Harbor Freight Generators....

[wsleigh]

Does anyone have any experience with the Harbor Freight Predator generators? I have been saving for a Honda EU200i, but at half the cost, the Predator equivalent looks tempting. I have a larger Honda unit already, so I know how the quality is with them.

 

[churchmouse]

Does anyone have any experience with the Harbor Freight Predator generators? I have been saving for a Honda EU200i, but at half the cost, the Predator equivalent looks tempting. I have a larger Honda unit already, so I know how the quality is with them.

What is the intended use.

 

[wsleigh]

What is the intended use.

Temp use during power outages at home mainly. Also to take on day trips or smaller activities. I've got the bigger unit I keep in storage for larger/longer outages.

 

[Trigger Time]

Yeah they are great generators. You can look on YouTube and find great reviews.
The inverter type are clean power so it's a consistent (this is good for camping and running electronics like flat screen and computers )
The standard generator is just your standardworkhorse. The running watts is pretty close to what you're gonna get. You can get a backflow preventer and outlet control box and run these right into your house and never miss a beat when the power goes out if you get their big ones.
Just look on your appliances and check and add everything up so you know what to run at the same time.
If you change out your bulbs to LED's you can run all your lights easily.
Also if you have a gas furnace and electricity blower you can run that too. You'll hear the generator and know.

For the price of the Honda and other brands you can buy 2 of the harbor freight ones.
Buy bigger than you think because you will end up using it.
Also they do not come with running oil so make sure you add oil. Read the manual.
100% recomended

 

[wsleigh]

Thanks for the feedback. I wound up using the money I had saved for the Honda to get 2 of the 2000W Predators with the parallel kit. I'll be using them at a private shoot happening over the Memorial Day weekend. Hopefully there will be a positive report to be shared afterward.

 

[rosejm]

Should be fine with ear pro.
The most noticeable difference will be noise level.

There's a reason Honda is proud of their suitcase generators. You can actually have a conversation around one without shouting

 

[Sniper 79]

I picked one up about five years ago for home emergency use. Have had to use it several time. Once rand day and night for three days straight.

Working good and starts easy and runs smooth. I did pull the rope hard and rewind starter jacked up. I am a small engine guy so had it fixed quick. The rewind starter is cheap made so you got to pull it lightly and not all the way to the end. Other than that it's a nice unit.

Reminds me I better get it put and run it awhile. Keep Startron in the fuel.

 

[BuickGS]

I own a 8750. When I bought my bank home in Winamac 3 years ago its all I had till I could have a county inspection and have the building inspector tell Kankee REMC to turn my power back on. There wasnt a inverter or bigger generator at the time from them. Ran lights, circular saws, and a air compressor, more over had it from winamac to NJ 2 times. It fit the budget.

 

[wcd]

Does anyone have any experience with the Harbor Freight Predator generators? I have been saving for a Honda EU200i, but at half the cost, the Predator equivalent looks tempting. I have a larger Honda unit already, so I know how the quality is with them.

Bought one it was the biggest pos on the planet, hope you have better luck with yours.

 

[LockStocksAndBarrel]

I have 3 and they all are excellent. Oil changes at 20 hours can come around quick.

 

[Sniper 79]

Got it out today and let it run awhile. Its the 5500/6500. Filled it up with fresh fuel and Startron. Be ready if I need it.

It's all I would ever need. For occasional home use it's good to go.

 

[DeadeyeChrista'sdad]

A: What is startron?
B: I usually go 24 hours. More or less. Seems to work, and with a nice grade of full synthetic motor oil I honestly feel like that's a little bit of overkill.

 

[Trigger Time]

Guys at harbor freight told me not to use stabil in their generators. Forgot to mention that. He said hes seen it screw up a lot of them

 

[woowoo2]

] I have been saving for a Honda EU200i, but at half the cost[/B], the Predator equivalent looks tempting. I have a larger Honda unit already, so I know how the quality is with them.

Champion makes a comparable unit, that actually has parts support in the U.S.
https://www.championpowerequipment.com/product/73536i-2000-watt-inverter-generator/

They run about $450

 

[avboiler11]

I’ve got two Champion 2000w inverter gennys, very pleased with them. Fairly quiet when on Econ, 10-12hr runtime with a gallon of fuel, and a minor issue (too short choke cable on one) got me a replacement part in two days.

Would definitely buy again.

 

[6mm Shoot]

I have the thirty amp one they sell and use it for the RV trailer as well as black outs. I had it hooked up to a battery, but that was more trouble than it was worth. I now just use the pull cord. I have had no trouble out of it. I try and run it at least once a month to make sure it works when it's needed.

 

[dsol]

Guys at harbor freight told me not to use stabil in their generators. Forgot to mention that. He said hes seen it screw up a lot of them

I use Pri-G in all my stored gasoline. Got some that has been in a five gallon can for over five years. I treated it a couple of years ago and just poured some in my mower, started and ran like a champ. Probably would do fine in my generator as well. I do not rotate my gasoline stock as much as I should, but the Pri-G seems to do the trick for long term storage.

 

[Butch627]

Guys at harbor freight told me not to use stabil in their generators. Forgot to mention that. He said hes seen it screw up a lot of them

Do you really trust the knowledge of harbor freight salesmen on a subject like that? Go to a geek site like bob the oil guy for people with a bit more knowledge about fuel additives that HF salesmen. There are plenty of people giving advise there that know nothing about what they are talking about but there is enough good tech to steer you on a better course.

These off brand generators may save you a lot of money and work great for many hours, but if I am in a critical situation I want the engineering and quality control of a name brand company that engineers their products, not from someone who copies something someone else has done with cheapened materials, machining process, tolerances, etc. There is a reason that Hondas cost more.

 

[Trigger Time]

Do you really trust the knowledge of harbor freight salesmen on a subject like that? Go to a geek site like bob the oil guy for people with a bit more knowledge about fuel additives that HF salesmen. There are plenty of people giving advise there that know nothing about what they are talking about but there is enough good tech to steer you on a better course.

These off brand generators may save you a lot of money and work great for many hours, but if I am in a critical situation I want the engineering and quality control of a name brand company that engineers their products, not from someone who copies something someone else has done with cheapened materials, machining process, tolerances, etc. There is a reason that Hondas cost more.

I'm just passing it a long. I put stabil in all of my gas. There are so many opinions out there you just have to pick one and go with it for your own results. I'm not against spending money on quality believe me. However the HF generators that I own serve my needs. The research and proof back them up and like I mentioned above i can buy 2 for the price of 1 of some other brands. Sometimes it's about what your own needs and demands are. Mine are met with HF.
My life isnt at stake on the success of a generator. It is a luxury item in reality.

 

[LockStocksAndBarrel]

YEP! ^^^^^^