At One Place

How loud is a generator?

Typical loudness
52–82 dB

An engine driving an alternator to produce mains-voltage electricity away from the grid.

Manufacturer declarations at 7 m: enclosed inverter generators around 52-60 dB, open-frame petrol units 72-82 dB.

How that compares

Generator against things of a similar loudness.

Hair dryer 75–95 dB
Lawn mower 80–85 dB
Leaf blower 65–92 dB
Air compressor 60–92 dB
Vacuum cleaner 62–85 dB
Generator 52–82 dB
Washing machine 70 dB
Air conditioner 50–70 dB

How long you can safely listen

Safe for a full day, though prolonged exposure is tiring.

Decibels are logarithmic, which makes the intuitive arithmetic wrong in a way worth knowing: every 10 dB is ten times the sound energy, and two identical sources together are 3 dB louder than one — not double. So two 70 dB fans are 73 dB, not 140 dB.

Levels are measured at roughly one metre unless stated otherwise. Sound falls off with distance — about 6 dB per doubling — so the same appliance is noticeably quieter across a room than beside your ear.

More about a generator

Common questions

How loud is a generator?
A generator reaches 52–82 dB. Manufacturer declarations at 7 m: enclosed inverter generators around 52-60 dB, open-frame petrol units 72-82 dB.

Related pages

Sources

  1. Typical range compiled from manufacturer specifications — At One Place
  2. What Noises Cause Hearing Loss? — Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Public domain (US Government))
  3. Occupational Noise Exposure — Occupational Safety and Health Administration (Public domain (US Government))

How these figures are compiled and checked