Harbor Freight Predator 3500

[Texas_Nomad]

Any comments on the Predator 3500 invertor generator? They advertise this unit as being Super Quiet (58 dB). It normally sells for around $850. However, I have been getting email coupons lately for 20% - 25% off any single item with NO EXCLUSIONS. I would like the flexibility of camping off the grid from time-to-time in my 22' travel trailer. It should run everything onboard with the added safety of inverter protection for entertainment electronics. Anyone have experience with this unit?

[Texas_Nomad]

Gdetrailer wrote:
I will make one thing very clear, even brand names like Honda, do fail, it is very obvious that this does indeed happen since they do have authorized dealer repair centers and in the past, my understanding is they often have several months backlog.

Indeed, they do! This goes for new equipment also. I ordered a Honda EU7000i ($4600) from Jack's Small Engines last August for home backup. After more than nine (9) months on backorder, I cancelled the order. Just last week I ordered a Powerhorse 7500i ($2400) from Northern Tool and it's sitting in my garage today. The Honda is noise rated at 58 dB. The Powerhorse is rated 55 dB.

[wanderingaimles]

otrfun wrote:
Has anyone been able to obtain parts for the HF Predator 3500 inverter generator (or one of its related cousins)? About 3-4 years ago was surprised to learn HF didn't sell any parts for it. All they offered was the optional one-time replacement warranty. All or nothing.

From all accounts this appears to be an excellent generator for the money. However, it wouldn't be fun to have a $800 boat anchor all because you couldn't obtain a $5 part.

The honda clone engines used are readily available as are part. The Chinese parts will generally fit either a honda or the clone. Bought recoil starters, carbs and other parts for my old one over the years. Usually off of Amazon or Ebay.

[Gdetrailer]

Microlite Mike wrote:

Gdetrailer wrote:

otrfun wrote:
Has anyone been able to obtain parts for the HF Predator 3500 inverter generator (or one of its related cousins)? About 3-4 years ago was surprised to learn HF didn't sell any parts for it. All they offered was the optional one-time replacement warranty. All or nothing.

From all accounts this appears to be an excellent generator for the money. However, it wouldn't be fun to have a $800 boat anchor all because you couldn't obtain a $5 part.

I would rather have a $800 "boat anchor" than having a $1600 plus Honda that would cost well over $800 to repair.. Not sure you will find a Honda brand part for $5, perhaps you might get a Honda branded spark plug but I suspect even that would cost $20..

Not that bad for Honda OEM parts. They sell a $3 NGK spark plug (OEM for their generators) for only $6.

The HF Predator has a lot of followers and has been pretty reliable from what I've heard. For me, I prefer Champion for a couple reasons. First off, Champion provides far better Customer Service on their products with a network of service providers and parts stocked in the USA (no having to wait 3 months for China Post to deliver). Second is I don't have to deal with Harbor Freight.



But the reality is even that cheaper $800 gen can often be "repaired" using generic Honda knock off parts which fit Hondas also.. Heck you can buy new Honda clone carbs for $15 and they do work as good as the Honda branded carb..

I put Microlights comment is in red for clarity..

Microlight, I would suggest that when you add comments within a quote that you highlight with color or bold or something for clarity sake, otherwise it looks like the original comments that you have added to that you quoted..

Doesn't matter if Honda does use NKG as OEM, the point is buying 100% genuine Honda parts from a Honda dealer PLUS adding in the dealer upcharge for the parts plus the Honda dealer repair rate ($100-$120 per hr? easily) if one must take their $1600 plus Honda gen to a Honda Authorized repair shop the repair cost of said Honda can easily climb above $800 even if the problem was just a plug.

Point here is, if you are uncomfortable doing some of your own shade tree mechanic work then spend the extra money upfront for a name brand gen with some name brand repair shops.

For others who don't have the coin or have other better things to do with their coin rolling the dice on a Honda clone like HF gens is a very sensible approach as long as the gamble pays off with no break downs (fair chance that the Honda clone will live a trouble free life as long as a name brand).

