Awesome. I got one today with 22 hours on it for $278 used at harbor freight. I have 5 days to put it through the paces to make sure it’s not defective. Planning on new oil, spark plugs, and tossing the charcoal canister. Thank you!
You explain everything so clear. I have my Predator since hurricane Maria and maintenance is done every week or two. In Puerto Rico we have electricity cuts very often. For that reason I have my generator ready all the time.
i found this out by watching a few videos on adding cut off switch. if you turn to knob to almost off it will run until out of fuel. some have put a kill switch inline but this work for me. that said i need to ck how much fuel is left in bowl but last time it fired right up.
Great idea. To make this less annoying after running, I cut a 1 inch hole through the cover in the right area to let me put a screwdriver at the correct angle and location to get to the screw. Little plastic plug from the hardware store makes it look factory!
I learned a valuable lesson. I made a point of trying to start my Predator 3500 every 30 days for about 15 minutes. Life got busy and didn't touch it for about 3 months. Had regular ethanol fuel in it with additive. Went to start it after 90 days and darn thing wouldn't start. put more stabil in it and seafoam and let it set overnight. Next day it was still hard to start but finally got it running. Sputtered a bit and left it in the "start" position for about a minute before I turned it to "Run". Ran it for about 1.5 hours with the Stabil and Sea Foam in it. ran fine. Lesson learned... 1) use ethanol free fuel only. 2) Drain it when not used for a period of time!! Runs like a champ now.
Can you please tell me where the longer pink drain line goes? The one that connects to the Y and then clicks into a holder on top of the carb? I got a predator 3500 in pieces and I can't figure out where that line goes. Thanks.
Draining any float bowl is good practice, it's a great way to flush out any moisture (water) or particles that may be trapped in the bottom. Also, it's the best way to SEE if there is any mousture in the system. Water sinks to the bottom and forms little [corrosive] blobs.
Could you add a valve to the hose that drains gas from? Then leave the screw open with valve closed? Then you'll never have to do the steps prior to dumping fuel?
Here is what i did. I just completed the step you showed. Since I put 87, i am going to drain it all then add ethanol free gas and add stabilizer in it. Run it for an hour then repeat the step you showed it to storage it. Thoughts?
Thank you for posting this. But... What does this action, then do for starting the generator, since there is no petcock to refill the bowl, before trying to crank it over and get it running again?
The petcock is built into the main on/off switch so when you turn it back on you just have to give it a couple of seconds for the gas to run into the carb and it starts right back up...
Remove the control panel and unplug the kill wire from the on/off knob. Now when you turn it off it burns the remaining fuel in the carb and shuts down. If you want a kill switch just add a 2 wire toggle switch to the kill wire.
A few people discovered that if you turn the RUN/OFF switch to almost OFF position but not all the way, it closes the petcock valve of the generator without shutting the electronics, so if you remove your load and let it run till the carb bowl run/empty it out without opening the case. This only work on Predator since it does not have a vacuum fuel pump like the Honda.
I have a completely enclosed storage 'building' that i want to run the generator from. The only issue is the generator has to breath and exhaust out. Where is the exhaust tube on this unit so i can direct it out and how large of an exit opening do you need so the unit gets the air it needs and the ability to exhaust?
The exhaust is directly in the rear of the unit. I would think that a 3" or so opening would allow the exhaust to escape, but you would have to have it pretty close to the opening so it would not fill up the inside, maybe use a hose. Just have some kind of opening to let air in and you should be OK.
Righty-tighty, Lefty-loosey. Good rule to remember.. I use a really good gas stabilizer additive for marine use that is supposed to work well with regular gas. Got a new inverter generator this year for the winter. Thank you for the advice/lesson, Matt
How do you ✔️ engine temp .we were in the desert over 100 degrees .they don't like that .don't put them on the ground it all get sucked into the cabinet,don't spill any gas on them ,don't over fill .these generators are very temperamental they need shade and maybe a fan .how much better is a Honda .I'm thinking it might be worth it.just a few thoughts.i use sea foam no surging problems .TKS TONY TOMA
@@FloridaBoyBushcraftSurvival yes. So I actually put more of a load 1750-1850 running and bam. Smooth as it should be. Still puzzled but yeah more load helped.
Hi. Forgot to ask you if you ever felt the need to remove the Charcoal Canister attached to the air box because the unit is running to rich and clogs the spark arrestor.
FloridaBoy Survival ...I can’t thank you enough for the best “TIPS” on the Predator 3500. Just bought one and did everything you suggested. I didn’t even think about a carburetor. I drain my carbs on my motorcycles every winter. That was my last step. 100% gas is hard to find so I used regular (SHELL). It. Fired up first time.
All I do, is treat my gasoline with Schaeffer's Neutra gas additive. It neutralizes the effects of ethanol. It also stabilizes the gas for 2 years. It also contains lubricant that also prevents the gas from attacking the gaskets and seals, and prevents any varnish. Simple, cheap and keeps the valves clean so the generator produces very little odor while running too. Good Day.
Mine does not want to work, I pull the string to start and does nothing. I wait about a min and pull it again and starts for a bout 2 seconds then the overload light comes on and it shuts off. Any tips?
