Diesel Generator - Noise levels

Turn it off.

Hi SJM,

• Is keeping a DG in a space marked for OTS against building violations? - You will have to verify this with the local authority having jurisdiction.
• What could be the reason for this level of noise? - The picture shows walls on three sides which confines the noise dissipation.
  
• What options do I have to pressurize the builder to take responsibility and fix the issue on his own cost? Again, you will have to check with the AHJ to see if any violations are taking place. If there are no violations, there is probably not much that you can do to pressure the gen-set owner into fixing the noise issue.

Regards - KJK/USA

Why do you think you got such a good deal on the apartment...? I think they do have the what's called 'silent' model and the 'open' model....The enclosure is key...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1k606djA7c

<...pressurize the builder to take responsibility and fix the issue on his own cost?...>

In the UK, the Local Authority can issue a notice under the Control of Pollution Act 1974 requiring the noise to abate or cease, and home-owners can lobby for a reduction in Council Tax until this has taken place. Talk to the local Planning Office, who will be aware and have authorised the construction work under the various planning regulations.

The Contractor should have carried out a risk assessment and already applied various reduction measures as part of its requirements under the CDM Regulations. The project's Client office will have a copy of these risk assessments and their associated method statements to hand, so that's a second way into the problem - talk to the Client directly, especially if money is still outstanding to the Client as part of the lease/purchase and/or occupancy arrangements for the building.

Good luck.

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I sympathize with your predicament. Unfortunately you cannot reverse your purchase, or can you? If the builder did not tell you that there would be a DG placed there then the place was sold on false pretenses. Consult your lawyer ( or get one ) to find out what your options might be. Bring your purchase agreement to him and let him find a way out. To force the builder to do what you want will poison your relationship and he does not seem to be interested in your problem. The cost of the lawyer will be worth it to save you years of intolerable noise and expenses.

The builder has to do the acoustic treatment of the room where DG set is installed to reduce the noise level within acceptable limit.

Gensets inside soundproof enclosures often have the exhaust muffler(s) inside the enclosure and a typical noise mitigating design feature is to direct most of the noise upwards.

The engine exhaust sound is just one source of noise and exhaust mufflers normally deal with that quite well. The engine's clatter is also attenuated reasonably well with sound absorbing materials inside the enclosure. The noise of the air flowing through the radiator is not so easy to attenuate and hence the practice of directing this upwards.

Your OTS area will fill with exhaust fumes and hot air and most likely negates the whole reason behind having this OTS area in the first place. The confinement may also lead to engine cooling issues. Why is there a cover on the genset enclosure?

Apart from making throwing trash straight out the window easier what other purpose does this OTS area serve? Fire refuge perhaps? The day tank of the genset will be full of combustible material (or empty if nobody bothers to fill it..) too.

A breach of the fire codes may be a better way to reign in this "builder".

If he won't or can't relocate the genset then ducting the exhaust and hot air either up to the roof line or horizontally to another well ventilated non habitable area would make it quieter. A remote fuel storage tank might also be required.

It may be a Cummins engine but the enclosure could be made by anybody and in any way. Not all enclosures are created equally.

Cheap is not always cheap.

We don't know where you are in the world. Questions relating to building codes are moot if you don't tell us this.

I am based out of Chennai, India.

Pretty fundamental.

What do the building regulations in <...Chennai, India...> have to say? What does the local Planning Authority that approved the project have to say?

None of those things can be seen from here.

If you think there is a legal issue then dont move in. Moving in is the last step in finalizing the agreement. Get your details sorted out before making that last step ( if you can )

I don't see how they can have a generator in a location where the exhaust CO could enter any living areas....this would seem to be a code violation right away...In any case they would have had to pull permits and have inspections done and this would be on file for inspection at the local building authority....You could at least inspect the specifications of the install and check for compliance......