Predator 3500 inverter generator

[Traveling fools]

We just bought the 3500 inverter generator from harbor freight and used it today...
Amazingly quiet...we plugged it in and walked about 50yrds away towards our neighbors in both directions (neighbors on both sides) and heard nothing...
Plus it charged up batteries pretty quick too...

Highly recommend
Stan

[007matman]

Originally Posted by Traveling fools

We just bought the 3500 inverter generator from harbor freight and used it today...
Amazingly quiet...we plugged it in and walked about 50yrds away towards our neighbors in both directions (neighbors on both sides) and heard nothing...
Plus it charged up batteries pretty quick too...

Highly recommend
Stan

I I've been looking at those for a while. Let us know how you like it long term.

I hear the best thing you can do for those is change the oil often for the first few months.

[007matman]

I should also say that the reviews I've seen are all short term. Unboxing, first startup, etc.

I'm not saying I think poorly of it. Very interested in purchasing one for myself.

[rclogg]

We bought a Lifan 4000 EFI, looks the same as the Predator. We've used it three years at the county fair running non-stop for 10 days. Two tanks of fuel a day, runs the box fans to keep the temps down, Air conditioning at the end of the day. Coffee maker in the morning, bought it through Home Depot same as cash for 12 months. The EFI unit runs a bit more efficient, ours has auto start but we've never used it.

[JP Camper]

I’ve had mine a year, run it for 15-30 minutes once a month, no issues at all. The “ only” thing I don’t like is that it does not have a fuel gauge built in. Lol, neither does my push mower.

[Traveling fools]

Originally Posted by JP Camper

I’ve had mine a year, run it for 15-30 minutes once a month, no issues at all. The “ only” thing I don’t like is that it does not have a fuel gauge built in. Lol, neither does my push mower.

Me too... I wish it did..lol

[Jakieboy]

Will it power dual A/C units in our fifth wheel?? We live in SoCal and love to boondock in the desert, but don't have a generator capable of running our A/C units.

Also, how much does it weigh??

Thanks for any info you can provide

[Traveling fools]

Originally Posted by Jakie-Boy

Will it power dual A/C units in our fifth wheel?? We live in SoCal and love to boondock in the desert, but don't have a generator capable of running our A/C units.

Also, how much does it weigh??

Thanks for any info you can provide

We turned on our 13,500 a/c and drew 1650 watts..
Weighs little over 100lbs with fuel....but has wheels to help..

[Farmboy98922]

Originally Posted by Traveling fools

We just bought the 3500 inverter generator from harbor freight and used it today...
Amazingly quiet...we plugged it in and walked about 50yrds away towards our neighbors in both directions (neighbors on both sides) and heard nothing...
Plus it charged up batteries pretty quick too...

Highly recommend
Stan

I have one also going on second year great buy

[ependydad]

Originally Posted by Jakie-Boy

Will it power dual A/C units in our fifth wheel?? We live in SoCal and love to boondock in the desert, but don't have a generator capable of running our A/C units.

Also, how much does it weigh??

Thanks for any info you can provide

A 3500W generator won’t have enough juice to run both air conditioners. A pair of them paralleled should, though.

[Dan50]

Originally Posted by Jakie-Boy

Will it power dual A/C units in our fifth wheel?? We live in SoCal and love to boondock in the desert, but don't have a generator capable of running our A/C units.

Also, how much does it weigh??

Thanks for any info you can provide

No.

[sasch]

Have owned one for 2 years now - hauled to Mexico and back to MI - start it up every 1 - 2 months and no issues - for two AC units I recommend you look into MicroAir Soft Starts, reviews on MicroAir are all very positive and tell of running a 15,000 btu ac with a single 2200 Honda without any problem.

[5picker]

Slightly off track...

Just be aware, for those purchasing the Lifan 4000w and the Westinghouse 4500w inverter models, they do not appear to be parallel capable.

I'm not sure I'd want an inverter generator of any size that is not parallel capable.
That is one of the HUGE benefits of owning an inverter type generator.

[rracer5]

Originally Posted by Traveling fools

We just bought the 3500 inverter generator from harbor freight and used it today...
Amazingly quiet...we plugged it in and walked about 50yrds away towards our neighbors in both directions (neighbors on both sides) and heard nothing...
Plus it charged up batteries pretty quick too...

Highly recommend
Stan

I keep mine in the bed of the truck, front left corner so I can see the display panel from the side of the truck & the exhaust blows out toward the passenger side (be sure there is nothing on that side).

