Home Generators

[R Q]

One of my suppliers has a Briggs generator on sale that I was going to buy but I started looking online at others and see the HF Predator for a couple hundred bucks less. The briggs is a 7185 starting watts and 5750 running.
Have any of you used the predator generators? The reviews are pretty good.

 

[rcalexander105]

Got a Predator 3500 for my bday earlier this month. Haven't taken it out of the box yet but pretty much everybody I've talked to that's used it raves about them.

Got a tree down at the house now and huge limbs all over the place. May be coming out of the box later today

 

[Ron]

A history lesson will hopefully tell you what you need to know without me violating trade secret provisions.

In 2001 Generac , then solely owned by Bob Kearn, decide to get out of the portable gen business. They sold off their product and design patents to Briggs& Stratton. Who continues to manufacture that same unrefined product today. (now theyve updated the plastic, paint and stickers, but same engine and alternator and vr.

They had a 5 year non-compete which after it expired GNRC re-entered the portable product market in 2007. (the close wasnt immediate).

When GNRC's patent expired on the "delta line" they sold it off Lifan which is a Chinese manufacture that makes most of the off brand gens used today - including predator.
And GNRC came out with their new "echo" line.

Briggs is now bankrupt and the generator product line will not be supported going forward. It is being divested. GNRC repurchased the warehouse and manufacturing space from Briggs/bankruptcy court. But is not reviving that legacy line.

The Predator is a new design, though it too isnt "latest and greatest"..but its 2 full evolutions newer than any Briggs product.
If I were choosing between the two and price wasnt an issue. Id buy the predator.

Now one VERY important point. You arent buying a home generator. You are buying a portable generator. If anyone asks thats a portable generator. Not a home generator.
Just remember that and things will be better for you...

 

[jeepinmatt]

Personally I would tried to find a used Honda or Yamaha at a decent price. And that won't happen with a Honda because it says Honda, but many people don't seem to realize that Yamaha's exist. I have a Yamaha YG6600DE and it reliably makes electricity. Here's a couple examples from a quick CL search:
Yamaha Generator - tools - by owner - sale (no model, but it looks exactly like a YG6600 series)
Yamaha 7200 watt generator - general for sale - by owner

Maybe @Ron knows if they are better or worse than Briggs/Predator/Generac/etc. But I've generally been happy with mine.

 

[BRUISER]

I have a red predator 3500 and my buddy has a "lowes brand" blue 3500 . mine will run for about 5 hrs on big load and his will run on same load for 9hrs.

no idea why but this is real test we did.

 

[Tom@Hilltop_Machine]

but many people don't seem to realize that Yamaha's exist. I have a Yamaha YG6600DE and it reliably makes electricity.https://boone.craigslist.org/for/d/north-wilkesboro-yamaha-7200-watt/7209067181.html

https://boone.craigslist.org/for/d/north-wilkesboro-yamaha-7200-watt/7209067181.html
I have a 2000 watt Yamaha. Awesome little unit.

 

[Ron]

Personally I would tried to find a used Honda or Yamaha at a decent price. And that won't happen with a Honda because it says Honda, but many people don't seem to realize that Yamaha's exist. I have a Yamaha YG6600DE and it reliably makes electricity. Here's a couple examples from a quick CL search:
Yamaha Generator - tools - by owner - sale (no model, but it looks exactly like a YG6600 series)
Yamaha 7200 watt generator - general for sale - by owner

Maybe @Ron knows if they are better or worse than Briggs/Predator/Generac/etc. But I've generally been happy with mine.

Most of the Yamaha I've messed with ran the robin (subaru) engine. Which is an awesome (albeit overly needlessly complex in "efi" trim)

But when running, those robin engines are badass.
Honda's aren't what they once were. In fact I'd buy a new predator before I'd buy a new honda.

