the Honda dealer parking lot. They guy was bringing it back for the
7KW RV model for his 5th wheel camper. Instead of trading it in for
$1200 from the Honda ripoff artists, I got it for $1500 cash with about 8
hours of use in the original box. He'd had it 3 days and it wouldn't
pull his two RV AC units....(c; The EU3000i is mounted on the outside of
the left rear swing door on a couple of really heavy 1000# right angle
brackets, permanently bolted to them. Welded to the outer end of the
brackets are two hinges whos floppy side is welded to a welded steel
framework that supports my unpainted aluminum cover, to keep the 3KW out
of the rain. Two Stanley self-locking gate latches hold the cover to the
door when it's closed, one on each side. Open these latches and the
whole cover swings back away from the generator and down, exposing it
completely for service and fueling. The entire bottom of the "box" is
simply left open. The EU3000i air intake is STUPIDLY located in the
steel channels on the BOTTOM of it so if you lay it on the ground it will
suck up anything into the case and engine. Cooling air for the 3KW
inverter comes in through cooling slots under the control panel. A full-
width slot in the port side of the top has an overhanging rain shield and
is close to the hot air/exhaust outlet on the opposite side from the
control panel. Venturi effect of the air rushing out the genset through
this slot actually pulls a vacuum on the whole case, causing me to have
to clean the road dust out of it quite often as it runs all day all
summer pulling the 2 AC units cooling my stepvan shop/office. Costs
about $8/day at $2.50/gal for 10 hours continuous duty. I fill it every
other day all summer. It holds 3.5 gallons on top of the genny, easily
filled directly from the hose at any gas station by simply flipping down
my aluminum cover.

The inside of the aluminum cover is covered with packing foam to reduce
the already quiet sounds to a whisper. Most noise comes from vibration
transmitted to the door from the mounting brackets. It's a price I pay
to keep the van at 75F, not 105F all summer...not an option in SC.

In winter, I heat the truck with the 1KW little genset INSIDE! I welded
a pipe nipple to that tiny exhaust outlet on the EU1000i muffler. A
right angle flange copper tubing adapter directs the exhaust into a coil
of 1/2" copper tubing that's about a foot in diameter and a foot thick
with the coils pulled apart to form a naturally-aspirated heat exchanger.
The genset's cooling air outlet is pointed forward into the cabin of the
van from just inside the back doors. The copper tubing open end is
routed through a hole in the deck out under the van. By that point, the
exhaust temperature is barely warm, resulting in near 100% heat recovery
from the genset to heat the truck. Guesstimates show around 35000 Btu at
low speed Econo setting. It also powers the shop without having to drive
the air conditioning, of course. There's little electrical load and I
recover near 100% of my fuel investment making the truck toasty warm at
the expense of having to listen to the genset inside the truck. Moving
down the highway, this isn't much of an issue and the truck, itself, is
noisy. I'm sitting almost on top of a 6.2L diesel V-8 under a fiberglass
lid. It's a truck, not an SUV, you know...(c; Coming in out of 25F
freezing rain into a heated truck at 80F, dry and warm is worth the
noise...(c; A 115VAC-operated carbon monoxide alarm, running off the
genset's AC outlet, makes sure there are no leaks gassing the truck
interior when either of these gensets are in operation, especially my
"truck heater".

I recently installed a remote starting kit in the 3KW electric-start
genset. It replaces the manual choke with a solenoid unit like outboard
motors have and remotes the keyswitch up into the shop. I used to reach
up into the bottom of the cover to start it, and damned near got bit by a
Brown Recluse, the world's most poisonous spider, that had built her nest
in there. Their poison continues to eat flesh long after the spider is
squashed. Nasty stuff.

Larry
--
Democracy is when two wolves and a sheep vote on who's for dinner.
Liberty is when the sheep has his own gun.

Soundproofing/Waterproofing a Honda Genny
 

"dene" wrote in news:1169283545.255971.200710@
38g2000cwa.googlegroups.com:

I think (hope) Honda genny's shut down automatically if you overheat
them.



The inverter electronics has an overheat sensor that shuts down the
inverter, but does NOT SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE! The inverter trips out, just
like it does on overload and the engine continues to run until you manually
shut it down.....before it siezes from the heat, we hope.

Larry
--
Democracy is when two wolves and a sheep vote on who's for dinner.
Liberty is when the sheep has his own gun.

