Portable Generators--What Brand?

[DAD]

One year with mine, bought it based on a friends recommendation, he’s used one for quite awhile. It runs our cabin flawlessly and quiet. The price is so good that I had to try it over the Honda.

I really want to go with the Honda 2200 or 3000, but I keep hearing so many good things about the Predators.

I know Project Farm did a review on generators and the Honda came out on top, where the predator had some wear.

I can get a large, quiet Predator for significantly cheaper than a Honda of similar size.

Torn on what to do.

 

[Dogone]

Yamaha 3000 inverter. Can hook to my house through a lock out switch. Powers freezers, furnace ,water system and lights no problem. Excellent product.

 

[ScreamingPotato]

I really want to go with the Honda 2200 or 3000, but I keep hearing so many good things about the Predators.

I know Project Farm did a review on generators and the Honda came out on top, where the predator had some wear.

I can get a large, quiet Predator for significantly cheaper than a Honda of similar size.

Torn on what to do.

IMO Hondas often enjoy extended longevity due to the fact that people pay out the nose and are careful with maintenance. I'm sure they're the best, but the question is how much better are they and if you maintain a cheaper gennie will it also last? I see people taking Hondas in annually for routine maintenance with hardly any use on them. If you can buy three Predators for the price of a Honda will the Honda last three times as long as well maintained Predators? Opinions vary. The Honda will be quieter, how much quieter is open to interpretation.

 

[6mm Remington]

I got 2 for sale…lol

Had to put new carbs on both of them.

View attachment 635021
View attachment 635022

I don't know if this is the case in your situation, but that fuel with ethanol is hell on carbs. If you cannot find fuel without it either run your generator empty before putting it away, or drain the fuel into a gas can and then run it dry. I learned that the hard way.

 

[ScreamingPotato]

I don't know if this is the case in your situation, but that fuel with ethanol is hell on carbs. If you cannot find fuel without it either run your generator empty before putting it away, or drain the fuel into a gas can and then run it dry.

Always always always run the fuel out! I've never had an issue with anything carb'd when I've done that, lawn mowers, 4 wheelers, gennies, water pumps, anything.

 

[sasquatch]

IMO Hondas often enjoy extended longevity due to the fact that people pay out the nose and are careful with maintenance. I'm sure they're the best, but the question is how much better are they and if you maintain a cheaper gennie will it also last? I see people taking Hondas in annually for routine maintenance with hardly any use on them. If you can buy three Predators for the price of a Honda will the Honda last three times as long as well maintained Predators? Opinions vary. The Honda will be quieter, how much quieter is open to interpretation.

I am a quality type person and likely would buy the Honda

But the real way to think of it is, since the Predator is half the price, is one Honda better than 2 predators?? Probably not


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[MallardSX2]

ALways use non-ethanol in carb motors and always run the fuel out. Words to live by.

 

[Titan]

Firman sells "refurbs" for a significant discount. The 4000w dual fuel is about $300-$330 currently. This is my second refurb from them and I can't tell that it's ever been used.

 

[three5x5s]

I am a quality type person and likely would buy the Honda

But the real way to think of it is, since the Predator is half the price, is one Honda better than 2 predators?? Probably not


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

If it takes 2 or 3 Predators to last as long as 1 Honda, that's 1 or 2 times you needed a generator and didn't have one that worked. That said I don't have a Honda.

 

[Yellowknife]

IMO Hondas often enjoy extended longevity due to the fact that people pay out the nose and are careful with maintenance.

This is not the case in my world. Honda 2000's and 2200i's are abused in the extreme in Alaska. Oil never changed, rattled around in the back of boats, planes, ATV's and utility trucks. Left for months or years at cabins and tent camps. Stolen and re-sold. I don't think the one in my camper has seen a wrench in it's 17 year life. There are many other functional generators, and I own some... but those baby Honda's take a beating.

 

[ScreamingPotato]

Firman sells "refurbs" for a significant discount. The 4000w dual fuel is about $300-$330 currently. This is my second refurb from them and I can't tell that it's ever been used.

