|
| Author |
Message |
rayyy
Member
|
# Posted: 4 Sep 2018 05:59pm
Reply
Has any one bought one of those predator 3500 generators from harbor freight for off grid use? I'm just curious.
|
|
frankpaige
Member
|
# Posted: 4 Sep 2018 07:05pm
Reply
Yes, and I have had no issues with it. Runs the compressor for nail gun, microwave, fridge (that would be a long time hearing the noise though), starts every time. Cold Colorado winters mornings. If it crapped out today, I would have gotten my $$ out of it many times over. It built a 12 x 18. Now going for solar. The Gatorade? Spelling they sell does everything but the compressor and microwave.
Enjoy
|
|
bobrok
Member
|
# Posted: 4 Sep 2018 08:55pm
Reply
Curiously, I just read this a week ago.
Posting the link in case you haven't seen it.
Consumer Reports thinks rather highly of them
https://www.consumerreports.org/inverter-generators/harbor-freight-predator-62353-vs- honda-eu2000it1a1-recreational-inverter-generator/
|
|
toyota_mdt_tech
Member
|
# Posted: 4 Sep 2018 09:07pm - Edited by: toyota_mdt_tech
Reply
And the winner is:
The Winner
On points and performance, the Honda wins by a narrow margin, largely because of its ability to deliver power constantly and reliably—it works without tripping its own internal circuit breaker as we added to its load, right up to the generator’s claimed capacity. But the Predator is the clear winner on price. Were the warranties identical, we’d certainly crown the Predator as the better buy. But with a 90-day warranty, there’s no guarantee it will survive even a single season.
|
|
bobrok
Member
|
# Posted: 4 Sep 2018 09:13pm
Reply
What do you folks think of Champion generators?
|
|
darz5150
Member
|
# Posted: 4 Sep 2018 09:46pm
Reply
Quoting: toyota_mdt_tech But with a 90-day warranty, there’s no guarantee it will survive even a single season
This statement really doesn't mean a whole lot. I recently replaced the starter on my wife's car with one that had a " lifetime" warranty. It didn't last one day. It started the car 6 or 7 times great. Until I tried to pull the car out of the garage so my wife could drive it to work.
So when I bought a starter that said it had a better warranty than one with only a 90 day warranty, didn't mean a whole lot when I had to replace it a second time.
|
|
Gary O
Member
|
# Posted: 4 Sep 2018 10:46pm
Reply
Quoting: rayyy Has any one bought one of those predator 3500 generators from harbor freight for off grid use?I'm just curious.
I have that Predator 3500
Got it around 2005
Guzzles gas
Noise of a jet engine
Weighs a ton
The fuel gauge disintegrated sometime last summer
Can’t seem to kill it
It does not run the large saws
My predator 8750 runs those
Electric start (happily)
I also have;
Ryobi 2200
Hate it
The oil filler plug was carefully placed where you can see it, and put one finger on it
Taking it off is the challenge
Putting it back on is a masochist’s fantasy
Starts OK first of the day
Don’t dare shut it off unless I need a workout
Use it for the shop lights and small tools
Also, it’s a backup for my Honda e2000i
It does, strangely enough, seem quieter than the Honda
Quoting: bobrok What do you folks think of Champion generators?
Got a steal of a deal from Julie2 on her Champion 3000
Couldn't pass it up
Can’t seem to find anything wrong with it
Electric start
Very easy to start
Runs like a top
I use it in the well house
So, yes, I have five gennys
Of which four are in daily use
Oil changes are the first of the month
Takes a couple hrs
|
|
toyota_mdt_tech
Member
|
# Posted: 5 Sep 2018 08:57am - Edited by: toyota_mdt_tech
Reply
Honda EU2000 is no longer in production, you now get the EU2200.
On those off brand gennies, ask yourself this question. Where is their service parts counter? And how long to get parts, bet you will find, probably no service parts available, especially after unit is a year or 2 old.
|
|
|
Gary O
Member
|
# Posted: 5 Sep 2018 09:02am
Reply
Quoting: toyota_mdt_tech On those off brand gennies, ask yourself this question. Where is their service parts counter? And how long to get parts, but you will find,. probably no service parts available, especially after unit it a year or 2 old.
Truth
|
|
WY_mark
Member
|
# Posted: 5 Oct 2018 02:48pm
Reply
Quoting: bobrok What do you folks think of Champion generators?