Soundproofing/Waterproofing a Honda Genny
 

"William Longyard" wrote in
link.net:

Would I sell that on eBay? Only if I didn't mind inviting lawsuits
for the first one that catches on fire. Plastic fires are very nasty,
especially with gasoline nearby.


Won't be a problem if it kills everyone involved. When the plastic starts
burning, it will boil the gas in the little plastic tank inside the cooler.
The ensuing explosion should destroy all the evidence and kill everyone
within several hundred feet from the concussion....eliminating those nasty
lawsuits.

Larry
--
Democracy is when two wolves and a sheep vote on who's for dinner.
Liberty is when the sheep has his own gun.

Soundproofing/Waterproofing a Honda Genny
 

The genny is gonna overheat big time in that insulated enclosure.It's
not just the engine and exhaust. The alternator and inverter board also
generate heat when loaded. Suggest 2 4" 12V muffin fans, located 1 at
either end, one blowing in, and the other blowing out, for air flow.
These can be inset in the case, with an eave of fiberglass over them on
the outside to protect from rain. Connect the fans to the 12V sockets on
the genny, so they run when the gen is started. Hard to tell from the
pics, but it looks like you can relieve the inside of the lid more and
close it completely.This would be desirable with the fan setup.
JR

dene wrote:
A couple of months ago, somebody in a boating forum described using a
modified cooler to house a honda 2000 genny. I passed on those posts to
my talented stepson and today we came up with a proto-type, that he may
eventually market for roughly $150 on E-bay. This is the first one with
more improvements envisioned before it goes to market. This cooler is a
Coleman 5 day, 100 qt. we got on sale at Walmart for $35. Only problem
with it is that it's not high enough, forcing us to cut a hole into the
top of the door.

Here are some pictures with comments in the captions. Please share all
opinions.

http://tinyurl.com/2kqwjd

Outlay was as follows....

$35 cooler
$10 ventilation pipe/exhaust
$30 padded cooler cover

Plus an hour or two of labor.

Results....this modified cooler cut down the sound about a third. Most
of the remaining noise comes from the exhaust. Also pertinant, the
gen-box looks good on the back of my upper swim platform and it
provides waterproofing for the genny, which will allow me to use it in
the rain. (We get a little here).

Again....don't hesitate to be critical and/or creative.

Thanks!

-Greg Schoenberg
"She Said Yes"
2002 Regal 2465
Kalama, Washington



--
--------------------------------------------------------------
Home Page: http://www.seanet.com/~jasonrnorth

Soundproofing/Waterproofing a Honda Genny
 

Larry wrote:
"dene" wrote in news:1169276883.977097.126110
@l53g2000cwa.googlegroups.com:

Again....don't hesitate to be critical and/or creative.



Bye bye, little Honda (snif)!

The HOT AIR coming out of the COOLING SYSTEM is heating the INSIDE of the
Coleman cooler and being sucked back INTO the cooling system! That slot
in the top isn't near enough cooling to keep it from destroying the
engine. It's breathing its own hot cooling air!!

NO, no no no NO!....

What you SHOULD have done was cut a hole and put in a piece of internal
ductwork the same size as the WHOLE hot air outlet around the exhaust,
that whole grillework where the hot air comes out around the muffler
inside the gen's case. On the OTHER end of the cooler, you should have
opened a hole to let outside air INTO the cooler, sucked in by the vacuum
the air blowing out the cooling air exhaust causes, which will fill the
cooler with COOL air, NOT its own hot cooling air. The intake should
have a little rain cover pointing down and open all along the bottom.

The slot in the top is totally unnecessary if you use the cooling I
describe, so no "cover" to keep the rain out will be necessary. Drill
some holes in the bottom of the cooler, say 3/4", so any water that
stands in the bottom of the cooler will simply drain out under it.

Just some clarification, Larry. The slot on the top is not for
ventilation. It exists only because the cooler was tall enough.
Ventilation comes from the drilled holes on the side and a 2 1/4 hole
near the power outlets. However, I agree more vents are needed.
Today, when running it, I will keep the top partially open and buy some
louvered vents to install on the side. I'm also thinking about putting
a small fan inside, sincere this is room on the power outlet side for
it. FTR, there is room on all sides of the unit...enough room for my
hand to switch it to on and pull the starter.

