Generator

[352]

If you have owned a Predator (Harbor Freight) generator and have several hours on it I would like to know what you think. Thanks

[dangerbird]

Bobbo wrote:

dangerbird wrote:
A small nitpick is that the ignition and the fuel shutoff are on the same control so you can't shut off the fuel with the engine running and let the carburetor run dry.

The Honda generators are identical in this respect. I bought a separate shut off switch from Hutch Mountain and put it on in place of the Honda's kill switch. Now, I can choose between shutting off the Honda with the kill switch, or shutting off the fuel and letting it run dry. I don't know if the Hutch Mountain kill switch connector is compatible with the HF generator. However, you can get an NO (Normally Open) momentary contact switch. Cut one of the two wires that kills the generator, and wire the two ends to the momentary contact switch. Then, if you want to stop the generator RIGHT NOW, press and hold that switch. If you want to run the tank dry, turn it off normally, and the momentary contact switch will let it run till it is out of fuel in the carb.

I will likely make a similar modification. Going to wait out the 90 day return policy before drilling holes, etc.

Carl

[MEXICOWANDERER]

The little 2-cycle has been great for emergencies. I sent one to Jesus along with a Bosch platinum spark plug. He mixes 2-cycle oil into Pemex Premium which is refined in the USA with a touch of Chevron Techron from a bottle. He cannot keep the generator at the beach because it loses ignition but taking it from the house it starts 3rd pull every time. He lets it run out of gas powering the freezers for 5 hours. He just wrote to me and said last night the critter ran all night the day before.

I have an HF angle drill that would shred a DeWalt or a Bosch. It needs a new chuck after 15 years. Too heavy.

Because it was so superior but too heavy for my hands I gave a WEN (read it and weep) 300-watt soldering gun to my buddy Celso. 100% made in the USA. Same as the switch and transformer. Far sturdier than the now made in China "other band".

The best brand of small drill ever made is a Sioux. It makes Bosch and other brands look like gahr-BAGE. USA made.

Wanna shock? Price check the OTHER brand of 500-amp rated battery load tester. The HF carbon pile is twitchy and the unit desperately needs a high-speed cooling fan but for a six-hundred dollar price difference, It'll do.

House brands, any brand -- a person has to do their homework before buying anything these days. I hugely prefer Kirkland Signature mayonnaise over Best Foods, will choose an OTC tool even at twice the price (The Snap-On O2 sensor tool SPREAD trying to remove the sensor on my car), and the list goes on and on.

I have come to like the star ratings of Harbor Freight and Amazon. Some reviewers rip open a package as soon as it's delivered and then run to the keyboard to review it. STUPID.

Oh yeah. I have a WEN bench top drill press now and I love it. It does not belong in a machine shop but for electronics it is superb. My M3 LED heatsink holes are now perfect.

This website has superb rated reviews since I can work my way through the reviews and neuter the obviously strong-willed responses. Another oh yeah. My WE0N service cart. Plastic. It was introduced on eBay for forty dollars. It's every bit as good as a $120 Rubber Made cart.

But I love the world inventory available now. I am building a charger to my neurotic standards for a friend in Alaska. Every wire inside is silicone for flexibility and meeting AWG size. The switches are Mil-Spec. And gauges are twin analog and digital. This would have been hard to do twenty years ago. But I am building it to Arctic and Arizona standards, which means EB Pabst cooling fans (2) SOW 12/3 power cord with hospital grade plug. Bourns 25 turn pots, the whole shebang. Let's not talk about how long it's taking me to build this.

But from heaters to AC units to everything else I SNEER at the percentage of so-called RV appliances that are little more than junk. I have 3 window A/C units in Quicksilver that have never done more than burp over roads that would SHRED a standard RV. The refrigerator and freezer have worked perfectly, try a -4 F freezer when outside temps were a deadly 122F 50c. I am too sensitive with **** that breaks or doesn't work right.

[map40]

I have to 3500 w predator generators and to 2200 Ryobi generators. I use a parallel system to run a 50 amp coach. You can mix and match and they work perfect. This is my second set, I bought the extended warranty I'm in 1 year and 11 months I brought them back to the store and they gave me two new ones. Of course I bought the extended warranty again. The best part is that if at any time the generator fails you just go into any Harbor Freight they hand them out the old one and they'll give you a brand new one. Also you have the ability to do hot swapping of the generators. This means that you can unplug one shut it down refuel turn it on and plug it back in while the other one runs and keeps everything running. If you're lucky that your AC does not cycle during that time a single 3500 can hold its own for 10 to 15 minutes. I have even connected up to four of them in parallel and they work flawlessly. The one that I used the most had over 2500 hours in 2 years.

