Air Conditioners and generator Noise

[jacks]

It would be interesting to hear about everyone's experience with the noise they experience from using the a/c (and generator) at night and does it keep you awake?

[Pat & Pete]

We use the front AC at night and no , it doesn't keep us awake . The cooler temps help us fall and stay asleep . It's really not that noisy .

[Chalkie]

I happen to be one of those people that can sleep through pretty much anything. sleeping the with a/c on doesn't bother me at all. You don't indicate the type and size of your RV, but ours has two a/c units, so at night unless it is really, really hot, we just keep the one at the opposite end from the bedroom on.

 

We do not boondock as a general rule so therefore have limited experience with a generator. I will say though that unless you are in a very disbursed camping area for boondocking you are really going to annoy folks if you run your generator at night.

[Kirk W]

If you mean the sound of my generator supplying power of our a/c, then the result has been just the opposite. The very first time that we used an on-board generator for air conditioning, we were parked in a parking lot at a fair grounds, spending the night after a square dance that we visited, before continuing on to our destination. In that motorhome the generator was directly below our bed the and we had been concerned about this but found that the low pitched hum it made was almost lulling to us and we went right to sleep. The next morning when we awoke I looked out of the blind to see what was happening and discovered the parking full all around us with 4H people going here and there, but with that sound we had gotten used to, we heard no hint of the bustling activities around us. From then on we never gave the generator sound a thought. The air conditioner noise is much more a factor for us than the sound of an on-board generator set.

 

EDIT: I should also mention that there is a major human factor also. We both sleep pretty well at home so this is a factor and Pam is one who once asleep is rarely disturbed by much of anything. Light sleepers typically have more issues with either sound than do those of us who are more fortunate.

[rdickinson]

My 40' Travel Supreme has 2 ac/heatpumps the front 13.5 is still over the living area so there is still the bathroom b/w it and the front bedroom so I close both the bathroom and bedroom doors. That knocks out enough noise so I can sleep or turn the cut in temp down if on heatpump.

 

The 7kw diesel generator is in the truck and has an insanely efficient noise deadening box so the generator can't even be heard from the trailer.

[Al F]

It depends on the generator and air conditioner setup in the RV. In the diesel pusher we had the rear AC right above the bed would kick on and off with a clunk disturbing our sleep. We would use the front AC and leave the rear AC off at night.

 

Another issue, which far to many generator users don't consider is how much their generator disturbs a neighbor that is not using a generator or AC. Like the person above, (not saying you do this) with the generator in the back of the truck and not being able to hear it in the trailer. Well, yea, you can't hear it. You have all your windows and doors closed and the noise from the the AC and the fan does a very good job of drowning out the noise of the generator. However when that same generator is parked within 50 to 100 yards of a neighbor not using a generator, it becomes very aggravating to hear the constant noise.

 

Some folks claim their generator is no louder than people talking. Well with some generators it is loud talking. If you happen to be the neighbor, not using a generator, and sitting outside enjoying the piece and quiet of the out doors, the constant sound of the generator, as loud as people talking, is not what you want to hear. Now if you are the person w/o the generator and you parked beside the noisy generator, you only have yourself to blame. But if you are already camped, and someone pulls up beside you, parks and cranks up the generator and goes inside to the air conditioned RV, it really makes people unhappy.

 

I'll stop my rant now.

[Mr. Camper]

Hi,

We run the A/C at night when required and we sleep through it. Our RV can have a 2nd one installed but the one we have keeps the entire unit cool and if we have borderline temps we just run the fan and that moves the air around. We don't close the bedroom door since it's just the two of us and our two fuzzy kids tend to roam at night and find several places to sleep. However, as it gets closer to breakfast one winds up by the fridge and the other by the bedroom door. We've never forgotten to feed them but they still guard the access points to their food. Go Figure.

[Aggie79-82a]

Hmmmmm. Sleep like a baby.

[AFchap]

In our diesel pusher, the generator is up front. When running it regularly (especially parked with other coaches) we connect a Genturi system to get the exhaust up above the coach roof. I don't know that we have ever run it overnight, but if so it would hardly be noticeable from the bedroom.

 

Our dual compressor ac/heat pump is below the bed and does not disturb our sleep at all. When running ac overnight we always switch the fan to "on" to have that continuous white noise and air flow. The fan won't work that way with the heat pump function, but we normally run a small table fan on the shelf at the foot of the bed to give us the helpful white noise.

