whisper-quiet

As you are all probably aware, we have a stand-by back-up generator.
Its function is to kick in if the electricity dives, powering the freezer, refrigerator, water-heater, furnace, garage-door opener, and quite a few lights, the TV and these rigs. It doesn’t drive the air-conditioning.
The power dove last night during a minor thunderstorm, although only for a few seconds. No warning at all: no audible thunder; no flickering lights.
All of a sudden, bam! Total darkness. I had been cranking a story into my ‘pyooter, and about three paragraphs disappeared into the ether.
The generator waits about 30 seconds before kicking on, so we waited in the dark. But then apparently the electricity came back on. The generator never started.
My 93-year-old nosy neighbor across the street has a stand-by generator too. In fact, he got his first. So we got one too. Seemed like a swell idea; plus we were tired of all his noisy bragging.
He complained to the salesgirl about the racket it makes, but was told it was “whisper-quiet.” Like us, his is below the bedroom window, so if it kicks on, sleep is impossible.
It self-tests once a week. Forget about a nap. When his self-tests you can hear it clear across the street.
About two months ago the electricity dove during a windstorm, and the generator kicked on at 6:50 a.m. Nice, but after four hours you worry about your gas-bill.