[Dave_H_M]

I agree with pitch. HF is for this person who does not make a living with tools.

[pitch]

I see at least one of you is a Harbor Freight hater.
Nothing at all wrong with HB. You just have to be conscious of what you are buying.
As a nonprofessional most of their stuff is perfectly adequate for my use.
IF you think that you are buying professional level equipment you sorely mistaken. You get what you pay for!

[DFord]

joebedford wrote:

DFord wrote:
I bought their 2200 watt model. Used it for two weeks at Quartzsite and took it back. They charged me 20% restocking fee but I was happy to get most of my money back. The 2000-2200 market has several other models available now and I'd look else where. Having been burned by many of the things I've purchased at HF, I'm buying less and less from them.

Why did you take it back after using it for two weeks?

It was noisier than I expected and sounded tinny while it was running. I've had bad experiences with HF electric tools and didn't want to waste the entire purchase price on one of their products again. That and it was advertised to be equal to or better than a Honda - that's a joke.

I bought a HF electric pipe threader to convert my church from propane to natural gas. I had it 6 months before I used it. I threaded on piece of pipe with it and it was unfit to use. I donated it to the rummage sale and threaded the rest of the pipe by hand. I bought a 1-1/2 hammer drill and after a couple of holes, it stopped working - I threw it in the dumpster. I bought a Bosch off Craig's List to finish the job. I bought their small solar panels to keep my car charged laying them on the dash. They melted and the batteries went flat. Now I take the batteries out of the cars I leave home and put them on a float charger through the winter while I'm snowbirding. So you see I'm a little skittish about their products and can't recommend them base on my experience.

[2oldman]

dangerbird wrote:
A small nitpick is that the ignition and the fuel shutoff are on the same control so you can't shut off the fuel with the engine running and let the carburetor run dry.

I find the drain screw works just fine for that.

[Dave_H_M]

I have owned two of them in the past. Both of them kicked butt.

Had them for stick home back up. They sold quick as i now have whole house generator.

[SidecarFlip]

LittleBill wrote:
HF 2200 is not made by them its made by WEN, i own 2 of the WEN, i have about 100 hours on them, they work fine

You know what is said...

It's not Wen it breaks it's Wen it does.....:R

[George3037]

I have the 3500 Predator. Fairly new with only 19 hours. I did the break in oil change at 5 hours and put synthetic oil in. Runs very quiet. At full load it is quieter than neighbors Honda by about 2db at 25'. I use it with my TT and it runs the entire TT including a 13,500 AC.

I also have a Champion #76533 3800 / 4750W dual fuel genny. It is almost 10db louder than the Predator at 25' but still tolerable.

I bought these electric start gennies because I can't use pull start due to rotator cuff injury. I use electric winch in the garage to lift them into the pickup bed and run them from there.

[LittleBill]

HF 2200 is not made by them its made by WEN, i own 2 of the WEN, i have about 100 hours on them, they work fine

[joebedford]

DFord wrote:
I bought their 2200 watt model. Used it for two weeks at Quartzsite and took it back. They charged me 20% restocking fee but I was happy to get most of my money back. The 2000-2200 market has several other models available now and I'd look else where. Having been burned by many of the things I've purchased at HF, I'm buying less and less from them.

Why did you take it back after using it for two weeks?

[Bobbo]

dangerbird wrote:
A small nitpick is that the ignition and the fuel shutoff are on the same control so you can't shut off the fuel with the engine running and let the carburetor run dry.

The Honda generators are identical in this respect. I bought a separate shut off switch from Hutch Mountain and put it on in place of the Honda's kill switch. Now, I can choose between shutting off the Honda with the kill switch, or shutting off the fuel and letting it run dry. I don't know if the Hutch Mountain kill switch connector is compatible with the HF generator. However, you can get an NO (Normally Open) momentary contact switch. Cut one of the two wires that kills the generator, and wire the two ends to the momentary contact switch. Then, if you want to stop the generator RIGHT NOW, press and hold that switch. If you want to run the tank dry, turn it off normally, and the momentary contact switch will let it run till it is out of fuel in the carb.

[theoldwizard1]

DFord wrote:
I bought their 2200 watt model. Used it for two weeks at Quartzsite and took it back.

Why ?

It is rated at 2000 STARTING watts and only 1600 running watts.