Best Emergency Generators! (2022)
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- Опубліковано 28 лют 2022
- Best Emergency Generators! (2022)
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Predator 2,000: bit.ly/3BRZzi7
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WEN 2,250: amzn.to/3totyuS
WEN 3,800: bit.ly/3K75dAG
Sportsman 2,200: tinyurl.com/yjuxbgyt
Sportsman 3,500: tinyurl.com/y8hqlj9z
Craftsman 2,500: low.es/3to4fZQ
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We have used the ua-cam.com/users/postUgkxOTeIs0vv4_9B5hsmnLsk9r930uDQLu_Y for probably 30 hours with our camper and it’s been great! The noise level is really only noticeable when running the AC and other appliances like the microwave, hair dryer, or coffee pot. It’s not huge like other ones and it has wheels so even at 90lbs, I can move it!
22:30 @denOfTools respectfully disagree with your analysis that propane is problematic because of availability in a disaster. I’ve been through several hurricanes & the 2021 Texas freeze out and it did not play as you said. Yes there was a couple of days that you couldn’t go to tractor supply or Walmart and pick up propane however if you just maintain several extra 20 pound cylinders, it’s not a problem. It worked out better than having to stand in line at a gas station for 4 to 6 hours for 10 gallons. Also you don’t have to worry about fuel stabilization if you do with gasoline. You can store propane in definitely. I Learned those lessons 15 years ago during hurricanes Ike & hurricane Rita.
I bought a Predator 8750 watt (7000 running) back in 2016 to backup our house. Here in NH every few years we have week long outages due to massive statewide ice storms. So far buying a generator has keep power outages at bay and we have never had to use it. I dutifully test run it every quarter or so. It has electric start so I keep the battery connected to battery maintainer to extend its life and make sure it is able to start the genie.
It is a gas generator, I keep five 5-gallon gas cans in a shed away from the house. Add stabilizer when filled and use it in our cars when it gets old. I've numbered the cans to rotate them to be sure I'm using the oldest gas first. I track gas can fill dates and generator test runs in a log book to be anal about the process and increase the odds it will actually work during a real outage.
We are in a semi-rural area so hopefully generator theft will not be a major problem. That is a pretty sad state of affairs folks have to deal with.
I have a predator 3500...and works amazing, I live and Puerto Rico so you know that we are hit by hurricanes and tropical storms every year
The last one was hurricane Fiona which hit us hard,my home town was totally blackout for 9 days...and my predator 3500 super quiet ran smoothly for 18 hours in a row for 9 days it took 3 1/2 gallons of gasoline every day and oil change twice .. every 80 hours..I connected my entire house except the a/c units , electric stove and microwave...I have ceiling fan,a little propane gas stove and a propane gas water heater...so..my predator is one of the best investment I ever made!!
The Honda Inverter generators are high quality. Never had a problem with either of them I own. When you need a generator, you need a generator. You can readily get parts for my Hondas. Most of the cheaper brands, you cannot get parts for them, or you have to wait a long time. Most of the generators you showed have Chinese engines, and some of them are sub par. The windings on some of the generators listed are made with aluminum wiring. One thing to consider especially with an enclosed Chinese inverter generator, is the cost of repair as you have to completely disassemble the enclosure to make some of the repairs. My Hondas are over 15 years old, still going strong, never had a problem. I keep synthetic oil in them and use 100% gas. I change the oil yearly and use Seafoam or Star Tron in the gas. I notice last year my local Harbor Freight put tags with stipulations on their warranty on the Predator Brand, about using gasoline with ethanol and storing gas in the generator for a long time. Good advice. I start mine about every month and let them run for a while. Even when 100 % gas, the pilot and main jet in the carb can get stopped up. Always check your gas can for debris and water. Unfortunately my EU2000 Honda I have has the on and off ignition switch that also turns off the gas from the gas tank too when you shut off the generator, so I cannot run all the gas out of the carburetor, fuel pump, and fuel line. Harbor Freight purges some of the bad reviews from their products ever so often to keep the ratings up. I would like to know how long your Predator will be problem free. Will it be problem free 15 years from now, and after the extended warranty up? Can you get parts for it and have serviced after 15 years? Or will it be in the landfill? If you look at tri fuel generators, the running wattage will be lower when used on NG or LP gas. If you want to see the problems with Honda and Chinese brand generators, you can watch James Condon's UA-cam channel, as he works on all types of Generators.
@@dancooper6002 If I only needed a generator for 20 days in a decade, I would not even buy one. Maybe where you live. Some times around here it takes a week to get the power back after a snow storm. You need to read the reviews on how some of those cheap metal gas tanks rust on those Chinese units in less than a years time. Or how the powerhead goes out because of the aluminum wiring melts when used for extended periods. Most of the Chinese ones will not last over a few years anyway. Just look on Marketplace and see all those less than year old Predator returned generators are being sold by the local Harbor Freight for parts. Most repair shops will not even work on those Chinese generators.
