I'm sticking with my Honda "waste of money". My generator is twenty five years old, hundreds of hours of backup power use. Just ran through 12 gallons of gas- 3.5 days continuous use during IAN. Oil change and ready for the next one.
Honda 2000/2200x2/3000/3200 owner here. My only complaint is the 3000 is a mouse nest magnet. “Budget” Emergency Generator wasn’t a consideration. Up to a few years ago I had a overloaded 3000gallon Koi pond running a 1hp/14amp circulator pump. The fish were huge and 10-15 years old. Never had an issue with a Honda. I’m currently in love with the 3200 for my Host Mammoth truck camper w/12k btu A/C and a BERGS system extended run tank
Honda and Yamaha are the best. I know someone with a hunting camp and he's tried them all. Many of the less expensive generators won't even last a full 2 weeks of running, and all have not lasted more than 3 seasons x 2 weeks running. He now uses Yamaha and has been using it for 9 years and never had a problem.
i run my generators 25-30 hours a week for work. Best is champion but theyre loud. Next is Predator not that its better quality but price wise better than Honda. Im on my 4th year with My predator 3500.
Personally I prefer the old school 4 pole generators. The older RV generators were 4 poles, only ran at 1800 RPMs, were super quiet and would last a lifetime.
I love the 1800 RPM generators unfortunately they can’t get them to meet EPA and carb without being super expensive anymore that’s why the journey into 3600 RPM 2 pole generators that can be made very cheaply the inverter generators are the way everything is going now and they’re pretty good I have had one with 3800 hours before a failure I have a couple 10,000 W 1800 RPM generators here that used to have a single cylinder diesel on them but it’s impossible to find a small diesel any more (thank you EPA) Just my two cents worth!
We bought an '85 Winnebago from a family friend that has the original generator on it. Never got used when they had it because of an issue with the fuel lines. Dad wants to get a regular generator for the RV and I'm thinking of dropping it out and making it a house generator, at least for the fridge and freezer and maybe some lights so we can see.
@@cujoedaman The Winnebago's had mostly Kohler or Onan generators, pretty much the best money could buy at the time. Quiet and Reliable. The issue is nobody knows how to troubleshoot them and are not willing to learn, so when they stop working they rip them out and put a cheap screamer in the generator hole or try to jam an inverter generator into the same spot and they don't breath and overheat. If your Dad is silly enough to downgrade to a standard generator, go for it, it would work well for a home generator.
Threw a 1 Cylindrical 2 pole on a O-scope years ago, not only did the cycle sag (less voltage)on the off-fire rotation, but there was a lot of hash on the approach and depart of the pole on all cylces
@@1D10CRACY Nah, we'll have one of the quiet Predator's mounted out back, no need to drop it into the existing hold for the old generator. We'll turn that into storage for something else (or extra batteries). The reason we're not using the original generator is there's trouble with the fuel delivery system, since it runs off the main gas tank. Thing is, in order to work on it, you have to drop the whole thing anyway, so might as well replace it with something more modern. Dad also wants to set it up to be used as a house generator too for power outages. We only use it a couple times a year anyway, so not like it's a big deal :D
Given that most generators will sit unused for long periods but when you need them you really need them I think a video on best generator storage practices would be valuable. My short list: - only use ethanol-free fuel in general but especially for storage (yes, I know it’s hard to get in some States). Ethanol attract moisture and it phase separates pretty readily. - use a proven engine rust inhibitor in the oil. I like CamGuard (either the aviation or automotive version) though I think there are others. It’s expensive but worth it. - don’t even think about running it for a few minutes every so often! Better to not run it at all. - Do run it periodically but for like 30-45 minutes well above idle. You want it thoroughly hot so after shutdown the latent heat will evaporate the water created by running it in the first place. - change the oil more frequently than you probably are because one function of oil is to absorb moisture. - depending on your situation make use of desiccant to protect electronics and engine from moisture or at least store where ambient temperature doesn’t drop below dew point though probably tough to do in some parts of the country.
a. To keep condensate from collecting in the fuel and ruining the carb - keep the fuel tank full to the top! b. Using fuel stabilizer is not as good of an idea as you might think. It forms a single molecule-thick paraffin wax film on the surface to keep the oxygen out of the fuel, but that film breaks and will not reform once you jostle the generator or fuel can! c. For electric-start models, keep the battery fully charged because a low charged battery will freeze and swell up, ruining it. d. My generator gets to below Zero temperatures, and that's OK if you don't make it work too hard until it gets up to normal operating temperatures.
@@SurferJoe46 the problem with filling the tank full is if it spoils now you just wasted quite a bit of fuel. i think im going to try to keep changing the gas out periodically.... like every few months, drain it out use it in the car.... and put fresh in the tank. start and run the generator for awhile
You have ALL good points, and should be followed for storage, but you left out the biggest one (in my humble opinion),... Use propane. A lot less hassle. No need for fuel stabilizers, no spillage, no nasty smell, doesn't age, less buildup of nasties in the engine, easier storage, etc. A bypass oil filter system that filters down to 2 microns is worth it as well. The bypass will filter just some of the oil (less than 10%), through the 2 micron filter, and then you don't have to change the oil as often. You can see BLACK oil turn almost new again through a 2 micron bypass, in just a few hours run time. Well worth the price and installation. Oil is numero uno when it comes to engine life. I use a "special cocktail" of a full synthetic with just one additive in everything i own with an engine, and the smog checks always get better with each passing year. No joke. Castrol full synthetic with a 4 to 1 mix of Duralube (5 quart oil pan, 4 quarts Castrol full synthetic oil and 1 quart Duralube, which i mix in a 2 gallon can to use in everything i own). That mix works miracles on engines. I swear it restores engines to better condition.
Just completed the break-in period and so far the unit is operating perfectly ruclips.net/user/postUgkxOTeIs0vv4_9B5hsmnLsk9r930uDQLu_Y . I was amazed by just how quiet this little guy is. I kept having to walk down the driveway to the generator to make sure it was still running. In fact, the most annoying noise coming from the set-up is a high-pitched chirping coming from the pressure regulator on the propane line. I suppose it's possible my other propane-powered generator's pressure regulator is making the same noise, but the generator itself is so loud I've never noticed it. Build quality so far is excellent. My only nit is the service panel is a little tricky to remove. I feel like I might break off one of the plastic tabs when bending it back. I probably just need to work out the technique, so will not hold it against Champion.Next week I intend to fully load the unit to charge a large battery pack and will update this review if there's any problem (3000W continuous load vs a rated 3100W capacity while using propane). Absent any trouble there, I'm 100% pleased with this purchase.
I have a 6500 watt(6000 running) open frame and a 4500 watt(3750 running) inverter generator, my advice is go with an inverter style. Remember the bigger a generator is the more gas, heavier, and louder it is. Remote start is amazing when its cold outside. 10 gauge extension cords are your friend.
I have a Westinghouse Wgen 9500/12500. It powers most of the whole house including AC. I turn off the dryer, range, hot water heater. Running through a 50 amp inlet into a 50amp 240 dedicated interlocked breaker. I keep 6 x 5 gallon cans of non ethanol. I exercise the gen monthly for 30 minutes. Keep the oil changed yearly. I also have a gen tent to keep it covered from bad weather when actually using it outside. Life is good!
Ian just came through, no damage for us but power was out for about 36 hours. We have a Champion 3500/4000 peak, single phase. My goal is to get along minimally so the fuel doesnt run out. Running two fridges, a 5k btu window ac, lights, fans, battery chargers, and sometimes toaster oven, microwave, etc... we used about 6-8 gallons. It ran the whole time. My favorite part about this generator is you can have it run full 3600 RPM if you want, to be ready for a lot of frequently switching heavy loads like tools, or set it to idle and vary its rpm based on load, which is what we did. Most of the time the RPM was near idle or only. about 50%, saving fuel and being quiet.
Another great video, thanks! I have the Predator open frame 9,000/7,250. At 3:15 AM today someone took out a roadside pole and 250 homes lost power. Woke up at 4:00 to no power and 44 degrees. Was on generator for 4 hours. It won’t carry my heat pump but what a godsend for emergencies. Fireplace insert for heat as needed. I’d love to have the quiet inverter but couldn’t talk myself into the $ at the time. Shine on!
I have that exact Duro Max dual fuel in the beginning of the video. I love it! It can power my whole house including my music studio, everything except the house air conditioner. Remember that you have to buy a cord to connect it to the house plug if you have a panel plug in set up. I have yet to run it for more than a few minutes on gasoline. I have a 250lb propane tank. I do use it at least once a year because I live in North Florida.
I have a Honda eu2000i, Honda eb6500 and a Honda eu7000is. My 2000 has over 7000 hours and still running. I ran my es6500 for 29 days straight, during a winter storm only stopping once a week to change oil. I had a eu6500 with over 10000 hours before selling it and upgrading to the eu7000is fuel injection model with Bluetooth. I would never buy anything but a Honda! Never a single issue on any of them.
Upgraded to my Predator 9500 last year from an open frame generator. Got it delivered for $1999. It kept everything on after we lost power this week after Ian. Ran my 4 ton AC with no problems. My UPSs for computers and TVs never beeped once, unlike the old open frame generator. Even ran an extension cord to my neighbor so they could keep their fridge running. I wish they had a switch to bond/unbond neutral to frame ground depending on use. I added one to my generator.
I live in Punta Gorda FL. Power was off for 6 days with hurricane Ian. I have a Honda 7000 that I bought for $3800 a couple years ago. Could run everything in my house except the central AC. So quiet you can barely hear it. Runs 16 hours on 5 gallons of gas. Is fuel injected so no carburetor to gum up. There is probably at least one authorized Honda service center near you for any problems that may occur. You seem to ignore many problems with some of your recommended generators. Those large 12000w ones weigh about 350 pounds or more. They would use tremendous amounts of fuel. Propane would be harder to find after a storm than gasoline. How many propane suppliers vs gas stations are there near you? Propane is great if you have a huge external tank but how many 20lb tanks are you going to need for a week long outage? Who is going to honor the warranty and how far away are they? If your Predator needs maintenance where do you take it?
