Harbor Freight Predator 3500 Generator On Sale!

[FlashBuddy]

Now's your chance to pickup one of the best values around in a 3500 watt generator. The https://www.harborfreight.com/3500-watt-super-quiet-inverter-generator-63584.html just went on sale for $799.99

Some of its robust features are:

• 11 Hour Runtime
• Super Quiet @ 57db
• Electric Start

I just purchased the Champion 3400 for $989.99. I liked it's built in duel fuel capability. Of course, after the fact I stumble across a YouTube video showing how to add that mod to the Predator. Note that there are more than one videos for this conversion. Find one that matches your learning style.

[Lantley]

Tom/Barb wrote:
When you back feed a transformer from your house you will kill the workers trying to repair the electrical lines.

NEVER use a generator to power up your house.

clicking the main circuit is not enough to stop the back feed.

WA. has big fines for doing this. when caught, the power company will pull the meter, and you will pay big to get it installed again.

There are safe ways to use a generator to power your house.
They make dedicated transfer switches for this purpose.

[Tom_Barb]

deltabravo wrote:

Tom/Barb wrote:
NEVER use a generator to power up your house.

FAKE NEWS.

There is NOTHING wrong with powering up your house with a generator, that's why multiple companies built big generators enclosed in cabinets which are meant for standby power for houses. They get installed with a gigantic transfer switch. Costco sells them.

If you want to use a portable generator, that can be done as well, just install a smaller transfer switch, which multiple companies make.

With the proper wiring... yes...the law says a gen/tran panel must be installed.

your generator will back feed the whole circuit.

we get checked every time there is a power outage, the power company will see the lights on and come a knocking..

[deltabravo]

Tom/Barb wrote:
NEVER use a generator to power up your house.

FAKE NEWS.

There is NOTHING wrong with powering up your house with a generator, that's why multiple companies built big generators enclosed in cabinets which are meant for standby power for houses. They get installed with a gigantic transfer switch. Costco sells them.

If you want to use a portable generator, that can be done as well, just install a smaller transfer switch, which multiple companies make.

[Seon]

I bought a Predator 3500 the beginning of this month on sale at 15% off, $736 out the door.

[Gdetrailer]

2012Coleman wrote:
This is the crappiest stuff out there - My experience with power driven equipment from both Harbor Freight and Northern tool are not worth the money or hassle. Both my generator and pressure washer needed to have the carburetor replaced. Why? Because they are junk made in China. After the recent replacement on my Powerhorse pressure washer, it started running bad again. This time because of broken up pieces coming from the fuel filter and petcock. The money and time I have to spend just to keep these machines running is not worth the price paid. These places are truly the land of throw away tools.

They are nothing but junk. I wouldn't have one if you gave it to me because I'd be saddled with he task of getting rid of it after minimal use.

The are a fraction of the cost compared to supposed "forever tools" like Honda and yet they come from the EXACT place that those supposed "forever tools" like Honda does, CHINA.

Granted, sometimes HF stuff quality is a bit well suspicious at times but hey IT COST LESS and it is no worse than many of the OTHER no name generic branded inverter gens like WESTINGHOUSE, WEN, PREDATOR, GENERAC (yeah they DON'T MAKE THEIR OWN INVERTER GENS), CHAMPION, DUROMAX, CRAFTSMAN, DUROSTAR, NORTHERN and so on..

To get a Honda with that wattage level in an inverter style gen you WILL pay $1,200..

For the measly $700 I am WILLING to roll the dice and take the gamble.. I have MUCH better things to waste that $500 savings difference on.

HF DOES offer additional warranties on many of it's products, those warranties you walk in with broken item and walk out with a NEW item.. Try that with with a Honda dealer, they will laugh you out the door while your $1,200 gen sits and rots away on their tech bench waiting to parts/repairs.

And by the way, for my camper, I use a Chinese Honda knockoff 4Kw gen and I have owned it for over 12 yrs, runs good, did have to clean the carb and did have the fuel shutoff valve break, but even Honda is not immune to the SAME problems since the clones use the SAME HONDA DESIGNED CHINESE MADE CARB AND THE SAME FUEL SHUT OFF VALVES!

I also have a HF 8,700 Watt gen, owned that now 4 yrs and works great, have had to use it for a couple of 4-5hr power outages and I am well pleased with it.

Over the years, I have bought a bunch of HF hand and power tools, have not had any issues with them and as long as one realizes that they will work for the average consumer and for industrial use one might wish to go a bit more expensive.. Sometimes you don't wish to spend $100 on a "one use" tool and can get that tool for $20 at HF..

[2012Coleman]

This is the crappiest stuff out there - My experience with power driven equipment from both Harbor Freight and Northern tool are not worth the money or hassle. Both my generator and pressure washer needed to have the carburetor replaced. Why? Because they are junk made in China. After the recent replacement on my Powerhorse pressure washer, it started running bad again. This time because of broken up pieces coming from the fuel filter and petcock. The money and time I have to spend just to keep these machines running is not worth the price paid. These places are truly the land of throw away tools.

They are nothing but junk. I wouldn't have one if you gave it to me because I'd be saddled with he task of getting rid of it after minimal use.

[vermilye]

I agree with Gdetrailer. I have a small house with a 100 amp service & a 15K stand by generator wirth an automatic whole house transfer switch. Since it runs on natural gas, it produces less than 15K. 50 amp 2 pole breaker on the generator that has never tripped, even running an electric range along with the rest of the house. Longest run was 5 days during an ice storm...

