Leaf blower noise

[AutoCadillac]

I`ve been reading the post about blowing cars dry and am just about persuaded to give it a try. However, I have one problem - the noise. I`m a morning person and in the summer I generally like to wash our cars very early on Saturday and Sunday mornings. I`m setting up even before it is daylight. I`m finished washing and ready to dry within 30 minutes of sunrise and am certain a leaf blower (even an electric one) will get complaints at that time.



Now to my questions:



Are there any electric leaf blowers that are quiet enough for my situation?



How about the exhaust from a dedicated shop-vac? Are the shop-vacs much quieter?



Or, how about the Metro Blaster Vac/Dryer? How loud is it?



Thanks for the help.

[CaliPhotog]

In my opinion they will all be too loud. It would depend on the layout of your neighborhood, but on my block all the houses are soo close that I can hardly spay down my car in the morning without causing problems.

[the other pc]

I`ve never heard of anybody using a gas leaf blower for drying a car (but I`m sure somebody, somewhere does it). Electrics are much quieter. I can`t say if they`re quiet enough for your needs though.



Some shop-vacs are probably quiet enough. Mine would be (in my neighborhood anyway) but I don`t use it for drying. I`m curious about the Metro myself. They look very cool.



You can always try an electric form someplace like Home Depot who`ll take it back if you don`t like it.





PC.

[offcenter]

[quote name=`AutoCadillac`]I`ve been reading the post about blowing cars dry and am just about persuaded to give it a try. However, I have one problem - the noise. I`m a morning person and in the summer I generally like to wash our cars very early on Saturday and Sunday mornings. I`m setting up even before it is daylight. I`m finished washing and ready to dry within 30 minutes of sunrise and am certain a leaf blower (even an electric one) will get complaints at that time.



I am also a morning person and get started before 6AM. I must say you are quite considerate to think about the noise. You wouldn`t believe the noise people make in my area from before sunrise to midnight..... I wish you were my neighbor. To answer your question, I think even the electric blowers would not meet your "low noise " standards. If you do find one, please pass the word on....

[AutoCadillac]

Thanks guys.



I`m thinking about doing some redneck engineering. Probably won`t work, but I`m thinking about buying one of these:



http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0002T5QN0/qid=1124481831/sr=8-1/ref=pd_bbs_1/103-0011118-9288635?v=glance&s=hi&n=507846



Puting it in a homebuilt box and mounting it on an old cheap handtruck I have. Then cutting an access door to the controls, and put a filter box on it for air intake. Then cut a slot for the exhaust to which I`d affix a shop vac type hose and nozzle.



The purpose of putting it in the box would primarily be to reduce the noise and also to provide a way to filter the air intake.

[Mike-in-Orange]

I`m thinking about doing some redneck engineering.

Man, that sounds like a lot of work when you aren`t even sure if you like drying with a blower yet! I tried the blower once, on a recommendation, and hated it. Then again, we have water so hard I`m surprised it doesn`t dent the car (that joke never goes over well :confused: ) and all I got when I took the leaf blower to it was long tracks of water spots. Others swear by this process - I swear at it.



I`d test it out first on a noisy afternoon and see if you like it. If you do, then by all means, engineer away!!

[psl car wash]

how about this?..........



click me!!! (http://www.motorcycledryer.com/spec.html)



i now of a nice small compact one but cant find it online........ill get back to u on this.

[psl car wash]

here ya go....its cheaper now too, also if u buy this watch the battery size u can get 12v,14v and 18volts i believe!



ohh click me!!! (http://www.makita.com/menu.php?pg=product_det&tag=UB181DZ)

[imported_truzoom]

I`m not sure if this applies, but the smaller the fan used to move air, the faster it moves and the louder it is. If you can find a large one with a big fan, it`ll move more air at less RPM and be quieter.



at least that`s the theory behind computer fans. :)

[imported_BigTinVA]

Personally I have 3 leaf blowers, a handheld gas blower, a (BIG) backpack blower and a handheld electric blower. I don`t use them on cars very often as I prefer to wipe them dry. I don`t think any of the ones that I use are suitable for early weekend morning work and especially my electric one...that thing has 2 speeds of very high pitched whine that is almost deafening. Nothing beats my Stihl backpack blower for drying off motorcycles, I have to be careful that I leave at least some water to pick up with the towel for a spot free finish.

http://www.stihlusa.com/graphics/blowers/BR420C.gif

[Roadster J]

I have tryed a blower and was not too impressed with the results, so start out simply to see if you like it first.



If you already have a shop vac and you have a garage, how about putting the shop vac in the garage and closing the door with the hose comming out under the door. If that works, you can get fancy and engineer and install a central vacuum style inlet in the garage door or stub wall so you can close the door all the way.

[tlak]

I don`t want to be an ***, but stop reinventing the wheel 5 minutes with MF and you are done.

Talking about over-engineering





:woohoo:

:hide:

[medic159]

I`ve never heard of anybody using a gas leaf blower for drying a car (but I`m sure somebody, somewhere does it)...



Well now you have! I certainly do, the same Stihl unit pictured a few posts back. Never had a problem or a scratch. It is noisy though!



Why not check Consumer`s Reports? I`m sure the local library has an issue where they tested blowers, possibly they also measured noise levels?



What about buying a small muffler of sorts that would be used on lawn mowers and retro fitting it to a leaf blower?