HF Generator.

CKain(MI)

Well-known Member
Anyone experienced with the 'Predator' brand, elect start generator at the HF store. I really need
elect start and this in on sale. ? 420cc eng. prolly from China.
 
ckain(mi)- I can't speak for their generators but the Predator engines are great. I have a few of them and use them often.
 
I have a HF generator, 3000 I think. One day went to start(recoil-pull start) would not start pulled and pulled. Just would not go. Hey dum dum you gotta turn on the fuel!!!!! Started first pull. It an emergency back up. only used it a couple times for just a few hours. It has done what I needed when I needed it to. good insurance for those times at a reasonable price. gobble
 
I have had a few come through the shop. Not bad,better than most of the big box store units. Some times parts can be hard to get.
 
ckain(mi)- "I JUST CANNOT 'PULL START' ONE ANYMORE !"

Hamg on a minute while I try to look it up and Ill post a pic of what I do.

BTW, I don't like pull starting one either. LOL
 
have a 8750 on my bow fishing boat and it runs a lot and it is the best gen. i ever used and i have had many. wish it was a little quieter but it is what it is runs 2 450 watt hps 6 100 watt hal 2 1000 hal. on 220 it gets a work out
 
ckain(mi)- I gave up looking for the pic.Anyway, I remove the pull rope starter assembly and use a socket 1/16" larger than the crankshaft nut for easy removal once the engine is started.

No need to pull your guts out! I just spin with the cordless drill and adjust the choke until engine is started.......easyyyy peasyyyy.
 
I found the pic....
a152266.jpg
 
From what I have read the Predators are copys of Honda engines. Parts even interchange. First thing I will tell you is to put a NGK plug in it as the china plugs are junk. Most likely a BPR6ES will be correct. The electric start units are 85oo and up if I am not misstaken.
 
Thanks for that tip Greg!! I've got a 4k genset (from China) that I haven't even started yet, and had it 2 years already. Gonna have lots of use soon, so will likely go with your suggestion.

I had a similar idea for a walk-behind snow thrower, but never got around to trying it. Then I checked the carb one day and lost a small BB - haven't tried to do anything with it since.
 
I have one and think it was a bargain at the price. I put a propane kit on it and use it as backup power for the house. I have only run it a few times to test but it gets a high rating for durability. I did run it for two days straight to work out any bugs that might pop up. I had one slight problem with my first one (I know have two). It was charging the battery at 16 volts. Not a big deal, but it was under warranty and I wanted it right. HF sent me a complete new voltage-regulator assembly. 7000 watts continuous and 8750 watts surge
 
I have the 16 hp 6500. Got it on a special sale at a HF store for about $375, no shipping, no tax. Very nice, quiet, reliable, efficient unit. Runs my Miller 240V Model 130 (I think) stick welder very well in the field.
 
Hand crank engines aren't what they used to be. Someone, seems industry wide has realized that manual start engines don't have to be hard to crank. These HF engines are no exceptions. I can start mine by hand almost as easily as I can with the starter.

On Chain saws, last fall I wore out my old Stihl chain saw and bought the newer with the soft start feature.....your pulling winds up a spring loaded device which, when the tension gets high enough, snaps over and IT does the smacking of the engine to turn it over. Very effortless. It's the 16" guide bar, smaller size, 1xx something, 175, 185????????? forget. Sells for about $250.
 
As I said, I have two Predator 8750 (surge) watt models from HF. Great units, but . . I had to pay extra for the wheel kit, battery and propane kit. Note that another brand with a 420 cc engine called Pulsar sometimes can be had for less then $500 with battery, wheels, and dual fuel setup. Also has a 420 cc engine that is NOT from Lifan of China. Comes from a different maker in China and engine is total different design. Seems to be excellent quality. I got a model PG7500B for $449, shipped to my door. Rated 7500 watts surge (a little less then the Predator).
 
I have one of the 420 cc 8750 peak watts units that I keep for portable power.

I bought it about two years ago when it was on sale for $459. I had been watching it for some time and thought I would never see it priced so low again but I was wrong. I picked up a flyer at HF about 10 days ago, and it will be priced at $499 during the March 10, 11 & 12 "parking lot sale." Wheel kit and battery are extra.

I've not used mine but have checked it out and run it occasionally. No issues so far.

The HF unit does not have a no load automatic idle so it runs at 3600 RPM loaded or otherwise.

As with all gasoline powered equipment, do not allow the gasoline to get old.

Dean
 
I used to routine the generators at work before I retired. Always to shut them down we would shut the gas off and let it run the gas out of the carburetor. usually they started without a problem. they were run every month.
 
I tried that once and it snapped the end off the crankshaft. Might get by with a weaker drill but I doubt I'll take the chance again.
 
Noooo. Generators run around one hp per 500 watts. My 8000 Homelite is 16hp. They also price out at roughly $100.oo per 1000 watts. Rough rule of thumb.
 
All the replies are pretty much on target. It is a Honda clone. Its just you don't know which Honda its a clone of so don't expect the Honda parts man to help you much, he doesn't know either.

And if you need carburetor work, you buy a complete carburetor in most cases. At like $125 or more plus shipping.

We had one in our shop 2 years ago. All gunked up with old fuel. Had the customer order a new carburetor at his expense, we would put it on. Spent another 7 hours figuring out why the new carburetor wouldn't feed the engine any better than the old gunky one did. I ended up with a working carburetor out of a mix of old Honda parts and the float and bowl from the replacement for the clone.

But If I ever do it again, you will know there was a gun pointed at my head. . .

So if you need repairs, you might be out of luck.

And FYI: You should call Harbor Freight's customer service line at least once and talk to someone really nice in some foreign country that only thinks they know English. . . ..
 
i get a kick out of the reply's about repairs!it's a 500 dollar gen at the cost of labor at the repair shop will eat that up real fast put it on the scrap pile and get a new one or pay for the extended warranty and take it back just before it runs out and get a new one {they tell you to do that}
 
No because I also had a 5kw with a 10 hp and it was around the same price from Home Depot years and years ago....back when we had an ice storm and cut our power for a whole week. That one couldn't run my Miller stick.
 
Gregg,
I couldn't pull start my 13 hp honda pressure washer, so I went on line and bought a starter kit, flywheel, starter, relay and key. Took me 4 days to install, had to enlarge the hole for starter to fit properly.

Engine would start right up with electric start.
I couldn't hang on to pressure washer handle. 13 hp and 4000 psi was too much for me to handle. My boy wanted to borrow the pressure washer. I took it to him and told him I wasn't hauling it home, it was his.

I use my old 6.5 hp easy start briggs pressure washer.

Nice to see others like dewalt cordless tools. Never thought of a cordless electric starter. Good job.

geo
 
Honda does not make a 420 CC engine. I have two new Chinese generators from different makers. Harbor Freight 420 cc Predator is made by Lifan of Chongqing, China. The other is a Pulsar with a 420 cc engine made by Ducar of Chongqing, China. Both engines same size but completely different and I have seen no proof that either are "clones" of Hondas.
 

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