I have a 10,000W DuroMax paid $1000 in 2019 Dual fuel running whole house on propane 30 and 40 lb tanks had a power outage 2020 power out 10hrs ran it most of the day and at night for bed only thing running was fridge and freezer power came back on 8am next day Generator ran good no problems yard completely fenced on all four sides of my property dog included ,moosberg 12ga.on duty.🤨 great channel very informative thanks for sharing.
Love these unbiased, honest comparison videos Bear, keep cranking them out. I have a standard Generac 6850w continuous generator I bought the day after Hurricane Sally kicked Lower Alabama in the junk and it’s served me well for 2 years, but now you’ve got me eyeballing that big Predator inverter job. Thanks as always for the excellent content, shine on! 👍
unbiased? He said himself Harbor Freight gives him tools. Of course he is not going to bite off the hand that feeds him. He is bought and paid for, in no way is he unbiased.
First time with you. What I like, is that you get to the 'point'. You don't yack & yack about yourself blah & blah, and take up my time. That's important. Get to the Point! And you do that!!!! Excellent
We have the HF Predator 8750/7000 I bought in 2016. Agree with you about price increases, ours only cost $500 at a Black Friday sale. The good news is buying the backup generator has kept massive power outages at bay and other then testing every quarter or so have not actually needed to use it. We are in a pretty rural area so generator noise and theft is not (hopefully) a problem. Something folks need to keep in mind using propane if you are in a cold area need a pretty big propane tank to keep it from freezing and to maintain decent gas flow.
around the same time frame I put in a half dozen of those HF 7000/8750 units for customers. They're still working to this day without issue. I trust them so much it's what I put in for mom.
@@adventurehawksancientharmony I assume that is the new inverter generator. They have pros and cons compared to traditional generators and tend to be much more expensive.
@@tomschmidt381 More electronics to blow out biggest thing I see with Chinese power converters they use cheap electrolytic capacitors. Eventually they budge the tops and short out. When that happens integrated circuits, and power transistors overheat and blow out also. I would trust a Honda that uses quality parts, but anything else unless it cost less than $600 not worth the risk on $3000 generator.
@@adventurehawksancientharmony I bought the DuroMax 13,000 EH Dual Fuel from Amazon on Black Friday / Cyber Monday sale for $950. When the 12,000 sold out at $900 they reduced the price of the 13,000 to $950. So if you ever need a replacement, that might be an option to remember.
My first generator was an XP440E By Powermax which is now Duromax. It's now 18 years old and has never failed to start. But because of it's age I decided to get another. I looked at all kinds of generator in my power need area. I was considering a Predictor but their warranty just didn't do it for me. My choice that I purchased was a Champion 6250 inverter.
I have 2 Champion generators, a 9500 and a 3500, both are dual fuel. Can't recommend these highly enough! I take care of them but also run them hard. Both are over 5 years old. They still start easily and run great. Reliability is critical for me and these both measure up. I just wanted to throw this out there for anyone shopping
@@sheepdog3828 Good question, but I can't give an answer as I have never needed to have service done on them. I've ordered some parts off their website and used their help chat when I converted my larger one to a floating ground. If it's a warranty question you'd need to check their website or call customer service. For out-of-warranty service I would think any small-engine repair shop could help you out.
We have the Duromax XP13000EH generator. It is a dual fuel but we have only run it on gas. We have had it over a year and used it three times. No issues, works great. It is loud. I attached a motorcycle muffler on it... still loud. There is a company that makes conversion kits so you can hook it up to the gas line in your home. There are two different standards for the natural gas kits. Make sure you check which you need. We have no experience with it. Just wanted to mention it. In regards to computer gear. The sine wave issue you mentioned, can be mitigated by the use of an uninterruptible power supply with a battery back up. Which you should be using on your computer gear anyway. Get a name brand and get one that is much bigger than you actually need.
I have Duromax XP13000EH generator also. Still in break-in period, but I think I’ll be happy with it. There’s a video on RUclips by Duromax showing how to hook up tri-fuel generator to utility connections. Says to run air conditioner one needs to install a “soft start kit” to the outside air unit (which reduces start-up amps the compressor requires). I also saw a user video in which the owner hooked a Duromax Dual Fuel generator to natural gas using the existing propane connection and regulator (without need of modifying the generator frame).
Propane is a better way to run a generator, it runs cleaner and easier to store, if you are keeping a generator around for a storm/hurricane, gas is usually difficult to get as well, and not easy to store for emergencies, but propane is, just something to keep in mind.
I bought a predator 3500 when the first came to the market in New Hampshire the gave me a discount and coupon and walked out for 499$ has more than 200 hours oil changed every 30 hours absolutely flawless!! Ran it for 6 days during a small hurricane ran my whole home besides 240v loads sips fuel quiet as can be! Getting the 9500 for the well pump and A/C can’t wait to review!!
It's been over 10 years ago a friend of mine bought a 6500 from harbor freight as a emergency replacement for his construction company planning to replace it by the end of the summer, the electric starter quit but it pull starts easily, that temporary generator is still going strong, the majority of his work there is no power on site yet, so it's absolutely needed almost evey day, it's truck mounted and exposed to the elements 24/7, I find that to be very impressive.
I had the duromax 4000, got it on a midnight ebay deal...$200!!! (10 years ago)...... lost it in the divorce..... just bought the Firman Tri-fuel 9k...... another ebay special...manufacturer refurbished, with a 2 year warranty....Think it was $550, delivered. so far so good
My older inverter generator is now a backup as I left gas generators in lieu of LifePo4 batteries with solar panels. Now no noise, no gas and no fumes. Just a wonderful source of unlimited power as long as the sun is still around.
I bought a champion 2000 watt inverter 5 years ago have had zero issues. Always dependable very quiet. Will run a fridge a freezer several lights and charge phones etc all at the same time. I am extremely happy with my purchase
Mine works just fine. Don't use it often but starts right up when I do. I have a small camper and a 1500 watt heater. Predator 3500 is what I have I've had it 1. 1/2 years
I have the champion 4500 Duel fuel, paid a little more for it than the wireless remote version. The ability to swap over to propane in the event of an extended power/gas shortage that has happened before in FL was the big selling point for me.
Question, if dual fuel generator did not start because I used old gasoline, can I still use start the generator using propane or it not working at all?
@@anhdo1844 did u remove the old fuel? Always use fuel stabilizers if you have any equipment sitting. I used a lawn service for a season but never drained my mower. It got all hunker up and I had to take it apart to clean.
You'll find that a lot of the 2nd tier like Champion or Westinghouse and 3rd tier like Duromax or Powerhouse are all using variants of the same engines and generator assemblies dressed up a bit differently. Most of them are Honda clone engines(nicknamed Chondas).They're so close that genuine Honda parts like carbs, ignition coils etc will bolt right up and work. A lot of the electrical and electronic components, while different in design/appearance/schematic, often share the same DNA because they come from the same superfactories in China. The real difference I've noticed is the build quality of the frames and other materials. Overall you're getting roughly the same thing across the board. The different features are what really set them apart.
I've had a small champion I've used since the 90's and the only issue I had was cleaning out the carb a couple years ago. There's a repairman who talks about getting parts and the champions parts are easily obtainable for a fair price. Also, he's never had to make a repair on one other than the same cleaning the carb. Which can happen on any small engine.
Thanks for the information. Good video as usual..I just bought the westinghouse 9500 tri fuel. Found it for 1000 bucks. Ran natural gas line from the house and bricked a small shelter in the backyard for it. Hopefully it will serve me well for a few years to come.
I purchased a DuroMax 12000eh dual fuel and added a natural gas regulator to hook up to the LP on my home. Runs nicely on natural gas. I ran it the other day for about 4 or 5 hours after hurricane Beryle shut off the power. I have 2 refrigerators, 2 freezers (16cf, 21 cf), lights/fans etc. in the house and a 2.5 ton central AC unit. Also have a 3 ton central AC unit but did not start it up since I had no soft starter installed on either. With a soft starter I doubt I’d have much of an issue running both since the 2.5 ran fine without it. I paid under a $1000 on sale for the unit. Only issue I have is changing the oil (manual states to do) every 24 hours. I did hook up an extension to the drain plug to make it a little easier to do that maintenance which works fine. I had to run a 120 feet of 1-1/4” rubber gas hose and that with brass quick disconnects was a pricey $600 although less expensive than the purchase of a 20k Generac. Anyway, my 2 cents…
Thanks Tool Bear, I been looking at generators for the past 2 weeks. Don't forget about the "THD" total harmonic distortion of the generator. You would like to keep it
Most of the time if the generator has low THD they will post it under the specifications. If not you will have to call the company and ask for the THD rating. I just went with a Champion 100520
Depends on the use. If you have a food truck for example that needs a gen for 8 hours a day, every day, you'd better get a Honda. If you only use the gen for emergency back up a few hours per year then the Predator would probably be ok. Keeping it Dutch has on his YT channel, a video about running through 2 new Predator 9500s that he used constantly while living in an a camper off the grid. He got less than a combined 3000 hours between the 2 of them until they wore out or broke down. The first one was withing the 90 day HF warranty period. HF did give him 2 new gens under warranty but the hassle of carting 2 heavy gens back and forth to a HF store was considerable.
Western house has a cast iron cylinder sleeve they last 25 plus years all them other brands last up too 2 thousand hours. So take your pick. You should tell the how they are built and what there built with and what separates them from each other.
I just got the predator 9000 today for $600 because the air filter cover was dented in shipping. Beat it back into shape with a hammer and it works just fine!
I like the Harbor Freight but not having dual fuel is a no go for me. During a storm I want the option of fuel. I love my current DuroMax and I am in the market for a smaller invertor generator.