-Greg

Soundproofing/Waterproofing a Honda Genny
 

Very interesting setup. Here is my home-spun gen setup for my Maxum:
http://www.seanet.com/~jasonrnorth/gen.htm
JR

Larry wrote:

"dene" wrote in news:1169276883.977097.126110
@l53g2000cwa.googlegroups.com:


Again....don't hesitate to be critical and/or creative.




Bye bye, little Honda (snif)!

The HOT AIR coming out of the COOLING SYSTEM is heating the INSIDE of the
Coleman cooler and being sucked back INTO the cooling system! That slot
in the top isn't near enough cooling to keep it from destroying the
engine. It's breathing its own hot cooling air!!

NO, no no no NO!....


--------------------------------------------------------------
Home Page: http://www.seanet.com/~jasonrnorth

Soundproofing/Waterproofing a Honda Genny
 

dene wrote:
A couple of months ago, somebody in a boating forum described using a
modified cooler to house a honda 2000 genny.
-Greg Schoenberg
"She Said Yes"
2002 Regal 2465
Kalama, Washington

HiGeg:
Great idea!
I too agree about the heat problem. But hey, run a test. Stick a
Thermometer in side and start er up. Please post you results this
aternoon.

Ever run into a family named Miller in your town? Most the kids would
be in their 50s by now.
Bob.

Soundproofing/Waterproofing a Honda Genny
 

JR North wrote:
The genny is gonna overheat big time in that insulated enclosure.It's
not just the engine and exhaust. The alternator and inverter board also
generate heat when loaded. Suggest 2 4" 12V muffin fans, located 1 at
either end, one blowing in, and the other blowing out, for air flow.
These can be inset in the case, with an eave of fiberglass over them on
the outside to protect from rain. Connect the fans to the 12V sockets on
the genny, so they run when the gen is started. Hard to tell from the
pics, but it looks like you can relieve the inside of the lid more and
close it completely.This would be desirable with the fan setup.
JR

Thanks for your advice and also the pictures of your gen-set. Clever!

I intend to buy a couple of muffin fans today and also create more
ventilation holes. I like your idea about creating a larger hole on
top of the lid. That would allow it to close tight once we resolve the
ventiliation issues. The seat cover covers and insulate the top
sufficiently.

-Greg

Soundproofing/Waterproofing a Honda Genny
 

"dene" wrote in message
ups.com...


Buy yourself a bigger plastic bin to store it in, out of sight and out of
the rain.
Remove the generator from the bin to use it.

Your design is dangerous, will overheat the generator and, by default,
contain any spilled fuel and vapors.

Honda designed it the way they did for many reasons.

Eisboch

Soundproofing/Waterproofing a Honda Genny
 

Bob wrote:
dene wrote:
A couple of months ago, somebody in a boating forum described using a
modified cooler to house a honda 2000 genny.
-Greg Schoenberg
"She Said Yes"
2002 Regal 2465
Kalama, Washington

HiGeg:
Great idea!
I too agree about the heat problem. But hey, run a test. Stick a
Thermometer in side and start er up. Please post you results this
aternoon.

Ever run into a family named Miller in your town? Most the kids would
be in their 50s by now.
Bob.

Not yet Bob. We just moved to "Mayberry" six months ago. We're slowly
getting to know folks.

I'll bring the thermometer and post the results.

Great feedback....thanks a bunch!

-Greg

Soundproofing/Waterproofing a Honda Genny
 

dene wrote:
Great feedback....thanks a bunch!

-Greg

Well, welcome to the neighborhod! Dont get lost in the Columbia Mist.
SInce your a local now, do you know anything about the Ilwaco marina?
Im looking for a new spot to roost.

Soundproofing/Waterproofing a Honda Genny
 

Butch Davis wrote:
Looks like a great prototype. A taller cooler should help a lot. Is the
genny mounted to the bottom of the cooler to prevent shifting while
underway? How hot does the exhaust vent become with high power loads?
Could it be protected from inadvertent touching? I would continue to very
carefully monitor generator cooling.

There isn't much room for it to shift. The slot in the lid holds it
well.

I would also recommend the exhaust be vented at the lowest practicable level
to ensure no carbon monoxide spills into the cockpit. One would assume that
prevailing breezes would place the bow into the wind at anchor and that
speed while underway would do the same. But, you never know when something
will happen and cause/allow carbon monoxide to get into people spaces.
Perhaps the most dangerous situation would be using the genny while tied to
the dock. A few carefully placed carbon monoxide monitors/alarms would
provide an acceptable comfort level.