For those who simply do not have the coin for a name brand and are not afraid to roll up their sleeves and get a bit greasy if it gives trouble a non name brand can be a no brainer to get them into a generator at a very low entry level cost..

For some, paying for the name badge is a sign of prestige and love to flaunt their wealth with that badge, go for it.. In the end, you obviously didn't need that money..

Myself, I like bargains, paying for a name brand gen for name prestige does not make good financial decision. Especially when I might put less than 10hrs of run time per yr on it..

I will make one thing very clear, even brand names like Honda, do fail, it is very obvious that this does indeed happen since they do have authorized dealer repair centers and in the past, my understanding is they often have several months backlog to work on..

My shop (myself) has zero backlog so I can fix mine by myself if or when needed and I can even pay myself for the labor repair time :B ($100 per hr still pays for some good steak dinners even in this economy).

[Microlite_Mike]

Gdetrailer wrote:

otrfun wrote:
Has anyone been able to obtain parts for the HF Predator 3500 inverter generator (or one of its related cousins)? About 3-4 years ago was surprised to learn HF didn't sell any parts for it. All they offered was the optional one-time replacement warranty. All or nothing.

From all accounts this appears to be an excellent generator for the money. However, it wouldn't be fun to have a $800 boat anchor all because you couldn't obtain a $5 part.

I would rather have a $800 "boat anchor" than having a $1600 plus Honda that would cost well over $800 to repair.. Not sure you will find a Honda brand part for $5, perhaps you might get a Honda branded spark plug but I suspect even that would cost $20..

Not that bad for Honda OEM parts. They sell a $3 NGK spark plug (OEM for their generators) for only $6.

The HF Predator has a lot of followers and has been pretty reliable from what I've heard. For me, I prefer Champion for a couple reasons. First off, Champion provides far better Customer Service on their products with a network of service providers and parts stocked in the USA (no having to wait 3 months for China Post to deliver). Second is I don't have to deal with Harbor Freight.



But the reality is even that cheaper $800 gen can often be "repaired" using generic Honda knock off parts which fit Hondas also.. Heck you can buy new Honda clone carbs for $15 and they do work as good as the Honda branded carb..

[Gdetrailer]

joebedford wrote:
Yes, mine is an APC 600VA that I bought less than a year ago.

I read somewhere that the switching relay (between AC IN and battery backup) will only last about 10000 cycles. Switching every few seconds will run that out in a hurry.

Most appliances will run on a generator but apparently not all UPSs.

I suppose inverter generators might have cleaner power output. Are they all PSW or are the cheap ones MSW?

Switching under a heavy load all the time might wear out the relay contacts at a faster rate than normal but I wouldn't be concerned with that though, typically in most UPS units they tend to use relays with contacts rated at a far greater amperage than what the UPS will ever use for a load. 600VA UPS, your talking a load of 3.5A absolute max at 120V, most likely has relay contacts rated at 6A or even 10A but not 3A..

I would be a bit more concerned about the inverter and the synchronization of the inverter to the gen which might be a weak spot..

As mentioned, my older APCs are happy with the gen, a newer APC, wasn't.. Sort of the reason I started buying Tripplites when it came to replacing some very aged APCs from the late 1990s..

[joebedford]

Yes, mine is an APC 600VA that I bought less than a year ago.

I read somewhere that the switching relay (between AC IN and battery backup) will only last about 10000 cycles. Switching every few seconds will run that out in a hurry.

Most appliances will run on a generator but apparently not all UPSs.

I suppose inverter generators might have cleaner power output. Are they all PSW or are the cheap ones MSW?

[Gdetrailer]

Some UPS units handle generators better than others.

Non inverter gens typically run a bit higher in output frequency (61HZ-62HZ) when unloaded, when loaded 50% will be spot on at 60Hz and when fully loaded will sag to 58Hz-59Hz..

Many UPS units are looking for 60Hz +(-).1-.2 Hz and anything outside of that the UPS will switch back and forth between gen and inverter..