Great video. For some reason my 3500 inverter dumps gas out the bottom hoses when just sitting. Has this ever happened to you? The generator can be off for like a day and I come to my garage and it has a pretty big puddle of gas. I had to store it outside.
i just posted exactly the same problem with request : where is the source problem ?? i did find out so far that there is second transparent drain house right next to the one mentioned on this video ..this one is dripping and empty the tank over couple of hours .. brand new generator !!. i'll look tomorrow morning , now is dark and i'm ready to go to bed . if i find the problem i'll let you know . if you already learn about ,please share your knowledge . thanks , Stan
Great info. Too late in my case unfortunately. Generator will start for second and stall, neighbor said its dirty needles. Any way to clean carburetor without taking whole thing apart
My predator 3500 started running unusually rough yesterday while running at at about 1/2 load. It kept shutting off so I figured it was either spark plug issues or fuel. I ended up adding more fuel and it would be ok for a few minutes and started acting up again numerous times after that. I finally started smelling gas and to my surprise the generator was dumping fuel out of the pink fuel lines. It must have drained 1-2 gallon to a gallon of fuel inside my van. Not sure what would have caused it to dump all the gas almost as if the tank itself was draining.
If you turn the gas off and allow the generator to run until it stalls, will it accomplish the same thing? (Will the carb be fully drained at that point?)
Matt. Great videos. Hey so I did leave gas in the bowl and have drained it all. I did a full service, oil new plug. Put some sea foam in it with new gas. Still not starting up. When letting the new gas and sea foam work should I leave the generator in start or run to let the gas get into the carb or should I keep it off?
I added Sta-bil 360 Protection fuel conditioner to all my portable gas cans and to my Predator 3500 generator. I ran my generator for 1 hour. It ran perfectly. Then I drained the fuel tank and carburetor. Stored the generator for 6 months. Now I need the gen. I added 1 gal of fuel (that had the Sta-bil in it) to my gen. I started the gen. it surged. I ran the generator for 1 hour, still surges??
I’ve got over three predator 3500 generators in a row that all will not start after running in 100f whether for a few hrs.. after shot off to refuel it will not start back up until it is cooled down. Any idea why this is and what could be done about it? Three in a row with this issue, day 1, so cannot be an actual problem but something to do with the generators themselves.
Thanks for the tip. In-addition, I use a canned non ethanol gas, Tru-Fuel 320z. I cannot find non ethanol gas in my area. I run this as the last fuel going through the system. It cleans/pushes out whats left of the regular gas. I do this in all my equipment. Seems to be working. Do you know if Harbor Freight ever addressed the 30 amp plug issue in the newer units? Did they turn it around the proper way? Thanks, I truly enjoy watching your videos. John
I have heard that on the newer ones they have the 30a plug the right way so evidently they do listen. In my opinion, you really only need the non eth gas if you are storing. If you are running regularly you can run regular in it...
@@FloridaBoyBushcraftSurvival I agree. Plus it gets expensive using it all the time. But in the case of my lawnmower for instance I use 93 octane and treated with stable every week. The last cut of the season I use just the Tru-Fuel run it dry and it seems to work. The snowblower on the other hand is a small fuel tank and used maybe 3 to 4 times a year so I just use the Tru-Fuel. My large portable generator I converted to natural gas. I'm looking into the harbor Freight 3500 watt and you have been a great help. Thanks for responding and I look forward to seeing more of your informative videos. Have a great Thanksgiving!
@@FloridaBoyBushcraftSurvival Where does the plastic hose that is going over the carb connected too? Is that just a vent or does it actually plug into something?
Great video, thanks, but what does the V/A mean? is that the total watts it's handling? and how would your read 504va? Does that mean 504 watts, 5004 watts? thanks
Thank you for these videos!! My Predator seems to run great for a while but maybe after an hour or so running a load (like my 9k BTU RV AC) the genny will show an overload, sputter, shut down, and is then very difficult to restart. Any ideas? Much appreciated!!
@@FloridaBoyBushcraftSurvival Thank you!! Holy crud that thing was totally encased in carbon. Cleaned it well, finished gas in it, then did oil change and changed out plug with NGK. Runs better than new. Thanks again!!
So there are a LOT of these engines everywhere... any source for these float bowls with the screw drain you can use on these other engines? Anybody know a source for these?
Although draining the bowl is best, you can turn the stop, run, choke switch 95% of the way to stop, the generator will run for about 10 minutes or so and will burn the fuel that’s in the bowl. As I mentioned draining is better, but I do this in between snow storms. When I put it away for the summer or there’s at least a couple or weeks between storms I drain the bowl
I tried that and mine just continued to run. Maybe I did not wait long enough, i may try it again. The most important thing is to just get the gas out of the bowl any way that you can...
@@FloridaBoyBushcraftSurvival yeah turn it so it starts to shut off but then move it to the run like 1 mm so it turns back on and turn off eco mode and let run 5 min it take a little bit for it run out these things sip gas
Great simple info and trick to it . But what about when brand new predator 3500 after about 20 hours of working all the sudden starts act funny . then you can't start it again , then hour or 2 later you find puddle of gas under , the tank which was filled up is almost empty and the other drain line is dripping ...not the one you just showed . Where is going and what purpose hast that other dripping line next to the showed on this video ?? Please help ... i would hate to go back to harbor freight and do warranty exchange while the problem is easy to fix . Thanks , Stan
This is a great tip which may have helped my problem. I was looking for help with a surging problem. This exact generator is 4 months and I had 5 hours of simple break-in on it. Went to run it some more and it developed a surge until at least 5-10 amps is placed on it. In ECO mode, its really bad. I've always used fuel treated with Ethanol Medic. I'm pissed! I changed the oil, inspected the spark plug (Bosch), looked at the spark arrestor screen and all looks good. I don't think I have a prayer going into Harbor Freight after 4 months (with the 90 day warranty). I've seen videos how to clean the jet but this thing looks impossible to take the carb out of. Any advice is appreciated.