It's on the upper swim platform with the exhaust near the engine vent.
I always run it when running the genny. Also, I have CO monitors in
the cockpit and cabin.

-Greg

Soundproofing/Waterproofing a Honda Genny
 

Bob wrote:
dene wrote:
Great feedback....thanks a bunch!

-Greg

Well, welcome to the neighborhod! Dont get lost in the Columbia Mist.
SInce your a local now, do you know anything about the Ilwaco marina?
Im looking for a new spot to roost.

It's misty this mornin fer sure.

Illwaco is a long ways from here. I understand it can be a bearcat to
get in and out, due to tides and weather. I have yet to attempt it
with my 25 footer. Cathlamet would be my choice if you need to moor
that far up the river. Kalama had an opening for a covered moorage
last month. I believe the rate was $115/mo.

We keep ours in a private boathouse on Hayden Island, owned by a buddy
of mine who charges me $75/mo.

-Greg

Soundproofing/Waterproofing a Honda Genny
 

dene wrote:
It's misty this mornin fer sure.

Illwaco is a long ways from here. I understand it can be a bearcat to
get in and out, due to tides and weather. I have yet to attempt it
with my 25 footer. Cathlamet would be my choice if you need to moor
that far up the river. Kalama had an opening for a covered moorage
last month. I believe the rate was $115/mo.

We keep ours in a private boathouse on Hayden Island, owned by a buddy
of mine who charges me $75/mo.
-Greg

Thanks Greg. My sights were more twords the lower end of the river. I
spent a week at Scooner Creek's yard and the island is a bit too much
city for me. Next time Im up that way I will take a look at Cathlamet.
Thanks for the info.
Good luck with your new spot. And I dont want to see you on KATU
sliding down some street with all that freezing rain.
Bob

Soundproofing/Waterproofing a Honda Genny
 

Bob wrote:

Thanks Greg. My sights were more twords the lower end of the river. I
spent a week at Scooner Creek's yard and the island is a bit too much
city for me. Next time Im up that way I will take a look at Cathlamet.
Thanks for the info.
Good luck with your new spot. And I dont want to see you on KATU
sliding down some street with all that freezing rain.
Bob

In that case, check out St. Helens. Our favorite Columbia River
destination. Good food, movie theatre, shops, view of the river, and a
nice marina. I inquired last month and there was a couple of covered
moorages available.

-Greg

Soundproofing/Waterproofing a Honda Genny
 

On 19 Jan 2007 23:08:04 -0800, "dene" wrote:

A couple of months ago, somebody in a boating forum described using a
modified cooler to house a honda 2000 genny. I passed on those posts to
my talented stepson and today we came up with a proto-type, that he may
eventually market for roughly $150 on E-bay. This is the first one with
more improvements envisioned before it goes to market. This cooler is a
Coleman 5 day, 100 qt. we got on sale at Walmart for $35. Only problem
with it is that it's not high enough, forcing us to cut a hole into the
top of the door.

Though I've had no experience with gensets, I've many times wondered
why the commonly used small engines can't be quieted with better
mufflers. Never looked into it hard, but it seems to me that better
exhaust muffling could be fabricated without using too much extra
space. I'm not up on back pressure issues, so that's a consideration.
Something else that comes to mind is rigging a sound deflector from
suitable materials to attach to points on the genset, where you'll
still have a side open for cooling yet project the mechanical sounds
away from the boat. Might break down for compact stowage.
Just some thoughts.

--Vic

Soundproofing/Waterproofing a Honda Genny
 

Remember the original WTC bombing and the differential housing SN?
If enough money is involved, lawyers will find someway to point at someone
to be responsible.
BF

"Larry" wrote in message
...
"William Longyard" wrote in
link.net:

Would I sell that on eBay? Only if I didn't mind inviting lawsuits
for the first one that catches on fire. Plastic fires are very nasty,
especially with gasoline nearby.


Won't be a problem if it kills everyone involved. When the plastic starts
burning, it will boil the gas in the little plastic tank inside the
cooler.
The ensuing explosion should destroy all the evidence and kill everyone
within several hundred feet from the concussion....eliminating those nasty
lawsuits.