[Yarome]

many generator users don't consider is how much their generator disturbs a neighbor that is not using a generator or AC.

... it really makes people unhappy.

 

I'll stop my rant now.

 

X2. Rant on!!

 

...unless you are in a very disbursed camping area for boondocking...

 

My rant... this is a major misconception I hear over and over again. The LAST place you want to be running your genny, A/C, or radio for extended periods is while boondocking. It may "feel" like you are the only person around for miles, but that may not necessarily be true. Most serious boondockers are out there for a reason.. to enjoy the pure unadulterated silence and peace of nature. Foreign noises are all that more noticeable and travel much further than you might think.

 

(Aside from the noise factor, they probably aren't going to appreciate a person that drops themselves smack dab in the middle of a natural habitat and disrupts local wildlife with their noise and exhaust fumes.)

 

IMO, it's best to approach boondocking by assuming that any noise that you create that can be heard outside of the perimeter of your camp.. even at the lowest levels.. you're probably pi**ing someone off.

 

That doesn't mean you can't run your gear during commonly accepted hours (mid morning and/or early evening). The best rule of thumb is to use the the sun. If it's not fully up then neither should your gear be. If it's starting to go down.. shut it down.

 

Rant over.

[Jimalberta]

We boondock constantly and while I dont run my gen much as I have solar.....quite often someone nearby runs theirs. We can hear it but tune it out. My thinking is that they are most likely sleeping with cpap machines and need the power. I respect that and so refuse to be annoyed or offended by that sound. Heck...half the time there are coyotes howling ten feet away so a hum of a gen aint gonna bother me.

If you are going to be bothered by the sound of someone elses generator...what about hiway noise, trains, truck jakes, coyotes, airplanes...etc , etc?

And rV parks are worse with people driving by at all hrs or walking by and talking. Noise is a fact of life in this era....best to get used to it.

[Smitty77_7]

As mentioned, lots depends upon the specific gear, as not all equipment and or rigs are built the same.

 

Generally, roof top AC's do not really bother us. We have two 15K units, and when needed we turn on whichever unit is not over the room we're in. (In the living room area, we run the rear. In bedroom area, we run the front - and set duct vents accordingly.) When in the high temp areas, we run both if required. Some RV's have basement AC units, and they are typically below the bedroom area. Some of those can make more noise outside, then you hear inside.

 

Generators. Well again if needed for running AC's, we run ours. When we too boon dock and in an area we may need the AC, we make it a point to choose an area for enough away to not impact a neighbor. We've had a few times, where someone may come into the area at a later point, and be close enough to hear our generator. If we seem them out and about and setting up (We have been gone a few times when they roll in.), I'll go over and say Hi, and let them know that we are using our generator from time to time.

 

We try to polite, but if others decide to come close to us - that's their choice:)!

 

And of course, their are exceptions like when at a car race, where it is hot, it can be humid - and you can be in a zoo of trailers and RV'er's with all units running the generators and all AC's cranked up:)! And yes, Genturi's can be of benefit, and a safety item, at times like this...

 

And it is not just generators that make noise. We've been in campgrounds where propane water heaters firing up, sound like small explosions taking place:)! (Not all, but some, really make a racket when firing up!) And even propane furnaces can be loud too... And won't even mention those dreaded RV owners with Hydro/Aqua Hots!!

 

Be polite, keep your gear in working order, and go have some fun...

 

Smitty

[SIBERNUT]

You'd be surprised how many noisy generators catch fire at night.

[Yarome]

what about hiway noise, trains, truck jakes, coyotes, airplanes...etc , etc?

 

The comment I was responding to that you hear quite often is that it's okay in, "very disbursed camping areas".. which I took to mean "remote".

 

If you are boondocking close enough to hear highway noise, trains, and jake brakes.. the focus of being able to "enjoy the pure unadulterated silence and peace of nature" probably doesn't apply. Nor does boondocking etiquette I guess.

 

Coyote calls are soothing. High altitude aircraft that pass by in a few minutes is hardly a bother. The constant bupbupbubpubup of a genny or the on and off of an A/C all night IS.

 

I guess too that I don't naturally assume everyone running a genset at night is doing so for medical reasons (more likely heat or A/C, IMO). But even so.. if you're going remote boondocking.. it sure would be considerate if they would shell out for the 12v adapter and toss in a couple extra batteries to run their gear rather than forcing anyone around them to listen to their genny all night.