@@dancooper6002 Dan Cooper, it seems you deleted one your inappropriate responses from my post after calling me a liar. I am glad you have seen how unresponsive your reply was. Thanks
… one thing to consider about Honda: they’ve already announced the end of producing their small internal-combustion engines for lawnmowers, and other outdoor power products. Whether that applies to home generators, I’m not sure. They would normally be at the top of the list for me to purchase; but I’m wary of buying a product, eg lawnmower, snowblower, generator, that will soon be discontinued. I’ve tried to query Honda Corporate for answers, but they don’t answer the mail anymore … 👎😖
@@CJCochran0201 When I posted this, Honda had not announced yet that they were no longer were going to produce the small gas engines. Hopefully Yamaha will still be marketing their generators. I have friends who have Yamaha generators and like them.
The main take away is that you took care of it.. you paid a premium price and you also put in the time to ensure it last
In addition to Sta-bil, I highly recommend using ethanol-free premium fuel in any small motor. I've used this for years and 2-stroke or 4-stroke, I've never run into a gummed up carb.
Taking care of your equipment and prepping it properly for off-season storage is far more important than the type of fuel used. In 20 years of owning many pieces of equipment I've always run regular pump gas and I've only had an issue one time and it was my fault. I forgot to shutoff the fuel on my two big snow blowers all year long, then when winter rolled around I found they would barely run. They'd each lost half a tank of fuel through carb evaporation. I dumped a can of Berryman's in each of them and after about 20 minutes they were running perfectly again. Never even had to open up the carbs.
Same here, ethanol free premium fuel in every small engine, but I use Seafoam fuel treatment rather than sta-bil and have never had a problem.
Worked for me. Just a splash every 3 months or so.
I got a champion 4300watt dual fuel generator so it can run off propane. Because propane is better for long storage. It has been running great the last few times I've used it with these rolling brown outs in California
And a dual fuel generator is just that--dual fuel--so there's nothing stopping you from using gasoline in an emergency.
@@wesleyrobinson2429 exactly, it's just because of additives in gasoline you can't store it for a long period of time whereas a propane tank as long as it's not breached will stay useable until the seals give out
Unfortunately in my area Saint Augustine Florida nobody works on portable propane generators only home propane generators.
I had the exact model, went through propane like crazy. Then eventually, I had valve problems.
Then swapped to the 5000w gasoline. I only used 2 gallons in 18 hours.
We have had a Generac 4000 gas for a number of years,but are getting ready for a larger dual fuel generator
no particular brand preference Thanks for putting this together as it answered a a number of questions and concerns that we have been pondering.
I picked up a Champion 10k/8k dual fuel (not an inverter generator) because it was the only "emergency" generator that had a 50amp output available in stores. And my house is large enough I need that much power. The only other way I could have gone would have been a natural gas Generac, but those are $15k-$20k
A couple of hard earned suggestions:
A) Always keep generator power apart from household wiring. If you’re not willing to wire in a real transfer switch, don’t improvise. Just run extension cords to power a few essentials, like your furnace blower.
B) Don’t cheap out. Noise control is expensive, but worth every cent.
C) Generator power can be “dirty” power, especially with a cheap unit. Protect your electronics with UPS power supplies; let their batteries block voltage spikes.
D) Motors can require 6X their running current to start. “Hard start” capacitors can help here. Don’t expect an 1800 watt generator to start much more than a 3amp motor.
We’ve gotten so used to using our microwaves it’s worth asking: can any of your cookware be used over an open flame?
I would be interested in seeing a review of the Westinghouse line of generators.
I just went through hurricane Ian and gasoline was also hard to come by. Gas stations destroyed or had no power. Generally there is warning before a hurricane hits so you can stock up on gasoline, but gasoline does have a shelf life where propane does not. You could keep a bunch of 20 lb propane bottles or a couple of 100 lb ones and use gasoline as a backup.
I've had an "old style" DEK 8130 surge/6500 running watt generator for years. It's been used for everything from running my 240v MIG at the race track to powering the household necessities when a wind storm knocked out power for 4 days and it's never let me down. Personally, I wouldn't even consider a portable generator that doesn't have a 240v outlet. My DEK has a 30 amp, 4 blade 120/240v twist lock. I realize that most people won't need to run 240v but, they might have a need for more than 15 amp 120v and that's where the 4 blade twist lock outlet would be useful for them.
A couple of years ago though, my wife and I invested in one of the big Generac whole house units and for us, it's well worth the cost. It's plumbed into our 500 gallon propane tank and starts automatically if the power goes out. It also runs a "self check" once a month.