Larry
--
Democracy is when two wolves and a sheep vote on who's for dinner.
Liberty is when the sheep has his own gun.

Soundproofing/Waterproofing a Honda Genny
 

Great thoughts....thanks!

-Greg

Vic Smith wrote:
On 19 Jan 2007 23:08:04 -0800, "dene" wrote:

A couple of months ago, somebody in a boating forum described using a
modified cooler to house a honda 2000 genny. I passed on those posts to
my talented stepson and today we came up with a proto-type, that he may
eventually market for roughly $150 on E-bay. This is the first one with
more improvements envisioned before it goes to market. This cooler is a
Coleman 5 day, 100 qt. we got on sale at Walmart for $35. Only problem
with it is that it's not high enough, forcing us to cut a hole into the
top of the door.

Though I've had no experience with gensets, I've many times wondered
why the commonly used small engines can't be quieted with better
mufflers. Never looked into it hard, but it seems to me that better
exhaust muffling could be fabricated without using too much extra
space. I'm not up on back pressure issues, so that's a consideration.
Something else that comes to mind is rigging a sound deflector from
suitable materials to attach to points on the genset, where you'll
still have a side open for cooling yet project the mechanical sounds
away from the boat. Might break down for compact stowage.
Just some thoughts.

--Vic

Soundproofing/Waterproofing a Honda Genny
 

Thanks again for all the advice!

Here's an update so far....

1. I was unable to locate 9 volt muffin fans, at Comp USA or Home
Depot. Will order two on-line and likely install them near the power
outlet and the carb intake. In addition, we plan on installing two
louvered vents and drill some more holes on the side of the cooler.

2. I ran the genny on medium load for 20 mins. while it powered a
ceramic heater for the cockpit.
We were in a now wake zone which enabled me to hear it. There was no
problem. The lid was partially opened. The temperature inside the
cooler was 151 degrees. Near the exhaust, the side of the cooler was
hot. I could put my hand on it for just two seconds. However, no sign
of melting. Is this too hot of an enviroment?

3. Per a poster's suggestion, I put a thick bathmat under the cooler.
This helped dampen the sound and vibration considerably.

4. I don't have any CO concerns. The exhaust is right by the engine
vapor vent which always stays on while the genny is running. However,
Regal has a CO detector in the cockpit and cabin.

5. Many have warned me about liability....thank you. At this point,
my concern is with my own genny. I will have to be certain it works
before promoting the design, via a paid download, or manufacturing one
for somebody else. Regardless, I will not make a penny. This is for
my stepson. I've been accused in an unmoderated forum of spamming. If
this was true, then why would I post clear pictures of the design and
list all the materials. Again, I want this to work for my own boating
needs. If this enable another to solve their genny problems, then I'm
tickled. Feel free to copy and tinker with this all you want.

Finally, I was heartened by the experience of a Bayliner owner, who
writes the following about his own experience......

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"I built a sound box for my Honda 2000i out of a plastic storage tub
with a top. Cut out a section for the exhaust end to stick out and an
opening to put the cords through and a chain to lock it (Genny) to the
step just in case a person came by and created a wake and we started
rocking and rolling. I have put it on the swim platform and found it
better to be on top of the roof (Hardtop and I realize a lot of folks
couldn't do that). All I did was get a rubber door mat and fit it under
the Genny on the bottom of the tub and it wraps up about a 1/3rd of the
way up each side and this has cut the noise down at least 1/3. It also
took away a lot of the vibration noise that you get through the boat. I
have used it in very hot weather running for a few hours with no
problems. Also has been in rain and the Genny stayed dry. After 3 years
I have no complaints or any problems other than the plastic box has
gotten old and I lost the top one time in a high wind storm. I 'm
currently working with a fabricator (good friend) to make one out of
aluminum that is hinged and will fold up for storage. It will have
louvers on each side and similar to the plastic box an opening for the
exhaust and the other side for the cords and chain. It will be lined
with 3m soundproofing material same as used in engine rooms. We have
been kicking around putting a small electric fan in it that will run
off the one outlet I don't use. And this will draw in air. Honda made
the Genny for camping and other applications and wanted to keep it
light. I think one can improve on making it quieter with some form of
sound box that Honda would approve of as long as it gets enough air to
keep it cool.
In the plastic box and on the roof (hardtop) I thought there would be a
lot of vibration and it would be louder. It actually is very quiet when
we go below and close up the hatches to watch a movie, heat the water,
run the microwave. The other nice thing with it on the roof, it lowers
any problems of Carbon Monoxide coming into the cabin. I also point it
away from other boats that may be anchored next to us and it reduces
any sound for them too.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Count me as one who is interested!!!

