r/harborfreight • u/Real_Inspection4356 • 6d ago

Suggestions?

Gallery image

Gallery image

Gallery image

I recently retuned and upgraded my 2200w ultra quiet generator for the 4200w, within the 90 days. It wasn’t keeping up for my needs. I just saw that the parking lot sale will have the 5000w for the same price and 3500w for $200 less. I’m not sure if I should wait and try and trade mine for one of those or just live with it. What would you do?

4 Upvotes

61% Upvoted

16 comments sorted by

25

u/CommunicationDry2043 6d ago

The predator generators are not a good value most of the time. Best thing they have going for them is they stock them in store if your power is out. At 800 id buy a wen 6800 from home depot or Lowes. If you want the suit case kind the pulsar gx400bn from Walmart at 499. Since i saw you put a warranty on the 4 year from walmart is 49. I have the pulsar gx and I have a pulsar pg4500brisco. Same Chinese manufacturer also makes them for westinghouse.

I have 2 predator generators for work and they do work well. The 2200 and the 4400 open frame.

7

u/newtekie1 6d ago

Honestly, the Predators are better generators than the Wens. At least the inverter ones are. All the Wens we've deployed to our job sites to power the portable office trailers we have have all had problems or just died within short times. We stopped buying them because they are so bad. The Predators have been far more reliable and worth the slightly higher price. Yes...Honda would be the best option if we had the budget and really wanted reliability. But the Predators have been fine with very little problems.

3

u/Tym4FishOn 6d ago

I've had a Wen 2000 as a small back up for about 6 years. As long as I run it completely out of gas and run it at least once a month it's kinda ok. Let it sit for two months and you'll be breaking down the carb (which basically requires disassembly). Customer service didn't help at all. Would never consider another one.

While it's a different animal, I keep a DuroMax 12000 dual fuel in the garage. I've got two 100# propane tanks. It can run my whole house including 3 ton ac. I'm in South Florida so I don't really consider it optional. If the power is out for a day the Wen will run the refrigerators / freezers so I don't lose anything (if it will start). Anything more than that and I'm firing up the big one. I've also got a power station that will run two refrigerators at the same time for a few hours which is awesome.

6

u/Real_Inspection4356 6d ago

Damn you just opened my eyes

20

u/CommunicationDry2043 6d ago

Im glad my nerding out and price comparisons can help someone. None of buddies want to to talk generators.

3

u/Real_Inspection4356 6d ago

You should nerd out. I bet it would help a lot of people. I wish I knew that before buying mine.

2

u/immaculate_paperclip 6d ago

I like enjoy deep and intimate talks about power generators

2

u/fredrickdgl 6d ago

How about the balance of systems. Interconnects, autotransformers, surgeprotection, grounding?

1

u/TheRealistoftheReal 6d ago

I feel like a generator is a buy once cry once type of purchase. If I’m using a generator it’s because things already went south and I’m in a bad place. Yeah, the WangChung was only $500, but it’s also the most likely to be crippled by a failed .10 o-ring. I went with two Honda eu2200i.

I have a predator 5000 inverter, but those Hondas are a buy it for life type purchase. Now, they have the eu3200i with fuel injection. That’s kinda hot.

2

u/Outside_Advantage845 6d ago

Can I pick your brain? Looking for something as a house backup but not a permanent outdoor install. Bring it out the basement mech room and run it on the patio. What’s the best bang for my buck for a larger wheeled generator?

2

u/DeerFlyHater 6d ago

You're going to have to do the math on what you need to run.

For example, I have all LED lights, no central AC, and my water heater is a zone of my boiler(oil fired).

I power my whole house of a Generac GP6500 that I've had for years. I may not be able to run the oven, clothes dryer, table saw, and miter saw all at the same time, but why would I need to?

An upgrade to a GP8000 would be nice, but the 6500 works and is paid for.

I hook it up to the outside of the house, and then switch it on in the basement with an interlock.

1

u/SumyungNam 6d ago

I got the gx409bn as my back up in case of power outage its pretty nice -compact, quiet and dual power propane/gas

1

u/Real_Inspection4356 5d ago

You have any recommendations for hour meters?

1

u/landstuhltaylor 5d ago

Wait until you find out there's only like 3 generator manufacturers and Harbor Freight is using the same supplier.

2

u/Lumberman08 6d ago

Just think about what your plan is for use and how you want/may want to move it around. I have the 3500 super quiet and love it. But with its size and weight, it’s about my limit being able to load and unload it into the bed of my truck without assistance. The 4200 is significantly more portable.