I also have a 6500 watt A.P.U. with it's own HVAC system on my semi tractor. It's diesel powered and is plumbed right into the trucks fuel tanks.
One more reasons that city governments mandating high-density housing sucks. Hard to have an emergency generator on the third story apartment or condo unit. Sad. And of course, at least in California, they are mandating everything newly built to be electric, not gas with constant losses of electricity from floods, fires, and rolling blackouts. Have your kids invest in any house that has a yard as retirement investments. In not too many years, they will be impossible to build anywhere and they will be gold.
I bought a Predator 2000 when they first came available, less than $400. It's run over 200 hrs with just maintenance, plugs, spark arrestor, air filter, and it'd been bouncing around in the back of my p/u. The wife had trouble pulling the rope fast enough for reliable starts, so when the Predator 3500 came out, I got it, it was battery start, was $479 if memory serves. It runs our 21' travel trailer with no problems. As did the 2000, excepting the 13.500 a/c. I know many folks bad mouth HF products, but I've had excellent luck with their Inv-Generators.
Remember to change rhe oil.
I have a Honda EU3000is duel fuel. Quiet, good on fuel consumption. Runs most everything I have except house AC. Now in an emergency house AC isn’t a priority. I do have a Onan 7.5Kw diesel generator if I needed more electricity but the little Honda is the fast go to for me.
13:16 Note for Dual Fuel - Propane is not supposed to have storage issues and needs no STA-BIL. I'm not sure how it compares on run-time vs fuel cost. My feeling is that I always have a spare tank of propane around in case my grill or construction heater runs out, so it might be the best option for me to get a dual fuel model.
I bought a Wen 2350 inverter 18 months ago. Great generator. It was cheaper buying direct from Wen rather than Amazon (about $50). I heard people not liking the gas fill in front. Spills can go down panel. Mine is side fill.
I'm a sales supervisor at Harbor Freight and I still learn stuff here.
The sportsman 4000 is a great little dual fuel generator. I have a friend who has one and runs his entire camper on it. 15K air, microwave and full size refrigerator. Never skipped a beat when he ran propane.
He paid $290 from Home Depot
Sir, would it work for water well pump, big space heater, oxygen machine, & big fridge in a home ?
Great video!
I just purchased a Firman 10,000/8000
and already used it once in a recent power outage and it worked great powering my lights, AC, water pump, fridge, etc!
Very impressed with it
I have two powerhorse generators from Northern Tool, a 2200 and a 3500. Had them for over two years good price, quiet, zero problems.
I bought the cheapest invertor generator on Amazon a while ago for $220. The pics didn't even show a brand, but the one I received says Sunco on it. I wasn't expecting much, I sort of bought it just to see how bad it was. The good news is that it actually works pretty well. The bad news is that if I was just an average user that knew nothing about generators or small engines, my house would have burned down. A tiny 5-cent part turned it into a major fire hazard. The O-ring that was supposed to seal the fuel tank outlet had broken. It was slowly leaking fuel directly onto the electronics inside the generator. Anyone else might have started the generator and just walked away totally clueless about the leak.
It's actually a good policy to check for fuel and oil leaks on any equipment you buy but especially generators because they're left unattended for hours. I filled it with oil and fuel and let it sit for an hour. I knew there was a problem even before seeing the problem. I could SMELL the excessive fuel smell. There was no external indication of a leak. If you know anything about invertor generators, then you know they're super compact and difficult to disassemble. They can easily hide problems from view. I had to totally disassemble the plastic shell (nightmare) just to access the fuel tank and replace that O-ring. After that it runs well and seems to work flawlessly. I will say that it's a real pig to restart if you turn it off.
I have the Predator 2,000 and 3,500 Inverter units. They are both excellent. Bought both open box for dirt cheap at HF. I'm skeptical of major differences in overseas bargain generators. I'd buy the lowest price and not pay much attention to the brand decal. It may be the only difference.
My 3500 died after 10 hours…
This was a really well-researched and informative video. Thanks.
I've had a Westinghouse 7500/9000 for several years now. No issues. I just replaced the original battery last weekend. I keep 25 gallons of non-ethanol gas on hand as part of hurricane prep.
Wife and I own a Firman 2900W Running / 3200W Peak Electric Start Dual Fuel Inverter Generator Gas and LP, we really enjoy it, been using it for camping for a couple of years now. Very quiet, electric start. We got it at Costco.
When SHTF, a dual fuel generator may be better for you, if you already have sufficient propane on hand. Gasoline doesn't have a great shelf life, but propane stores great. Plus, a dual fuel generator just gives you options.
