I have a Champion 3500w that's about ten years old. Its been pathetically reliable. Acceptably quiet, very fuel efficient, zero oil consumption etc. I'm happy with it. Probably a bit loud for an RV park? I do not own a Predator generator but I'd buy one in a heartbeat if I needed one. I up to three Predator engines in my garage on various pieces of junk. Two 212cc horizontals and one 173cc vertical. The Predators are the absolute best engines I've ever dealt with. Super easy to start, fuel efficient, quiet, powerful, reliable. The Champion is just as good btw.
Predator 3500 Watt Inverter Generator
- Thread starter Astro_Guy
- Start date
Its not a Predator engine... Its Loncin...
Originally Posted by Kamele0N
Its not a Predator engine... Its Loncin...
And the same unit that Northern Tool sells under it's powerhorse brand, Side by side comparison and the only difference is the position of the parallel ports on the front panel, internally they are identical.
Its not a Predator engine... Its Loncin...
And the same unit that Northern Tool sells under it's powerhorse brand, Side by side comparison and the only difference is the position of the parallel ports on the front panel, internally they are identical.
I'm thinking of getting one of these for surge loads. I have a Yamaha EF2000is that struggles in eco mode to start our older fridge. Same with the freezer and the freezer has a PTC start circuit and I really don't want burn that out. I could just turn off eco mode but then it'll be noisy and annoying when the fridge runs with a steady state load of 150W and the freezer at 100W.
For those with the Predator 3500W inverter, how well does it handle starting motor loads in eco mode?
For those with the Predator 3500W inverter, how well does it handle starting motor loads in eco mode?
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It starts my 13.5btu AC unit without any struggle at all in eco mode. The pitch of the engine barely changes.
Originally Posted by ironman_gq
It starts my 13.5btu AC unit without any struggle at all in eco mode. The pitch of the engine barely changes.
Thanks!! You're the first person to reply (I asked over at RV.net too) Years ago when I first got my Yamaha I did a bunch of testing on it, others did with their Hondas. Seems people don't do testing anymore and instead just want to say 'it won't work'.
Appreciate it!
It starts my 13.5btu AC unit without any struggle at all in eco mode. The pitch of the engine barely changes.
Thanks!! You're the first person to reply (I asked over at RV.net too) Years ago when I first got my Yamaha I did a bunch of testing on it, others did with their Hondas. Seems people don't do testing anymore and instead just want to say 'it won't work'.
Appreciate it!
I posted earlier that mine ran 70hrs straight on Eco mode, load ranged from 800-2200 watts for the duration. I never noticed any issues when the AC kicked on, no stumbling, no issues with the compressor firing up and running.
Have one. Runs a 14,000 BTU marine AC and it's accompanying electric water pump real easy. If it has any distress over this, I cannot tell at all.
We bring it on a friend's sailboat, and it stays on the top deck. We do not enclose it under decks. Have no complaint and has survived the Marine environment well. I use Amsoil HDD. Have a lot to go through.
Noise is a minimum. After 3 minutes underway, everyone forgets it exists.
We bring it on a friend's sailboat, and it stays on the top deck. We do not enclose it under decks. Have no complaint and has survived the Marine environment well. I use Amsoil HDD. Have a lot to go through.
Noise is a minimum. After 3 minutes underway, everyone forgets it exists.
Thinking that Hurricane Dorian might head our way, I changed out the initial fill of Mobil1 10w-30 HM for some Rotella T6 5w-40 on Labor Day after 15 hours of shakedown runs on the target loads. Dorian passed us by, so on Saturday I thought I might give it a go with the T6 to see how it performed. Target loads means hooking it up to the home via a transfer switch and switching all available circuits over to the generator. This includes two refrigerators and a chest freezer. Just to make it interesting, I switched it into ECO mode and then fired up the dishwasher in a sani-rinse cycle with heated dry. Towards the end of that the gas oven went on, which requires electricity to run the ignitor and gas valve.
And the verdict is? For three hours generator was throttling up and down a lot, but never bogged down or stalled. My network infrastructure, meaning FiOS ONT and two downstream routers, never blinked.
This is completely subjective, but I think the motor sounded a little louder with the T6 than with the 10w-30. It could be my imagination, plus it was 74F vs. 90F the last time the generator had run on the 10w-30. Something tells me either would be fine for standby use.
And the verdict is? For three hours generator was throttling up and down a lot, but never bogged down or stalled. My network infrastructure, meaning FiOS ONT and two downstream routers, never blinked.
This is completely subjective, but I think the motor sounded a little louder with the T6 than with the 10w-30. It could be my imagination, plus it was 74F vs. 90F the last time the generator had run on the 10w-30. Something tells me either would be fine for standby use.
Thanks everyone for your feedback! I'm going to start looking for a coupon on the Predator and sell my Yamaha EF2000is as it's surge capability isn't very good.
https://www.harborfreight.com/savings_coupons.html
The Predator 3500 inverter is $689 at the moment. If you go to HF, buy something and give them your email address, chances are you will get a 20% off on one item coupon shortly thereafter.
The Predator 3500 inverter is $689 at the moment. If you go to HF, buy something and give them your email address, chances are you will get a 20% off on one item coupon shortly thereafter.
Originally Posted by Astro_Guy
https://www.harborfreight.com/savings_coupons.html
The Predator 3500 inverter is $689 at the moment. If you go to HF, buy something and give them your email address, chances are you will get a 20% off on one item coupon shortly thereafter.
