On Sat, Jun 24, 2023 at 3:02 PM Hal Murray <halmurray+nanog@sonic.net> wrote:
Why are gensets loud?
They're high power internal combustion engines. Explosions are loud.
If I wanted a less noisy one, could I get it?
Yes. If you run the engine at 3600 rpm to get 60 hertz ac power, it's a lot "louder" than if you run it at 1800 or 1200 rpm and use the wire windings to step the frequency up to 60 hertz. This is because high frequency sound at the same decibels is perceived to be louder than low frequency sound.
Are the zoning people smart enough to include noise limits?
It depends. Agricultural and industrial zones don't generally have noise ordinances. When they do, the ordinances tend to be written as decibels rather than perceptual disturbance. Regards, Bill Herrin -- William Herrin bill@herrin.us https://bill.herrin.us/