Try some ethanol free gas, not high test, and see if that works. I also like the NGK plugs. Mine also surges a little with no load, as soon as any load is put on it smooths right out. Also try running it without the oil door on it, this lets it breathe better. At this stage I do not think it is the main carb jet. How does it run loaded up, I mean with about 2500 - 3000 watts on it?
Thanks for replying , @@FloridaBoyBushcraftSurvival. I can't purchase ethanol free gas here in the northeast unless I buy it by the quart from Lowes ($$$). I am aware of the airflow issue. I actually had the entire side off to see if I could spot anything unusual and it was still surging. I did try a load test and got it up 21-23 amps and then it seemed to run smooth (at near full throttle I guess). I also tried to choke it down with the run/start rotary switch. Didn't have too much of an affect until it was almost dying.
I thought I would update this story for those with similar issues. TWO THUMBS UP for HF! I went back to HF and was totally upfront about the situation, following the recommended break-in period, fuel treatment, and including being a couple of weeks past the 90 day warranty. To my surprise, they actually offered to work with me and agreed to exchange the generator. They were hinting that I should also get the extended warranty for the new unit and after the first experience, I was ok with that (and to build some goodwill in return). In hindsight, I think there's a chance there might've been dirt specks in the fuel tank making it to the carborator. When I was draining the fuel to return the unit, I noticed several dark specks at the bottom of the shiny tank. There's no way they could've gotten in through the mesh gas filter. So here's my takeaway: 1) for all new units, try to get a vacuum nozzle into the tank and and make sure it's absolute perfect; and 2) I also recommend installing an inline gas filter and fuel cutoff valve. That's my first order of business, but it looks difficult on account of how tight everything is packed inside the case. I like the fuel cutoff valve idea a little more than the fuel bowl drain but I'll listen to the reason of others.
I understand that. I just bought one and been watching ur videos. Running amazing so for!! Also wanted to let u know harbor freight did switch the 30amp plug around if u didn’t already know.
@@FloridaBoyBushcraftSurvival I have the HF 3500 Inverter Generator. I changed out the oil at 1 hour then 10 hours and again at 50 hours. I will do it now every 50 hours with quality oil. Thats a great tip about draining the carb. I have been just starting it and running it for 30 min or so every month to keep the gas fresh in the carb. Plus it keeps the battery charged up. It has been a great generator so far. My primary usage is for when camping places without power though I use it in the event of a power outage at home.
My suggestion would be to always use gas treated with sta-bil. Whenever I go to buy gas in the cans it gets treated as soon as I get home, which is the most effective best way to be sure the gas stays in good shape for as long as possible.
I have 2 of these 3,500 gens, 2020 models and love them. Do yourself a favor and forget expensive, worthless sta-bil and just drain ALL the gas and put it in the car. I'm 68 and never used that stuff in anything, never had any carb problems from old gas. Use a pump or siphen tube from H.F. to drain tank then pull that clear tube up to stick in gas can to drain remainder from carb. Very easy, cheap and you don't have to worry about fuel going bad despite sta-bil in fuel. By the way, my log splitter and 2 garden tractors on this farm sit unused for 6 months without sta-bil in the gas and they always start. Much better product to use is Sea Foam to keep carbs clean.
Mine has been sitting 9 months. Always have Sta-Bil in there, but I pretty much ran the gas out of it last year. She has no hours on her. 2 years old. She just started mmediately on first pull (oh, battery died and I’m charging that now!), but fizzles out after 10 seconds. I’m gonna try this fix later…I’m retired and have to hit the pub soon…but if this doesn’t work, what’s my next step? Oil is fine and air filter is spotless.
@@FloridaBoyBushcraftSurvival I got it running the next day. Yes, I had simply overtightened that bowl drain screw. I loosened it up a hair, and bingo. One wouldn’t think this would matter, but it did.
@@FloridaBoyBushcraftSurvival If you remove the control plate, behind it you will find a black connector with two small black wires going into the area right around where the fuel valve switch is. That wire goes to the switch that grounds the ignition coil when you switch the dial to the "OFF" position. If you disconnect it, when you turn the dial to off it only closes the fuel and won't be grounding the coil. The generator will keep on running until you run the carb dry...
I think maybe drill a hole in the side cover just to stuck the screwdriver in. Have a rubber plug for it. 3 years with mine. Added a SAE plug to use a battery maintainer on it. Had a Honda. Never again.
