Predator Generator – All you need to know before buying. Reviews, benefits and disadvantages

Harbor freight has been selling quality tools for over 35 years now. Harbor freight predator generator series are in power generation business since 1988. They are quality products available at surprisingly low prices. Predator generator are most popular for having dependable and long-lasting engines. This brand has gained a reputation by making generators that make people’s life happier and better.

Predator generator are distinguished by being highly fuel efficient, having a noise-free operation, delivering maximum power output, and providing maximum dependability. If you look at these characteristics once again you will realize that one should not want for more if he can get it all in one single generator. Isn’t that right? So, now let’s get to why you should even buy a generator in the first place.

Nowadays, power outages due to weather or merely because the electricity grid went under maintenance are no surprise. It’s hard to go through these dark moments as you can’t even imagine living without electricity in this day and age. In this scenario, generators are your only true friend. They are a device that provides you with power whenever you need it. They will never disappoint you as long as you take great care of them.

Without generators, an alternative source of power, long-distance communication links get disrupted: your cell phone and laptop batteries will run out and you will have no internet connection. Entertainment services like TV will be gone, your favorite shows might be airing on TV but you will not be able to watch them in real time. Refrigerators and deep freezers will also be off and there’s a chance that your favorite food will not survive through the night, but will get spoiled.

Personal hygiene is also difficult to maintain when the power is out, there will be no water or washed clothes for you when you come back after a long, hot workday. The monetary loss also increases because when you cannot cook at home and there is no food left in the fridge, you’ll have to consider dining out? There are many other things that you cannot do without electricity so is there any reason why one should not buy a generator? Refer to [1] for more details on why you should own a generator.

It is also important that you buy a generator that suits your needs. If you are looking for noise-free generators, you should consider buying an inverter Predator generator. If you are an adventurous person and often go camping or boating or even just tailgating, you can opt for portable Predator generator. For every application, whether you need a generator for work or for play at home, you should first calculate how much wattage you need the generator to supply. Once you know how much power you require, you can go buy a generator. It’s important to take this step first because otherwise, it will cost you!

Different generator sizes: A general overview of all options

Predator 2000-Watt Inverter Portable Generator

The Predator 625233 inverter generator comes with starting watts of 2000 and running watts of 1600. It has a compact design and is portable in nature. You can easily carry it away with you or can simply put it in a secure space at home. It will occupy a very small space and is lightweight. It has low oil and overload indicators which will tell you if the engine oil level is low or if your generator is suffering from overload conditions. The Predator 2000 generator unit also has parallel capabilities, which means if you need to double your power you can connect two of them together, and get your desired power – 4000 watts!

It has an OHV gas engine with 79.7 cc displacement and is air-cooled. It is capable of running for 6.5 hours if operated at 50% load capacity. Predator 2000 generator has the ability to provide a distortionless power curve using the integrated inverter technology which makes it perfect for sensitive home appliances. There will not be any sudden spikes in the power and thus there is no danger of your electrical appliances getting burned. The generator has three power outlets, two of which provide 120 volt AC voltage and one that provides 12 volt DC voltage. It is also a very quiet generator.

Predator 3500-Watt Inverter Portable Generator

The Predator 3500 watt inverter generator has a compact shape and is portable. It provides 3500 watts and is highly fuel efficient. For fast and smooth starting of the engine, it comes with an electric starting system. It also has OHV gas engine with 212 cc displacement and is air-cooled. It has a digital LCD screen with low oil, power output and overload indicators which will tell you if the engine oil level is low or if your generator is suffering from overload conditions along with the power that you are extracting from the generator.

For easy transport, it has built-in, smooth rolling casters. The Predator 3500 generator unit is capable of running for 11 hours if operated at a 25% load capacity. It has the ability to provide a smooth power curve using integrated advanced inverter technology which makes it ideal for sensitive home appliances. It has four power outlets, three of which provide 120 volt AC voltage and one provides 12 volt DC voltage. Outlets are further classified as grounded outlets, twist lock outlets, and two-pin socket outlet.

For high power consuming applications, you can double your power by connecting two identical Predator 3500 generator units together to give you 7000 watts! Being super quiet, producing only 57 dB of noise, it is perfect for camping.

Predator 4000-Watt Portable Generator

The Predator 4000 watt portable generator comes with starting watts of 4000 and running watts of 3200. It has a dependable Predator gas engine. This OHV gas engine provides 6.5 HP of power with 212cc displacement and is air-cooled. It has a low oil indicator which will give an alert if the engine oil level is low and then the low oil shutdown system will automatically turn off the generator.

The Predator 4000 generator unit has a compact design and is easy to carry around. It is capable of running for 10 hours if operated at 50% load capacity. It has four power outlets, out of which two provide 120 volt AC voltage, the third one provides 240 volt AC voltage and the fourth one provides 12 volt DC voltage. Outlets are further grouped as duplex outlets and twist lock outlets.

The Predator 4000 generator unit is so tough because its cage is built using heavy duty 1-inch steel rolls. This generator will fulfill your home needs, lawn and garden needs, workplace needs, heating, and cooling needs, and recreational activity needs. If you need a wheel kit, it does not come with your generator package, you will need to buy it separately.

Predator 6500-Watt Portable Generator

The Predator 6500 watt portable generator comes with starting watts of 6500 and running watts of 5500. It has a reliable Predator OHV gas engine which provides 13 HP of power with 420cc displacement and is air-cooled. It also has a low oil indicator which will give you an alert if the engine oil level is below the nominal value, then the low oil shutdown system will automatically turn off the generator.

The Predator 6500 generator unit is so strong that its cage is built using heavy duty 1.25-inch steel rolls. For easy transport and storage, its design includes adjustable steel handles. For stationary use and to prevent slipping, rubber has been used under its feet.  You will also get a Predator wheel kit with your generator package, this kit has 8 inch flat free tires.