Hi, I just bought the Generac GP2500i. I haven't much time on it yet. I bought it to replace my very old Honda EB 3000c. Really because I now use it for camping instead of home building. The company I retired from had two of these Honda's. Both were going to be thrown away. I took both of them appart and with a small amount of money for parts plus basic engine work I now have a really good backup home generator. The only bad thing is the noise! The great part is it's 2.5 gallon tank. It runs all night.
The Generac's and all the smaller units only last four or so hrs. Thats a bummer. However I bought it so I didn't have to run long electric cords to remove the sound so I could sleep! I have hi hopes for my new Generac.
PS I enjoyed your video NWR
I have the Outlaw 195 welder(6500 watts) has 4 120v outlets and 1 240v twist lock its a loud money maker and a Westinghouse 4500 inverter generator both are very useful in different ways, the Outlaw is super heavy but can deliver the power to run plasma cutters, air compressors, jackhammers, grinders, and weld on remote jobsites, the Westinghouse can run grinders and jackhammers but the generator is always revving super fast then idling the second you stop and its not good, but on sites that dont have power and you need to power a septic for inspection the clean energy and light weight is perfect also the remote start on the Westinghouse is super nice for power outages, house goes black, press a button from your bed and bam you have lights and whatever else you have hooked up on standby also it's super quiet at 52 decibels keep in mind every 10 decibels sound doubles, so a 62 decibel generator is twice as loud as a 52
I have the Predator 3500 Inverter generator from Harbor Freight. I've had it for a little over a year now. I also have the extended warranty. There are several HF stores within 40 miles of me. Parts, if needed, are available through HF. I only use it for camping, which hasn't been too often lately. I have not had any problems with it at all. I always drain the carburetor after each camping trip. Proper maintenance is the key to keeping any brand generator running properly. Stale fuel in the carb and a plugged up spark arrester are the main culprit in generator failures. And all brands are susceptible. It is also a good idea to re-jet the carb for the altitude you plan on using the generator at most of the time. All small gasoline engines, (e.g., chain saws, pumps, etc. ) will loose some power and run richer if the air/fuel mixture is not optimized. Think most light aircraft engines! The higher you go in altitude, the more you have to pull on that Red Mixture knob.
I put a natural gas adapter on mine. Can run propane also. Remember to change the oil.
I've owned the predator 2000 for 4 years and run it weekly to power my shop. Never an issue. Awesome unit. Only drawback is I've watched them jack the price way up on them .
Mainly it was the China tariff.. I got mine for $649 before the tariffs. Make sure you change the oil. I changed mine after a few hours and was surprised what particles were in it.
@@michael931 I've owned mine for 4 years now and changed the oil many many times.
Great video! I’ve been looking for this type of explanation. Thanks
We bought the 9500 Predator from Harbor Freight and the extended warranty. We have an all-electric home, so we probably can’t run the HVAC. But, we can run everything else and a couple heaters. We haven’t used it yet, only a trial run or two (bought a magnetic dipstick - no filter) so, I’ll let you know if we have any issues after a good test. Appreciate the reviews.
Man. I have a sportsman 1k that I bought open box for 100 bucks. Stays outside. Been there for 10 years and still runs fine. Change the oil 1 time a year and cut the gas off and let the carb run dry. Do that on all the generators I have. Never have issues. I also have 3 champion 4250 watt I bought at closeout from kabellas for 199 each. 3 years later. Still fine. I use 1 to power my field work trailer. My house gen is a dual fuel duro13k. I only run propane on it. Do a little maint and they last and are there in an emergency. I even have a battery backup 5kpsw inverter for shtf type that I use to just to keep the batteries good. Can't rely on 1 thing or 1 type. Like the old sayings go. Never putt all your eggs in 1 basket.
Great video and info. For my single 15amp truck camper, the Honda EU2200i is perfect for weekend camping. Trusted and true. Thank you for sharing and Merry Christmas! (New sub)👍😃
I bought a dual fuel because for emergency use, propane seems to last forever and would be the best for long storage and less issues with gummming up carburetors. I don't lose power like in the south so propane even though will be less wattage, it's also less hassle.
I have the 3500 Predator from Harbor Freight and I love it. Very quiet, easy electric start with pull cord back up. It's fuel efficient and I bought a duel fuel conversion kit for it. Here in California fuel efficient is very important as Sleepy Joe and French Laundry Gavin teamed up to make our gas prices insane.
I thought Trump was just complaining at his last rally that sleepy Joe made gas prices too low by using the strategic reserve to lower them. How did he raise prices in only one state? It went down in the other 49. Even at $3.59/gal it is half the cost to run my Predator 3500 on natural gas and I never have to fill a can or tank. And starts on one pull. Don't know why they put electric start on it.
Mine is dead after 10 hours… it looks beautiful though!