@@FloridaBoyBushcraftSurvival FWIW after looking at a BUNCH of the YT vids on this 3500 this is what I'm gonna do .. I was surprised that it had a drain for the carb bowl ... I wanted to be able to run the carb dry and drain the tank ( when needed ) what I have decided to do ... I'm gonna drill about a 1 inch hole to view the bowl screw then another smaller one lower to insert the driver .. if I remember that screw is on an angle . I'm going to abandon the fuel valve insert .. close quarters AND I found a vid on the wires for the spark ground when you " turn off " the gen set - as you said it shuts the fuel AND kills the spark ... this vid showed how to put in a switch to keep the spark gong so you can run the carb dry ... then with what you showed .. the bowl screw another guy drains the tank that way ... I was going to put in say 2 valve controls - one for shut off and another for draining .. again tight on room so I can get around that with the remote switch and the bowl drain . FWIW the other 2 things I want to do ... take out the spark arrester ... not needed where I'm at and I see it clogs and with it out a little better fuel consumption . Also I will take out or " unplumbe the CA filter ... seen several guys say after time it gets logged up with fuel and can cause a no start or real rough run . Sine I'm rattling on - Guys put larger wheels on this dude .. that's ok but they don't pivot ... I'm gonna make a small " cart " kind like a piano dolly and set it on there with pivot casters and maybe a handle .. thanks again your vid helped .....
Watch my video on my channel I show you how to cut the fuel off with just the off run start switch it comes that way factory on all of them with that style switch
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FloridaBoy Survival Good tip . Happy 🦃day
Semper Fi
Thanks! Gotta keep the carb clean on these small engines...
Awesome. I got one today with 22 hours on it for $278 used at harbor freight. I have 5 days to put it through the paces to make sure it’s not defective. Planning on new oil, spark plugs, and tossing the charcoal canister. Thank you!
Great find!
You explain everything so clear. I have my Predator since hurricane Maria and maintenance is done every week or two. In Puerto Rico we have electricity cuts very often. For that reason I have my generator ready all the time.
Thanks! This is a great unit, you guys have it kind of rough in PR lately....
i found this out by watching a few videos on adding cut off switch. if you turn to knob to almost off it will run until out of fuel. some have put a kill switch inline but this work for me. that said i need to ck how much fuel is left in bowl but last time it fired right up.
I could not get it to cut off no matter where I put the knob so I just drain the carb...
Great idea. To make this less annoying after running, I cut a 1 inch hole through the cover in the right area to let me put a screwdriver at the correct angle and location to get to the screw. Little plastic plug from the hardware store makes it look factory!
Thanks! That is a GREAT idea!
Thank you. Question you showed the carb bowl draining out of one of the tubes. What makes gas come of the other tube?
That is a main tank drain/vent I believe
Thank you sir... Central Michigan off grid your a lifesaver 🤗🤗
No problem. Gotta keep that carb clean on these or they will just not run right
Florida Boy, Predator should pay you a royalty for helping their customers. Nice job!
Lol...a free generator would be nice...
I learned a valuable lesson. I made a point of trying to start my Predator 3500 every 30 days for about 15 minutes. Life got busy and didn't touch it for about 3 months. Had regular ethanol fuel in it with additive. Went to start it after 90 days and darn thing wouldn't start. put more stabil in it and seafoam and let it set overnight. Next day it was still hard to start but finally got it running. Sputtered a bit and left it in the "start" position for about a minute before I turned it to "Run". Ran it for about 1.5 hours with the Stabil and Sea Foam in it. ran fine. Lesson learned... 1) use ethanol free fuel only. 2) Drain it when not used for a period of time!! Runs like a champ now.
Yep...drain that carb!
Can you please tell me where the longer pink drain line goes? The one that connects to the Y and then clicks into a holder on top of the carb? I got a predator 3500 in pieces and I can't figure out where that line goes. Thanks.
Pretty sure it goes to the air breather
how did your oil change and new ngk spark plug do after you used it on your rv did you look at the plug
New plug and oil have the unit purring like a kitten lol. I did check the plug and it is preforming well...
Draining any float bowl is good practice, it's a great way to flush out any moisture (water) or particles that may be trapped in the bottom. Also, it's the best way to SEE if there is any mousture in the system. Water sinks to the bottom and forms little [corrosive] blobs.
It really helps these small engines...
Mine doesn't shut off the fuel on "off". Fuel just keeps on draining. Is there a valve somewhere I can check for or replace?
May need the valve replaced
Could you add a valve to the hose that drains gas from? Then leave the screw open with valve closed? Then you'll never have to do the steps prior to dumping fuel?
You could do that but it is very easy to just use the screw
Here is what i did.
I just completed the step you showed. Since I put 87, i am going to drain it all then add ethanol free gas and add stabilizer in it. Run it for an hour then repeat the step you showed it to storage it. Thoughts?
I would still drain the carb even with ethanol free gas. Just to be sure....
Thank you for posting this. But... What does this action, then do for starting the generator, since there is no petcock to refill the bowl, before trying to crank it over and get it running again?
The petcock is built into the main on/off switch so when you turn it back on you just have to give it a couple of seconds for the gas to run into the carb and it starts right back up...
Remove the control panel and unplug the kill wire from the on/off knob. Now when you turn it off it burns the remaining fuel in the carb and shuts down. If you want a kill switch just add a 2 wire toggle switch to the kill wire.
Great idea!
Whats the second hose for? A vent?
No idea...
any info on a unit tgat will fire but not run after 150 hours. cleaned the spark arrestor
change the plug and use different gas...
Great tip! I wish H F would make a fuel cut off switch like on the Honda gens.
You and me both!
My new hg gen has a nice solid cut off switch. Honestly I’m impressed
what do you think about using propane on this generator? And what manufacture would you suggest? Thanks Again.
I think that it would work well. I do not know of anyone who makes a kit for it, but a Honda kit should work
A few people discovered that if you turn the RUN/OFF switch to almost OFF position but not all the way, it closes the petcock valve of the generator without shutting the electronics, so if you remove your load and let it run till the carb bowl run/empty it out without opening the case. This only work on Predator since it does not have a vacuum fuel pump like the Honda.