It is capable of running for 14.5 hours if operated at 50% load capacity. It is easy to carry around and is ideal for camping tours and for your job site.

Predator 8750-Watt Portable Generator

Predator 8750 watt portable generator comes with starting watts of 8750 and running watts of 7000. It has been awarded the “best buy winner” award for three consecutive years. Generators of similar brands are nine times more expensive, as mentioned by a consumer product testing report.

The Predator 8750 generator unit has a dependable Predator gas engine which produces the power of 13 HP. This OHV gas engine runs with 212cc displacement and is air-cooled. It has an electric start and recoil backup is also available. However, the electric start requires a battery which doesn’t come with the generator and has to be bought separately. Further, a low oil indicator will give you an alert if the engine oil level is low and the low oil shutdown system will automatically turn off the generator.

The elegant easy-to-carry design of the Predator 8750 can run for 8 to 12 hours. It is ideal for taking along to work or for any recreational activity. It is also very tough because it is made from 1.25-inch heavy-duty steel rolls. If you need a wheel kit, it will not come with your generator package, like the battery, you will need to buy it separately.

What power do you need?  Field of application

Now, the power that you need to fulfill your electricity demand totally depends upon where you are planning to use your generator. You can use it for recreational activities, or for your job site, or for your home. Keep these things in mind:

For Play

If you need the generator for recreational activities such as camping and RV, you should add up the individual power ratings of electrical appliances that you are planning to take along and consider the power of AC unit of your RV, respectively.

For Home

If you need the generator for your home, again like camping, you should add up the individual power ratings of your home electrical appliances. Do not forget to use starting wattages, as they are always higher than running watts while doing calculations.

For Work

If you need the generator for your job site, add up the starting wattages of any industrial tools that you want to power with the generator. Then the resulting total power will be the power rating of the generator you should buy. Consideration of starting wattages is important because otherwise, your tools will not work using the generator.

For a complete guide on how to calculate the power of your tools and appliances please consult the link mentioned in [2]. It has mentioned the wattages of everyday appliances.

Overview

The following table gives a general overview of two more Predator generator series.

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Connection Capability of Predator Generator

Predator gas engine generators can be connected to your home to supply you with electricity when the grid is out. A transfer switch will be connected between your home circuit panel and generator. The transfer switch is the safest way of connecting the generator to your home. It works by asking your generator to supply power to your home circuit panel when it senses that electricity has cut out. The generator will start to supply you with power shortly after the initial power outage.

In the same way, when the main grid’s electricity comes back, the transfer switch will again automatically sense it and turn off your generator. Turning off the generator will help you to get connected to the main grid again.

Maintenance of Predator Generator

For maintenance of Predator generator, it is always recommended that you call the expert technicians and you should not mess with the generator yourself. But here we will mention the general maintenance procedures that can be tried after you refer to your generator owner’s manual.

• Change the generator oil if it has suddenly started to behave out of the ordinary. Consult the generator owner’s manual for the type of oil that you should get and how to properly change it.

• Take care of the spark plug, especially in hot weather. Clean the debris gently with a wire brush and, if there are any gaps, tighten the plug using a torque wrench.
• Check the air filter for the generator. If it is in very bad condition, consider changing it, otherwise, wash it using soapy water and then dry it with a small piece of cloth.

Accessories for your Predator generator

The Predator generator brand currently sells three accessories for its generators. Two different models of 8-inch never-flat wheel kits are available which fit almost every model of Predator generator. If your generator is not portable, you can make it portable using these kits. These wheel kits are designed for 8750, 6500 and 4000-watt generators and cannot be used with inverter generators. Further, they have the adjustable steel handles and for stationary positions on the ground, its feet are rubber coated.

The third accessory available for generators is an RV ready parallel kit. It is to assist you in doubling the power of your inverter generators. No extra wiring is needed. The kit is super easy to use and is perfect for camping, job site, or RV use.

RV ready parallel kit and 8 inches never-flat wheel kit

Benefits and disadvantages: Comparison with other brands

To further assist you, we have compared three models of Predator generator with generator models of other well-known brands such as Champion, Generac, and Honda. We highly recommend that you go for Predator generator if you are looking for quality products at low prices.

Comparison of Predator 2,000-Watt Inverter Generator with other well-known brands of similar wattages, i.e. Champion generator and Honda generator.

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Comparison of Predator 3,500-Watt Inverter Generator with different generator models of the similar wattages of a well-known Champion generator brand

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Comparison of Predator 8750-Watt Portable Generator with Generac Generator model of similar wattages

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Customer Reviews

By now you must have decided which generator model you should go for, but if you are still undecided we are here to help. We guarantee that buying the right generator will only bring comfort and happiness to your life.

Are you saving money this season? Go for Predator Generator!

This article gives a detailed review of Predator generator. We have mentioned the technical specifications and features of different generator models. Further, you will find complete details on accessories for generators, what customers have to say about each particular generator and comparison of Predator generator with other brands – all in one place!

If you are looking to save money, but at the same time you cannot compromise on quality. Predator generator should be your pick! They have earned a great reputation as a brand and have low prices with good quality. Their inverter models are also super quiet. Moreover, they have gas engines, which means that you can have an unlimited supply of engine fuel since gas stations are everywhere.

Predator generator are simply a gem that you can afford! Buy them and taste the new comforts they will bring in your life. Illuminate your home now!

References

[1] Lowe’s. (2018). Why Own a Generator? Retrieved from: https://www.lowes.com/projects/repair-and-maintain/why-own-a-generator/project

[2] Honda. (2018). Wattage Estimation Guide. Retrieved from: https://powerequipment.honda.com/generators/generator-wattage-estimation-guide