---
title: "How loud is a generator?"
description: "A generator reaches 52–82 dB. How that compares to other things, and where the number comes from."
url: https://atoneplace.net/loud/generator/
site: "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

- [How much does a generator weigh?](https://atoneplace.net/weight/generator/) — 18–180 kg
- [How much does a generator cost?](https://atoneplace.net/cost/generator/) — 250–3,500 $
- [Generator vs Lawn mower](https://atoneplace.net/vs/generator-vs-lawn-mower/) — Side by side
- [Generator vs Concrete mixer](https://atoneplace.net/vs/concrete-mixer-vs-generator/) — Side by side
- [Generator vs Pressure washer](https://atoneplace.net/vs/generator-vs-pressure-washer/) — Side by side
- [Generator vs Washing machine](https://atoneplace.net/vs/generator-vs-washing-machine/) — Side by side
- [Generator vs Snow blower](https://atoneplace.net/vs/generator-vs-snow-blower/) — Side by side

## 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

- [How much does a generator weigh?](https://atoneplace.net/weight/generator/)
- [How much does a generator cost?](https://atoneplace.net/cost/generator/)
- [How loud is a lawn mower?](https://atoneplace.net/loud/lawn-mower/)
- [How loud is a chainsaw?](https://atoneplace.net/loud/chainsaw/)
- [How loud is a leaf blower?](https://atoneplace.net/loud/leaf-blower/)
- [How loud is a pressure washer?](https://atoneplace.net/loud/pressure-washer/)
- [How loud is a jackhammer?](https://atoneplace.net/loud/jackhammer/)
- [How loud is a air compressor?](https://atoneplace.net/loud/air-compressor/)
- [Generator vs Lawn mower](https://atoneplace.net/vs/generator-vs-lawn-mower/)
- [Generator vs Concrete mixer](https://atoneplace.net/vs/concrete-mixer-vs-generator/)
- [Generator vs Pressure washer](https://atoneplace.net/vs/generator-vs-pressure-washer/)
- [Generator vs Washing machine](https://atoneplace.net/vs/generator-vs-washing-machine/)
- [Generator vs Snow blower](https://atoneplace.net/vs/generator-vs-snow-blower/)

## Sources

- Typical range compiled from manufacturer specifications — At One Place (/about/)
- What Noises Cause Hearing Loss? — Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/hearing_loss/what_noises_cause_hearing_loss.html) [Public domain (US Government)]
- Occupational Noise Exposure — Occupational Safety and Health Administration (https://www.osha.gov/noise) [Public domain (US Government)]