Would a sheet of plywood stop the rain if hanged over 10+inches?

speedy2019 said:

I have a large sheet of plywood that Im thinking to use ontop of the generator to stop it getting wet when its in use? And Imaybe fixing some kind of waterproof material to the front of the ply so it hangs down over the front of the generator for extra protection of the electrics?

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It's better than nothing, but the gold standard is a GenTent...

Plywood with a ten inch overhang on all sides will keep water off of the generator. It would help to put something under one corner of the plywood to put some slope on it so water will run off.
Just remember that plywood is not very weatherproof. If it is out in the weather often, it will deteriorate and delaminate.

Try pvc roofing instead of plywood. Build a simple wooden frame and attached the pvc roofing. Attached is to the top of your shed, but make sure to angle it to allow water to run off. I built a very simple and cheap 'shed' using wooden freight pallets for 2 sides and secured the sides in the ground with metal t-posts. The wooden frame and pvc roof went on top. As an extra touch, I 'hinged' one side of the 'roof' so I could lift the roof up for additional access to the genny. By leaving 2 open sides, it allows for plenty of ventilation.

I will only be using the wood on the gen when its in use, and the gen is slightly on a slant, so the water will run off.,.. atm I am using a smaller sheet of ply with bricks on, that keeps the weatherproof cover on from flying off in the wind, plus it stops the rain from sitting on the cover.

I also have a big sheet of plastic, but Im thinking that it could melt from heat of the engine, plus the plywood is loads lighter and easier for me to manage

tabora said:

It's better than nothing, but the gold standard is a GenTent...

GenTent Universal Kit

The universal mounting hardware kit for GenTent Safety Canopies attaches to open-frame generators with round or square vertical frame posts. Buy now.

www.gentent.com

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That tent looks less effective then my plywood idea as theres no overhangs and the side of the generator isnt protected much?

JohnG said:

Try pvc roofing instead of plywood. Build a simple wooden frame and attached the pvc roofing. Attached is to the top of your shed, but make sure to angle it to allow water to run off. I built a very simple and cheap 'shed' using wooden freight pallets for 2 sides and secured the sides in the ground with metal t-posts. The wooden frame and pvc roof went on top. As an extra touch, I 'hinged' one side of the 'roof' so I could lift the roof up for additional access to the genny. By leaving 2 open sides, it allows for plenty of ventilation.

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Im was thinking of a proper shed/enclosure but then things get expensive and complicated with fans etc.. but saying that I would make a proper shed/enclosure for the gen if I could do it myself without relying on others to help me.

speedy2019 said:

That tent look less effective then my plywood idea as theres no overhangs and the side of the generator isnt protected much?

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It is a well-proven solution. It is light and easy to install/remove. No additional fans are required for cooling.

Every GenTent on the Market Is Independently Lab Tested and Rated For:

• Up to 70 MPH Forecast Winds
• Hurricane Force Precipitation (12" per hr)
• 18" Snow Load (55 lbs)
• Flame Retardant (NFPA 701) rating on canopy and component pieces.
• Waterproof dual-coated vinyl - made from rip-stop material - with welded seams.

speedy2019 said:

I will only be using the wood on the gen when its in use, and the gen is slightly on a slant, so the water will run off.,..

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your generator should sit level unless it's pressure lubed with a deep sump oil pan.

In a pinch, that plywood should suffice. You could put a slightly larger tarp over it to make it more weatherproof. You could even go as far as tying off the corners of the tarp to ground pegs so it extends the overhang and hold it during windy days.

I’ve got a 6'x6' instant up canopy like folks set up at the beach. It stows in a bag. I would tie the canopy to the generator to keep it in place (gen weighs 150 lbs). I also wouldn’t extend the canopy to it’s full height, to help prevent sideways rain from getting to the generator.

I've used a sheet of plywood before in a pinch. Vibrated like crazy. Need a couple bricks or something heavy to hold it down. I use 2 lawn chairs with a cheap tarp on top now. Works great, plenty of ventilation & cheap.

speedy2019 said:

I have a large sheet of plywood that Im thinking to use ontop of the generator to stop it getting wet when its in use? And Imaybe fixing some kind of waterproof material to the front of the ply so it hangs down over the front of the generator for extra protection of the electrics?

Click to expand...

speedy2019 said:

I have a large sheet of plywood that Im thinking to use ontop of the generator to stop it getting wet when its in use? And I maybe fixing some kind of waterproof material to the front of the ply so it hangs down over the front of the generator for extra protection of the electrics?

Click to expand...

That piece of wood will suffice as long is a temporary. If its for long term, I would build something more sturdy. Two of mine are inside a concrete "mini bunker, hurricane proof all the way to cat five plus. The other one is in the roof, anchored to a steel railing which I doubt a hurricane would blow it.

GenKnot said:

My old generator survived the Texas snowmageddon of Feb '21 under a foldup table with a piece of plywood leaning up against it.

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I also use a foldup picnic table. Works well. It's saggy from age and rainwater puddles on it but so far it goes over the side before causing problems. I thought of some ways to work around that, but got lazy. Now I think of the sagging and puddles as a design feature; "The lightweight table accumulates precipitation which weighs the tabletop down automatically during use. No need to carry heavy objects to the generator site. Just flip the table on its side to drain the water and store when the rain stops"! (I can get away with this approach because the gen is not used often; I don't recommend it for regular use in extended outage locations).