From personal experience, the Champion, Westinghouse, and Pulsar are all excellent. Many brands appear to be coming out of the same factories with different colors and labels on them.
Thanks for the information! I think what most people don't look at on the power units is the total watt hours. Yes it will run my things. But it will Not run them for days after a hurricane! I have a open frame 5550 that has been used for many storms. Yes it makes a lot of noise! But I can run 2 refrigerators, a freezer, window A/C, TV, and much more for days! Florida has a You Loot We Shoot! Yes people know I have it. But they should know that they can't just take it. And that you Loot. We shoot has been on the news after this last storm!
It’s great to see that your telling folks the honest truth. We have a 9500 watt screamer, runs a 440 foot well boiler and fridge. It’s modified so we don’t use it for anything else except tools. It sucks gas like it’s going out of style. But had gotten us through 8 days of No Power. ( it Sucked ) welcome to weather in New England…
I am completely green when it comes to generators. I'm starting a small mobile car detailing business. I only need to power a 1700 psi electric power washer, Dry/Wet shop vac, and electric blower initially. How much power would I possibly need to get the job down. Budget friendly would be great starting out. Great video and I learned alot. Thanks!!!
My Honda 6500 failed during Ian. The following spring I had a Honda dealer service it, address the fact that 1/2 our house had no power by replacing the Inverter. $1700 repair; ouch. We start and run under load the generator every 2 months, use ethanol-free gas and Stabil fuel stabilizer. Fast forward to Hurricane Milton. Again, using fresh ethanol-free gasoline we got into the 4th refill (approximately 20 gallons) and 1/2 the house lost power. Our Honda service dealer is still closed due to the hurricane, but I'm curious what they're going to say. Regrettably, I think I would have been better off buying a Predator 9500 instead of doing the repair, but I fell into the Honda-is-the-best trap.
I’ve went through “3” 3500 predators for my rv in less than a year. I finally bought what I should’ve in the first place a Honda and it’s given me zero issues now going on 18 months. You get what you pay for
I bought a Generac XP8000e a few years ago. It was purchased by someone after a big storm, but was never used, so I got a great deal on it. It is installed in my shed, properly ventilated and exhausted. For security, I have it chained to the shed floor, behind a locked door. We can't even hear it run from inside of our house.
Good reviews Bear (where is the bear??) We have a 20KW Caterpiller on our farm, uses 0.6Gal/hr at half load. I see Generac offers an open frame diesel generator.
I have had 2 instances on two separate champion generators to use their customer support people. First was a faulty voltage regulator and second was no start due to worn brushes. They warranteed and immeadiately were able to diagnose and send parts to fix these generators. The gens were 3 and 4 years old with constant use. Things like pullcords and mufflers were junk but the main running gear works as advertised. To be fair they are both lower end model basic open frame gens.
We have a Generac GP 6500. I think it’s around 8125 Starting watts and 6500 running watts. This is our first genny and we’ve had it since the summer of 2021. We have it plugged in thru a receptacle and interlock switch on our breaker box. It’s LOUD as all get out but it powers (almost) everything in our house without having to use any extension cords. This is a great video and I learned a lot from watching it. Thanks to your info I’m thinking about getting two of those 3-4k watt inverter gennys and running parallel if need be. It would be so much more convenient and easier to store.
That Duro Max is a good generator just louder than hell like you said! We used that genny to weld on job sites a bunch so it definitely puts out a lot of power! The ability to run it on propane is nice. Ran out of gas one time and had a partial bottle of propane and that saved us. Biggest issue we had with it was the tires or wheels.... They are junk for how heavy the generator is. I swapped them for airless tires and it worked great after that!
My Duromax came with tires that are no-air/no-flat tires. People say that they go out of round when they sit in one place for a while. I think if I put it on blocks so there’s no weight on the tires this problem will be eliminated.
I just bought the Duromax XP5500HX dual fuel with inverter for $749.00, it also comes with the wheel kit. I was looking at the Predator, but the equivalent model was $1100 without the wheel kit. Liked and subbed!
Running my smart power 4400 for a month only gets a break for oil change running 2 ac 1 fridge coffee maker and microwave and TV no issues tired of buying gas 😂 but happy it does it's job with 90 degree weather I thought I would have killed it running it this long and hard.
I am a big Sportsman generator fan boy. I bought their open frame 2000, then their 1000 inverter then their 4000 open frame and chainsaw. I have not been disappointed by them whatsoever and absolutely satisfied.
I'm in Texas and after the deep freeze and week without power in 2021 I picked up a Duromax XP12000HX. Dual fuel with electric start. I wired up a back feed breaker and interlock to supply whole house power. We have two AC units a (5 ton and 3.5 ton) for each of the floors in our house. I honestly was going to be happy if only the 3.5 ton unit would run. It did no problem. For grins I thought I'd try the 5 ton. The generator was able to fire that one up as well. What really surprised me is that actually both units were able to run simultaneously on generator power so to say I was surprised was an understatement. Obviously in a SHTF situation I wouldn't be running both units, but I have been very happy with Duromax. To your point though, the thing is loud So I've been looking at either building a generator shed or pricing out a zombie box.
I’ve had a 4500 watt sportsman for quite a few years, I rarely have used it. However we did get a chance to use it during The ice storms a few years back. I loaned it to somebody as our power never went out. They ran it for quite a few days until the muffler vibrated clean off of the head, broke right at the head joint.I ordered a new muffler from Champion took me about 15 minutes to replace it.
I have my 1998 Generac XL5500. Loved it and it has always started and taken me through every power outage. However at 24 years old, it was time for a replacement. My need was only 120 power so I purchased a Firman inverter 3382. 3600 watt with electric start. Loved it, it makes very little noise compared to the Generac xl5500, and could power everything that we need during an emergency. However, since I only need it for long power outages, I was thinking of adding the Ecoflow pro and the house automatic transfer switch, that way the house will keep going and I will not need to run the generator as much to keep 10 circuits running 24/7 during a power outage. Still on the fence so if you have experience with the Ecoflow pro power station, that would be great.
Generators 7200 watts and below all use the same voltage regulator. My Predator 4350 blew the regulator the first time we used it during a power outage. Instead of no power output, it railed up to 170VAC and destroyed most of our electronics in our house. The damage exceeded the cost of the generator.
I do big art shows in Florida and all the food vendors use big gennies, the last two years a half dozen of them decided to try the harbor freight units, and now that the season is ended, I can say not one of them are still using the harbor freight machines, I even ended up loaning my Honda 7000 out to several whose HF units died during busy shows...my Honda is 10 years old with over 5000 hours and starts instantly and never flinches.I also have a five year ild Yamaha i4500 with 2400 hours which is like new and has never needed anything but filters and oil changes.
i have a champion inverter genarator its almost 3 years old with a ton of hours this has been the under warranty i have not had to pay a dime for parts as of today for parts you cant beat champions 3 year warranty . this past spring i shipped it to cali and back got a reman engine and reman inverter all under warranty thay are the way to go .
I am using a ecoflow delta just to run minor stuff during an outage. However the prices are dropping on these things because everyone and their brother are making them. I am going to buy an inverter generator for back up. If used just right between the both, I could go 30 days plus in an emergency. My refrigerator I can unplug and run that every 3 or 4 hours since it's well insulated. I do have a seprate freezer, I could run every two days or so. I am more on the power management side of things, over what needs to be running.
Excellent video, thank you! Question: Since you have a close relationship with Harbor Freight, can you ask them why they don't offer duel fuel models of their generators or generator - inverters? Most of understand that propane delivers less energy. But you can store propane almost indefinitely verses gasoline, which makes it much more desirable SHTF fuel for long term storage imho
17:14 Yes, You are Correct I have a large Fifth Wheel Travel Trailer, with two 15,000 btu (Coleman) All 50 Amp, Travel Trailers have Two 50 Amp Wires, Not One.
To those living in California, first, my sympathies, second, if you are going to get a generator, the time is now, for the really near future In 2028, the only generators allowed to be sold will have to be the "zero-emissions" type, which, really isn't a generator, it's just a glorified power bank, like the kind you use to charge up a cell phone, just that instead of 5VDC, this will be 120VAC. From my understanding, any gas-powered generator purchased before the deadline will be grandfathered in.
I know a couple of people that bought a Predator and they will not take running 24-7 they are made to just run for 2-3 days and the one thing I will say Harbor Freight replaced them every time no questions asked but he is on his third one so I don’t know when they will cut him off. He uses it at a old Mobil home on his hunting property and they are up there for 2-3 weeks but that Predator just could not take and would shit it’s brains out and motor ran fine but would not produce any power or very low power .
Tiny house 400 square feet 12.000 btu wall mount widow unit WEN 2500 dual fuel gen runs the whole house fridge tv and ac at 1 gallon for 6 hours 20 hours on propane tank Great backup unit for me.
About 23 years ago I bought a Generac 5500 gas generator, back then the 5500w in big letters was the running watts, the peak is 7500 w. It was called a commercial model, it is an open frame and loud but has gotten me through several hurricanes here in Florida. It starts and runs well and has been very dependable. It has a small oil filter that is supposed to be changed every 25 - 50hrs. with the oil which I have been semi-faithful doing, maybe that is why I have had such long life out of it, I wonder if any of the newer models have oil filters? In my usage at my house, I get about 12 hrs running time out of 5 gallons of fuel. The only reason I would change out this generator is if I could get significantly better gas mileage, something that is hard to find info on in the new models.
You can make a good estimate of fuel consumption by calculating displacement and RPM. Regular generator is going to run at it's set RPM to put out 60hz electricity without load, with load is just slightly more. Inverter generators might turn a little fewer RPM when not at max capacity but their big feature is many of the new ones have more reasonably sized engines for the load they are expected to carry like a 3000 running watt could have as small as a 149cc engine and not a 196-212cc that's basically a legacy, we did it this way for 40 years so why change? If they were fuel injected with an oxygen sensor in the exhaust along with a temperature sending unit because face it, enriching the fuel mixture is partly how these things are cooled. Sizing the generator to the load is also good practice. Anything that doesn't need more than 3000w, pull out a compact 3000w generator with a 149cc engine.