-Greg

Soundproofing/Waterproofing a Honda Genny
 

I passed on those posts to
my talented stepson and today we came up with a proto-type, that he may
eventually market for roughly $150 on E-bay.

$150 each is nowhere near enough to counterbalance the insurance you're
going to need to fend off the lawsuits.

Have you never seen the REAL enclosures they put REAL gensets? They're
METAL, not plastic. And they're insulated with fire retardant foam.

Half-assing this in a plastic box is, well, just plain stupid. Fobbing it
off on your stepson borders on child abuse.

Hey I'm all for the idea of making a better mousetrap, but this ain't it.

Soundproofing/Waterproofing a Honda Genny
 

dene wrote:
Bob wrote:
dene wrote:
A couple of months ago, somebody in a boating forum described using a
modified cooler to house a honda 2000 genny.
-Greg Schoenberg
"She Said Yes"
2002 Regal 2465
Kalama, Washington

HiGeg:
Great idea!
I too agree about the heat problem. But hey, run a test. Stick a
Thermometer in side and start er up. Please post you results this
aternoon.

Ever run into a family named Miller in your town? Most the kids would
be in their 50s by now.
Bob.

Not yet Bob. We just moved to "Mayberry" six months ago. We're slowly
getting to know folks.

I'll bring the thermometer and post the results.

Also measure the temperature outside the box. The temperature inside
the box probably shouldn't get any hotter than 100F. So, you can raise
the temperature outside until you get a 100F inside. Then you can
specify a maximum ambient temperature for using the box.


Great feedback....thanks a bunch!

-Greg

Soundproofing/Waterproofing a Honda Genny
 

"Bill Kearney" wkearney-99@hot-mail-com wrote in
t:

I passed on those posts to
my talented stepson and today we came up with a proto-type, that he
may eventually market for roughly $150 on E-bay.

$150 each is nowhere near enough to counterbalance the insurance
you're going to need to fend off the lawsuits.

Have you never seen the REAL enclosures they put REAL gensets?
They're METAL, not plastic. And they're insulated with fire retardant
foam.

Perhaps you haven't looked at a lot of smaller generators, but they're
typically housed in fiberglass enclosures.

-- Geoff

Soundproofing/Waterproofing a Honda Genny
 

"dene" wrote in
ups.com:

Thanks again for all the advice!

Here's an update so far....

[clip]
2. I ran the genny on medium load for 20 mins. while it powered a
ceramic heater for the cockpit.
We were in a now wake zone which enabled me to hear it. There was no
problem. The lid was partially opened. The temperature inside the
cooler was 151 degrees. Near the exhaust, the side of the cooler was
hot. I could put my hand on it for just two seconds. However, no
sign of melting. Is this too hot of an enviroment?
[clip]

Do you really think that this unit was designed to run in 151 degrees? If
that's the air temp, how hot do you think that the engine components are
getting? I would also worry about the oil breaking down. I think that
you're just lucky that the motor hasn't seized as of yet.

-- Geoff

Soundproofing/Waterproofing a Honda Genny
 

Perhaps you haven't looked at a lot of smaller generators, but they're
typically housed in fiberglass enclosures.

On boats or land/RV applications?

Soundproofing/Waterproofing a Honda Genny
 

Geoff Schultz wrote:
"dene" wrote in
ups.com:

Thanks again for all the advice!

Here's an update so far....

[clip]
2. I ran the genny on medium load for 20 mins. while it powered a
ceramic heater for the cockpit.
We were in a now wake zone which enabled me to hear it. There was no
problem. The lid was partially opened. The temperature inside the
cooler was 151 degrees. Near the exhaust, the side of the cooler was
hot. I could put my hand on it for just two seconds. However, no
sign of melting. Is this too hot of an enviroment?
[clip]

Do you really think that this unit was designed to run in 151 degrees? If
that's the air temp, how hot do you think that the engine components are
getting? I would also worry about the oil breaking down. I think that
you're just lucky that the motor hasn't seized as of yet.

-- Geoff

I'm not sure it was truly 151 degrees in that the thermometer was on
the cooler wall, which absorbs heat. I intend to test it further today
while moored at a transient dock. I'll report later, hopefully with
pictures.