I tried it and it would not work with my model. I think it will on the 2000w
I have a completely enclosed storage 'building' that i want to run the generator from. The only issue is the generator has to breath and exhaust out. Where is the exhaust tube on this unit so i can direct it out and how large of an exit opening do you need so the unit gets the air it needs and the ability to exhaust?
The exhaust is directly in the rear of the unit. I would think that a 3" or so opening would allow the exhaust to escape, but you would have to have it pretty close to the opening so it would not fill up the inside, maybe use a hose. Just have some kind of opening to let air in and you should be OK.
@@FloridaBoyBushcraftSurvival do you think it would build up heat in there , too much for it to operate?
my thinking on this is that it could run in an enclosed unit away from people but also behind a locked door so no one could steal it.
@@Ed_Gein as long as you can ventilate it somehow then you should be OK
Righty-tighty, Lefty-loosey. Good rule to remember.. I use a really good gas stabilizer additive for marine use that is supposed to work well with regular gas. Got a new inverter generator this year for the winter. Thank you for the advice/lesson, Matt
Thats how I remember it lol. The stabilizer is the key for long term storage, down here we need generators for backup power during hurricanes....
does preador 3500 have high temp cut out?
Not that I am aware of
How do you ✔️ engine temp .we were in the desert over 100 degrees .they don't like that .don't put them on the ground it all get sucked into the cabinet,don't spill any gas on them ,don't over fill .these generators are very temperamental they need shade and maybe a fan .how much better is a Honda .I'm thinking it might be worth it.just a few thoughts.i use sea foam no surging problems .TKS TONY TOMA
I notice on mine I have to run with the switch closer to the start position. When in run it surges. Idle wise.
Does it surge with a small load on it? Mine surged at idle also but when I put a load on it smoothed up
@@FloridaBoyBushcraftSurvival yes. So I actually put more of a load 1750-1850 running and bam. Smooth as it should be. Still puzzled but yeah more load helped.
Hi. Forgot to ask you if you ever felt the need to remove the Charcoal Canister attached to the air box because the unit is running to rich and clogs the spark arrestor.
Mine does not really run rich, however I may just remove the canister just to do it...
Can the (RV PLUG) be reduced down to accept a male (110 regular cord) so you’ll have 3 regular outputs?
Yes, you could easily do that if you had the right adapter. I know they sell them...
FloridaBoy Survival ...I can’t thank you enough for the best “TIPS” on the Predator 3500. Just bought one and did everything you suggested. I didn’t even think about a carburetor. I drain my carbs on my motorcycles every winter. That was my last step. 100% gas is hard to find so I used regular (SHELL). It. Fired up first time.
I used a ZINC additive in the oil for the break in and a magnetic dipstick. Wow does oil stay way cleaner with the magnetic dipstick
Yeah the zinc makes a BIG difference. I have been thinking about a magnet but just decided to keep an eye on the oil instead. I may get one...
Where do you get a magnetic dipstick?
Zink?
Does high altitude affect the HF 3500 generators?
I think thin air would make a difference in its running and output...
Excellent advice, thank you Sir !
Thanks for watching!
All I do, is treat my gasoline with Schaeffer's Neutra gas additive. It neutralizes the effects of ethanol. It also stabilizes the gas for 2 years. It also contains lubricant that also prevents the gas from attacking the gaskets and seals, and prevents any varnish.
Simple, cheap and keeps the valves clean so the generator produces very little odor while running too.
Good Day.
Yep the key is treating it to remove the ethanol, that is the killer
Mine does not want to work, I pull the string to start and does nothing. I wait about a min and pull it again and starts for a bout 2 seconds then the overload light comes on and it shuts off. Any tips?
Is it still under warranty? If so I would take it back
@@FloridaBoyBushcraftSurvival nope
Is the harbor freight predator 3500 generator a bonded ground or floating ground? Love your videos. Thanks
Not sure
@@FloridaBoyBushcraftSurvival Just for discussion, I've been told it is a bonded ground.
Great video. For some reason my 3500 inverter dumps gas out the bottom hoses when just sitting. Has this ever happened to you? The generator can be off for like a day and I come to my garage and it has a pretty big puddle of gas. I had to store it outside.
Thanks! I have never had that happen. check the screw on the bottom of the carb and make sure it is closed...
i just posted exactly the same problem with request : where is the source problem ??
i did find out so far that there is second transparent drain house right next to the one mentioned on this video ..this one is dripping and empty the tank over couple of hours .. brand new generator !!. i'll look tomorrow morning , now is dark and i'm ready to go to bed . if i find the problem i'll let you know .
if you already learn about ,please share your knowledge .
thanks ,
Stan
Great info. Too late in my case unfortunately. Generator will start for second and stall, neighbor said its dirty needles. Any way to clean carburetor without taking whole thing apart
You can try running some Sea Foam through it...
@@FloridaBoyBushcraftSurvival how do we get sea foam into the carburetor and bowl?
@@movietime111 you add it to the gas
@@FloridaBoyBushcraftSurvival right, but unit isn't running so any way to get it through carb?
