Harbor Freight Predator portable generator

Thank you everyone for your great thoughts and opinions. I agree with many of you that you get what you pay for, but I have limited funds, and if the HF unit is only 75% as good and only 50% of the price, then I have to consider it. I'm also considering this WENWEN unit, which I'd never heard of before. It gets tons of great reviews on Amazon.

ChooChooMan74 wrote:
I have a standard HF generator. After I tested it before a Hurricane a few years back, I left the gas on. It flooded the engine, down into the piston, by the rings, and filled the crankcase. Hydro-locked the engine and broke the pull cord assembly when I tried to start it. I had several attempts to get the part listed and never responded to me. I have since been wrapping a pull cord around the hub and starting it the old fashion way. But, they left a sour taste in my mouth as they don't answer requests to buy parts.

If your genset has a Loncin engine, this recoil may be what you need.

I don't know what engines the HF generators have but aftermarket parts are available for just about any make.

I have a standard HF generator. After I tested it before a Hurricane a few years back, I left the gas on. It flooded the engine, down into the piston, by the rings, and filled the crankcase. Hydro-locked the engine and broke the pull cord assembly when I tried to start it. I had several attempts to get the part listed and never responded to me. I have since been wrapping a pull cord around the hub and starting it the old fashion way. But, they left a sour taste in my mouth as they don't answer requests to buy parts.

I've always been a little leary of motorized items from Harbor. Seen a lot of bulk sales of items from there that were in need of repair going for pennies on the dollar. So as another poster said, you get what you pay for! Just my opinion.

I would be concerned about parts availability and service, maybe that's not a concern. Without any support the generator becomes disposable if it breaks.

Tvov wrote:

06Fargo wrote:
Another quiet 2000w inverter option -

clicky

Looks like a good generator. A little annoying how they are claiming that it is "quieter" than a similar Honda. Actually looking at the testing, it is barely quieter, and only under very specific conditions - very obvious how they didn't test under full load.

Seems like the generator is good enough on it own merits.

Ya - being curious me - when someone sells to me using negative about their competition I generally get down to the competitor to see what keeps them in business...

todays HF ad has the 4000 peak predator for $289.99
bumpy

06Fargo wrote:
Another quiet 2000w inverter option -

clicky

Looks like a good generator. A little annoying how they are claiming that it is "quieter" than a similar Honda. Actually looking at the testing, it is barely quieter, and only under very specific conditions - very obvious how they didn't test under full load.

Seems like the generator is good enough on it own merits.

Another quiet 2000w inverter option -

clicky

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