-Greg

Soundproofing/Waterproofing a Honda Genny
 

dene wrote:
Again....don't hesitate to be critical and/or creative.

Seems like guilding the lily to me; the little Hondas are already
pretty quiet. On my boat, the deck vibration when the generator is
running is more of an irritation than the generator's sounds. Reduced
by putting the generator on a 1" thick piece of engine room sound
insulation. Or, put the thing on the end of the dock, almost
unnoticeable below decks.

Anyway, I'm highly critical. The instruction booklet is quite clear,
don't mess with the exhaust outlet, don't run in confined spaces.
Reasons? Exhaust back pressure and overheating. Your setup is
recycling a huge amount of cooling air through the generator and
roasting it good.

At the least, your "genny in an icebox" will have a short service life,
worst case a spectacular meltdown.

Soundproofing/Waterproofing a Honda Genny
 

I think that is a nice idea for a jury rig, sufficient cooling, etc. to
be left to sort out by the individual user, depending on load and
whatnot.
I would probably not pay money for it on ebay, because it is not really
a product, and I would definitely not sell it, because of liability
issues.


dene wrote:
A couple of months ago, somebody in a boating forum described using a
modified cooler to house a honda 2000 genny. I passed on those posts to
my talented stepson and today we came up with a proto-type, that he may
eventually market for roughly $150 on E-bay. This is the first one with
more improvements envisioned before it goes to market. This cooler is a
Coleman 5 day, 100 qt. we got on sale at Walmart for $35. Only problem
with it is that it's not high enough, forcing us to cut a hole into the
top of the door.

Here are some pictures with comments in the captions. Please share all
opinions.

http://tinyurl.com/2kqwjd

Outlay was as follows....

$35 cooler
$10 ventilation pipe/exhaust
$30 padded cooler cover

Plus an hour or two of labor.

Results....this modified cooler cut down the sound about a third. Most
of the remaining noise comes from the exhaust. Also pertinant, the
gen-box looks good on the back of my upper swim platform and it
provides waterproofing for the genny, which will allow me to use it in
the rain. (We get a little here).

Again....don't hesitate to be critical and/or creative.

Thanks!

-Greg Schoenberg
"She Said Yes"
2002 Regal 2465
Kalama, Washington

Soundproofing/Waterproofing a Honda Genny
 

A fellow on one of the caravan forums described a similar idea, though he
built the enclosure from timber. One idea that may be useful to you is
that he used a 12v computer fan to help keep the genny cool while running

Cheers

David

dene wrote:

A couple of months ago, somebody in a boating forum described using a
modified cooler to house a honda 2000 genny. I passed on those posts to
my talented stepson and today we came up with a proto-type, that he may
eventually market for roughly $150 on E-bay. This is the first one with
more improvements envisioned before it goes to market. This cooler is a
Coleman 5 day, 100 qt. we got on sale at Walmart for $35. Only problem
with it is that it's not high enough, forcing us to cut a hole into the
top of the door.

Here are some pictures with comments in the captions. Please share all
opinions.

http://tinyurl.com/2kqwjd

Outlay was as follows....

$35 cooler
$10 ventilation pipe/exhaust
$30 padded cooler cover

Plus an hour or two of labor.

Results....this modified cooler cut down the sound about a third. Most
of the remaining noise comes from the exhaust. Also pertinant, the
gen-box looks good on the back of my upper swim platform and it
provides waterproofing for the genny, which will allow me to use it in
the rain. (We get a little here).

Again....don't hesitate to be critical and/or creative.

Thanks!

-Greg Schoenberg
"She Said Yes"
2002 Regal 2465
Kalama, Washington

Soundproofing/Waterproofing a Honda Genny
 

That might be OK in the cooler parts of the world, but a bit dodgy perhaps in the
tropics - ie as that is where you would use the genny for extended periods to run
air conditioning

David

wrote:

.... I believe generator companies typically
rate their generators for operation at an ambient temperature up to
100F. That would mean you would have to heat your garage, for example,
up to 100F and then put the generator in the enclosure inside the
garage to run the heat tests.

Soundproofing/Waterproofing a Honda Genny
 

"Bill Kearney" wkearney-99@hot-mail-com wrote in
t:

Perhaps you haven't looked at a lot of smaller generators, but they're
typically housed in fiberglass enclosures.