I had a 74 Champion Motor Home with a 440 interceptor engine that could run gas or LP. The LP was nice except it destroyed the Carburetor, I had to replace twice and because I had to purchase a different Carb than Stock I had to pay almost twice the money. I had 45 gal tank for Gasoline and 3 LP tanks. Which came out to over 200 gal of fuel. A rolling jet or bomb.
Love my champion but with all the tech in appliances today the next one will be inverter to cover higher end appliances and mini splits. Local old school small engine repair shop raves about harbor freight value
I was lucky to find a military surplus 10kw Diesel with 6000hrs at $800. (I'm nearly at the end of the power lines.) They usually run $4K to $5K. Even at 6000 hours, a usual 3600RPM generator only lasts about 1500 hours. Diesel generators have great efficiency, the fuel is very stable, and at about 1200lbs, it'll be hard to steal. :)
Thank you for the info, it helps a lot man!
I just ordered the Champion 2500 dual fuel. I have high expectations being able to run it on propane.
Great review! I know it's a smaller company but have you delt with the Powerhorse generators marketed by Northern Tools company?
Another good video thx. Imo I would chain up the portable generator. If people still wanna mess around and try to steal it well cameras are useful and so are guns.
I watched a lot of videos about generators reviews and this one is by far the one i feel i can trust the most. Doesn't feel like an adds. I'm just sad to see that the Firman W03081 I just bought is not on the list 😂 still i watched the entire thing for entertainment and educational purpose.
Thanks again will keep this channel on check from now on!
Thank You for the information Bear.
You forgot the Northern Tool Powerhorse inverter generators. 2300, 4500, 7500. Competitive prices, great reviews and service support, and better warranty than HF.
Just gave away a champion 3500-4500 I have had for over 12 years that still runs like a champ. Never use it now as also now have a onan and a troy-bilt. Nice feature with the onan is the battery start.
Very informative video. Time to go to buy one before they ban them. California is halfway there.
You are right on except for powering your RV. Switch off the power to your hot water heater & refrigerator and us gas. The interior heater for most RVs is a 12V gas heater so has no 120VAC draw. Things like the microwave are intermittent. This leaves mainly the AC, TV and bed as the main draw.
Great video thanks for sharing Bear
Hey Bear! I guess it depends on what an "Emergency" is. Dual fuel is always a better choice, I can run on gas when it's available and run off a couple of 40LB. bottles when the SHTF. Also----Gas with Ethanol does NOT store well, use Ethanol free gas WITH the Stabil. Love the "Den" !
Use the marine, blue sta-bil! It works much better than the normal red stuff.
@@thezfunk Thanks !
I've been using pump gas with stabil with zero problems for the last 20 years. On the rare occasion it actually reaches two years old before I use it, then I just dump it in my riding mower and start over with fresh fuel. Ethanol-free is hard to find, expensive, and in my experience, totally unnecessary.
I have 2 gennys a 5500 generac and a 2000 peak sportsman . I had the sportsman for 7 years and use it the most due to the tiny amount of fuel it uses and I don't care about it as much I paid 170 for it. A gallon lasts about 10 hours . That thing has been abused to no end left out old gas low oil and it still runs. I know small engines and clean the carb once a year.
I have the old school 8750/7500 HF Predator before the invertor gens came out. Yup it's loud but I only paid $580 new wheel kit and battery. This thing is a tank. I run it on Rec fuel so it doesn't need stabilizer. Stabilizer ruins your carbs if your not good about running them every 3 months. Then your still without power when needed. We run rec fuel mainly because we have go-karts, lawnmowers, chainsaws, you name it. Trust me rec fuel is the way to go. I know its harder to find but it has a 1yr shelf life if you don't use it often. It still pumps like regular pump gas just have to look for a pumping station. Usually off to the side where say kerosene might be pumped. That said when it dies and I don't wanna just drop in a new motor. I'll for sure be going the 9000 Predator Invertor Gen to power the whole house.
What is "rec fuel"?
@@BKD70 rec feul has zero ethonal in it.
Ive had a predator generator for 4 or 5 years never had a problem out of it & use it alot, i just prop up some pieces of plywood on the front & sides & can barely hear it
One thing i do not see mentioned often is if you get a duel fuel generator and run it on propane you do not have the worries of carbon monoxide. That is the reason fork trucks run propane in large warehouses.
WEN's warranty department will let you take your generator to any service center near you that will agree to do the work and they will work with them to get it done, I had a WEN 3800 that broke down due to a casting defect in the cylinder head that allowed a rocker arm to fall off, (the thing still ran with only one valve operational somehow) I called them, they were super responsive, brought it to my local shop, and they ended up totaling it out and sending me a brand new same model generator at no cost, I recommend the WEN generator simply for the superb customer service
I got that Wen on sale for $385 it is great, I do want to get second one and link them when it goes on sale. I can survive with my fireplace and oil lamps, my goal is just run the fridge and the freezer in the garage.
