ForConstructionPros.com

When concert-goers spend big money on tickets to hear America's latest idols perform on stage, they expect to hear top-quality vocals — without a generator humming in the background. Some entertainment events and film productions, along with live broadcasts, require the rock star performance of a generator with an incredibly low-noise level, under 50 dB at 50 feet, (and, of course, a higher price).

But for most rental applications, about 70 dB to as few as 58 dB at about 23 feet will meet a customer's sound attenuation needs for diesel-powered towables. Gasoline-powered portables ranging from 3 kW to 15 kW will be noisier, closer to 72 and 74 dB at about 23 feet, because they do not have an enclosure, or housing, according to Chris Habic, co-owner of Gillette Generators, which is known for its large assortment of portable generators. For that reason, he says sound attenuation, or sound reduction, really comes into play starting at about 15 kW.

The rental house that can offer its customers a quieter generator will have a competitive advantage, says David Dahlstrom, director of sales and marketing for Shindaiwa Inc., which is known for its Kwiet Power brand diesel generators ranging from 20 to 150 kW. The more quiet a generator is, the more useful it becomes for different applications, from powering a county fair midway or a local band concert to meeting the changing needs of today's contractors.

"What makes a piece of equipment good for a rental company is one that has a lot of utilization," says Todd Howe, Doosan Infracore Portable Power product marketing manager for generators. Doosan Infracore Portable Power's full line of Ingersoll Rand PowerSource mobile generators provides power ranging from 10 kW to 450 kW.

Howe estimates about 80 percent of its gasoline-powered portable and diesel-powered mobile generators start their life in the rental environment.