On boats or land/RV applications?

Do a google search of "marine generator fiberglass enclosure" and you'll
find many big name manufactures who utilize fiberglass enclosures in their
smaller generators.

-- Geoff

Soundproofing/Waterproofing a Honda Genny
 

Geoff Schultz wrote:
"Bill Kearney" wkearney-99@hot-mail-com wrote in
t:

Perhaps you haven't looked at a lot of smaller generators, but they're
typically housed in fiberglass enclosures.

On boats or land/RV applications?

Do a google search of "marine generator fiberglass enclosure" and you'll
find many big name manufactures who utilize fiberglass enclosures in their
smaller generators.

-- Geoff

$1300 for one....yowsa!

-Greg

Latest re. Prototype
 

Spent the part of the day on the transient dock, experimenting with
this prototype. Bad news is that after 20 mins. of running on a medium
load, two of the four inner cooler walls were unacceptably hot....hot
like a Texas sidewalk in July. The following link reveals some
pictures along with captions which further explain the problem.

http://tinyurl.com/ynjwkh

Good news is....

1. Neither the boat, nor the genny, blew up
2. The sound and vibration was dramatically reduced. When sitting in
the cabin, we could barely hear the gen.
3. The bosum mate likes the look of it on the swim platform.

So....I intend to ventilate further with larger holes on all four side
and also connect a DC fan to the gen., which will run the entire time
the gen runs. I hope to order it tomorrow.

Experimentation continues.....only this time it will be in a parking
lot with the eco-throttle off. Stay tuned.

If this doesn't work, then I may purchase the Rubbermaid Action Packer
box that another boater successfully used and modify it. He simply has
a large hole on each side....one for the cords and one for the exhaust.
He claims no problems. Is it possible/likely that this heavy duty
plastic box does a better job of difusing heat than a cooler would?

-Greg
Portland, Oregon

Soundproofing/Waterproofing a Honda Genny
 

I would guess that use in the tropics would require a different type of
generator -- maybe one that is water cooled? Actually, I would tend to
doubt if most air-cooled generators are even suitable for use in places
like Las Vegas or Arizona for instance in the summer.

quietguy wrote:
That might be OK in the cooler parts of the world, but a bit dodgy perhaps in the
tropics - ie as that is where you would use the genny for extended periods to run
air conditioning

David

wrote:

.... I believe generator companies typically
rate their generators for operation at an ambient temperature up to
100F. That would mean you would have to heat your garage, for example,
up to 100F and then put the generator in the enclosure inside the
garage to run the heat tests.

Latest re. Prototype
 

As I said before, it's the temp of the inverter board, alternator, and
cylinder head that's critical. Measuring the temp of the air in the
enclosure or radiant IR heating of the enclosure walls is meaningless
for determining this.
It's like when your automatic trans starts slipping. The clutches are
red hot inside, but you have no sense of this from the drivers seat.
With the temp of the enclosure as you describe, the internals of the gen
are probably near meltdown. At the least the heat stress will damage the
electronics and cause early failure, and the hot intake air will fry the
engine. At worst, it will boil the fuel into a nice 14.7:1 ratio and
blow your boat out of the water.
JR

dene wrote:

Spent the part of the day on the transient dock, experimenting with
this prototype. Bad news is that after 20 mins. of running on a medium
load, two of the four inner cooler walls were unacceptably hot....hot
like a Texas sidewalk in July. The following link reveals some
pictures along with captions which further explain the problem.

http://tinyurl.com/ynjwkh

Good news is....

1. Neither the boat, nor the genny, blew up
2. The sound and vibration was dramatically reduced. When sitting in
the cabin, we could barely hear the gen.
3. The bosum mate likes the look of it on the swim platform.

So....I intend to ventilate further with larger holes on all four side
and also connect a DC fan to the gen., which will run the entire time
the gen runs. I hope to order it tomorrow.

Experimentation continues.....only this time it will be in a parking
lot with the eco-throttle off. Stay tuned.

If this doesn't work, then I may purchase the Rubbermaid Action Packer
box that another boater successfully used and modify it. He simply has
a large hole on each side....one for the cords and one for the exhaust.
He claims no problems. Is it possible/likely that this heavy duty
plastic box does a better job of difusing heat than a cooler would?

-Greg
Portland, Oregon



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