Best video and information I have come across so far , everyone should take lessons
They don't call them Predators for nothing... Also FYI pretty much all of the 2XXX watt small inverter generators are made by a couple of factories with basically the same parts. Just different cases and fronts for each retailer. I knew a guy that worked with Raven hybrid mowers and also was a direct importer of generators from China and ATVs from a country that is in the news now.
I was out of town for the winter last year but the flying half was here. She had trouble getting the generator started cause she didn't put enough gas in it but... I had the neighbor bring one of his spare small ones over. I like my 8K watt unit but for the outage the small quiet efficient inverter is the better choice. It took less than 2 tanks of gas for a 24hr outage. I greatly recommend dual or tri fuel and use gasoline as your last resort fuel.
Thank You just got my first generator! I know nothing about them!
Thanks for the video . Well explained
I'm too leery of the 'discount parachute' approach, so I bought the 'other' premium brand, the Yamaha EF2400 inverter. The price was up there, a little higher than the Honda equivalent, but it's been rock solid, consistent with its long-term reputation. It's had to run my forced air furnace now and then. Perhaps the long-term high-hour reliability of the Predator will be better known by the time my Yamaha wears out, but that could be a very long time! In any event, I appreciate anyone who is considerate enough of others to at least consider an inverter generator. It's simpler than trying to repair your relationship with your entire neighborhood.
You get what you pay for, that Yamaha generator will probably outlast its owner!
I got a tri-fuel from Costco for my home emergency needs. For my RV I got a predator inverter.
One consideration for home back up is a L14-30 outlet so you can use it with a standard generator inlet installed on your house.
Yup, I learned that the Predator 3500 inverter is not capable … and it also died after 10 hours…
I use a 5100W open generator but have calculated all my loads so it doesn't overload. I just run the essentials- Fridge, freezers, fan for my gas fireplace and a few lights. That gives me leftover capacity for a hot plate or toaster oven.@@RustyZipper
Get a decent generator to run most of your house. I put a transfer switch by my circuit breaker box and I put a plug outside of my house. It's so nice to nice have to have extension cords all through the house. My Champion generator will run everything but my hot water heater. I live in Florida. I can live without that in an emergency. This Champion also runs on propane. It's nice to be able to walk around the the house and use everything like nothing ever happened.
If you have appliances that Spike when starting, use a soft start device. It takes the momentary spike and spreads it out over just a little longer of time period.
I'm into day 5 without power here inswfl after getting wrecked by hurricane super douche last week. I've running a champion 2k inverter one of the older cube shaped ones. Yes they are quieter. No one knows I'm running it because no one can hear it over the roar of contractor generators running in the area.
got the Predator 3500 will be 2 years in March love it just to compare my brother lives 150 ft away from me you cant hear it at his house
I’ve never had a problem with gasoline storage and a small engine as long as I use non-ethanol gasoline. That’s the only thing I run in my small engines. Gasoline with ethanol in it ruins carburetors even if you drain them or run them dry.
I've got a super quiet Champion dual fuel inverter genny. Quiet, inverter so it makes clean power and saves fuel, dual fuel so I can used propane which is probably the same price or even cheaper (?) than gas and doesnt corrode the carb OR go bad while stored. I wish it was 240 V but it was what I could afford
I ended up with a pair (and a pair for the parents) of Westinghouse's from Sams, really good price ($320 for 2200s) and standard 3y warranty. Haven't used mine much, but my Dad has used his a bit and likes them.
Not using Sta-bil (doesn't say I have to) but picked up some nice jerry cans from HF and I'm just fueling cars from those to keep it fresh. Little bit of a pain to fill every time, but I'm also staying ahead of the rising gas prices.
As far as the warranty... yeah I don't expect that it will be worth whatever it takes to ship it off to some random location and wait weeks while the emergency that I actually fire them up for happens. Benefit of the HF replacement plan - you do need to factor it into the cost when you're comparing, but unless you live right near a warranty service center for X company it's gonna cost you time and money if you have an issue. (edit: then again getting stuff at sams/costco you can take some things back for like 2y)
Ive been eyeing the Firman generator over at Costco...TRI-fuel, just would need to set up a connection to natural gas......not inverter, but getting gas and propane were huge issues during sandy....and the natural gas kept flowing
I wish the Predator 9500 had a 50 amp plug output on it. I also do not see a parallel kit at Harbor Freight for this. I would actually purchase two of them other than my concerns.
Good overview
Great video. Wondering if anyone here can help - is there any reason not to buy a secondhand generator. Also, best option for a flat.