My predator 3500 started running unusually rough yesterday while running at at about 1/2 load. It kept shutting off so I figured it was either spark plug issues or fuel. I ended up adding more fuel and it would be ok for a few minutes and started acting up again numerous times after that. I finally started smelling gas and to my surprise the generator was dumping fuel out of the pink fuel lines. It must have drained 1-2 gallon to a gallon of fuel inside my van. Not sure what would have caused it to dump all the gas almost as if the tank itself was draining.
That sounds like a stuck float to me...
Any tips on how to get that to not be stuck?
Matt thanks just found this vid was trying to figure out how to do the drain. Ty
No problem. If you store it for any length of time you should drain the carb...
If you turn the gas off and allow the generator to run until it stalls, will it accomplish the same thing? (Will the carb be fully drained at that point?)
Yes but for some reason, at least on mine, it does not have a separate gas shut off to the carb
Matt. Great videos. Hey so I did leave gas in the bowl and have drained it all. I did a full service, oil new plug. Put some sea foam in it with new gas. Still not starting up. When letting the new gas and sea foam work should I leave the generator in start or run to let the gas get into the carb or should I keep it off?
Put it whatever way that you can get it to start so the seafoam can work. Good stuff...
I added Sta-bil 360 Protection fuel conditioner to all my portable gas cans and to my Predator 3500 generator. I ran my generator for 1 hour. It ran perfectly. Then I drained the fuel tank and carburetor. Stored the generator for 6 months.
Now I need the gen. I added 1 gal of fuel (that had the Sta-bil in it) to my gen. I started the gen. it surged. I ran the generator for 1 hour, still surges??
May want to check the plug
@@FloridaBoyBushcraftSurvival It's brand new (BPR7EZ 5534 Spark Plug)
I’ve got over three predator 3500 generators in a row that all will not start after running in 100f whether for a few hrs.. after shot off to refuel it will not start back up until it is cooled down. Any idea why this is and what could be done about it? Three in a row with this issue, day 1, so cannot be an actual problem but something to do with the generators themselves.
It is all about air flow with these. If you are in heat like that try running it with the oil door off and in a well ventilated area.
Thanks for the tip. In-addition, I use a canned non ethanol gas, Tru-Fuel 320z. I cannot find non ethanol gas in my area. I run this as the last fuel going through the system. It cleans/pushes out whats left of the regular gas. I do this in all my equipment. Seems to be working. Do you know if Harbor Freight ever addressed the 30 amp plug issue in the newer units? Did they turn it around the proper way? Thanks, I truly enjoy watching your videos. John
I have heard that on the newer ones they have the 30a plug the right way so evidently they do listen. In my opinion, you really only need the non eth gas if you are storing. If you are running regularly you can run regular in it...
@@FloridaBoyBushcraftSurvival I agree. Plus it gets expensive using it all the time. But in the case of my lawnmower for instance I use 93 octane and treated with stable every week. The last cut of the season I use just the Tru-Fuel run it dry and it seems to work. The snowblower on the other hand is a small fuel tank and used maybe 3 to 4 times a year so I just use the Tru-Fuel. My large portable generator I converted to natural gas. I'm looking into the harbor Freight 3500 watt and you have been a great help. Thanks for responding and I look forward to seeing more of your informative videos. Have a great Thanksgiving!
can you show where the drain hoses go, particulary the one that splits?
Sure. They just connect to the bottom of the carb...
@@FloridaBoyBushcraftSurvival Where does the plastic hose that is going over the carb connected too? Is that just a vent or does it actually plug into something?
Great video, thanks, but what does the V/A mean? is that the total watts it's handling? and how would your read 504va? Does that mean 504 watts, 5004 watts? thanks
Kind of equal to 504 watts
If you want to get it even more silent I use undercoat spray on the black plastic parts and it gets quieter
Good to know. Mine is pretty quiet now
Thank you for these videos!! My Predator seems to run great for a while but maybe after an hour or so running a load (like my 9k BTU RV AC) the genny will show an overload, sputter, shut down, and is then very difficult to restart. Any ideas? Much appreciated!!
Have you checked the spark arrestor?
@@FloridaBoyBushcraftSurvival Thank you!! Holy crud that thing was totally encased in carbon. Cleaned it well, finished gas in it, then did oil change and changed out plug with NGK. Runs better than new. Thanks again!!
@@MrFishrmann I have removed my spark arrestor entirely so it can't clog up. If you do keep the parts just in case you have to put it back in...
Exelent video!Thanks from Puerto Rico
Thanks!
Thanks for all the Preditor tips.
No problems, thanks for watching
So there are a LOT of these engines everywhere... any source for these float bowls with the screw drain you can use on these other engines? Anybody know a source for these?
I have no idea on that one...
Although draining the bowl is best, you can turn the stop, run, choke switch 95% of the way to stop, the generator will run for about 10 minutes or so and will burn the fuel that’s in the bowl. As I mentioned draining is better, but I do this in between snow storms. When I put it away for the summer or there’s at least a couple or weeks between storms I drain the bowl
I tried that and mine just continued to run. Maybe I did not wait long enough, i may try it again. The most important thing is to just get the gas out of the bowl any way that you can...
@@FloridaBoyBushcraftSurvival yeah turn it so it starts to shut off but then move it to the run like 1 mm so it turns back on and turn off eco mode and let run 5 min it take a little bit for it run out these things sip gas
I have a video on my channel of me doing it
Great simple info and trick to it . But what about when brand new predator 3500 after about 20 hours of working all the sudden starts act funny . then you can't start it again , then hour or 2 later you find puddle of gas under , the tank which was filled up is almost empty and the other drain line is dripping ...not the one you just showed .
