Wanting one primarily for RV use, maybe some light duty home backup, only used occasionally I'd guess. Anyone used the Predator? Thinking the 4550 would do what I want to do.

All I hear are good things

I hear good things about the latest inverter models

I’ve got the 9500 watt one does my whole house when the power goes out. Electric water heater, stove, furnace, and everything else

Have a 6500. Starts on the first pull every time.

I normally steer way clear of Harbor Freight or “cheap” tools, but bought a predator generator and it has been solid. We have 5 Generac 6500 generators That run 4-5 days a week 10 hrs a day and normally last 2-3 years with no maintenance and I’m getting the predator will do at least that well at 2/3’s the cost.


Bought a predator 2” trash pump maybe 6 years ago and it’s still going strong. Local rental place is smacking predator motors on everything they need to replace a Honda with.

All I can say is I bought a larger one, with enough juice for the draw to start up the well motor. 9000 to start, 7k running I think?

It's been used a couple of times during power outages so we can have water in the house. Other than that it sits out in the shop with fuel and stabilizer in it and starts right up every couple of months when I test it.

I purchased it on the advice some here gave, that for the type of use I would need it for, it would probably serve just fine.

The small one I have is like the Honda portable one. It hasn’t missed a beat in 5 years and I would buy another if needed.

GTG from everything I have ever read.

A wad of reviews on the net & a large number are very positive.

have had one for 6 years now. starts right up


I use it often

Buy one with at least 50% more wattage than you think you'll need. "Buy once- - - -cry once!" Nothing like having to ration what appliances to use when you run short on power to make you wish you'd gone a little bigger to begin with.

I own a Champion generator would have no problem buying a Predator generator. For a Rv it would be no problem better than spending 2-3k on a Honda or Yamaha.

I have a crew of Mexicans that could break an anvil.
They had a nice honda generator and they had it blown up in 1 year. So, I said F that. Went and got them a loud, cheap predator from harbor freight. Said "use this piece of junk if you can't take care of our equipment " kinda was shaming them. I figure if it made it 6 months, I was money ahead. That was 6 years ago. It looks like they drug it down the road behind the truck, they have a few connections bubble gummed together, but dog gone it, it still runs.

I have the 3500 inverter electric start
Has been excellent this first year
I changed oil after the first then every 10 hours for 3 changes and now change according to manual
Very pleased
It runs more quietly than the comparable Honda

Taken care of they will last and not break the bank.

I have HEARD... the metal in the casting is inferior to the Honda (China vs. Japan), but cannot speak personally about 5k-10k hours.

I would buy a Predator for the money.

I got an email earlier this week that they're all 20% off right now.

My buddy trims dairy cattle hooves, runs his hard every day for grinder, etc.... Also uses it a lot for his horse trailer. He had one problem, but they exchanged it no questions. Going on 4 years he's had it.

I was told years back that when Honda was upgrading all of their tooling to update their engines that
Harbor Freight purchased all of the old tooling for their engines.

If this was true you are getting an older style Honda engine when you purchase a Predator engine from Harbor Freight.

I have a Predator 8750 Generator and it has worked very hard for me in the time that I have had it.

You got a crew of Mexicans, most likely what their used to

I have Predator 8750. Have used it for probably 8 years. Most of the time it had been used in the summer after thunderstorm power outages. It had the capacity to run everything I needed like the 220V well pump, 120v Septic Pump, refrigerators, freezers and such. For some reason, the garage door openers and micro wave would not run off it. I didn't care because I never considered these items to be necessities.

A few weeks ago the power went out for 4 or 5 hours So I fired it up. Found The furnace would not run off it either. The furnace was new when we built a new house about 6 years ago. I didn't realize the furnace wasn't running until the house began to feel cold. About that time the power came back on.

I started to research for reasons the furnace wouldn't run on the generator. Did some checking with a Fluke Muti meter and found the generator was only putting out 50hz instead of 60hz. This probably explains why the garage door openers and the furnace would not run. I was able to make an adjustment to increase the running rpm enough to increase it up to 60hz. When we get a break in the the weather, I will hook the generator backup and see if this will correct the furnace issue. This I consider to be a necessity.

