Camping Generator Noise

Technically, you can't operate a generator in a National Park, although I *think* there are a few concessions on Fraser north of Indian Head, where the fishos gather. There are certainly plenty of generators up that way.

I stay at Dundubara when I go up, and on my last trip there was a guy there with a Honda generator which he ran into the evening for his Kimberlely Kamper, and quite frankly we could barely hear it, and it did not disturb us or anybody else. I guess there could be a few Enviro-Nazis around that might want to complain, but I doubt you'd have any problems with daytime running.

I'd take it, and just keep a wary eye out for rangers who have little choice but to enforce the rules, irrespective of their personal opinions.

Jack

This is not a slur Turbo Diesel- but why would you need to use a generator??

Fraser Is is so large, we've found that you can usually find a spot away from people if you try. The sand absorbs a good proportion of the noise and certainly tames reflected noise. Genny's aren't too bad in these conditions.

I guess I would fall into the anti-generator camp.

I have managed to camp all over Aus for the last 10 years or so with a wife and three kids in tow without using a generator. I admit the old Chescold gas/electric fridge helped.

My main concern with generators is not really the generator itself, it's all the stuff that people run off it. I remember pulling into a campsite just on dusk one night, glad I wasn't there earlier. While I was scoping out a spot to put the tent a guy fired up his generator. Humm I thought do I want to be next to that? The answere came in seconds, he plugged in the TV and turned it on, at the same time his kids reached for the CD player and fired it up. The result was lots of noise and the answer to my question was a resounding NO!!!

I reckon if you just run the fridge and the gen set is just quietly ticking over you should be OK. But if TVs and stereos are part of your camp kit I would object.

But do you intend to sit in one place for days on end or are you going to explore? If you were going to drive for a couple of hours each day, not hard to do on Fraser, I think the Lux would cope. The other option is to carry a battery charger as well. Run the fridge off the car and hook the charger in for a couple of hours each day. It's probalby cheaper, less fuel for the gennie and keeps the fridge at a more even temp which would be good for the perishables.

Also by keeping the fridge in hte car it is with you for any day trips you do.

Just my 2c, wish I was going to Fraser soon. Have a great trip.

Duncs

G'day Turbo Diesel,

I own and use a 2KVA Honda. I have also used it on Fraser twice but on both occasions we were camped in a little group south of Eurong and pretty well had the place to our selves. Excepting for a troopy load of back packers that camped nearby one night.

The genie isn’t loud and in our group we have 2. Our way of using these is that they are hooked up to a battery charger that tops up the batteries that run the fridges. We generally do this in the day/avo and evening and run some lights as well. This means that we can shut these down at a reasonable hour. Nobody stays up late in our group because generally we have had a busy day and planning another one in the morning.

To be honest I’ve not had a complaint and would shut it down if there were a genuine complaint. It’s about common sense. There is usually enough space not to have to annoy anyone. Reckon that charging the batteries is a great idea and also using some 240 lighting when in a group.

Kind regards

from my last experience camping with the masses - dont worry about generator noise. if you have a quite one it will only mean you will have to listen to other peoples. camping in campgrounds means gennies get used to it or get remote
(non gennie owner)

Turbo

I must fit into the envir-terrorist catergory.

Not because I hate genies but the main reason I go bush is to find the peace the bush offers - and I mean total peace.

Bliss is listening to a deafening silence not the supposed purr of a generator no matter how quiet it is supposed to be.

Never had a power issue in thirty years of o0ffroading and if o'night use flouro's and if extended camping find the old hurricane lamp more than adequate.

Charge batteries during the day from the engine and access fridge infrequently buit when Ionly when necessary and have an idea what is going to come out.

Fridge goes off when the eyes are closed for the night. Thats my 2 bob's worth.

John L G

TD

Are you intending to pick a spot along the beach or in a camping ground?
If on the beach I'd defy anyone to hear a Honda from 20 metres away, over the noise of the surf.

Cheers

We have a couple of generators... a bunnings cheapie and a Honda Copy. If I go on my own I take the Bunnings and if we go with our friends the larger 1 kva unit. We usually camp on Stradbroke island and use the generators to run the battery chargers and fridges through the day and lights in camp early evening. When it's bed time, the fridges run from the batteries. We don't take TV/CD/DVD etc.

We are always mindful of noise.. so we usually have the generator on the beach and run a lead in over the sand dunes to the camp sites. At night time you usually cannot hear the generator over the noise of the surf.

However, we do tend to go away out of school holiday time and mid week to ensure we have as much of the place/s to ourselves. I could understand that if you are camped in a tent city than you would soon fall out with your neighbours if you fired up the nenny all the time.
Cheers

Mark T

You guys had better exponge me from the group... when SWMBO & I go camping we have enough lights to dim the Blackpool illuminations and our silent movie evenings are usually well attended, most happy campers are intrigued as to how we carry a wurlitzer organ with us....Not all campers really want total isolation, quite a few enjoy the refinement of camping 5*.
Ok jokes aside...If you guys reckon a gennie is noisy then what about leaving screaming kids at home as well....

We were camped at Dundabara at the end of October. One night we got back and a new group had set up with a tribe of kids (no problem there as we had 5 between our two families) but they had set up the GMC genny to run the laptop to watch a DVD. The exhaust was pointed in our direction so as we were about to start dinner I asked to have it pointed in another direction. This was met with "we're not going to run it all night" - wrong answer! I persisted and they moved it behind their trailer which was fine. Within 5 minutes of my asking the ranger came round and told them to turn it off as gennies are not allowed at Dundabara.

We go camping to get away from "constant noise" - cars, tv, loud music, air conditioners etc. The drone of a cheap generator falls into this category. We of course make our own noise (where else can the kids really "let go" if they can't when camping??). As others have suggested, if you have a quiet genny and shield it a bit then even a grumpy bum like me (I re-read my email and I'd hate to be camping next to me!) shouldn't mind.

Adrian

Put me down as a Generhater, especially if they power TVs/Radios etc. I loathe and despise them. Like others here I camp all over the place with a family of five and have never needed one - though I do own one for home use as WA power is a bit unreliable.

HOWEVER, even I wouldn't object to someone running one during the day. Depending where you are a lot of people are away from their tents during the day anyway fishing/site-seeing etc. Once the sun starts to fall and the campers return to their tents like birds to the nest the generators should be turned off.

It is possible that the comments about running them on the beach where the surf hides the noise may well be true, I don't know, but in other settings you would be amazed how far away some of them can be heard on an otherwise still night.

Hopefully eventually solar technology will improve enough to make generators defunct.

John L G and Grey Demon

I agree with you blokes, I hate the things so usually go where they dont exist. 18 months ago I was camped on the banks of the Neales River on the Oodnadatta Track plenty of space, all by ourselves, beautiful. Bloke comes along with his caravan CD and TV and eventually stops 20 meters from us!!!! Couldnt beleive it. Asked him to move away a little, very nicely mind you. He Got most indignant didnt move so I did. Let me tell you I wasnt happy.

Merry Christmas

Why would you need a 2kva gen. for a fridge & a couple of lights anyway?? A super quiet 650 will do it quite easily