Originally Posted by JP Camper

I’ve had mine a year, run it for 15-30 minutes once a month, no issues at all. The “ only” thing I don’t like is that it does not have a fuel gauge built in. Lol, neither does my push mower.

X2

Originally Posted by Traveling fools

We turned on our 13,500 a/c and drew 1650 watts..
Weighs little over 100lbs with fuel....but has wheels to help..

What I like about the display panel is all the info. it gives you ie; volts, total hours, current running time, amps, volt amps? ("Va").

Originally Posted by ependydad

A 3500W generator won’t have enough juice to run both air conditioners. A pair of them paralleled should, though.

Harbor Freight does have an optional parallel kit available w/a 50a RV receptacle on it.


Here's my first real experience from the other night. Copied from another post.

OK....Finally got a chance to put the Predator to the test in a "real life" situation. Power went out at our home resort due to a thunder storm. Power rarely goes out here so I waited about 45 minutes before deciding it wasn't a simple resetable breaker on the power company grid. Still being warm, humid & getting dark, I decided to put the genset to the test. Fired it up, plugged in the RV and she ran one 15K A/C (cycling off & on), fans, lights, 2 Tv's, satellite receivers etc. (in Eco. mode) without a hitch producing a steady 121 volts for 3 hours & 45 minutes when the power came back on.
So, I can say the Harbor Freight Predator 3500 passed its' first test with flying colors!

[5picker]

Originally Posted by rracer5

... clip...Harbor Freight does have an optional parallel kit available w/a 50a RV receptacle on it.

Are you sure about that?

My last communication with them (a few months ago) indicated it still wasn't available.

They do have a parallel kit for the 2000w generators but it is only 30a and only good to 4000w.

Here were the links HF gave me to OTHER parallel kits for the 3500.


Other kits that can be used.

https://jet.com/product/detail/edcef...SABEgLMRvD_BwE



https://www.northerntool.com/shop/to...SABEgLalvD_BwE

http://www.electricgeneratordepot.co...r-parallel-kit



https://www.firmanpowerequipment.com...ox-model-1201/

[rracer5]

Originally Posted by 5picker

Are you sure about that?

My last communication with them (a few months ago) indicated it still wasn't available.

They do have a parallel kit for the 2000w generators but it is only 30a and only good to 4000w.

Here were the links HF gave me to OTHER parallel kits for the 3500.


Other kits that can be used.

https://jet.com/product/detail/edcef...SABEgLMRvD_BwE



https://www.northerntool.com/shop/to...SABEgLalvD_BwE

http://www.electricgeneratordepot.co...r-parallel-kit



https://www.firmanpowerequipment.com...ox-model-1201/

Hmmm......maybe your right! When I was looking for one, I looked at so many, I thought I saw or read that HF was coming out with one. Anyway 5picker, thanks for keeping me straight and the list of compatible parallel kits.

[rracer5]

Looks like the Firman is the only true 50a parallel kit with the correct 50a receptacle for RV's. The Northern Tool kit says 50a but, the receptacle is more a residential style (3 wire) dryer, elec. range or welder type. And as one reviewer said, no adapter available to convert that style to the RV 50a style.

https://www.firmanpowerequipment.com...ox-model-1201/

[5picker]

Originally Posted by rracer5

Looks like the Firman is the only true 50a parallel kit with the correct 50a receptacle for RV's. The Northern Tool kit says 50a but, the receptacle is more a residential style (3 wire) dryer, elec. range or welder type. And as one reviewer said, no adapter available to convert that style to the RV 50a style.

https://www.firmanpowerequipment.com...ox-model-1201/

Agreed.
I only passed along what HF sent so everyone had the same knowledge from them as me.

[iflyos]

I just got back from a 3 day boondocking trip with my HF Predator 3500w Inverter, and it did a great job keeping the AC running and supplying my other camper electrical needs.

I only shut it down to refuel, and logged a total of 49 hours on it this trip. (Had camp set and the genny running by lunchn an Friday, and struck camp/loaded the genny sometime after lunch Sunday.)

Temps in the high 80's/low 90's during the day, and mid to upper 70's at night. It does grunt a bit if it's in eco mode when the compressor kicks on mid day, but gets the job done. (No hard start on the A/C yet.)

So far, I have been extremely happy with the combination of my camper and generator combo..and it's easy to load in the toyhauler, despite the small wheels (my only complaint)

Tim

[frank4711]

X2 Harbor Freight 3500 ...