If it isn't a frequency problem, it may be the voltage is too dirty for the newer electronics in the furnace. I might be able to install a filter capacitor in the furnace to clean it up. If this doesn't work, I may be looking a different generator.

Other that this It's been a good generator.

Slumlord said they’ll grow the hell outta wacky weeds

I have the small 2k watt generator or whatever it is. Does what it’s supposed to do. There are a ton of Harbor freight generators on the Texas coast used for Tropical storms and Hurricanes. The gulf coast is the generator capital of the world LOL. No telling how many thousand predator generators there are between Beaumont and Brownsville.

Pulled mine out last year after being in storage for seven years ....filled it up with gas flipped the button to start ...it started on the first pull...I about [bleep] my pants.

I have this one, and it's OK. The battery included is a joke. Get a good quality motorcycle starting battery, and it's a great rig.

https://www.harborfreight.com/elect...tor-with-co-secure-technology-57480.html

That 4550 is a good one.

Have two of the 3500’s. Have about 200 hours on each.
I parallel them when camping. 40’ fifthwheel has a 50amp service. Mum can run everything in the camper when she wants. Very quiet also.

Purchased the 3500 inverter a year or so back. Its like insurance, we haven't had a storm since so its only run every 3 months or so.

Like others said the batteries that come in them suck but that one is easy to pull start.

I have a inverter Yamaha that works fine and got me through a couple hurricane outages, just figured a backup/extra capacity wouldn't hurt anything. We have added a couple of freezers since as well.

The quiet ones are great. Stand beside both running and still have a conversation.

This has reminded me to exorcise them.

I’ve got the 9000 watt regular generator to run the entire house during power outages. Always starts, no complaints at all. With this 20%off sale on, I think I’ll pick up a 2000 watt inverter generator, for camping and hopefully we will be building a little camp in the next year on the hunting camp property. That little guy would be much more convenient to use on the construction of the camp.

My buddy has a 2000w inverter. He has had it for probably 6-7 years now, I forget, but a while. Has used it a lot and it still runs great. I’ve got a Honda 2000 and 1000 inverter and they are great. The Predator is a little louder, but for the money is 100% the better buy in my opinion.

Biggest things for the engines is to change the oil. Everyone has their way, but here is what I do on my small engines(Honda, Predator, Briggs… doesn’t matter the brand I do it on them all). Conventional 10w-30 for an hour, change it. Conventional for 4 hours, change it. Conventional for 5 hours, change it. Now at 10hrs and I swap to a quality synthetic, and change it every 20hrs of run time. Buy a cheap hour meter and install it so you can keep track. If you are running it for an extended power outage like after a hurricane that can add up, and last time I had to do that I extended it to every 50hrs.

I have a 3500 watt I plan on mounting on the back of my 5th wheel hauling, semi tractor.
We plan on using the truck as a camper, pulling the boat at times.
It will be nice to have quiet electricity when no Hookups are available, and have heat, a/c, microwave, TV, etc.
A remote start can be added, but unlike a Honda EU300, it doesn't have a fuel shut off.

Wouldn't be afraid of the Predator.......but

Take a look at Wen products too

Currently have one of their 3800 & 2000 watt gen/inverters

Very quiet & first pull start...3800 has electric start

You can buy direct from Wen's website......free ship/no tax

https://wenproducts.com/collections...or-with-fuel-shut-off-and-electric-start

They are all on sale right now.

https://go.harborfreight.com/cpi/digital/fb1/2023/01/generator-days_181414/

I was just about to post the code... 75667819

Ordered a 3500 and shipping was $22

Had Laura order a 2000 and shipping was $7

One coupon per account per day kinda thing.

Like the looks of the 455i model. Same engine as the Predator 4550 I was looking at, but with electric start, it's quieter, has handle and wheels, and 2 yr warranty. May be a better deal than the Predator. Are these WEN generators pretty reliable?