@@robertkubrick3738 Good information, Thanks! You are right about the sizing, when I bought my 5.5 kw generator, I had to power a 230v well pump, I am on city water now and could downsize and that would help me with gas consumption. As a rough comparison, I replaced my old Troy push mower that used almost 2 qts of fuel to mow my lawn with a Honda with more horsepower and self-propelled and it uses only 1 qt of fuel to mow the same area. I wish all these small engines were fuel injected, we would save much $ in fuel and be less polluting at the same time. I think if one manufacturer did it and people got used to an added upfront cost but long-term savings, they would all change over to them.
I’m getting ready to buy a 2000 watt generator there are so many different generators out there with the price range within $200 between them all it’s a very hard decision to make which one to buy thank you for your video it’s giving me a lot of information and a lot to think about have a great day☘️🇺🇸🤘⚡️⚡️
You missed the firman generators. They sell alot of generators thru Costcos. The 7500/9500 electric start, 220volts, is very well reviewed and sell on sale regularly for $699!
Also, Propane may be down on power compared to gasoline but realize you can store it in approved containers like forever while gasoline will go bad. Makes the argument for propane a solution a lot easier to swallow.
What do you think of BILT HARD Generator 5500 Watt, Dual Fuel Quiet Inverter Generator with Electric Start? It looks very similar to the Westinghouse. Great video!!
I think I missed something. Are the power units at the end of the video like battery backups? On the gas units how long do they run per gallon? Which of these units can power a home AC unit and refrigerator? And how much does it cost for an electrician to set up the connections between the power unit and your circuit breaker box? Thanks.
Yes, those are essentially batteries in a box. The gas generators vary based on the model, and how much power you’re drawing also altitude has something to say about it as well . Also, the power varies on different AC models and refrigerators you need to add up the peak power of both and then I’ll tell you what size generator you need. Lastly, the cost to get a cut over switch varies on location. I’ve heard it quoted anywhere between $800 and $2500. A lot of that is going to depend on what kind of panel you have and how much power you’re putting through it.
Great Video!!! So much info!! We are full time in our 5th Wheel. I use 2 Firman 3300/3000 watt generators with remote start. Have a parallel kit so I have a 50amp outlet to power the trailer. Have had this brand for 4 years. Very happy with them. Didn't see this one in your review. Probably just too many to review. Thanks for the great video.
Same here. While it says Dual Fuel I've run them on Gas, Propane and Natural Gas. I kind of did the roll your own whole house generator by putting it into a ventilated suncast enclosure, and it works like a champ.
I have two of the Wen 3800 Watt inverter generators and for the past two years of RV and backup power use at the house; they have been absolutely perfect. I parallel them for the RV and they run everything and stay reasonably quiet doing it.
I also have an old 2400 watt power mate a friend of mine gave me it was not in running condition I have it repaired for about $100.00 it also works great.
Ha! My dad bought a Pulsar brand push mower. We needed something small and cheap to use in our newly dug ditches that are much deeper. I think we got it from Menard's for like $100 as a floor model. It always starts on the first pull, I abuse it a bit, I even installed larger rear wheels on it to make it easier to push around. Probably wouldn't use it as a "daily driver", but for the occasional bush whacker, it works fine :D
one thing you didnt touch on, if you have a sub compact tractor they make smaller 540 PTO driven units. for example i have a kubota BX 2350, it is around 20 hp, i could run 10KW off of it. i would consider doing this because it's a diesel engine and i think that would mean great fuel efficiency. what are your thoughts?
Isn't the engine manufacturer a critical point? A gen with Briggs, Kohler, Honda, Yamaha, etc should be easier to source parts, and possibly more reliable than generic engines. Good videos. Thanks
I've had good reliability/serviceability with Champion generators for almost 20 yrs, now. A few years back, they had an issue with leaking fuel tank shut-off valves, I called and they sent me 3 updated valves free of charge which were easily installed to maintain serviceability.
Great video. Another thought, if your generator has no wheels, such as my old Coleman camping unit, you can get a Harbor Freight wooden, carpet-padded furniture dolly very cheaply, zip-tie the generator to it, and attach a length of lightweight chain (I use a 6' chain dog leash on mine) to schlepp it around on concrete, or the asphalt driveway. It will slowly roll on close-cut grass, or some well-compacted ground, also, given the small-sized caster wheels.
Once again the info is just great, but gall darn I can't believe u skipped right past the 5500/6500 W, predator generator that I just bought at harbor freight, (display model) for a shocking low $349. 00. It just figures. Lol Good job, and definitely a helpful thumbs up.
Great information, you’ve helped a bunch of people. Your right about the noisy open frame generators, our son has a large Champion generator that he uses on construction sites, you can hear it two blocks away. Keep all the great information coming
I got the GenMax after lots of research. So the closest is the Predator. $2400 and the GenMax $2400 equal price. However for a long time the Genmax was (and still is) $200 of so only $2200. Comparing the two directly. The Genmax has an oil filter to help keep stuff out of the motor, it is rated to run quieter, it has a dedicated 50A outlet making it great to use for home backup, if you ever wanted more power, just need some cables to parallel two of them together, this is a 3 wire connection including neutral so parallel is 240V capable, the Predator you have to buy an external kit, and it can only do 120v in parallel as it has no neutral connection. Genmax has rear exhaust instead of side and maintenance is a bit easier on the Genmax. Genmax has an entire readout display for wattage, voltage, and runtime making it easy to monitor your usage, and know when to do your maintenance. Last thing to mention off the top of my head the Genmax for $2400 is dual fuel. The gas only is $2200 or $2000 with the $200 off discount. I also know the Genmax has direct airflow for cooling forced by a fan, not sure about the Predator. So price and performance they are identical pretty much, but the Genmax seems to offer more, and depending on your needs some of those things are really important. I put a 50A inlet on the main panel, and was able to plug the Genmax right in and was ready to rock, and it was so quiet my neighbors were like, thats a generator?? With the $200 savings I was able to get a no questions asked extended warranty from Amazon, just incase something happens its shipped and fixed for free for 3-4 years, and if it cant be fixed, you get a full refund of the purchase price.
During Hurricane Ian my Briggs & Stratton 8 hp 4.2 Kw 25 years old ran 2 house holds basic 2 refrigerators 1 freezer! Plus 2 flat screens, 2/pcs internet equipment. And more. But no electric start, and at 76 year’s old it gets harder to start every year. But no AIR CONDITIONER IN FLORIDA NOT GOOD. Any recommendations on a 15kw generator with electric start of course? My Air unit is a 10 KW a unit! Brand new.
I bought a Coleman 6250/5000w for $50 not running, took it to a small engine shop to get repaired. Needed a new carb and he put a new spark plug in it. Starts first pull every time. I didn’t have the tool to take the carb off or I would have done it my self.
My issue is shipping to a freight forwarder. There are not enough choices for generators in the VI. I am inclined to get an inverter from Harbor Freight but I can’t get a direct answer on shipping. What say you?
If your going to run a furnace it must be full sign wave they have very delicate electronic boards on them these days and a regular generator will very likely fry that board
Duromax XP13000EH may not deliver rated power due to a constricted inlet for gasoline/propane. It can be bypassed by disconnecting propane. Or there is a replacement part obtainable from Duromax. I could only get 240V 24A out of it to charge my Tesla before it would surge, then trip.
I watched a Vid about the Westinghouse Generator & he pointed out because it has the ~smoothest~ Sine Wave your Tools will last much longer. That has to be a very important statistic for a Purchase decision.
I have that Duramax, got on amazon(5% prime card cash back) , $940 to my door with tax! :) april 14th 2022. 50 amp outlet, so great for whole house. Invertor isn't worth the money for something you maybe run once a year. At racetracks, everyone has a predator invertor basically. I also have a smaller sportsman(2000 starting watts), basically ran it 8 hours a day at racetrack for tire warmers all year to the point were the oil ran dry, add oil still runs like a top today, insane lol
When you was talking about rv. Remember on a 30 amp rv a single (120)voltage 3500 is ok but (240) 4500 will not. 3500 watt at 120 is 29.16 amp. A normal 240 volt 4500 watt generator will give 18.75 amps per leg of 120. But generator company’s want put that on box
Im running a champion 11500. I sold both my hondas a while back. If i could choose just one, im going honda. Just came across one hell of a deal for this champion.
I'm sticking with my Honda "waste of money". My generator is twenty five years old, hundreds of hours of backup power use. Just ran through 12 gallons of gas- 3.5 days continuous use during IAN. Oil change and ready for the next one.
Me too
Me three
Me4.
Me 5. Over 5000 hrs on my EU7000is. Used commercially
Honda 2000/2200x2/3000/3200 owner here. My only complaint is the 3000 is a mouse nest magnet. “Budget” Emergency Generator wasn’t a consideration. Up to a few years ago I had a overloaded 3000gallon Koi pond running a 1hp/14amp circulator pump. The fish were huge and 10-15 years old. Never had an issue with a Honda. I’m currently in love with the 3200 for my Host Mammoth truck camper w/12k btu A/C and a BERGS system extended run tank
Honda and Yamaha are the best. I know someone with a hunting camp and he's tried them all. Many of the less expensive generators won't even last a full 2 weeks of running, and all have not lasted more than 3 seasons x 2 weeks running. He now uses Yamaha and has been using it for 9 years and never had a problem.
i run my generators 25-30 hours a week for work. Best is champion but theyre loud. Next is Predator not that its better quality but price wise better than Honda. Im on my 4th year with My predator 3500.
The one from costco firman are the best, cuz you can run em to death for 3 years return it and get a new one. 🤣
Personally I prefer the old school 4 pole generators. The older RV generators were 4 poles, only ran at 1800 RPMs, were super quiet and would last a lifetime.