[Gdetrailer]

2oldman wrote:

wopachop wrote:
Good choice for home usage when the power is out?

Homes are either 100 or 200amp. I think this gen might be a bit light for that.

:R

2oldman, you chopped up wopachops question then took it out of context. 3500W gen CAN provide up to 30A at 120V which can easily power any RV with 30A shore cord.

You do not need a 24Kw-48Kw (100A-200A) generator to power a home under emergency conditions, period.

Very few folks who have bought whole home backup gens rarely buy bigger than 12Kw-15Kw, might see some at 20Kw level because of heatpump or all electric heating system that want to power.

Typically in emergency use, you only power the CRITICAL loads.

For clarity and completeness, I quoted wopachops question in it's entirety in red below.

wopachop writes "Good choice for home usage when the power is out? Or go with something a little bigger? Pretend its your average family with a couple kids.

My friend wants those giant built in units hooked up to the service panel. To me that seems like a good choice for an older couple with medical machines and want it to automatically change over.

I keep telling her just get a smaller gen and run eletrical cords as a cheaper option. This summer they warned about shutting the power off is why its an issue. Has to do with preventing fires from the main electrical lines. "

wopachop, to answer your question, YES, this IS a "good choice" under emergency conditions as long as your friend understands that-

1 This gen provides a LIMITED amount of power compared to their connection to the commercial electrical grid, will need manual load shedding if they need multiple high wattage devices to be run at the same time. Would be fine for any 120V loads like lighting, TVs, stereos, refrigerator/freezer, computers, gaming stuff, streaming stuff, Internet routers and even CPap if needed (however I would suggest that might be better with some battery backup in case the gen runs out of fuel or stops through the night). Even a couple of small portable "space" heater could be carefully run.

2 This gen provides only 120V so only will be able to power 120V devices, will not power 240V things like a electric stove/oven, 40gallon or larger electric water heater, will not power large whole house A/C units that require 240V, will not power electric whole house heating systems (including heat pumps) that need 240V, will not power deep water wells that use 240V pumps, will not run anything that needs 240V.

3 This gen if they wanted to connect to breaker panel can only power ONE side of the panel (IE 120V and limited 3500W power). Would be best to just run extension cords to where needed instead of attempting to connect to breaker panel.

4 This is a completely MANUAL portable gen setup, not designed to be permanent, permanently connected to your breaker panel, no auto start/autorun, will have to run extension cords.

5 under no circumstances should it be run inside the house, on the porch, inside a connected garage or in the basement.. Respect the potential for carbon monoxide poisoning by placing a short distance away from the home.

6 If your friend wants or needs a gen to tie into breaker panel, I would suggest a little higher wattage of 8Kw and those will provide 240/120v and can be tied into breaker panel with proper transfer box or existing breaker panel might be able to be retrofitted with a gen breaker interlock kit. See HERE for Interlock kits.

Heck, I used a 120V only 4kw portable gen for many years to provide backup power just by running an extension cord through a window..

Now, I have an electric start 8.7 Kw gen in a tractor shed away from my home and a manual gen transfer panel with priority circuits so I do not have to run a lot of extension cords and allows me to run my water well :B running water in an emergency.. PRICELESS! 🙂

[Dave_H_M]

Some weird skinny being spread here, maybe urban legend.

If you turn the main breaker off how in the world are you gonna back feed?

Where i live the interlock switch at the service panel works to make it impossible to back feed into the grid and it is OK with REA.

I powered my service panel with the Predator with the use of the interlock system for years. I had square D. Ask google about the square D interlock and how it works.

And BTW, this thread went south and down the tube at warp speed. 😉

[_1Flyboy]

If it’s made in communist China I guess once it quits running you recycle it as an anchor? I’m not impressed with China quality....

[bikendan]

jkwilson wrote:
The Predator 3500, Echo Bearcat IG3500E and Northern Powerhorse 3500i are all the same generator, and are a good quality unit for the price.

But $799.99 is the regular price at both Harbor Freight and Northern Tool, so it’s not on sale. Harbor Freight occasionally has a coupon that applies to the Predator. I think it was 15% a few weeks ago, but they are rare.

Yep, regular price. It's often on sale for $699.

[enblethen]

You must install an interlock to prevent a genset from back-feeding into the utility system.
A small genset would be used normally with an extension cord feeding specific items like refer, microwave and a few lights.

[2oldman]

wopachop wrote:
Interesting how does it back feed with the main turned off? Does it have to do with the neutral and being alternating current?.

Beats me, but it seems extremely unlikely a lineman wouldn't know if the line he's working on is energized by somebody's generator.

[wopachop]

Interesting how does it back feed with the main turned off? Does it have to do with the neutral and being alternating current?

Not sure if directed at me. My suggestion to my friend is run electrical cords into the house to power the fridge and computers for school. Seems like a quick and easy option. Or a propane generator since the house is on a huge propane tank.

[Tom_Barb]

When you back feed a transformer from your house you will kill the workers trying to repair the electrical lines.

NEVER use a generator to power up your house.

clicking the main circuit is not enough to stop the back feed.

WA. has big fines for doing this. when caught, the power company will pull the meter, and you will pay big to get it installed again.