 

[Blkvoodoo]

I’ve got both a 3500w inverter and 2000w inverter Northern Tool versions of the Predator (blue vs red case)

I’ve had the 3500 for several years, and it’s done well, never failed to start ( have to rope start, the battery is doa) on 2nd to 3rd pull and runs well, very quiet, you can converse standing over it. The 2000w I keep in my service van in the summer to run a fan and chargers, maybe a power tool if needed, gets grumpy to start but still always starts.
When purchasing the 3500 was told by the Northern. Sales guy it was a licensed Honda clone, just not designed to run the hours a Honda is. Truth or not, it’s been a good thing to have around.
Have a co-worker whose wife uses the 9500w in her mobile dog grooming trailer. Only had issues when she got watered fuel.

 

[BigClay]

Listen to @Ron he helped me pick out several generators including my portable 17.5 kw generac that is running right now for “portable” reasons related to the storms that just blew through

 

[R Q]

Got a Predator 3500 for my bday earlier this month. Haven't taken it out of the box yet but pretty much everybody I've talked to that's used it raves about them.

Got a tree down at the house now and huge limbs all over the place. May be coming out of the box later today

Yeah I've been cleaning limbs off of the house, garage, shed, and yard since I posted this earlier. Still have a lot to do. Got roof and gutter damage also.

 

[rcalexander105]

Yeah I've been cleaning limbs off of the house, garage, shed, and yard since I posted this earlier. Still have a lot to do. Got roof and gutter damage also.

My hood got hit pretty good. Got a few trees down and this one is aimed directly towards my '78...

This one came down across the street...

 

[89wrangler]

Getting to head home to fire up my generator. Just found out the house has been without power since 9am this morning..

 

[Fabrik8]

Our power came back at 3, and then our internet went out.

Most of the Yamaha I've messed with ran the robin (subaru) engine. Which is an awesome (albeit overly needlessly complex in "efi" trim)
But when running, those robin engines are badass.
Honda's aren't what they once were. In fact I'd buy a new predator before I'd buy a new honda.

What about the Cummins home gen stuff? Any good?

 

[Ron]

What about the Cummins home gen stuff? Any good?

Well...what generation...the early 90s stuff with the Honda engine and Stamford alternators were little mini tanks Rated at (If memory serves) 18kw standby and Ive personally seen one hold a 4 hour 40kw continuous load bank with only slight suplemental engine cooling.

Then they started improving and value engineering and the resi stuff from about 2005-2012 was ...well ...let's just say not worthy of Clessie Cummins OR Charles Onan's last names.
Then they discontinued it and dropped all consumer product.
Then they re entered the market a couple years ago and they are in the model-redesign-a-month-club.
Id say their current 20kW resi offering is on par to Generac and better than Kohler (My vote for biggest garbage in the indutry)..but not worth the 25% price premium.

When it comes to true home standby, and Im talking permanent mount NG/LP air cooled units it's all cheap stuff. Its designed to last 5-7 years because that's how long an average homeowner owns a home.
You can step up to the light duty liquid cooled units but they cost more than double...Id just spend $5 and plan on replacing it every 7 years or so if I had to have home standby unit

 

[Tacoma747]

Look for a MEP-802a (5kw) or 803a(10kw). I don't buy them anymore because they sell for more at auction than I can sell one for. I have a 803a and have run all at once:
Dryer
Stove
A/C (might have been heat I don't remember)
Water heater
And plenty of lights.

Best I remember it took running all that at once to put a good load on the gen, best I remember it was reading around 120% on the gauge, but just chugged right along for the likely 10-15 minutes I would guess we ran it to test.

This info might be useless if you want a truly portable gen, but if you want a whole house gen they work awesome. The 5kw will suit most people as long as you are willing to 'rough it' and not run every high draw appliance in your house at once.

Oh yea, they are quiet too, not inverter quiet, but you can still talk to someone standing 5' from one.

 

[skyhighZJ]

^^ it’s true and with the “quality” of Army mechanics now a days they still run like a champ despite the mechanics best efforts to fuck them up. One 10kw we had ran about 3 hours on load with ATF instead of oil cause a young, wet behind the ears private serviced it and grabbed the wrong jug for an oil change

 

[WARRIORWELDING]

Alright,.....question.

What is the biggest disadvantage of running something like a welder generator?