UPS units monitor the frequency closely, they must be able to synchronize with the incoming 120V to provide seamless transfer between incoming line and the inverter. Without the synchronization the devices attached could be presented with voltage spikes or surges when switching.

What happens is the gens are set to run slightly faster unloaded and when loaded the engine RPM will sag a bit affecting the output frequency. This is done so the voltage will be a bit high unloaded and when loaded the voltage will not sag below acceptable levels.

I have had a variety of APC UPS units, some Tripplite UPS units also.. Most of the APC units are older units and seem to work well on gen, have one much newer APC that hates the gen when it is unloaded but works fine as long as there is a small load on the gen.. The Tripplites all seem to be happy and cope well with running on a gen loaded or unloaded..

Now as far as sinewave "quality" of a HF inverter gen goes, you make a fair point. May or may not be as "clean" as a Honda inverter gen, but keep in mind that pretty much all low cost UPS units are MSW and the cheapo low cost UPS units that claim PSW may not be really PSW but actually MSW.. So, if it works on a cheap UPS, it most likely will be perfectly fine running from a HF or other Chinese Import inverter gen.

[joebedford]

I saw one comment about the quality of power out of the generator. I bought 12 years ago an open frame generator for stick house backup because my RV generator doesn't do 240V (water pump). I've never had a problem with any electronics because of power from this (cheap) generator until recently: my UPS doesn't like it. Everything else works fine but the UPS constantly switches from AC IN to battery backup every few seconds. It normally prioritizes AC IN but not from the generator. The solution is to switch the plugs around when on the generator to run the modem, routers and PC when the generator is on. PITA, but we don't have many power outages.

So, if you have something really sensitive to power quality, some generators won't cut it.

Yes, it's really REALLY noisy.

[pbeverly]

bikendan wrote:
There a literally thousands of posts here, about that generator.
Bottom line is tnat most love the generator. But the 2000w version is not a good choice because of its much louder noise rating.

I have the 2000 one and am amazed at how quiet it is.

[Gdetrailer]

otrfun wrote:

Gdetrailer wrote:

otrfun wrote:
Has anyone been able to obtain parts for the HF Predator 3500 inverter generator (or one of its related cousins)? About 3-4 years ago was surprised to learn HF didn't sell any parts for it. All they offered was the optional one-time replacement warranty. All or nothing.

From all accounts this appears to be an excellent generator for the money. However, it wouldn't be fun to have a $800 boat anchor all because you couldn't obtain a $5 part.

I would rather have a $800 "boat anchor" than having a $1600 plus Honda that would cost well over $800 to repair.. Not sure you will find a Honda brand part for $5, perhaps you might get a Honda branded spark plug but I suspect even that would cost $20..

But the reality is even that cheaper $800 gen can often be "repaired" using generic Honda knock off parts which fit Hondas also.. Heck you can buy new Honda clone carbs for $15 and they do work as good as the Honda branded carb..

Point taken. For me, best value is determined by individual wants, needs, and ultimately luck (or lack of).

Coming from 1970s noisy open frame gens with B&S engines, I was very intrigued by the variety of China import gens in the early 2000's..

I was looking for a 4Kw gen to power my campers AC and stumbled on a brand new open frame China import 4Kw gen for a mere $200..

Was absolutely amazed on how much quieter and smoother that gen ran compared to 1970s gen tech.

At that time a Honda gen of same size and style would have set me back over $400..

I took the $200 gamble and so far have one the lottery with it.

The Chinese Import gen impressed me so much that when looking for a gen large enough to power my home during power outages I didn't even consider a Honda. Nope, have a HF store that was put in near me and picked out a 8Kw HF gen with electric start..

While the larger HF gen has very few hrs on the clock compared to my older 4Kw gen, I am extremely pleased with the "value" of savings on both gens.

Got the HF 8Kw gen for $429 on sale, Honda in that wattage at the time was north of $1200..

Yes, Hondas are somewhat "quieter" but the reality is an extension cord can be much cheaper if the noise bothers you.