Where is going and what purpose hast that other dripping line next to the showed on this video ??
Please help ... i would hate to go back to harbor freight and do warranty exchange while the problem is easy to fix .
Thanks ,
Stan
Just trace the line and see where it goes. Something is open when it is not supposed to be
So mine drains out one of the overflow tubes, even when the switch is off. Think my switch isn't shutting the gas off anymore?
Try cleaning the drain screw at the bottom of the float bowl...
This is a great tip which may have helped my problem. I was looking for help with a surging problem. This exact generator is 4 months and I had 5 hours of simple break-in on it. Went to run it some more and it developed a surge until at least 5-10 amps is placed on it. In ECO mode, its really bad. I've always used fuel treated with Ethanol Medic. I'm pissed! I changed the oil, inspected the spark plug (Bosch), looked at the spark arrestor screen and all looks good. I don't think I have a prayer going into Harbor Freight after 4 months (with the 90 day warranty). I've seen videos how to clean the jet but this thing looks impossible to take the carb out of. Any advice is appreciated.
Try some ethanol free gas, not high test, and see if that works. I also like the NGK plugs. Mine also surges a little with no load, as soon as any load is put on it smooths right out. Also try running it without the oil door on it, this lets it breathe better. At this stage I do not think it is the main carb jet. How does it run loaded up, I mean with about 2500 - 3000 watts on it?
Thanks for replying , @@FloridaBoyBushcraftSurvival. I can't purchase ethanol free gas here in the northeast unless I buy it by the quart from Lowes ($$$). I am aware of the airflow issue. I actually had the entire side off to see if I could spot anything unusual and it was still surging. I did try a load test and got it up 21-23 amps and then it seemed to run smooth (at near full throttle I guess). I also tried to choke it down with the run/start rotary switch. Didn't have too much of an affect until it was almost dying.
I thought I would update this story for those with similar issues. TWO THUMBS UP for HF! I went back to HF and was totally upfront about the situation, following the recommended break-in period, fuel treatment, and including being a couple of weeks past the 90 day warranty. To my surprise, they actually offered to work with me and agreed to exchange the generator. They were hinting that I should also get the extended warranty for the new unit and after the first experience, I was ok with that (and to build some goodwill in return). In hindsight, I think there's a chance there might've been dirt specks in the fuel tank making it to the carborator. When I was draining the fuel to return the unit, I noticed several dark specks at the bottom of the shiny tank. There's no way they could've gotten in through the mesh gas filter. So here's my takeaway: 1) for all new units, try to get a vacuum nozzle into the tank and and make sure it's absolute perfect; and 2) I also recommend installing an inline gas filter and fuel cutoff valve. That's my first order of business, but it looks difficult on account of how tight everything is packed inside the case. I like the fuel cutoff valve idea a little more than the fuel bowl drain but I'll listen to the reason of others.
Another good tip for this generator. Thanks from Mb.
Thanks!
I would love to see how ur generator is doing now and how many hours it has?
Mine is still running great. Not a lot of hours because I do not have any reason to let it just run for nothing
I understand that. I just bought one and been watching ur videos. Running amazing so for!! Also wanted to let u know harbor freight did switch the 30amp plug around if u didn’t already know.
I just drilled a hole through the side panel at the proper location and angle so I can drain the bowl without removing the side panel…. Easy now.
Cool. That works also
Thanks for the video! Could not find this information, even in the owners manual. Just says drain lol
Glad to help
Awesome tip! ThNks for this. We are picking one up soon.
Thanks! It is all about the break in, do it right and you will have no problems...
@@FloridaBoyBushcraftSurvival I have the HF 3500 Inverter Generator. I changed out the oil at 1 hour then 10 hours and again at 50 hours. I will do it now every 50 hours with quality oil. Thats a great tip about draining the carb. I have been just starting it and running it for 30 min or so every month to keep the gas fresh in the carb. Plus it keeps the battery charged up. It has been a great generator so far. My primary usage is for when camping places without power though I use it in the event of a power outage at home.
My suggestion would be to always use gas treated with sta-bil. Whenever I go to buy gas in the cans it gets treated as soon as I get home, which is the most effective best way to be sure the gas stays in good shape for as long as possible.
I use sta-bil also, it is a great prevention measure
I have 2 of these 3,500 gens, 2020 models and love them. Do yourself a favor and forget expensive, worthless sta-bil and just drain ALL the gas and put it in the car. I'm 68 and never used that stuff in anything, never had any carb problems from old gas. Use a pump or siphen tube from H.F. to drain tank then pull that clear tube up to stick in gas can to drain remainder from carb. Very easy, cheap and you don't have to worry about fuel going bad despite sta-bil in fuel. By the way, my log splitter and 2 garden tractors on this farm sit unused for 6 months without sta-bil in the gas and they always start. Much better product to use is Sea Foam to keep carbs clean.
do if hb float bowls fit on mowers or other engines that's a nice feature to have on a carb
I do not know. That is a good question, I will have to look into that
Great 👍 Instructions...Thank You
Glad it was helpful!
Hope these come back on sale soon. I've made up.my mind to purchase.
Check online, the put additional discount coupons up regularly...
lacrossed55's Review Bar it is on sale 689 this month
@@SuperVstech I did get one. Changed plug, done multiple oil changes been very good so far
@@lacrossed55 Awesome.