I love the 1800 RPM generators unfortunately they can’t get them to meet EPA and carb without being super expensive anymore that’s why the journey into 3600 RPM
2 pole generators that can be made very cheaply
the inverter generators are the way everything is going now and they’re pretty good I have had one with 3800 hours before a failure
I have a couple 10,000 W 1800 RPM generators here that used to have a single cylinder diesel on them but it’s impossible to find a small diesel any more (thank you EPA)
Just my two cents worth!
We bought an '85 Winnebago from a family friend that has the original generator on it. Never got used when they had it because of an issue with the fuel lines. Dad wants to get a regular generator for the RV and I'm thinking of dropping it out and making it a house generator, at least for the fridge and freezer and maybe some lights so we can see.
@@cujoedaman The Winnebago's had mostly Kohler or Onan generators, pretty much the best money could buy at the time. Quiet and Reliable. The issue is nobody knows how to troubleshoot them and are not willing to learn, so when they stop working they rip them out and put a cheap screamer in the generator hole or try to jam an inverter generator into the same spot and they don't breath and overheat. If your Dad is silly enough to downgrade to a standard generator, go for it, it would work well for a home generator.
Threw a 1 Cylindrical 2 pole on a O-scope years ago, not only did the cycle sag (less voltage)on the off-fire rotation, but there was a lot of hash on the approach and depart of the pole on all cylces
@@1D10CRACY Nah, we'll have one of the quiet Predator's mounted out back, no need to drop it into the existing hold for the old generator. We'll turn that into storage for something else (or extra batteries).
The reason we're not using the original generator is there's trouble with the fuel delivery system, since it runs off the main gas tank. Thing is, in order to work on it, you have to drop the whole thing anyway, so might as well replace it with something more modern.
Dad also wants to set it up to be used as a house generator too for power outages.
We only use it a couple times a year anyway, so not like it's a big deal :D
Given that most generators will sit unused for long periods but when you need them you really need them I think a video on best generator storage practices would be valuable. My short list:
- only use ethanol-free fuel in general but especially for storage (yes, I know it’s hard to get in some States). Ethanol attract moisture and it phase separates pretty readily.
- use a proven engine rust inhibitor in the oil. I like CamGuard (either the aviation or automotive version) though I think there are others. It’s expensive but worth it.
- don’t even think about running it for a few minutes every so often! Better to not run it at all. - Do run it periodically but for like 30-45 minutes well above idle. You want it thoroughly hot so after shutdown the latent heat will evaporate the water created by running it in the first place.
- change the oil more frequently than you probably are because one function of oil is to absorb moisture.
- depending on your situation make use of desiccant to protect electronics and engine from moisture or at least store where ambient temperature doesn’t drop below dew point though probably tough to do in some parts of the country.
a. To keep condensate from collecting in the fuel and ruining the carb - keep the fuel tank full to the top!
b. Using fuel stabilizer is not as good of an idea as you might think. It forms a single molecule-thick paraffin wax film on the surface to keep the oxygen out of the fuel, but that film breaks and will not reform once you jostle the generator or fuel can!
c. For electric-start models, keep the battery fully charged because a low charged battery will freeze and swell up, ruining it.
d. My generator gets to below Zero temperatures, and that's OK if you don't make it work too hard until it gets up to normal operating temperatures.
@@SurferJoe46 the problem with filling the tank full is if it spoils now you just wasted quite a bit of fuel. i think im going to try to keep changing the gas out periodically.... like every few months, drain it out use it in the car.... and put fresh in the tank. start and run the generator for awhile
You have ALL good points, and should be followed for storage, but you left out the biggest one (in my humble opinion),... Use propane. A lot less hassle. No need for fuel stabilizers, no spillage, no nasty smell, doesn't age, less buildup of nasties in the engine, easier storage, etc. A bypass oil filter system that filters down to 2 microns is worth it as well. The bypass will filter just some of the oil (less than 10%), through the 2 micron filter, and then you don't have to change the oil as often. You can see BLACK oil turn almost new again through a 2 micron bypass, in just a few hours run time. Well worth the price and installation. Oil is numero uno when it comes to engine life. I use a "special cocktail" of a full synthetic with just one additive in everything i own with an engine, and the smog checks always get better with each passing year. No joke. Castrol full synthetic with a 4 to 1 mix of Duralube (5 quart oil pan, 4 quarts Castrol full synthetic oil and 1 quart Duralube, which i mix in a 2 gallon can to use in everything i own). That mix works miracles on engines. I swear it restores engines to better condition.
Just completed the break-in period and so far the unit is operating perfectly ruclips.net/user/postUgkxOTeIs0vv4_9B5hsmnLsk9r930uDQLu_Y . I was amazed by just how quiet this little guy is. I kept having to walk down the driveway to the generator to make sure it was still running. In fact, the most annoying noise coming from the set-up is a high-pitched chirping coming from the pressure regulator on the propane line. I suppose it's possible my other propane-powered generator's pressure regulator is making the same noise, but the generator itself is so loud I've never noticed it. Build quality so far is excellent. My only nit is the service panel is a little tricky to remove. I feel like I might break off one of the plastic tabs when bending it back. I probably just need to work out the technique, so will not hold it against Champion.Next week I intend to fully load the unit to charge a large battery pack and will update this review if there's any problem (3000W continuous load vs a rated 3100W capacity while using propane). Absent any trouble there, I'm 100% pleased with this purchase.
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I have a 6500 watt(6000 running) open frame and a 4500 watt(3750 running) inverter generator, my advice is go with an inverter style. Remember the bigger a generator is the more gas, heavier, and louder it is. Remote start is amazing when its cold outside. 10 gauge extension cords are your friend.
I have a Westinghouse Wgen 9500/12500. It powers most of the whole house including AC. I turn off the dryer, range, hot water heater. Running through a 50 amp inlet into a 50amp 240 dedicated interlocked breaker. I keep 6 x 5 gallon cans of non ethanol. I exercise the gen monthly for 30 minutes. Keep the oil changed yearly. I also have a gen tent to keep it covered from bad weather when actually using it outside. Life is good!
Ian just came through, no damage for us but power was out for about 36 hours. We have a Champion 3500/4000 peak, single phase. My goal is to get along minimally so the fuel doesnt run out. Running two fridges, a 5k btu window ac, lights, fans, battery chargers, and sometimes toaster oven, microwave, etc... we used about 6-8 gallons. It ran the whole time. My favorite part about this generator is you can have it run full 3600 RPM if you want, to be ready for a lot of frequently switching heavy loads like tools, or set it to idle and vary its rpm based on load, which is what we did. Most of the time the RPM was near idle or only. about 50%, saving fuel and being quiet.
Another great video, thanks! I have the Predator open frame 9,000/7,250. At 3:15 AM today someone took out a roadside pole and 250 homes lost power. Woke up at 4:00 to no power and 44 degrees. Was on generator for 4 hours. It won’t carry my heat pump but what a godsend for emergencies. Fireplace insert for heat as needed. I’d love to have the quiet inverter but couldn’t talk myself into the $ at the time. Shine on!
Same here brother. Will run my home minus my 220 stuff.
I have that exact Duro Max dual fuel in the beginning of the video. I love it! It can power my whole house including my music studio, everything except the house air conditioner. Remember that you have to buy a cord to connect it to the house plug if you have a panel plug in set up. I have yet to run it for more than a few minutes on gasoline. I have a 250lb propane tank. I do use it at least once a year because I live in North Florida.
I have a Honda eu2000i, Honda eb6500 and a Honda eu7000is. My 2000 has over 7000 hours and still running. I ran my es6500 for 29 days straight, during a winter storm only stopping once a week to change oil. I had a eu6500 with over 10000 hours before selling it and upgrading to the eu7000is fuel injection model with Bluetooth. I would never buy anything but a Honda! Never a single issue on any of them.
Agreed!
Upgraded to my Predator 9500 last year from an open frame generator. Got it delivered for $1999. It kept everything on after we lost power this week after Ian. Ran my 4 ton AC with no problems. My UPSs for computers and TVs never beeped once, unlike the old open frame generator. Even ran an extension cord to my neighbor so they could keep their fridge running. I wish they had a switch to bond/unbond neutral to frame ground depending on use. I added one to my generator.
Do you have the predator open frame 9500 and you ran a 4 ton AC do you have a soft start on your unit
@@sticktron2857 I switched from a smaller open frame to the Predator 9500. Yes, I have a soft start (surestart) on my 4 ton AC.
I live in Punta Gorda FL. Power was off for 6 days with hurricane Ian. I have a Honda 7000 that I bought for $3800 a couple years ago. Could run everything in my house except the central AC. So quiet you can barely hear it. Runs 16 hours on 5 gallons of gas. Is fuel injected so no carburetor to gum up. There is probably at least one authorized Honda service center near you for any problems that may occur. You seem to ignore many problems with some of your recommended generators. Those large 12000w ones weigh about 350 pounds or more. They would use tremendous amounts of fuel. Propane would be harder to find after a storm than gasoline. How many propane suppliers vs gas stations are there near you? Propane is great if you have a huge external tank but how many 20lb tanks are you going to need for a week long outage? Who is going to honor the warranty and how far away are they? If your Predator needs maintenance where do you take it?
I have a 10,000W DuroMax paid $1000 in 2019 Dual fuel running whole house on propane 30 and 40 lb tanks had a power outage 2020 power out 10hrs ran it most of the day and at night for bed only thing running was fridge and freezer power came back on 8am next day Generator ran good no problems yard completely fenced on all four sides of my property dog included ,moosberg 12ga.on duty.🤨 great channel very informative thanks for sharing.
Love these unbiased, honest comparison videos Bear, keep cranking them out. I have a standard Generac 6850w continuous generator I bought the day after Hurricane Sally kicked Lower Alabama in the junk and it’s served me well for 2 years, but now you’ve got me eyeballing that big Predator inverter job. Thanks as always for the excellent content, shine on! 👍
unbiased? He said himself Harbor Freight gives him tools. Of course he is not going to bite off the hand that feeds him. He is bought and paid for, in no way is he unbiased.
nothing unbiased about this vid -- he's a marketing source.
