Generator dBA at 23 Feet vs 7 Meters: What to Check

What dBA Means on a Generator Listing

A generator listing may include a sound figure written as 'dBA' with a distance, such as 'dBA at 23 feet' or 'dBA at 7 meters.' dBA stands for A-weighted decibels, a scale that adjusts a sound measurement to how human ears perceive it. The figure is meant to reflect what a listener hears at the stated point, not a raw measurement of all sound energy.

The distance is part of the stated figure. Sound spreads as it travels, so a generator measured close to the unit reads higher than the same unit measured farther away. A listing that states a distance with the dBA figure tells you where the figure was taken.

The catalogue for this site records the listed feature words from each listing, including the type, fuel, watts and features. It does not record a noise measurement. To read a dBA figure, look at the listing itself and the maker's page, where the maker states how the figure was measured.

23 Feet and 7 Meters Are the Same Distance

23 feet and 7 meters describe the same measurement distance. 23 feet equals about 7 meters, so a figure stated at 23 feet and a figure stated at 7 meters were taken at the same point from the unit. The two figures read on the same scale.

Listings may use either unit. What matters when you compare is that the distance stated with each figure matches. When both listings state the same distance, the comparison is direct.

The 'dBA at 23 feet' and 'dBA at 7 meters' wordings are two ways to state the same measurement. Reading the two wordings side by side on different listings does not change the comparison.

Why the Distance Matters

The distance written with a dBA figure is part of the measurement. Sound pressure falls as you move away from the source, so a figure taken at 3 feet will read higher than the same unit at 23 feet. A listing that states a distance allows you to place the figure at a point in space.

For a Texas home, the distance matters when you think about where the generator will sit relative to the house, a neighbor's lot, or a patio. The listing states the figure at a single point; it does not state how the figure changes across your property. The surroundings, the ground, and the structures all affect how sound carries.

When a listing states 'dBA at 23 feet' or 'dBA at 7 meters,' the maker has chosen that point for the figure. The two distances are equal, so a figure at either point is the same measurement. Read the maker's page to see if the maker describes the conditions under which the figure was taken.

How to Compare Two Listings Fairly

To compare the stated sound of two generators on their listings, check the distance written next to each dBA figure. A figure at 23 feet and a figure at 7 meters match. A figure at a different distance, such as 10 feet or 25 feet, was taken at another point, and the two numbers are not measured on the same scale.

Read the maker's page for each unit to see whether the maker states the measurement the same way. Makers may describe their own conditions, and a listing may leave the distance out. The same check applies when comparing a portable unit with an inverter unit; the distance stated with each figure must match. The general comparison of stated noise figures is covered in generator noise level dBA comparison.

• Check the dBA figure and the distance stated on each listing.
• Check the maker's page for the same figure and any conditions the maker states.
• Compare figures only when the stated distance matches.
• If a listing states no distance, the maker's page may give it.

What to Check Before You Buy

For a Texas home, the dBA figure is one detail among many. Before winter storm season or summer heat, check the type, fuel, watts and features on the listing and read the maker's page for the stated sound figure and its distance. The Texas Division of Emergency Management and Texas Ready pages describe how to plan ahead, and the National Weather Service cold weather and heat pages describe the hazards that come with each season.

For a generator, the first decision is between a portable unit and an installed standby unit; that choice is compared in standby vs portable. Within portable units, the listing type words are inverter and open frame; see inverter vs portable generator for how those words read. The watts figure is read separately; see running watts vs starting watts.

For a home in a close neighborhood, or a rural home on a larger property, the dBA figure and its distance together tell you the relative sound at that distance, all else equal. The figure alone does not describe how sound carries across a property, because the surroundings matter.

The buying guides on this site compare the stated details of the models in each group: best inverter generators for Texas neighborhoods, best mid-size generators for Texas essentials, best large portable generators for rural Texas, and best whole house generators for Texas.

What to pick for your situation

Questions

Is 23 feet the same as 7 meters?

Yes. 23 feet equals about 7 meters, so a dBA figure stated at 23 feet and one stated at 7 meters were measured at the same distance from the generator.

Can I compare a figure at 23 feet with one at 7 meters?

Yes. Because the two distances are the same, the figures are on the same scale and read directly against each other.

What if a listing states a dBA figure without a distance?

The listing may give the figure without the distance. Read the maker's page to see whether the measurement distance and any conditions are stated there.

Why do some listings use 23 feet and others 7 meters?

The two measurements describe the same point, 23 feet equals 7 meters. Makers and sellers may choose either unit when writing the listing.

Does a lower dBA number mean less sound at that distance?

At the same stated distance, a lower dBA number indicates a lower sound level at that point. Compare figures only when the stated distances match.

Should I choose a generator by the dBA figure alone?

No. The dBA figure is one stated detail among the type, fuel, watts and features. Read the figure on the listing and the maker's page, and compare it only at the same stated distance.