I have a stack of 20% off coupons due to HF advertising in a lot of magazine, mail flyers, etc. Unfortunately the coupon won't work on a lot of their products, including generators or anything else with the name 'predator' in it.
https://www.harborfreight.com/savings_coupons.html
The Predator 3500 inverter is $689 at the moment. If you go to HF, buy something and give them your email address, chances are you will get a 20% off on one item coupon shortly thereafter.
I have a stack of 20% off coupons due to HF advertising in a lot of magazine, mail flyers, etc. Unfortunately the coupon won't work on a lot of their products, including generators or anything else with the name 'predator' in it.
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Originally Posted by JellyBeanDriver
Originally Posted by Astro_Guy
https://www.harborfreight.com/savings_coupons.html
The Predator 3500 inverter is $689 at the moment. If you go to HF, buy something and give them your email address, chances are you will get a 20% off on one item coupon shortly thereafter.
I have a stack of 20% off coupons due to HF advertising in a lot of magazine, mail flyers, etc. Unfortunately the coupon won't work on a lot of their products, including generators or anything else with the name 'predator' in it.
HF came out with a coupon today, $10 off $100 with no restrictions. That should make the Predator $679.99. I'm trying to decide to pick one up now or hope for a better deal. Black Friday is right around the corner!
Originally Posted by Astro_Guy
https://www.harborfreight.com/savings_coupons.html
The Predator 3500 inverter is $689 at the moment. If you go to HF, buy something and give them your email address, chances are you will get a 20% off on one item coupon shortly thereafter.
I have a stack of 20% off coupons due to HF advertising in a lot of magazine, mail flyers, etc. Unfortunately the coupon won't work on a lot of their products, including generators or anything else with the name 'predator' in it.
HF came out with a coupon today, $10 off $100 with no restrictions. That should make the Predator $679.99. I'm trying to decide to pick one up now or hope for a better deal. Black Friday is right around the corner!
Originally Posted by JellyBeanDriver
HF came out with a coupon today, $10 off $100 with no restrictions. That should make the Predator $679.99. I'm trying to decide to pick one up now or hope for a better deal. Black Friday is right around the corner!
I purchased mine on June 30 for $699. I think I've seen it advertised for as little as $649 since then. My guess is that that is as low as it goes.
HF came out with a coupon today, $10 off $100 with no restrictions. That should make the Predator $679.99. I'm trying to decide to pick one up now or hope for a better deal. Black Friday is right around the corner!
I purchased mine on June 30 for $699. I think I've seen it advertised for as little as $649 since then. My guess is that that is as low as it goes.
I got a heck of a deal on a Champion 3400 with remote start, Walmart was having online sales to compete with amazon prime day and had them for $799 with free shipping. Cant pass up a deal like that, came with battery included for ekectric start, and the Champion 3 year warranty.
Originally Posted by JellyBeanDriver
Originally Posted by JellyBeanDriver
Originally Posted by Astro_Guy
https://www.harborfreight.com/savings_coupons.html
The Predator 3500 inverter is $689 at the moment. If you go to HF, buy something and give them your email address, chances are you will get a 20% off on one item coupon shortly thereafter.
I have a stack of 20% off coupons due to HF advertising in a lot of magazine, mail flyers, etc. Unfortunately the coupon won't work on a lot of their products, including generators or anything else with the name 'predator' in it.
HF came out with a coupon today, $10 off $100 with no restrictions. That should make the Predator $679.99. I'm trying to decide to pick one up now or hope for a better deal. Black Friday is right around the corner!
Wait until hurricane season is over. There is no incentive to drop the prices significantly on generators right now.
Originally Posted by JellyBeanDriver
Originally Posted by Astro_Guy
https://www.harborfreight.com/savings_coupons.html
The Predator 3500 inverter is $689 at the moment. If you go to HF, buy something and give them your email address, chances are you will get a 20% off on one item coupon shortly thereafter.
I have a stack of 20% off coupons due to HF advertising in a lot of magazine, mail flyers, etc. Unfortunately the coupon won't work on a lot of their products, including generators or anything else with the name 'predator' in it.
HF came out with a coupon today, $10 off $100 with no restrictions. That should make the Predator $679.99. I'm trying to decide to pick one up now or hope for a better deal. Black Friday is right around the corner!
Wait until hurricane season is over. There is no incentive to drop the prices significantly on generators right now.
Just put another 30 hours on the Predator 3500 while at the Seven Peaks music festival. Worked like a champ and never skipped a beat. Lots of folks asked about it and the Honda guy next to us was amazed at how quiet it was. He had two of the Honda 2000i inverters and mine was quieter.
Originally Posted by cronk
I got a heck of a deal on a Champion 3400 with remote start, Walmart was having online sales to compete with amazon prime day and had them for $799 with free shipping. Cant pass up a deal like that, came with battery included for ekectric start, and the Champion 3 year warranty.
Great buy! How about starting a new thread to tell us all about it once you've had a chance to shake it down for a few hours?
I got a heck of a deal on a Champion 3400 with remote start, Walmart was having online sales to compete with amazon prime day and had them for $799 with free shipping. Cant pass up a deal like that, came with battery included for ekectric start, and the Champion 3 year warranty.
Great buy! How about starting a new thread to tell us all about it once you've had a chance to shake it down for a few hours?
Originally Posted by wag123
Wait until hurricane season is over. There is no incentive to drop the prices significantly on generators right now.
Very sound advice, thanks for sharing!
Wait until hurricane season is over. There is no incentive to drop the prices significantly on generators right now.
Very sound advice, thanks for sharing!
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This thread is somewhat turning in to a predator vs champion now, which is ok because I have been looking at both. So my question is, except for price is there really that much difference between the two? It almost seems as if the specs are just about the same, dimentions, power etc... The remote start seems like a good feature if you are using it for hurricane backup power. Is there something missing?
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