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Restroom trailer for fall wedding: how to prevent generator noise?

Nina R.asked 2 viewsRestroom TrailersRestroom trailerGeneratorEventsWeddingNoise

I'm planning a 120-guest outdoor wedding in late October. The venue is a private farm with a large lawn. We're renting a four-stall restroom trailer with flushing toilets and sinks. The rental company says it needs a generator since there's no power hookup on site. The ceremony and reception are in the same field, about 100 feet from where the trailer will be placed. I'm worried the generator noise will carry and disrupt the vows and speeches. The ground is flat and a truck can drive right up to the spot. What's the best way to handle the generator to keep it quiet? Are there specific types of generators that are better for events like this?

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Dave P.Madison, WI

Put the generator on the far side of the trailer from the ceremony and ask for an inverter type unit, because those throttle down at light load and run way quieter than an open frame jobsite generator. We did a farm reception last fall with almost this exact setup and the trailer itself ended up being the sound wall.

What worked for us:

  • Park the restroom trailer between the field and the generator, then push the generator back behind it as far as the cord run allows. Ask the rental company how long a run they can do without voltage drop. They know their numbers.
  • Point the exhaust side away from guests and away from the trailer vents and door.
  • Set it on plywood or a rubber mat instead of bare ground. It cuts the low hum that carries.
  • Ask about fuel runtime and who refuels. Nobody wants a refill happening during toasts.

Also ask what the generator is actually powering. On a lot of trailers it is lights, the water pump and the sink heater, so the load is small. Late October is the catch though. If you add a space heater or the trailer has built in heat, the load jumps and the generator revs up. Tell them the overnight lows so they size it right and it is not screaming at full load during the vows.

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