Generators!!

[mlines]

Just took the dog for an evening walk along the towpath at Sonning.

A beautiful, still, clear early autumn evening was ruined by the loud noise of generators on the narrow boats. You could hear it from the lock all the way through to the start of Thames Valley Park. One couple who had a particularly loud generator were sitting on the box it was contained in, eating their tea! They must be deaf.

There ought to be a noise regulation/check as part of BSS licencing. The very noisy ones are probably older 2-stroke units (one was creating a gentle plume of smoke across the river).

 

[No Regrets]

Tesco value people....A Honda EU20 rarely makes much fuss unless you're very close.

some of the open frame things are horrific!

 

[Actionmat]

When quoting noise levels they measure them from 7m away! All generators are anti social bits of kit and I'd love to see the back of them. Just not while I'm on my boat and they're running



Sound energy and the inverse square law

The futility of all this concern over generator noise levels is illuminated by consideration of the relationship between sound energy and distance. Condensing a phenomenally complex subject to a single sentence, one can say that when the distance from the source is doubled, the sound energy is reduced by a factor of four. This equates to a difference of 6dB for every doubling of the distance at which the measurement is taken. Looked at in another way, the noise from the quietest generator, the Honda EX650 silent suitcase generator (79dB@1m) and an un silenced frame generator at around 100dB@1m would be roughly equal if the frame generator were 7m further away.

 

[oldgit]

Stand alone Gennies.

Nasty nasty evil things.
Either reduce your need for power or increase your charging/storage capacity.A prohibition on the use of ALL non internal fixed generators between
18.00pm until 10.00am.
24 hour hot line 0800 number to report the anti social gits.
No Ifs no Buts.
Sole exception to charge an engine battery purely sufficient to get the boat moving.

Not being one to tell tales of course but did hear a story of of boater with a particularly noisy evil smokey monster which( there being other gennies in action already) he would haul out with great fuss and palaver apon arrival and set going.This resulted in two things,all other boaters looking for a mooring kept going and the ones there already frequently upsticks and skiddadled to seek peace and quite elsewhere.As soon as the desired result was achieved the machine was turned off.
Of course the charging lead was never attached to anything.

 

[Brayman]

There is a Thames by-law prohibiting the use of an engine, while stationary, to the the annoyance of others. 10 years or so ago I came across an inspector at Abingdon checking registrations and the use of generators.

 

[bumperdump]

These are 4 db lower than the average conversation http://www.totalgardens.co.uk/Kipor-IG-2000-Silent-Camping-Generator-PS7604.html

 

[penfold]

There is a Thames by-law prohibiting the use of an engine, while stationary, to the the annoyance of others. 10 years or so ago I came across an inspector at Abingdon checking registrations and the use of generators.

If the authorities gave two hoots they'd have power hook-ups available for moored boats, and be generating some revenue as well as peace, quiet and goodwill.

 

[oldgit]

If the authorities gave two hoots they'd have power hook-ups available for moored boats, and be generating some revenue as well as peace, quiet and goodwill.

Yea but it aint gonna happen at all those quiet secluded little places away from civilisation,where the gennies can be a real pain.

 

[boatone]

If the authorities gave two hoots they'd have power hook-ups available for moored boats, and be generating some revenue as well as peace, quiet and goodwill.

If the "authorities" had any money (revenue) they could be doing all sorts of things. The problem with all these ideas is that they require up front investment (money) before they can be implemented and earn the revenue that justifies the investment - it ain't going to happen !

Even if by some strange quirk of fantasy it did happen, many would then demand that the service should be free 'cos they already pay a licence fee. Others would vandalise the facility and make sure it a) wasn't available and b) didn't actually earn any income.

Hydro Power generated in weir streams is just starting to happen but all the NIMBY's are agin it and the revenue doesn't come back to the navigation anyway so who cares?

 

[penfold]

Yea but it aint gonna happen at all those quiet secluded little places away from civilisation,where the gennies can be a real pain.

Vigilante action is required; boot polish on the face and in the rowlocks to keep them quiet, go armed with a potato and silence the infidels.

 

[Chris_d]

Not really sure why all these people need to run them so often, cooking with Gas, TV 12V, lights 12V, fridge 12V what else is there? I have a Kipor tucked away but it comes out rarely, usually just to run a hoover or pressure washer to clean the boat.

 

[bumperdump]

Vigilante action is required; boot polish on the face and in the rowlocks to keep them quiet, go armed with a potato and silence the infidels.

wear a Burkha

 

[oldgit]

Vigilante action is required; boot polish on the face and in the rowlocks to keep them quiet, go armed with a potato and silence the infidels.

Sugar in the tank........gives you time to make a dignified escape.

 

[Actionmat]

Now I know I'm getting old. I'm moaning about the anti social buggers who are ruining my peace and quiet. I spent my youth on a 60's Triumph chop with no silencers. I think my karma just ran over me dogma.