THANKS!

Gonna try this one as well...

https://wenproducts.com/collections...le-inverter-generator-with-fuel-shut-off

It will be an interesting head to head test...

That 4450w inverter for $699 with 20% off coupon seems like a decent deal.

My two are about 1 year old...they seem like well built machines

Again...buy direct from Wen.......no tax/free ship !

Somewhere out there is a 3500 watt Chinese generator thread for RV 's. It's 15 years old, might still be alive, sold me on my Champion.

Honda is the best, but you pay for it.

Having a Champion, I would strongly advise a quiet inverter model. Everybody will thank you.

Anyone know if there's a propane/natural gas conversion kit for the bigger inverters? Can find them for the generators, but haven't found one for the inverters.

When we had a month power outage from a damaged power line to the house (couldn't get an electrician for a month) we used this WEN open frame inverter generator in 100+ degree weather and ran it about 20 hours a day for the A/C and TV. I shut it off to re-fuel, and it wouldn't re-start. It's dead in the water after a month of heavy use.

I liked it well enough to get one for the cabin. I'm convinced we just burned the first one up running it so long in awful heat, probably a hole in the piston. I'll tear it down and check someday. Parts aren't that expensive.

https://wenproducts.com/collections...verter-generator-with-co-shutdown-sensor

Curious as well. Have propane on hand and would love to hook into my tanks

Commissioned and ran all three today.

The 3500 Predator ran my welder (3/32" 6013 rod @ 120volt) enough to lay a structural bead. The overload light did dance on and off and I had to reset once, but overall... enough to fix gate hinges etc.

The WEN 2250 and the 2000 Predator would not arc a 1/16" rod.

All three ran the 15 amp miter saw... the WEN 2250 flicked overload very briefly on the saw starting and the 2000 Predator flickered a bit longer.

All three ran the 15 amp Ridgid air compressor without blinking.

I will probably sell the two Predators and buy additional WENs.

Thanks Tikka...

The Predators are made in China...

The WEN is made in Vietnam...

They are NOT THE SAME.

All three are super quiet.

I'm probably gonna buy the WEN 4500 Inverter.

Atta boy

Direct from Wen online ?

No tax/free ship

Yessir, as per your rec. I appreciate your help with this.

This one ?

My biggest gripe

All the plastic panels to get to all the innards

Prob all the same though

https://wenproducts.com/collections...le-inverter-generator-with-fuel-shut-off

I'm a frugal shopper...........

oh yea

splurge for the magnetic dip stick

https://wenproducts.com/collections...tic-oil-dipstick-for-inverter-generators

Got 'er in the cart!

I tried to find one about 8 months ago for natural gas. Propane you can find, but I wasn't able to find anything on natural gas.

Fed Ex driver gonna hate your azz.............

Look close at the 30 amp connection on the Wen

Went to use mine on a power outtage....

my male cord plug from my Yamaha was different

Needed this male plug to match Wen

I ran my 4500 for two years almost every day. the only issue I ever had was the exhaust screen plugging up. A quick scrub with a wire brush and it ran like a top again. Keep up on the maintenance and it will usually start on the first pull every time. It is also much quieter than you would expect.

Grabbed a second WEN 2250 @ $399... I will run parallel as required. Magnetic oil plugs.

Selling the Predators as new.

I had to buy an adapter plug off amazon for my generator to plug my transfer switch cable into mine

WTF why would any outfit sell a magnetic dipstick extra? if it needs a magnet it should be in it.

Great idea...

Don't buy one...

I am sure your Chevy shaves zero metal.

Here is a review

Exactly what I had to do

My X/fer cord I used on my Yamaha Gen/inverter was different

Thus I bought this one in pic shown

I'd be changing our the receptical on the generator instead of buying a plug adapter.

Plugs and connectors are often the fail point with portable generators, an adapter just adds a additional connection that could fail.

There is a reason the more expensive generators come with twist lock style recepticals, they don't vibrate loose.