First time with you. What I like, is that you get to the 'point'. You don't yack & yack about yourself blah & blah, and take up my time. That's important. Get to the Point! And you do that!!!! Excellent
We have the HF Predator 8750/7000 I bought in 2016. Agree with you about price increases, ours only cost $500 at a Black Friday sale. The good news is buying the backup generator has kept massive power outages at bay and other then testing every quarter or so have not actually needed to use it. We are in a pretty rural area so generator noise and theft is not (hopefully) a problem.
Something folks need to keep in mind using propane if you are in a cold area need a pretty big propane tank to keep it from freezing and to maintain decent gas flow.
around the same time frame I put in a half dozen of those HF 7000/8750 units for customers. They're still working to this day without issue. I trust them so much it's what I put in for mom.
Bought the 8750 today for $1400. Ouch!
@@adventurehawksancientharmony I assume that is the new inverter generator. They have pros and cons compared to traditional generators and tend to be much more expensive.
@@tomschmidt381 More electronics to blow out biggest thing I see with Chinese power converters they use cheap electrolytic capacitors. Eventually they budge the tops and short out. When that happens integrated circuits, and power transistors overheat and blow out also. I would trust a Honda that uses quality parts, but anything else unless it cost less than $600 not worth the risk on $3000 generator.
@@adventurehawksancientharmony I bought the DuroMax 13,000 EH Dual Fuel from Amazon on Black Friday / Cyber Monday sale for $950. When the 12,000 sold out at $900 they reduced the price of the 13,000 to $950. So if you ever need a replacement, that might be an option to remember.
My first generator was an XP440E By Powermax which is now Duromax. It's now 18 years old and has never failed to start. But because of it's age I decided to get another. I looked at all kinds of generator in my power need area. I was considering a Predictor but their warranty just didn't do it for me. My choice that I purchased was a Champion 6250 inverter.
I have 2 Champion generators, a 9500 and a 3500, both are dual fuel. Can't recommend these highly enough! I take care of them but also run them hard. Both are over 5 years old. They still start easily and run great. Reliability is critical for me and these both measure up. I just wanted to throw this out there for anyone shopping
@@sheepdog3828 Good question, but I can't give an answer as I have never needed to have service done on them. I've ordered some parts off their website and used their help chat when I converted my larger one to a floating ground. If it's a warranty question you'd need to check their website or call customer service. For out-of-warranty service I would think any small-engine repair shop could help you out.
We have the Duromax XP13000EH generator. It is a dual fuel but we have only run it on gas. We have had it over a year and used it three times. No issues, works great. It is loud. I attached a motorcycle muffler on it... still loud. There is a company that makes conversion kits so you can hook it up to the gas line in your home. There are two different standards for the natural gas kits. Make sure you check which you need. We have no experience with it. Just wanted to mention it. In regards to computer gear. The sine wave issue you mentioned, can be mitigated by the use of an uninterruptible power supply with a battery back up. Which you should be using on your computer gear anyway. Get a name brand and get one that is much bigger than you actually need.
I have Duromax XP13000EH generator also. Still in break-in period, but I think I’ll be happy with it. There’s a video on RUclips by Duromax showing how to hook up tri-fuel generator to utility connections. Says to run air conditioner one needs to install a “soft start kit” to the outside air unit (which reduces start-up amps the compressor requires). I also saw a user video in which the owner hooked a Duromax Dual Fuel generator to natural gas using the existing propane connection and regulator (without need of modifying the generator frame).
Propane is a better way to run a generator, it runs cleaner and easier to store, if you are keeping a generator around for a storm/hurricane, gas is usually difficult to get as well, and not easy to store for emergencies, but propane is, just something to keep in mind.
I bought a predator 3500 when the first came to the market in New Hampshire the gave me a discount and coupon and walked out for 499$ has more than 200 hours oil changed every 30 hours absolutely flawless!! Ran it for 6 days during a small hurricane ran my whole home besides 240v loads sips fuel quiet as can be! Getting the 9500 for the well pump and A/C can’t wait to review!!
It's been over 10 years ago a friend of mine bought a 6500 from harbor freight as a emergency replacement for his construction company planning to replace it by the end of the summer, the electric starter quit but it pull starts easily, that temporary generator is still going strong, the majority of his work there is no power on site yet, so it's absolutely needed almost evey day, it's truck mounted and exposed to the elements 24/7, I find that to be very impressive.
I had the duromax 4000, got it on a midnight ebay deal...$200!!! (10 years ago)...... lost it in the divorce..... just bought the Firman Tri-fuel 9k...... another ebay special...manufacturer refurbished, with a 2 year warranty....Think it was $550, delivered. so far so good
Totally happy with my DuroMax dual fuel. I have only run propane, which doesn't go bad like gas. Lots easier to find propane and store it.
My older inverter generator is now a backup as I left gas generators in lieu of LifePo4 batteries with solar panels. Now no noise, no gas and no fumes. Just a wonderful source of unlimited power as long as the sun is still around.
I bought a champion 2000 watt inverter 5 years ago have had zero issues. Always dependable very quiet. Will run a fridge a freezer several lights and charge phones etc all at the same time. I am extremely happy with my purchase
When it comes to generators or anything else for that matter, the best one is the one I can afford.
Mine works just fine. Don't use it often but starts right up when I do. I have a small camper and a 1500 watt heater. Predator 3500 is what I have I've had it 1. 1/2 years
I purchased the refurbished Firman that Costco sells. The heads up from the ToolBear allowed me to pay $549 delivered for tri-fuel.
I have the champion 4500 Duel fuel, paid a little more for it than the wireless remote version. The ability to swap over to propane in the event of an extended power/gas shortage that has happened before in FL was the big selling point for me.
And propane never goes bad like ethanol gas.
You can get an auto changeover valve if you have small cylinders and cascade so you never have to run out of fuel.
@@jeremygagnon9277 And ethanol gas isn't really a problem if you're not dumb about it.
Question, if dual fuel generator did not start because I used old gasoline, can I still use start the generator using propane or it not working at all?
@@anhdo1844 did u remove the old fuel? Always use fuel stabilizers if you have any equipment sitting. I used a lawn service for a season but never drained my mower. It got all hunker up and I had to take it apart to clean.
You'll find that a lot of the 2nd tier like Champion or Westinghouse and 3rd tier like Duromax or Powerhouse are all using variants of the same engines and generator assemblies dressed up a bit differently. Most of them are Honda clone engines(nicknamed Chondas).They're so close that genuine Honda parts like carbs, ignition coils etc will bolt right up and work. A lot of the electrical and electronic components, while different in design/appearance/schematic, often share the same DNA because they come from the same superfactories in China. The real difference I've noticed is the build quality of the frames and other materials. Overall you're getting roughly the same thing across the board. The different features are what really set them apart.
I've had a small champion I've used since the 90's and the only issue I had was cleaning out the carb a couple years ago. There's a repairman who talks about getting parts and the champions parts are easily obtainable for a fair price. Also, he's never had to make a repair on one other than the same cleaning the carb. Which can happen on any small engine.
Thanks for the information. Good video as usual..I just bought the westinghouse 9500 tri fuel. Found it for 1000 bucks. Ran natural gas line from the house and bricked a small shelter in the backyard for it. Hopefully it will serve me well for a few years to come.
I purchased a DuroMax 12000eh dual fuel and added a natural gas regulator to hook up to the LP on my home. Runs nicely on natural gas. I ran it the other day for about 4 or 5 hours after hurricane Beryle shut off the power. I have 2 refrigerators, 2 freezers (16cf, 21 cf), lights/fans etc. in the house and a 2.5 ton central AC unit. Also have a 3 ton central AC unit but did not start it up since I had no soft starter installed on either. With a soft starter I doubt I’d have much of an issue running both since the 2.5 ran fine without it. I paid under a $1000 on sale for the unit. Only issue I have is changing the oil (manual states to do) every 24 hours. I did hook up an extension to the drain plug to make it a little easier to do that maintenance which works fine. I had to run a 120 feet of 1-1/4” rubber gas hose and that with brass quick disconnects was a pricey $600 although less expensive than the purchase of a 20k Generac. Anyway, my 2 cents…
I've lived off grid for years now I am off grid right now in the path of a hurricane Champion is by far the best generator for the money
Would you recommend buying two smaller generators vs 1 larger?
Thanks Tool Bear, I been looking at generators for the past 2 weeks. Don't forget about the "THD" total harmonic distortion of the generator. You would like to keep it
and..... how do you determine THD? lol
Most of the time if the generator has low THD they will post it under the specifications. If not you will have to call the company and ask for the THD rating. I just went with a Champion 100520
Depends on the use. If you have a food truck for example that needs a gen for 8 hours a day, every day, you'd better get a Honda. If you only use the gen for emergency back up a few hours per year then the Predator would probably be ok. Keeping it Dutch has on his YT channel, a video about running through 2 new Predator 9500s that he used constantly while living in an a camper off the grid. He got less than a combined 3000 hours between the 2 of them until they wore out or broke down. The first one was withing the 90 day HF warranty period. HF did give him 2 new gens under warranty but the hassle of carting 2 heavy gens back and forth to a HF store was considerable.
Western house has a cast iron cylinder sleeve they last 25 plus years all them other brands last up too 2 thousand hours. So take your pick. You should tell the how they are built and what there built with and what separates them from each other.
I just got the predator 9000 today for $600 because the air filter cover was dented in shipping. Beat it back into shape with a hammer and it works just fine!
Predator 3500 here. No problems. Works as expected.
i have a WEN, but i also have a ecoflow that sets the table, shovels driveway, takes out garbage, its a wonderful box !!!!
I like the Harbor Freight but not having dual fuel is a no go for me. During a storm I want the option of fuel. I love my current DuroMax and I am in the market for a smaller invertor generator.
