# Harbor Freight Predator 4,000 Watt generator



## exmar (Jun 29, 2015)

Considering a Predator generator as a spare. I currently have a Generac 3250 and a 5500. The 3250 is 20+ years old and has given fantastic service, but has started to developing some issues. The 5500 is ten years old and seems sturdy but have gotten used to having two generators. We live out in the country, outages are not as frequent as they used to be but with the weather getting more and more screwy like the security. What I'd like to get is a battery start unit, but the 3250 takes care of everything we need and it seems that battery start is only in 8KW+ units. More expensive, much heavier to drag out of the barn, greater fuel consumption, just overkill. 

The Predator has over 1100 five star reviews-whatever that means. The engine is the 212cc which I've put on a log splitter and tiller and work very well. At $349 it's not a big investment and again, it would be a spare. No, I'm not going to get a Honda or an inverter generator.






Harbor Freight Tools – Quality Tools at Discount Prices Since 1977


Harbor Freight buys their top quality tools from the same factories that supply our competitors. We cut out the middleman and pass the savings to you!




www.harborfreight.com





Anyone have experience with these?

Thanks,


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## LaSwamp (Mar 16, 2021)

I've heard mostly good things about the HF Predator gensets. I have a friend who has the 7k watt Predator generator. He used it for several days when he lost power during the winter storm back in February. He ran his house (mostly) with it and didn't have any issues. I'd also recommend you look at the Firman generators too if you want to shop around.


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## exmar (Jun 29, 2015)

Thanks, Firman hadn't occurred to me. The three year warranty is intriguing. It doesn't have a 120-240 receptacle which would require making a jumper for the RV receptacle to a L14-30 to mate with the cable which would feed both sides of my load center. They're made in China, but so is the HF and most of "economy" everything is. It's about $50 more, but Lowe's has them and with the military discount suddenly the price is about the same.


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## LaSwamp (Mar 16, 2021)

I got my Firman in 2018, before they had become more popular. I was looking to buy something for hurricane season and there were some write ups on them. Wal Mart was selling the 3650 for around $330 shipped and that was with the wheel kit. It's a very solid generator. Good power, big gas tank, and a digital meter for hours, VAC and Hz. We had a major flood in my area back in 2016 and I lost power for four days. After that, I said never again. Hurricanes can knock out power for a week at a time if they're bad enough. So a genset is a good investment. 

It seems like the other major brands start at much higher prices, unless you can catch them on sale. Home Depot has put their Champion stuff on some pretty good sales in the past.


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## Sunbelt57 (Nov 9, 2020)

I have a 4K Predator and I'm happy with it. It runs 3 or 4 shop lights and 2 computers in my barn all day on 5 gallons. But when you use the electric space heater, it can go thru the fuel. I had one just like it which I had to take back because it had bad rings. It was using too much oil and the oil was always dirty and seemed to trip the breakers for unknown reasons. It finally quit. I took it back to HF and they replaced it. One (on the new one) I didn't have the oil dip stick on tight enough and it vibrated out and went out on low oil pressure. The replacement works fine. I must have had the one made on a Monday or Friday.


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## Mike M (Sep 5, 2021)

exmar said:


> http://[URL]https://www.harborfreig...powered-portable-generator-epa-iii-63079.html[/URL]
> 
> Anyone have experience with these?
> 
> Thanks,


FWIW: I provide the sound production for the local annual ACS Relay for Life.
For the past 7 years the event has been using a Predator 4000 generator to power the stage; fairly aggressive PA system for DJ'd material, lights.
I was skeptical at first 
but
the unit handles the event well.
My digital amps (in the PA system) work well on that gen.

IMO: it's the best low-cost GOOD unit out there.....


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