By now most of us have heard of Inverter Generators, and the way quiet they’re. But, are they value it? We have been utilizing the Harbor Freight Predator 3500 Generator for two weeks straight now whereas Dispersed Camping in Western Montana and have actually put it to the take a look at, so lets dive in.
The very first thing I’m going to deal with is the worth. If you could have appeared in to Inverter Generators in any respect, the costs are everywhere in the map. The first one I checked out shopping for was the Honda and it was over $2,300. Having used loads of Honda merchandise within the hearth service, I do know their small engines are rattling close to bullet proof.
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2,300 Bucks is a giant nut to crack although, so I stored wanting. I got here throughout a number of different manufacturers, and occurred to cease in Harbor Freight for some small instruments and noticed the Predator 3500, and it was listed for $799. After seeing the costs of the opposite manufacturers, my first thought was nothing this “cheap” goes to be value it. But nonetheless, for One Third of the worth, it piqued my curiosity sufficient to do some digging.
Quiet RV Generator
After a couple of days of diligently looking out the web for the nice the dangerous and the ugly on the Predator 3500, I made a decision it was certainly value taking a shot on the “cheap” generator. The value has gone up round $150 since we bought ours a couple of months in the past, however even within the $950 vary, I might purchase it once more.
Unboxing
The solely factor that DOESN’T come within the field is a quart of 10/30 Motor Oil that you want to fill earlier than firing it up for the primary time. Every different factor you want comes with this little energy home. Included within the field is a small device package for attaching the battery to make use of the starter, a funnel to fill your oil, a spark plug wrench, a small set of “jumper cables” to connect the Predator 3500 proper to a battery, and a 30amp Twist Lock to RV Plug adaptor.
Initial Setup
Before its first hearth up, you want to fill the oil, which is straightforward to do by way of the oil fill entry door utilizing the included funnel. The subsequent step is to connect your battery cables to your battery, and also you’re able to go. Total preliminary setup time was underneath 5 minutes.
Fuel Up & Fire Up
The instruction handbook says to make use of StaBil gas stabilizer as a result of the ethanol gas tears up small carburetors, and the StaBil negate the ethanol’s results, in addition to forestall the gas from turning to jelly if you happen to let the generator sit saved for months with gas within the tank.
The Predator 3500 boasts a ridiculously future time of 11 hours on 2.5 gallons of gas underneath a 25% load. That appeared like a quantity that might be a “lab results only” form of statistic and I couldn’t wait to show it improper. We topped off the onboard fuel tank, and bought a 2.5 gallon fuel can and topped it off as effectively, so we a spare “full tank” of fuel on the prepared as I used to be sure there could be no means it will attain 11 hours.
Predator 3500 Generator
Yesterday at 5:00 pm we fired up our Predator 3500 so we may watch TV within the RV and to cost up our batteries for the over evening energy draw of the fridge, water pump and so on. My Wife and I subsequently fell asleep on the sofa and by no means shut it down for the ten:00 pm quiet hour curfew. We additionally each managed to sleep the whole evening till the solar was beginning to come up the subsequent morning, which in itself is unprecedented.
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Thankfully we’re Dispersed Camping, and there was completely nobody else within the space we have been tenting in, so we weren’t “those guys” with their generator working all evening (extra on that in a minute)
I opened my eyes about 6:15 am, arrange the espresso pot, and hit the ability button on my morning autopilot routine. When the little LED turned on and I may scent the Folgers beginning to permeate air, I remembered we’re boondocking, and I shouldn’t have energy proper now.
The Predator 3500 was STILL RUNNING 13.25 Hours Later!
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Predator 3500 Fuel Efficiency
Now I’m not certain how, maybe the Predator 3500 has a 3 gallon tank however is “rated” as a a 2.5 gallon? I don’t know, both means it was nonetheless working. The little fuel gauge on the highest of the tank mentioned it was lifeless empty, after which I did one thing I DO NOT suggest.
I opened the fuel cap whereas it was working to see if there was truly any gas in it. There was, not a lot in any respect, barely a coating on the underside of the tank, however there was certainly nonetheless gas in it.
I grabbed our spare fuel can and refilled the tank, and fired it again up. The Predator 3500 Generator loved lower than a 5 minute relaxation earlier than I fired it proper again up, and continued to make use of it for the remainder of the day. It diligently carried out as marketed for the whole day, powering our Residential RV Fridge, Two
Desktop Computers, a Coffee Pot, One of our 2 AC Units, and our front room TV.
We most likely had it fairly near its 25 amp max for a lot of the day, because it was a “work” day, the place my spouse and I have been each engaged on articles for the web site, YouTube movies, and downing espresso like there’s no tomorrow. The Predator 3500 simply stored on going, with out challenge.
More on that in a minute
Like I discussed earlier, we each fell asleep on the sofa and blew the quiet hour shut down. We each actually hate to be “those guys” at a campground, and do every thing we are able to to verify we’re utilizing correct tenting etiquette so everybody can have an pleasant expertise on their tenting journeys.
We bought fortunate and there was nobody else right here, however what if their was? I do know it’s a brilliant quiet generator, however tremendous quiet within the day time, isn’t the identical as at midnight when the ambient noise degree is at adverse 10. I needed to know, how a lot of an A-Hole would I’ve been if we had neighbors?
So with espresso in hand, I began stroll the campground to see how far the sound of the Predator 3500 Generator working would journey. To my amazement, on the very subsequent camp web site, in any route, it was nearly undetectable.
When I say undetectable, I don’t imply that it’s 100% silent. I imply to say that you simply CAN hear it, however you CAN’T inform its one campsite away. It sounds as if Someone, has a generator working Somewhere, means over there.
We have a YouTube video you’ll be able to watch by clicking right here, of once we first purchased it and examined it, with actual world, unedited quantity ranges to see what I imply for your self.
Is It Quiet
The again of the generator the place the exhaust comes out is louder than being on any of the opposite 3 sides. However, since we have been on the outer fringe of the tenting space, the exhaust was pointed away from the remainder of the campground. So even when somebody had pulled in after we fell asleep, it wouldn’t have prevented them from falling asleep both.
Predator 3500 Generator Cons?
We have been utilizing the Predator 3500 Generator fairly rigorously during the last 2 weeks, and there has solely been One Drawback. I can’t even actually say its a disadvantage, extra of a private choice.
The generator comes with a Twist Lock to RV adapter, so you’ll be able to plug your RV into the 30 amp generator outlet. It is a brief adapter, solely about 3 inches lengthy, twist lock male on one aspect, RV feminine on the opposite. So, It works.
My solely hold up, is that RV Plugs are heavy. So the load of the RV energy wire on the adapter simply made me a bit of uncomfortable. Don’t get me improper, We used it like that for a couple of days, with out challenge, and it by no means failed or pulled unfastened, or gave me any actual cause to offer it a adverse on this one, I simply didn’t prefer it.
Our Solution
My resolution was to purchase a dongle, with an influence wire between the twist lock and the RV plug finish, in order that the load of the RV plug was on the bottom, and never hanging on the adapter on the generator.
Click right here to get the identical dongle we use.
Our Unbiased evaluation of the Predator 3500 Generator is 5 out of 5 stars. We haven’t been paid for a evaluation or endorsement in any means. I might purchase it once more, even on the increased value level. And one additional advantage, is you’ll be able to daisy chain two of them collectively and have 50 amp whole service must you want too. Even with shopping for Two of them, you’ll nonetheless be underneath the worth of a single comparable Honda.
Watch our actual world take a look at video on YouTube Here