From personal experience, the Champion, Westinghouse, and Pulsar are all excellent. Many brands appear to be coming out of the same factories with different colors and labels on them.
Same factory that makes the Hondas.
Thanks for the information! I think what most people don't look at on the power units is the total watt hours. Yes it will run my things. But it will Not run them for days after a hurricane! I have a open frame 5550 that has been used for many storms. Yes it makes a lot of noise! But I can run 2 refrigerators, a freezer, window A/C, TV, and much more for days! Florida has a You Loot We Shoot! Yes people know I have it. But they should know that they can't just take it. And that you Loot. We shoot has been on the news after this last storm!
It’s great to see that your telling folks the honest truth. We have a 9500 watt screamer, runs a 440 foot well boiler
and fridge. It’s modified so we don’t use it for anything else except tools. It sucks gas like it’s going out of style.
But had gotten us through 8 days of No Power. ( it Sucked ) welcome to weather in New England…
I am completely green when it comes to generators. I'm starting a small mobile car detailing business. I only need to power a 1700 psi electric power washer, Dry/Wet shop vac, and electric blower initially. How much power would I possibly need to get the job down. Budget friendly would be great starting out. Great video and I learned alot. Thanks!!!
My Honda 6500 failed during Ian. The following spring I had a Honda dealer service it, address the fact that 1/2 our house had no power by replacing the Inverter. $1700 repair; ouch. We start and run under load the generator every 2 months, use ethanol-free gas and Stabil fuel stabilizer. Fast forward to Hurricane Milton. Again, using fresh ethanol-free gasoline we got into the 4th refill (approximately 20 gallons) and 1/2 the house lost power. Our Honda service dealer is still closed due to the hurricane, but I'm curious what they're going to say. Regrettably, I think I would have been better off buying a Predator 9500 instead of doing the repair, but I fell into the Honda-is-the-best trap.
I’ve went through “3” 3500 predators for my rv in less than a year. I finally bought what I should’ve in the first place a Honda and it’s given me zero issues now going on 18 months. You get what you pay for
I bought a Generac XP8000e a few years ago. It was purchased by someone after a big storm, but was never used, so I got a great deal on it. It is installed in my shed, properly ventilated and exhausted. For security, I have it chained to the shed floor, behind a locked door. We can't even hear it run from inside of our house.
Good reviews Bear (where is the bear??) We have a 20KW Caterpiller on our farm, uses 0.6Gal/hr at half load. I see Generac offers an open frame diesel generator.
I have had 2 instances on two separate champion generators to use their customer support people. First was a faulty voltage regulator and second was no start due to worn brushes. They warranteed and immeadiately were able to diagnose and send parts to fix these generators. The gens were 3 and 4 years old with constant use. Things like pullcords and mufflers were junk but the main running gear works as advertised. To be fair they are both lower end model basic open frame gens.
We have a Generac GP 6500. I think it’s around 8125 Starting watts and 6500 running watts. This is our first genny and we’ve had it since the summer of 2021. We have it plugged in thru a receptacle and interlock switch on our breaker box.
It’s LOUD as all get out but it powers (almost) everything in our house without having to use any extension cords.
This is a great video and I learned a lot from watching it. Thanks to your info I’m thinking about getting two of those 3-4k watt inverter gennys and running parallel if need be. It would be so much more convenient and easier to store.
That Duro Max is a good generator just louder than hell like you said! We used that genny to weld on job sites a bunch so it definitely puts out a lot of power! The ability to run it on propane is nice. Ran out of gas one time and had a partial bottle of propane and that saved us. Biggest issue we had with it was the tires or wheels.... They are junk for how heavy the generator is. I swapped them for airless tires and it worked great after that!
My Duromax came with tires that are no-air/no-flat tires. People say that they go out of round when they sit in one place for a while. I think if I put it on blocks so there’s no weight on the tires this problem will be eliminated.
I just bought the Duromax XP5500HX dual fuel with inverter for $749.00, it also comes with the wheel kit. I was looking at the Predator, but the equivalent model was $1100 without the wheel kit. Liked and subbed!
Champion has great customer service. They mailed me what I needed. I also have a champion shop about 4 miles from my house.
Running my smart power 4400 for a month only gets a break for oil change running 2 ac 1 fridge coffee maker and microwave and TV no issues tired of buying gas 😂 but happy it does it's job with 90 degree weather I thought I would have killed it running it this long and hard.
I am a big Sportsman generator fan boy. I bought their open frame 2000, then their 1000 inverter then their 4000 open frame and chainsaw. I have not been disappointed by them whatsoever and absolutely satisfied.
Sportsman fan here also.
Sportsman has fantastic customer service
I'm in Texas and after the deep freeze and week without power in 2021 I picked up a Duromax XP12000HX. Dual fuel with electric start. I wired up a back feed breaker and interlock to supply whole house power. We have two AC units a (5 ton and 3.5 ton) for each of the floors in our house. I honestly was going to be happy if only the 3.5 ton unit would run. It did no problem. For grins I thought I'd try the 5 ton. The generator was able to fire that one up as well. What really surprised me is that actually both units were able to run simultaneously on generator power so to say I was surprised was an understatement. Obviously in a SHTF situation I wouldn't be running both units, but I have been very happy with Duromax. To your point though, the thing is loud So I've been looking at either building a generator shed or pricing out a zombie box.
I’ve had a 4500 watt sportsman for quite a few years, I rarely have used it. However we did get a chance to use it during The ice storms a few years back. I loaned it to somebody as our power never went out. They ran it for quite a few days until the muffler vibrated clean off of the head, broke right at the head joint.I ordered a new muffler from Champion took me about 15 minutes to replace it.
I have my 1998 Generac XL5500. Loved it and it has always started and taken me through every power outage. However at 24 years old, it was time for a replacement. My need was only 120 power so I purchased a Firman inverter 3382. 3600 watt with electric start. Loved it, it makes very little noise compared to the Generac xl5500, and could power everything that we need during an emergency. However, since I only need it for long power outages, I was thinking of adding the Ecoflow pro and the house automatic transfer switch, that way the house will keep going and I will not need to run the generator as much to keep 10 circuits running 24/7 during a power outage. Still on the fence so if you have experience with the Ecoflow pro power station, that would be great.
Generators 7200 watts and below all use the same voltage regulator. My Predator 4350 blew the regulator the first time we used it during a power outage. Instead of no power output, it railed up to 170VAC and destroyed most of our electronics in our house. The damage exceeded the cost of the generator.
I do big art shows in Florida and all the food vendors use big gennies, the last two years a half dozen of them decided to try the harbor freight units, and now that the season is ended, I can say not one of them are still using the harbor freight machines, I even ended up loaning my Honda 7000 out to several whose HF units died during busy shows...my Honda is 10 years old with over 5000 hours and starts instantly and never flinches.I also have a five year ild Yamaha i4500 with 2400 hours which is like new and has never needed anything but filters and oil changes.
i have a champion inverter genarator its almost 3 years old with a ton of hours this has been the under warranty i have not had to pay a dime for parts as of today for parts you cant beat champions 3 year warranty . this past spring i shipped it to cali and back got a reman engine and reman inverter all under warranty thay are the way to go .
I am using a ecoflow delta just to run minor stuff during an outage. However the prices are dropping on these things because everyone and their brother are making them. I am going to buy an inverter generator for back up. If used just right between the both, I could go 30 days plus in an emergency. My refrigerator I can unplug and run that every 3 or 4 hours since it's well insulated. I do have a seprate freezer, I could run every two days or so. I am more on the power management side of things, over what needs to be running.
Excellent video, thank you!
Question: Since you have a close relationship with Harbor Freight, can you ask them why they don't offer duel fuel models of their generators or generator - inverters?
Most of understand that propane delivers less energy. But you can store propane almost indefinitely verses gasoline, which makes it much more desirable SHTF fuel for long term storage imho
Yes- for me also gas only is a huge negative.
A predator 13000 watt trifuel standard generator just got released
Northern tool is a good source for off brand parts and service. Good review. Shine on
50 amp service on an RV is using 240V, not 110V. So it would take a 12,000W generator to fully power it, although that amount would rarely be used.
17:14 Yes, You are Correct
I have a large Fifth Wheel Travel Trailer, with two 15,000 btu (Coleman)
All 50 Amp, Travel Trailers have Two 50 Amp Wires, Not One.
I have an old Powermate with a Tecumseh motor. Loud, but reliable. I recently bought a Generac 3200i for a backup. Quiet and clean, I'm ready.
To those living in California, first, my sympathies, second, if you are going to get a generator, the time is now, for the really near future In 2028, the only generators allowed to be sold will have to be the "zero-emissions" type, which, really isn't a generator, it's just a glorified power bank, like the kind you use to charge up a cell phone, just that instead of 5VDC, this will be 120VAC. From my understanding, any gas-powered generator purchased before the deadline will be grandfathered in.
They can't grandfather in what you own. What would they do? Come and get it? Molon labe. :)
I know a couple of people that bought a Predator and they will not take running 24-7 they are made to just run for 2-3 days and the one thing I will say Harbor Freight replaced them every time no questions asked but he is on his third one so I don’t know when they will cut him off. He uses it at a old Mobil home on his hunting property and they are up there for 2-3 weeks but that Predator just could not take and would shit it’s brains out and motor ran fine but would not produce any power or very low power .
Tiny house 400 square feet 12.000 btu wall mount widow unit WEN 2500 dual fuel gen runs the whole house fridge tv and ac at 1 gallon for 6 hours 20 hours on propane tank Great backup unit for me.
About 23 years ago I bought a Generac 5500 gas generator, back then the 5500w in big letters was the running watts, the peak is 7500 w. It was called a commercial model, it is an open frame and loud but has gotten me through several hurricanes here in Florida. It starts and runs well and has been very dependable. It has a small oil filter that is supposed to be changed every 25 - 50hrs. with the oil which I have been semi-faithful doing, maybe that is why I have had such long life out of it, I wonder if any of the newer models have oil filters? In my usage at my house, I get about 12 hrs running time out of 5 gallons of fuel. The only reason I would change out this generator is if I could get significantly better gas mileage, something that is hard to find info on in the new models.