I like the Champion generators. Predator is worth considering but don’t like the 90 day warranty.
The bike was great! I'm going to get on mine in search of, a superior Blower to ego. ; )
With all the electronics in things (furnace) I'm not willing to chance it with the dirty power that some of the generators out there put out (Firman). I won't get anything but an inverter. I was thinking just like da bear and was going to go with 2 medium sized ones for redundancy but the problem is they don't put out 240v. One thing to look out for with the predator 8750 inverter is that to get full power out of it, you need to connect two cords to your panel as there are two circuits built into the unit. They don't advertise that and that was a deal breaker for me. They need to do better with their warranties as well. Champion is same price or less with a 3 yr included.
None of these generators can run actual running watts except Honda. I have a predator 2000 and it won't even run my small microwave in my rv by itself. My Honda 3000 runs everything in my house, all lights, pellet stove, 2 full size refrigerators, propane tankless water heaters, wifi, propane HVAC house heater, all at the same time no problems. Of course the propane takes the biggest loads on those and the generator only needs to supply fan loads and control board loads, but wow, the Honda doesn't even struggle at all. Love my Honda EU3000IS. So quiet and can run forever on a little gas. That's why you pay more. Buy cheap and you get what you pay for. Trust me, 2000 watt predator should run a 1000 watt microwave? But it wont. Why? Because they can lie about their actual watt ratings. Running and peak watts on portable generators are probably half of advertised.
For 30 some years I had a Black & Decker I'm not really sure what it was I bought it at the farm store you get a couple squirrels that fight on the line above my house and well then there's no power. I found that out 45 years ago. No Briggs & Stratton that's what it was well at least that's what the motor was I still have it as a backup no wait a minute I think I gave it away to the guy down the street. He didn't have one after I bought the champion it's a dual fuel I like it because you don't have to worry about that crappy gas going bad. The only drawback is the propane in the winter it'll run for a few hours but then the tank the surface area won't have enough propane to boil off cuz I just have propane tanks from a grill I do have a lot of them though probably five or six. So if it looks like we're going to get long-term power outage in the winter I'll start on propane but I can use gasoline and I've been I like it because it has electric start it's hard to pull start in the winter time when the oil is thick well that's my story
Regarding start-up surge on air conditioners (and that includes heat pumps), you can have your HVAC contractor install what we commonly call a hard start kit. This is basically a start relay and capacitor that greatly reduces the starting current needed, making the unit easier to start. Shouldn't be terribly expensive, maybe $400 or so.
a hard start kit can be picked up and installed by anyone who could change a outlet. the best way to go about it would be to turn off the AC and bring on the generator then after everything else has started bring on the AC. most homes have only 2-3 items that draw hard on startup. frig, AC and maybe water heater. staging these will ease the load a lot.
@@mikehenthorn1778 yes, but I wouldn't recommend it. There are different sizes, depending on the tonnage of you A/C unit. And they need to be properly wired and put in a place that's out of the rain. Wire it wrong and you could kill your compressor. I am an HVAC contractor, and I've seen plenty of disaster caused by DIY'ers.
@@kencooper2059 i also do hvac as a day job. mostly boilers and chillers now but 20 years in the home and apartment areas. as the energy star units keep dropping power usage the same hard start will run a 2 to 4 ton unit with no problems. but i'm in Ohio so my units may not be like yours.
as for hard to do most are just plugged into the capacitor on the unit so not a big deal as you have to remove and replace the cover on the contactor and such anyway.
though i will agree that i made a lot of $ repairing things that some husband " fixed" lol
that said my start up procedure will work. the trick it is not have everything start up at the same time. also depending on where you are and the time of year you may not need to run some items much at all. like late dec to march i don't need to power my freezer in my garage as it doesn't run much. ( garage temp is running 40-20 degrees depending on outside temp) and in summer i don't need to power my water bed heater at all. turn down the stat to keep the pipes from freezing but dress warm ect. there are ways to manage power usage.
@@dancooper6002 I'll be the first to admit that there are some bad HVAC contractors out there, I've been fighting the industry over this for years. But there are also some fine professionals in the industry who can save you some big money on energy consumption if you listen to them.
As for your snooty "HS dropout" comment...it might interest you that I am technically a HS dropout. Hey, I made some mistakes when I was younger, so condemn me forever...right? But this HS dropout holds four state professional licenses, owns a multi-million dollar contracting business, as well as an engineering/consulting firm.
So be careful with using those broad brushes, my friend.
