Silent generator and vents/fans in stealth truck?

[Svenn]

Hi all, I'm considering buying a full-size crew cab 8' long box truck and putting a discreet cabin-high stock Leer/etc. cap/canopy over the bed.   I've calculated that I can squeeze a bagging toilet (Dryflush), water tank, squat shower, and coffin-like sleeping cabin in the back.  The goal is a completely stealth truck with normal height and no indication of life inside.   

The biggest obstacle I see however is making the vehicle silent when I'm parked in urban areas.  The generator, air conditioning,  and ventilation vans seem like the biggest obstacles.  Is there a way to get them almost silent?  Perhaps insulating them and have S shaped ducts leading to and fro their exhausts? 

Though I was thinking, would a cop actually ( or have authority to) cite me for illegally sleeping in the truck simply because there's noise coming out of it?  I plan on making it blackout obviously so there'd be no other evidence someone's inside.

 

[BradKW]

Vent fans such as maxair and fantasticfan are quite quiet, really not a concern. A generator is fairly noisy no matter how you cut it though. I was just experimenting with my friend's Honda 2000 and his in-progress Sprinter build. Its very quiet for a generator, and with it outside the van we're definitely thinking that the noise from a window unit AC would mask it when inside. However, there's just no way to use "stealth" and generator in the same sentence. Even though I just did.

The Honda and Yamaha quiet gensets are indeed very quiet...for a generator. But when one is running, there's just no way it wouldn't attract unwanted attention if the area is quiet in general. Some friends how a food cart and operate it with a Honda 2000 down in the bar area downtown. With a few hundred drunk people and spill-over bar noise, you don't really notice the generator unless you listen for it...

 

[Svenn]

 However, there's just no way to use "stealth" and generator in the same sentence. Even though I just did.

The Honda and Yamaha quiet gensets are indeed very quiet...for a generator. But when one is running, there's just no way it wouldn't attract unwanted attention if the area is quiet in general. 

That's what I was afraid of.  What kind of unwanted attention though?  Has anyone on here really gotten a ticket simply because there was a buzzing sound coming from their parked vehicle?  Or is the problem more riff raff knocking on the windows at 3 am?

 

[akrvbob]

Svenn, I'm sorry but I've got some bad news, you can't run the generator inside the rig in any way, it MUST be totally outside and preferably away from the truck so carbon monoxide can't get in.

It's nearly impossible to get away with one in the city. I would fully expect a cop to knock on your door very quickly and at the minimum ask you to move on.
Bob

 

[jimindenver]

You think a generator is bad. Out in the middle of no where you would be surprised at just how noticeable the sound of our little A/C is and it runs off the solar system.

We have also had a person run the quietest of generators, the Mighty Honda EU300is 24/7 for four days. It may be quieter than other generators but is by no means quiet.

Even the cheap exhaust fan in the bathroom can be heard from quite a distance.