 

Don't get me wrong. I'm not anti-genset. I carry 2 Yamaha 2000's, and when needed, I use them. But not during hours of the day that might disturb another boondockers "peace" up or down wind of me.

 

I realize too that there is a difference between boondocking in an established "campground" area with others just 50-100 yards off and remote boondocking. I was referring to the later... where some folks seem to feel like anything goes since they feel like there is no one else around. Lights on all night, pipe their radio outside at full volume, genset cranking (contractors are OK), dogs off lease and coming into your camp, etc.

 

"best to get used to it"? Not me, brother! I deal with it fine when I need to, but when I'm 30 miles from nowhere.. don't harsh my gig. IMO, pulling stuff like that out here is kind of like talking on your cell phone in church.

 

I don't let it ruin my day. I know it's only for 2 or 3 days before they'll likely head out, but wouldn't it be nice if everyone could play nice with others? At least.. let's get away from the "as long as your out far enough you can run your genny as much as you want" mindset.

[Yarome]

You'd be surprised how many noisy generators catch fire at night.

 

Or the tendency for bears to bite off cords right at their plugs.

[Kirk W]

 

Or the tendency for bears to bite off cords right at their plugs.

And vandals on occasion find themselves looking down the business end of a firearm. Not a very smart way to deal with neighbors.

[weaverworks]

Goodness....people banging their doors closed all day long bother me more than someone's AC.

[LFDR3116]

I think it somewhat depends on how well the unit is made. We have heard some very very loud A/C units and we have heard some so quiet you barely noticed they were running (from outside). At night we run the A/C at the opposite end from the bedroom, and have never run the generator at night to use the A/C. If it is hot enough we need our A/C, then we will be in a campground with electric.

[Jimalberta]

I guess what I'm trying to say Yarome is that yes...dead quiet is nice and I prefer that too. But to let noise bother you to the point of raising your blood pressure is not healthy either. Sometimes where I am boondocking is where I need to be to enjoy the area regardless of the noise so I am learning to tune it out.

My 40 ft DP is not the best for going remote...sometimes I miss my old school bus with bull low and high clearance.

[Yarome]

I guess what I'm trying to say

 

I miss my old school bus with bull low and high clearance.

 

Gotcha, Jim. I just get my dander up when folks advocate "going wild" in the boonies. LOL Really.. it's a rare occurrence.

 

You folks should know you're always welcome to hop your toad and come for a cuppa... get a little fishing in..

[mocroc]

Never have had an issue with AC.

 

BUT yes with gen. All depends on where the gen is located and fuel type. Had a Class A and a Toyhauler where the gen used gas and was near the bed; noise was a huge problem. Present Diesel Pusher Class A has the gen up front and cannot hear the diesel gen run at all when in the bedroom. Diesel gen is much quieter and more dependable.

 

rocmoc n AZ

[TXiceman]

Generators vary in noise level. If you are boondocking, Lots of places have quiet hours and prohibit generators during quiet hours, typically 10 PM to 6 or 7 AM.

 

As for the A/C noise, we generally have one of our two A/C units on continuous fan as we like the white noise.

 

Mainly, be considerate of your neighbors. And in the wild, sound carries a lot farther than you realize.

 

Ken

[rdickinson]

To Al in Florida from The Guy Above, firstly I don't run my generator at night unless I'm at a truckstop where the din of the truck engines outstrips my little generator. If need heat there is the furnace, lots of propane so I don't worry about the heat pump.

Secondly re my generator, it is in the cab of the Volvo where the dining table was. It is insanely insulated so normal people can carry on a conversation while sitting on the generator box/cover.

[Randyretired]

A number of years ago we were boondocking at Lake Powell. A young couple pulled down on the beach where some of us were camping. They immediately started the generator and air. For a new rig the diesel generator seemed rather loud but no one said anything. The outside temp was in the 70's and many were sitting out in the shade of awnings. After watching the evening news on batteries we closed the windows on the noisy side and that muffled the noise enough we finally drifted off to sleep. There was a couple of rigs between us and the generator. About 1am we were awakened with a women yelling for them to turn off the generator. She was soon joined by some others and eventually they shut it off.

[orca]

A couple of years ago we stayed in a very large rv park in New Braunfels. Around 10 pm a large reefer truck pulled into the site beside us and plugged the reefer unit into the power! For the rest of the night every time the unit cycled it woke me and by 4 am I was considering something drastic. When I went to the office they apologized saying it was a "mistake" but guess who was back the next night.