Are you two brothers? You fight like it. Lol
Hey, Ursa Habilis. . .I managed real estate impacted by Hurricane Sandy and one of the biggest problems for my contractor was getting gas. Without electricity, the pumps didn't work, and that resulted in incredible lines for pumps that did work. Do you add fuel stabilizer to the gas before you store it? How long can it store? How do you safely and legally get rid of the gas once it goes bad? How much would be good to keep on hand for an upper tier unit for household emergencies (just me, the wife and a cat that likes TV) or urban catastrophes?
Yes, add the stabilizer when you store it. I can last one to three years. You can mix old gas with newer gas to extend the life of it. Gas must be disposed of at government certified locations. How much depends on your needs and location. Up north and down south you would need more due to extremes weather. I like to keep enough to run my generator for 8 hours a day for two weeks.
Personally I have a Honda eu3000 is and store 20-25 gallons of gas (about 5 days worth). I use sta-bil fuel stabilizer and rotate the fuel into our cars once per year. A full container will last longer than a partial.
IMHO the tough part about these situations is that you never know how long they are going to last. I could probably stretch 5 gallons to 3-5 days If I knew on day one that would be necessary but a rate of 3-5 gallons per day is luxury by comparison.
@@denoftools Another thing to consider if he can afford it would be looking into either a propane/gasoline hybrid or diesel fueled inverter generator even if they are pricier, as diesel last four times as long as gasoline and propane will store indefinitely.
Good info, but nothing beats the Honda. When you need it most, you want it to work. To many bad reviews/horror stories with most of those made in China models. Yes it Cost more, but there is peace of mind with a Honda.
I really like my Yamaha 2200 and Sportsman 1000.
What's your take on Jackery? I keep hearing they are good. And now seeing them at HFT.
Anyone know how these generators compare to the solar generators? (ecoflow, 4partiots, Jackery, etc.?)
I've been trying, I really have. I have been trying to embrace "green" technology. I have an EGO snow blower (which I love) and Ryobi shop tools (which have served me very well). I have solar panels and LiFePo4 batteries. But here in Maine, I'm done with the struggle. I'm finally recognizing reality and I'm shopping for a petrol-powered inverter generator. We have so many power outages that last for hours to days, that I need something that actually works.
A battery powered emergency generator is like a low calorie all you can eat buffet …
Hello. Great video. Many emergency gas generators has a run time of 9 hours according to it's specs. Will it run for another 9 hours if I refill it with gas? Will it run for 3 days if I keep refilling it with gas? Power outages during blizzards can last for days. Thanks
Emergency solution? Good. About storage, what is suitable & practical method or solution to store a generator? Also, I think with a battery storage solution the battery needs to be used in order to keep on ticking yes/no? A lot about generators but nothing about best storage solutions. Yes, I have a Champion says drain gas and almost dissect the fuel system during storage. But what is practical??😮😊
as for solar, units are good to get you through the night. you would need your gas generator to recharge unless you are at a place that has great sun all year. note Ohio is not that place. my jackery doesn't get close to the rated charging from the solar panels in winter that i get in july) in northern climes plan on double you " rated" usage to charge in the amount of daylight you will get.
better to look up how to build your own batter back up units for items and recharge with your generator .
like my jackery will run my cpap for 6 hours. it is the 250 model. now that works for me as by that time i need to move because my joints hurt. i'm needed to recharge and a full day of sun will not fill it in Feb in Ohio. that needs help. either more solar panels or a generator.
so look into how to make your own battery units as well as something like a telsa turbine on a pellet stove heating a tank to 10-20 psi of steam to run it hooked to a generator . heat you home and make power. i work on boilers and chillers for a day job so my mind might go this way because it is what i know.
I know that my Craftsman 3300 is just a rebranded Generac. I have had great results with it so far.
What about the Briggs and Stratton generators? I saw one in the thumbnail, but no mention in the video. I have two of those and they are nearly as good as the Honda but much easier on the wallet.
So with an inverter to generate the 60 HZ then the motor RPM is somewhat independent. I think you said throttle down under light load. Is it quieter than full load? Yes. Less wear and tear too? Well not really. Apparently some designers said "Cool! If we're not locked on 3600 anymore, what's to stop us from running say 3500 or so for light loads and then for full power going to 4800? Now we can squeeze even more watts out of one cylinder." At least that's what some are doing. Connect a tach and add some load. You'll see.
16:52 Important note about price is that it shows it as Amazon Prime so Prime members shouldn't have to pay shipping on this heavy item.
Another option is the Firman generators available at Costco.
Some new pickup trucks are capable of 7200 watts power generation, but less affordable 😁
What about the Champion 8750 Inverter open frame? 7000w running, $1,300.00...
Craftsman is a rebadged generac still pretty good i liked the red better 😂
I believe that at least some of the Craftsman inverters are made by Generac.
Hey Bear I would like to run my house in case of power outages what is the best wattage should I be look for?
It all depends on what you want to run and do you need 240V or just 120?