For instance my Older Ranger 10,000 kva. Unit
220 volt 50amp plug(? Small alcohol fog going) and or dual 110 volt plugs.
20 something horse.....motor. Act like a gas hog and isn't so quiet. Other than that what is the disadvantages to using it to power the house?


Reason I ask is generator welders rarely come up in these convos. Gear head self sufficient do all kind of fellas who could actually use the welding side as well.....never mention these.

 

[89wrangler]

Our power is still out. Got the porter cable( Honda) 5500 running the basement fridge and upright freeze. Got the Craftsman 3000 running the upstairs fridge. Sitting in the RV with the diesel generator purring, AC on watching the Panthers game.

 

[83oldyoda4x4]

Anybody have any experience with the champion brand at tractor supply?

 

[Blkvoodoo]

Anybody have any experience with the champion brand at tractor supply?

They’re reasonably quiet, and cheap, not much product support once out of warranty, I’ve got 2 that run but the generator heads have shorted, not worth the cost to repair.

 

[Ron]

Look for a MEP-802a (5kw) or 803a(10kw). I don't buy them anymore because they sell for more at auction than I can sell one for. I have a 803a and have run all at once:
Dryer
Stove
A/C (might have been heat I don't remember)
Water heater
And plenty of lights.

Best I remember it took running all that at once to put a good load on the gen, best I remember it was reading around 120% on the gauge, but just chugged right along for the likely 10-15 minutes I would guess we ran it to test.

This info might be useless if you want a truly portable gen, but if you want a whole house gen they work awesome. The 5kw will suit most people as long as you are willing to 'rough it' and not run every high draw appliance in your house at once.

Oh yea, they are quiet too, not inverter quiet, but you can still talk to someone standing 5' from one.

They are tanks for sure.
But you cant use those kW numbers in relation to the home standy by.
Those are Prime Power COntinuous ratings and home stand by are..well ...stand by.
Its a varied and complex calculation for rule of thumb the Prime Cont rating is about 45% of the standby rating.

IOW that 10kW would have a 25+ kw rating in standby.
Then you have the mil derate standard and that doubles that.

803a were sold to us gov for ~$42k from CPG/ONAN direct....

 

[jeepin' jen]

We picked up a Predator 8750 about 3 years ago for our old camper for the Veterans Day ride. That's the only time I recall using it but no complaints here - it kept the lights on, my ass toasty warm, & I was able to dry & curl my hair (You know, super important things when camping). It's always fired right up too!

 

[WARRIORWELDING]

They are tanks for sure.
But you cant use those kW numbers in relation to the home standy by.
Those are Prime Power COntinuous ratings and home stand by are..well ...stand by.
Its a varied and complex calculation for rule of thumb the Prime Cont rating is about 45% of the standby rating.

IOW that 10kW would have a 25+ kw rating in standby.
Then you have the mil derate standard and that doubles that.

803a were sold to us gov for ~$42k from CPG/ONAN direct....

English means they are badass or over priced lowest bidder built junk?
The lingo makes me think standby equals potential or peak while the other numbers mean full tilt grunt 100 percent duty cycle....or something.

 

[Ron]

English means they are badass or over priced lowest bidder built junk?
The lingo makes me think standby equals potential or peak while the other numbers mean full tilt grunt 100 percent duty cycle....or something.

What tacoma is talking about are used military gens.

Its like comparing a H1 upfitted for combat Humvee to an H2 street car...or in the case of "portable gasoline models" it would like comparing it to an RC power hummer

 

[Ron]

Im going to trash this thread up not meaning to...

Engines derate on 2 primary factors. temperature and altitude.

Mil Spec says if something is rated for X kW it must produce that kW at the highest peak ever occupied by US military force and the highest temp. With a +20% on both.

For example...a 500kW at 104F and 850' above sea level (mocksville) might only be good for 100kW if you placed it on the top of mount everest and it was 148 degrees that day on top of mount everest.


DOD active doesnt low bidder junk...it aint in their vocabulary.
Doing a job at Bragg currently where the cost is roughly 42x what a civilian project would cost...