For reliability, one of the downfalls of most Chinese imports is the cheap "Torch brand" spark plug. The cheap plug doesn't fire well under pressure which often makes it hard to start and tends to fail quickly.

Simple and cheap to replace that plug with your favorite brand name plug of better materials and construction. I would highly recommend anyone that buys a Chinese import gen to replace the Torch brand plug as soon as you buy the gen, you will be thanking yourself each time you run the gen.

Heck, I have even repowered my log splitter with a HF 6.5 HP engine, starts each time on one or two pulls and runs very well and at $90 at the time was far cheaper than overhauling the old motor. Side benefit the OHV HF engine does run smoother and quieter than the original B&S..

[otrfun]

Gdetrailer wrote:

otrfun wrote:
Has anyone been able to obtain parts for the HF Predator 3500 inverter generator (or one of its related cousins)? About 3-4 years ago was surprised to learn HF didn't sell any parts for it. All they offered was the optional one-time replacement warranty. All or nothing.

From all accounts this appears to be an excellent generator for the money. However, it wouldn't be fun to have a $800 boat anchor all because you couldn't obtain a $5 part.

I would rather have a $800 "boat anchor" than having a $1600 plus Honda that would cost well over $800 to repair.. Not sure you will find a Honda brand part for $5, perhaps you might get a Honda branded spark plug but I suspect even that would cost $20..

But the reality is even that cheaper $800 gen can often be "repaired" using generic Honda knock off parts which fit Hondas also.. Heck you can buy new Honda clone carbs for $15 and they do work as good as the Honda branded carb..

Point taken. For me, best value is determined by individual wants, needs, and ultimately luck (or lack of).

[otrfun]

shastagary wrote:
parts list for Predator 3500
predator 3500 parts list

Thanks for the link! Good to know they at least have a parts list. That's encouraging.

[Gdetrailer]

otrfun wrote:
Has anyone been able to obtain parts for the HF Predator 3500 inverter generator (or one of its related cousins)? About 3-4 years ago was surprised to learn HF didn't sell any parts for it. All they offered was the optional one-time replacement warranty. All or nothing.

From all accounts this appears to be an excellent generator for the money. However, it wouldn't be fun to have a $800 boat anchor all because you couldn't obtain a $5 part.

I would rather have a $800 "boat anchor" than having a $1600 plus Honda that would cost well over $800 to repair.. Not sure you will find a Honda brand part for $5, perhaps you might get a Honda branded spark plug but I suspect even that would cost $20..

But the reality is even that cheaper $800 gen can often be "repaired" using generic Honda knock off parts which fit Hondas also.. Heck you can buy new Honda clone carbs for $15 and they do work as good as the Honda branded carb..

[Gdetrailer]

shastagary wrote:
parts list for Predator 3500
predator 3500 parts list

Just because HF "lists" parts in the manual, does not mean that HF stocks and sells the parts. Parts are not their main business and may or more often may not be available from HF.

To make that even worse, once that model has been discontinued, all references to that model are completely removed from HF's memory.

However, that does not mean you are 100% out of luck, HF gens are copies of Honda engines, Honda or Honda CLONE parts can often be substituted with a 100% success rate. Basically you just need to know the CC size of the engine and match that to equivalent Honda or after market Honda clone engine size in CC..

Where you might run into a problem is gen and inverter parts, with that you might need to match those to equivalent wattage clone gens..

But as for reliability for HF gens, I have a non inverter 8000W HF gen and so far has been dead on reliable for many yrs.. Also have a smaller 4000W non HF generic Honda clone gen and outside of the normal Honda carb jets clogging has been trouble free..

The Honda Clones also use the same Honda carb design, it is the Achilles heal of Hondas. That carb design has a emulsion tube with many little pin holes, they clog shut even if you drain the carb between uses..

I just revived a smaller 2KW Honda clone gen that a neighbor tossed in the trash.. Carb was clogged from rust from the tank.. Good carb cleaning and substituted a temp tank and gen runs and creates power.. That gen predates my 4KW honda clone gen by many yrs and my 4KW gen is at least 20 yrs old..