I ordered a 2000i refurb and it came in beat to hell, looked like it rolled around in a dump truck for a while. It did work and made power, but I sent it back because it looked to have a million hours on it.

I won't buy another Firman, we've killed two bangers at camp and my 2000i that I've had a long time I've had to replace the carb as well as the ignition coil. I do like it a lot when it runs fine so perhaps I'm being two critical on that one. The bangers always stop making power at some point, Firman support is completely useless and want to replace the AVR and brushes which I do every time and still doesn't work. Something bad internally happens and the generators never get fixed, and this process takes months to finally give up. The old Champions will give us 5 years out there in that environment and we got less than a year out of both Firmans.

 

[JustinNC]

I know several folks with Predators, and some even own Hondas. I don't know a single person that would buy a Honda again over the Predator. I do know some that own Honda that won't own Predator, but those are the same folks that insist Yeti>Rtic, critter's cant be killed with a Rem 700ADL, etc....

 

[spur60]

Firman sells "refurbs" for a significant discount. The 4000w dual fuel is about $300-$330 currently. This is my second refurb from them and I can't tell that it's ever been used.

I bought this exact one last week. Mine looks brand new. Slight knock - it's doesn't have 220/240V capability. I don't need that for what I want to keep energized in my house during an extended power outage. I have cooking, heating, and cooling options that are either propane or 120V.

 

[ScreamingPotato]

^I think a lot of those refurbs are people who buy them for hurricane prep, start them up to test them and let them sit for a year then the carbs are gummed up when they test them again. Great deal if you get a good one. Is Firman the only brand that does this? If so I do wonder why they've got so many available.

 

[Titan]

I saw that somewhere else, that these are mainly unused returns that they cannot sell as "new". I haven't seen any other manufacturers doing this. Could even be a Costco specific issue since most sellers won't accept returns with engines.

 

[sasquatch]

If it takes 2 or 3 Predators to last as long as 1 Honda, that's 1 or 2 times you needed a generator and didn't have one that worked. That said I don't have a Honda.

Or you buy two to start with. Can parallel for double power, then be down to single if/and one gives issues

All that said I’d prob buy the Honda, but I have no way to sell it on others being how much more it is.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[DAD]

I feel like I am leaning towards Champion or Predator at the moment.

Champion has a 3 year warranty.

Predator I can buy an extended warranty and get 1 free trade in (from what I've read).

Both Champion and Predator make dual fuel models. I'd really like to run on propane.

Thoughts?

 

[SouthernEngineer]

I purchased the Predator 5000W dual fuel earlier this year for dry camping and power outages. I got it during a sale and opted for the extended protection plan.

Last week we lost power with the hurricane and we run the generator 5 days almost constant, powering our camper, house refrigerator and two big freezers before we got power back. This paid for itself right there. Now my sister-in-law is using it, they are not expected to get power back for another 4 weeks.

I done the break in oil change at 56 hours and expected the oil to be metallic from parts wearing, but there was none to be found. I highly recommend going Predator.

 

[Mighty Mouse]

Is the Honda 2200 big enough to run multiple appliances at once?

Depends on what appliances and how many of them.

2200 watts gives you 18 amps to work with at 120 volts. A typical household fridge or freezer draws about 10 amps when the compressor first kicks on then levels off to about 5 amps of sustained draw. You could likely run two fridges or freezers simultaneously plus some lighting with no problem. If the compressors on both tried to start at the same time, you might trip the breaker on the generator.

Microwaves have a pretty substantial amp draw (≈10-15 amps), so don’t count on running one simultaneously with other appliances.

Unless they’re gas-fired, a lot of your other major appliances (range, clothes dryer, water heater, HVAC unit) will require 240 volts, which a 2200 watt generator can’t deliver.

 

[willtim]

I am day nine without power thanks to Helene. I have a Generac 6500 portable that, except to change the oil, has been running nonstop. It powers everything in my house except the upstairs A/C, the oven, and the dryer. Over 200 hours. It has been flawless and a life saver.