Mine has been sitting 9 months. Always have Sta-Bil in there, but I pretty much ran the gas out of it last year. She has no hours on her. 2 years old.
She just started mmediately on first pull (oh, battery died and I’m charging that now!), but fizzles out after 10 seconds. I’m gonna try this fix later…I’m retired and have to hit the pub soon…but if this doesn’t work, what’s my next step? Oil is fine and air filter is spotless.
I did this, and now it won’t start at ALL.
Is it possible that I rescrewed it back too tight???,
That is a tough one but I would change the gas to no ethanol gas and see what happens
@@FloridaBoyBushcraftSurvival I got it running the next day.
Yes, I had simply overtightened that bowl drain screw. I loosened it up a hair, and bingo.
One wouldn’t think this would matter, but it did.
Solid inverter generator!, I have two and they been great!.
The break in is the important part with these. People don't do it right and then get mad when it fails....
I just turn the off switch almost all the way which cuts off the fuel. The generator then runs out the fuel in the float and shuts off.
I know that works on the 2000 watt model but I could not get my 3500 to do that...
@@FloridaBoyBushcraftSurvival If you remove the control plate, behind it you will find a black connector with two small black wires going into the area right around where the fuel valve switch is. That wire goes to the switch that grounds the ignition coil when you switch the dial to the "OFF" position. If you disconnect it, when you turn the dial to off it only closes the fuel and won't be grounding the coil. The generator will keep on running until you run the carb dry...
Great video! Thanks for sharing and stay blessed
Thanks my friend!
I think maybe drill a hole in the side cover just to stuck the screwdriver in. Have a rubber plug for it. 3 years with mine. Added a SAE plug to use a battery maintainer on it. Had a Honda. Never again.
It is easy enough to just pull the cover...
Turn from run position to just about off position will run out of gas in couple of minutes then off carb empty.
I tried that like 100 times and mine will just not do it
take those locking wheel off or put electrical tape on the shaft wiil reduce the noise by half
The locking wheels suck, and I had it on a solid surface which made it rattle more...
Can you convert it and accept propane gas?
Can you make a tutorial video please that would be great 👍 🙏 thanks!
#FuelFlexibility
I am not sure if you can....I have not seen anyone do it yet
I seen a kit but it was kinda pricey so I haven't done it personally but could be worth it to the right person.
Awesome suggestion...thank you,,!
You are so welcome!
If you turn the switch to the almost off position right before it shuts off and just let it run it runs itself out of gas it's a factory fuel cut off
I tried that but it did not cut off. Maybe I did not wait long enough, I may try it again
@@FloridaBoyBushcraftSurvival watch my second to last video I show how long it takes
Good video subed and liked
Thanks for the sub
So if you use ethanol free gas, do you have to worry about doing this?
Yes even ethanol free gas will gum up over time
hell drill a hole in the pannel .... I still may put a fuel valve on the line ....
You could totally do that and make it easier
@@FloridaBoyBushcraftSurvival FWIW after looking at a BUNCH of the YT vids on this 3500 this is what I'm gonna do .. I was surprised that it had a drain for the carb bowl ... I wanted to be able to run the carb dry and drain the tank ( when needed ) what I have decided to do ... I'm gonna drill about a 1 inch hole to view the bowl screw then another smaller one lower to insert the driver .. if I remember that screw is on an angle . I'm going to abandon the fuel valve insert .. close quarters AND I found a vid on the wires for the spark ground when you " turn off " the gen set - as you said it shuts the fuel AND kills the spark ... this vid showed how to put in a switch to keep the spark gong so you can run the carb dry ... then with what you showed .. the bowl screw another guy drains the tank that way ... I was going to put in say 2 valve controls - one for shut off and another for draining .. again tight on room so I can get around that with the remote switch and the bowl drain .
FWIW the other 2 things I want to do ... take out the spark arrester ... not needed where I'm at and I see it clogs and with it out a little better fuel consumption . Also I will take out or " unplumbe the CA filter ... seen several guys say after time it gets logged up with fuel and can cause a no start or real rough run . Sine I'm rattling on - Guys put larger wheels on this dude .. that's ok but they don't pivot ... I'm gonna make a small " cart " kind like a piano dolly and set it on there with pivot casters and maybe a handle .. thanks again your vid helped .....
I also squirt a little wd40 or gas cleaner into the bowl and let drain
That will work also...
Watch my video on my channel I show you how to cut the fuel off with just the off run start switch it comes that way factory on all of them with that style switch
I could not get that trick to work with mine...
My predator wont start.I push the start button it cranks but doesnt start neither manualy.I start this machine every 3 weeks.
Check the spark arrestor then the spark plug
Fernando Feliciano check the oil, it has a low oil shut off.
This is a late response but thanks!
One could always drill a hole in the cover to allow access to that screw.
You could but it is not a big deal to pull the cover...
Mannnn !!!! Thanks Thanks Thanks.....
No problems. this is a great unit...
mine will still run about 5 minutes after I drain it.
Some will, some won't. Getting the gas out of the carb is the important thing...
Thats because there is still some gas in the bottom of the bowl after doing this,you always want to run it dry too.
Mine leak and brand new
It has a 90 day warranty, take it back and get another one
Just use a gas stabilizer and you won't have to do this.
I do use gas stabilizer, I just do this for good measure...