harbor freight generator??

roosterfish

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Anyone have or used the predator 3500?? A buddy used one this year to power lights for his race car hauler
at the end of the year and seemed ok. I was thinking of getting one for camper and fishhouse. They are pretty cheap compared to others??
 


Creek Chub

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Mine works OK but I don't have a lot of hours on it

I got one 2 years ago. Works well in the summer. Starts right up. Can't get it started in the winter. But I don't use it in the winter so I'm OK with that. It runs my camper's air conditioner just fine when I'm camping off the grid.

Lots of metal shavings in the oil when new. I did lots of frequent oil changes during the break-in period. I recently picked up a magnetic oil plug off Amazon for a few bucks but I suspect that most of the metal shavings are aluminum so it probably won't help much. The generator, as far as I know, doesn't have an oil filter and I wish that it did.

It seems about as quiet, or more quiet, than the more expensive equivalents.


-Creek Chub
 

Kickemup

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Change the oil frequently and run good gas and you probably wont have any problems with it. Most of the time small engine problems are from running ethanol gas.
 

Allen

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I have a couple of Predator water pumps of the 2" variety. They run like a charm. My only beef with them is the gas tanks are too small and I only get about 4-5 hrs of run time per tank of gas.
 


thriller1

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Change the oil frequently and run good gas and you probably wont have any problems with it. Most of the time small engine problems are from running ethanol gas.

I agree 100%. If I am filling ANY gas cans its with premium gas ONLY. I do not mess around with it anymore. Only thing that gets ethanol is my work vehicle. Thats it.
 

tikkalover

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So, on the subject of unleaded with ethanol and premium gas. At the gas station where I get gas, the pump only has 1 hose and 3 different kinds of gas. 2 with ethanol and 1 premium. I use premium in my gas cans also, so when I fill them, I put 2 or 3 gallons in the car first before filling the can to get the ethanol crap out of the hose/line to make sure I am not putting any ethanol in the can. Is this a dumb thing to do or not, and how much gas is actually in the hose\line that has ethanol in it?
 
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Retired Educator

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Maybe I'm just not fussy but I've always used ethanol gas in my vehicles, mowers, boats, etc. Don't ever remember having much of an issue. Maybe I''m just lucky or don't realize when somethings not running like it should. If the mower blade turns and grass gets shorter it's good to go. Hope I don't cause me gad luck.
 

fj40

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I've replaced numerous carbs on my small engines like trash pumps, generators, etc. Even tho I have a bulk tank at my place, I will never again put alcohol gas in a small 4 stroke engine. I would rather haul alcohol free gas in cans from town.
 


Green19

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Tikkalover - it is my understanding that if it is a one hose pump, you get about 1 gallon of whatever the previous user put in. So, yes, if you are like me, I always fill the truck/car with gas first, then fill the gas can/boat so it's gasoline without alcohol.
 

thriller1

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I do the same. Haul the gas cans in to town and fill the pickup before the cans. Thats the only time my pickup gets premium.
 

Riverbottoms

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Seen a few roustabout crewshave them on there trucks, runs just as good as a Honda and at 1/3 price. They said it was a tough start in the winter thou. Wonder if the 2000w are tough starting in the winter.
 

dirtybirds14

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What I hear the warranty is crazy good - definitely get the warranty. I have a guy I work with that crunched one in the back of his pickup box with his 5th wheel attached not thinking. Took it back and gave him a brand new generator. Have heard of plenty of stories on facebook on the ice castle pages where people have blew them up on the ice a year later. Take it in and they wheel a brand new one up and out the door you go.
 

Skeeter

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What I hear the warranty is crazy good - definitely get the warranty. I have a guy I work with that crunched one in the back of his pickup box with his 5th wheel attached not thinking. Took it back and gave him a brand new generator. Have heard of plenty of stories on facebook on the ice castle pages where people have blew them up on the ice a year later. Take it in and they wheel a brand new one up and out the door you go.
Why would I want to get another generator that will blow up in one year?
 


Zogman

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Tikkalover - it is my understanding that if it is a one hose pump, you get about 1 gallon of whatever the previous user put in. So, yes, if you are like me, I always fill the truck/car with gas first, then fill the gas can/boat so it's gasoline without alcohol.

WOW, THX! Now if I can remember that. Seriously that is good info.
 

guywhofishes

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I checked a lot of sites and the general consensus was that single hose blender pumps typically yield about 1/4 to 1/3 gallon of the previous purchaser’s fuel.
 

roosterfish

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yeah a buddy bought the warranty as well and had a simple problem and same thing they gave him a new one. Just not sure if a guy should pull the trigger if they are cold blooded or temperamental in the winter?? I think the warranty is an extra hundo$$
 

eseamands

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I bought the 3500 Predator generator last summer. I followed the tips of a very thorough review on the Harbor Freight website. The individual went into great detail regarding how to run it for the first few hours and change the oil and the importance of maintenance and gas usage. I'm sure his/her post would be prudent to follow for any generator use and it worked great.

I have used it both with summer camping and ice fishing in -10 degrees F. I've never had an issue with it starting at any point in time. Runs the fish house/5th wheel camper very well.
 

guywhofishes

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Powerhorse Inverter Generator at Northern Tool is priced about the same
- but with 2 year warranty



$100 off right now -so costs even less than the Harbor Freight version- and that's prior to purchase of ESP for the Harbor Freight version


https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200660221_200660221

same beast - just different color methinks
 
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