Given my dollars id buy champion first. I own both a regular and inverter champion and they are goning strong after years of use and abuse. Ive not used the harbor freight one but literally every other purchase ive made at that store ive regretted - their stuff does not last, often not even to the end of the warranty.
|
|
Rickkrus
Member
|
# Posted: 5 Oct 2018 08:15pm
Reply
I've got the Predator 4000. It's awesome. I built my entire cabin using HF tools. I'm hard on them too. Left them out in sun rain snow wind dust storms for two years. Saved a bundle and everything still works great. One 35 dollar circular saw crapped out but everything else running strong.
|
|
bobrok
Member
|
# Posted: 6 Oct 2018 10:08am
Reply
Quoting: WY_mark Given my dollars id buy champion first. I own both a regular and inverter champion and they are goning strong after years of use and abuse. Ive not used the harbor freight one but literally every other purchase ive made at that store ive regretted - their stuff does not last, often not even to the end of the warranty.
TY. The reason I ask is because in my town is a company that has a national contract with Costco to refurbish and resell all their Champion generator returns. Some of these are brand new with dents, some are customer returns soon after purchase that can't be sold as new. The pricing is very good. Insofar as I'm concerned if I purchased one and it went bad the repair facility is a few blocks away. Plus a neighbor works there.
|
|
MN_Mally
Member
|
# Posted: 13 Oct 2019 11:53pm
Reply
Has anyone tried this extended run tank kit with fuel pump so you can go a couple days without filling? https://superiorloopengineeringllc.com/products/extended-run-tank-kit-for-the-predato r-3500-inverter-generator
|
|
SCSJeff
Member
|
# Posted: 14 Oct 2019 08:27am
Reply
My .02...
I have a Champion 6500 and the 2000 Inverter. The big gen was my emergency gen at my primary residence for about 5 years (Only got used 2 or 3 times during power outages) and has now migrated to the cabin. Still only gets run for about 20-30 minutes each visit because I only use it for our septic pump and the well pump. Starts first pull every time!
The Inverter has been incredible! It's been used hard for 3 years (often 8+ hours at a time) and has only ever tripped once due to overload. Ran table saw and circular saws fine.
Both gens I got on sales and combined with gift cards/points to get pretty cheap. However, when I was shopping to upgrade our home gen, I found that Champion's pricing is no longer "inexpensive" like it used to be. Wanted to go with a 9000 Champion at home, but the pricing was too high (and no sales). Ended up getting a Remote Start Westinghouse for home (on sale w/ Lowe's gift cards)
|
|
Nobadays
Member
|
# Posted: 14 Oct 2019 05:00pm
Reply
We have almost 300 hours on a HF Predator 3500 inverter/generator (these are very different than the standard HF 3500.) It has run well and is easy on fuel. I have overloaded it only one time.... didn't realize the breaker was on to the house and I was trying to run my 7 ton electric wood splitter. Apparently the inverter/charger called for power after I had started splitting wood, the generator bogged down, the motor on the splitter bogged down and I ran out of hydraulic force to split wood. I turned the splitter off and the generator came back up to power. Never blew the breaker on the generator but had to be close! With our solar system we don't use the generator for powering the house anymore but I do use it frequently for building projects. Quite happy with it.
|
|
Brettny
Member
|
# Posted: 15 Oct 2019 07:27am
Reply
Quoting: toyota_mdt_tech On those off brand gennies, ask yourself this question. Where is their service parts counter? And how long to get parts, bet you will find, probably no service parts available, especially after unit is a year or 2 old.
Thats not very accurate many many times you can find a aftermarket part long after the original manufacture stoped buying the parts to repackage.
If your not buying a honda, yamaha, yanmar, cummins or a few other brands your buying prety low grade chinese machines. They work, there cheap and i own one. If i never need to replace something different than a carb on my $190 1kw sportsman inverter il prob just buy a whole new unit. Parts are available if you look.
|
|
rachelsdad
Member
|
# Posted: 15 Oct 2019 10:25am
Reply
I've been using a Champion 3,500 watt gen for about 5 years.
Gets a lot of use. I'm always tempted to buy another but I don't need to. Handles everything I throw at it as far as power tools and lighting up the place after I remove my batteries for the season.
|
|
|