You can make a good estimate of fuel consumption by calculating displacement and RPM. Regular generator is going to run at it's set RPM to put out 60hz electricity without load, with load is just slightly more. Inverter generators might turn a little fewer RPM when not at max capacity but their big feature is many of the new ones have more reasonably sized engines for the load they are expected to carry like a 3000 running watt could have as small as a 149cc engine and not a 196-212cc that's basically a legacy, we did it this way for 40 years so why change? If they were fuel injected with an oxygen sensor in the exhaust along with a temperature sending unit because face it, enriching the fuel mixture is partly how these things are cooled. Sizing the generator to the load is also good practice. Anything that doesn't need more than 3000w, pull out a compact 3000w generator with a 149cc engine.
@@robertkubrick3738 Good information, Thanks!
You are right about the sizing, when I bought my 5.5 kw generator, I had to power a 230v well pump, I am on city water now and could downsize and that would help me with gas consumption. As a rough comparison, I replaced my old Troy push mower that used almost 2 qts of fuel to mow my lawn with a Honda with more horsepower and self-propelled and it uses only 1 qt of fuel to mow the same area.
I wish all these small engines were fuel injected, we would save much $ in fuel and be less polluting at the same time. I think if one manufacturer did it and people got used to an added upfront cost but long-term savings, they would all change over to them.
@@samTollefson I know you are right!
What would be the best line conditioner to get for my Harbor Freight 9000 (it isn’t the inverter type)? That isn’t overly expensive.
I’m getting ready to buy a 2000 watt generator there are so many different generators out there with the price range within $200 between them all it’s a very hard decision to make which one to buy thank you for your video it’s giving me a lot of information and a lot to think about have a great day☘️🇺🇸🤘⚡️⚡️
You missed the firman generators. They sell alot of generators thru Costcos. The 7500/9500 electric start, 220volts, is very well reviewed and sell on sale regularly for $699!
Actually covered them separately about two or three weeks ago.
Also, Propane may be down on power compared to gasoline but realize you can store it in approved containers like forever while gasoline will go bad. Makes the argument for propane a solution a lot easier to swallow.
If you can ever find someplace that will fill a cylinder more than 75% full.
What do you think of BILT HARD Generator 5500 Watt, Dual Fuel Quiet Inverter Generator with Electric Start?
It looks very similar to the Westinghouse.
Great video!!
I think I missed something. Are the power units at the end of the video like battery backups?
On the gas units how long do they run per gallon?
Which of these units can power a home AC unit and refrigerator?
And how much does it cost for an electrician to set up the connections between the power unit and your circuit breaker box?
Thanks.
Yes, those are essentially batteries in a box.
The gas generators vary based on the model, and how much power you’re drawing also altitude has something to say about it as well .
Also, the power varies on different AC models and refrigerators you need to add up the peak power of both and then I’ll tell you what size generator you need.
Lastly, the cost to get a cut over switch varies on location. I’ve heard it quoted anywhere between $800 and $2500. A lot of that is going to depend on what kind of panel you have and how much power you’re putting through it.
Great Video!!! So much info!! We are full time in our 5th Wheel. I use 2 Firman 3300/3000 watt generators with remote start. Have a parallel kit so I have a 50amp outlet to power the trailer. Have had this brand for 4 years. Very happy with them. Didn't see this one in your review. Probably just too many to review. Thanks for the great video.
I've used a couple Duromax generators and they're really good and reliable
Same here. While it says Dual Fuel I've run them on Gas, Propane and Natural Gas. I kind of did the roll your own whole house generator by putting it into a ventilated suncast enclosure, and it works like a champ.
I have two of the Wen 3800 Watt inverter generators and for the past two years of RV and backup power use at the house; they have been absolutely perfect. I parallel them for the RV and they run everything and stay reasonably quiet doing it.
How do you parallel them together?
I also have an old 2400 watt power mate a friend of mine gave me it was not in running condition I have it repaired for about $100.00 it also works great.
Ha! My dad bought a Pulsar brand push mower. We needed something small and cheap to use in our newly dug ditches that are much deeper. I think we got it from Menard's for like $100 as a floor model. It always starts on the first pull, I abuse it a bit, I even installed larger rear wheels on it to make it easier to push around. Probably wouldn't use it as a "daily driver", but for the occasional bush whacker, it works fine :D
one thing you didnt touch on, if you have a sub compact tractor they make smaller 540 PTO driven units. for example i have a kubota BX 2350, it is around 20 hp, i could run 10KW off of it. i would consider doing this because it's a diesel engine and i think that would mean great fuel efficiency.
what are your thoughts?
Isn't the engine manufacturer a critical point? A gen with Briggs, Kohler, Honda, Yamaha, etc should be easier to source parts, and possibly more reliable than generic engines. Good videos. Thanks
I've had good reliability/serviceability with Champion generators for almost 20 yrs, now. A few years back, they had an issue with leaking fuel tank shut-off valves, I called and they sent me 3 updated valves free of charge which were easily installed to maintain serviceability.
Great video. Another thought, if your generator has no wheels, such as my old Coleman camping unit, you can get a Harbor Freight wooden, carpet-padded furniture dolly very cheaply, zip-tie the generator to it, and attach a length of lightweight chain (I use a 6' chain dog leash on mine) to schlepp it around on concrete, or the asphalt driveway. It will slowly roll on close-cut grass, or some well-compacted ground, also, given the small-sized caster wheels.
Once again the info is just great, but gall darn I can't believe u skipped right past the 5500/6500 W, predator generator that I just bought at harbor freight, (display model) for a shocking low $349. 00.
It just figures. Lol
Good job, and definitely a helpful thumbs up.
Great information, you’ve helped a bunch of people. Your right about the noisy open frame generators, our son has a large Champion generator that he uses on construction sites, you can hear it two blocks away. Keep all the great information coming
I got the GenMax after lots of research. So the closest is the Predator. $2400 and the GenMax $2400 equal price.
However for a long time the Genmax was (and still is) $200 of so only $2200.
Comparing the two directly.
The Genmax has an oil filter to help keep stuff out of the motor, it is rated to run quieter, it has a dedicated 50A outlet making it great to use for home backup, if you ever wanted more power, just need some cables to parallel two of them together, this is a 3 wire connection including neutral so parallel is 240V capable, the Predator you have to buy an external kit, and it can only do 120v in parallel as it has no neutral connection.
Genmax has rear exhaust instead of side and maintenance is a bit easier on the Genmax.
Genmax has an entire readout display for wattage, voltage, and runtime making it easy to monitor your usage, and know when to do your maintenance.
Last thing to mention off the top of my head the Genmax for $2400 is dual fuel. The gas only is $2200 or $2000 with the $200 off discount.
I also know the Genmax has direct airflow for cooling forced by a fan, not sure about the Predator.
So price and performance they are identical pretty much, but the Genmax seems to offer more, and depending on your needs some of those things are really important.
I put a 50A inlet on the main panel, and was able to plug the Genmax right in and was ready to rock, and it was so quiet my neighbors were like, thats a generator??
With the $200 savings I was able to get a no questions asked extended warranty from Amazon, just incase something happens its shipped and fixed for free for 3-4 years, and if it cant be fixed, you get a full refund of the purchase price.
What kind of maintenance have you had tto do for your Genmax?
During Hurricane Ian my Briggs & Stratton 8 hp 4.2 Kw 25 years old ran 2 house holds basic 2 refrigerators 1 freezer! Plus 2 flat screens, 2/pcs internet equipment. And more. But no electric start, and at 76 year’s old it gets harder to start every year.
But no AIR CONDITIONER IN FLORIDA NOT GOOD. Any recommendations on a 15kw generator with electric start of course? My Air unit is a 10 KW a unit! Brand new.
If you need that sort of size and power I'd go with an Onan.
I bought a Coleman 6250/5000w for $50 not running, took it to a small engine shop to get repaired. Needed a new carb and he put a new spark plug in it. Starts first pull every time. I didn’t have the tool to take the carb off or I would have done it my self.
I bought the Firman because of your recommendation, and I’ve been very happy with it. You didn’t even mention it.
I didn’t talk about them because I’ve already done two videos on that brand
My issue is shipping to a freight forwarder. There are not enough choices for generators in the VI. I am inclined to get an inverter from Harbor Freight but I can’t get a direct answer on shipping. What say you?
If your going to run a furnace it must be full sign wave they have very delicate electronic boards on them these days and a regular generator will very likely fry that board
Duromax XP13000EH may not deliver rated power due to a constricted inlet for gasoline/propane. It can be bypassed by disconnecting propane. Or there is a replacement part obtainable from Duromax. I could only get 240V 24A out of it to charge my Tesla before it would surge, then trip.
I watched a Vid about the Westinghouse Generator & he pointed out because it has the ~smoothest~ Sine Wave your Tools will last much longer. That has to be a very important statistic for a Purchase decision.
I have that Duramax, got on amazon(5% prime card cash back) , $940 to my door with tax! :) april 14th 2022. 50 amp outlet, so great for whole house. Invertor isn't worth the money for something you maybe run once a year. At racetracks, everyone has a predator invertor basically. I also have a smaller sportsman(2000 starting watts), basically ran it 8 hours a day at racetrack for tire warmers all year to the point were the oil ran dry, add oil still runs like a top today, insane lol
When you was talking about rv. Remember on a 30 amp rv a single (120)voltage 3500 is ok but (240) 4500 will not. 3500 watt at 120 is 29.16 amp. A normal 240 volt 4500 watt generator will give 18.75 amps per leg of 120.
But generator company’s want put that on box
Im running a champion 11500. I sold both my hondas a while back. If i could choose just one, im going honda. Just came across one hell of a deal for this champion.