Is the Predator Generator 6500 from Harbor Freight Tools any good? Stick around to find out. I’ll take it out of the box, fill it up, and test it out. Thanks for stopping by to check out my first impression of this portable generator.
This is a great generator for the price. I just ran my house for 3 Days Non-Stop. Had it for 4 years now works great. I believe my unit has a 420 cc engine and the new ones have a smaller motor
Awesome. Do you have a transfer switch or anything set up so you can just plug the generator in and decide what circuits to run? I actually have a generator interlock set up with a 30 amp breaker in my main panel. I’ll have to do a video on that some time as well.
@@TorqueWagon I have the same. The Interlock system I just flipped the switch for the main off and the generator switch on. It directly feeds the entire panel. For my house I can pretty much run everything with it except for my 3.5 ton AC unit. I even had the pool pump kick on one time on accident because it was on a timer. It kicked it on and it's a one horsepower pump.
@@moegreenbl I think mine will probably be about the same. I have a 3.5 ton A/C unit as well. I won’t be able to run the electric stove or the two electric water heaters either. My heat is natural gas, so I just have to power the blower motor for that in the winter.
@@TorqueWagon when we bought our house I was glad that pretty much everything is run on gas the stove, the furnace, and the hot water heater. Plus the dryer. We live where we have a gas line so I don't need propane. Everything else is pretty much off the grid. We have a well and a septic. Without a generator no water. Definitely a great investment.
Thanks for the video brother.. so do u recommend it. My wife been on my butt since 2011 when we had a huge storm to get a generator. Never bought one so I figured I saved a shit ton of money so far lol. I was at Harbor freight today and saw it.. Is it worth it?
Here are the rules about portable generator safety: This is just a reminder for everyone’s safety. All generator safety rules should be followed carefully. This advice is just to make sure that everyone is aware of all the warnings and it’s just to remind people to be careful using portable generators. Generators can be dangerous if not used carefully. Every year, hundreds of people die or get injured when using portable generators due to carbon monoxide poisoning and electrocution. Make sure you are using your generator carefully and keeping others safe as well. There is something very serious that everyone should always be aware of when using generators. Some people do run their generator indoors which is not safe and that increases the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning which can cause death of family and you. Some people run their generator in wet conditions which can electrocute them. Please remember that you should never run your generator indoors. Remember that carbon monoxide is an odorless and colorless gas that you cannot see or smell. Carbon monoxide is a silent killer. Keep that in mind. Make sure your generator is 15-20 feet away from your house and away from doors, windows, and vents. Never use your generator in your porch too. Having a carbon monoxide detector is very important against generator safety. Some people also allow children to go near the portable generator which could pose risks. We need to keep an eye on our children making sure that they are not near the portable generator so they won’t get electrocuted or burned by the generator which is dangerous. A locking enclosure also keeps kids safe. A generator shed might look like a tempting place to explore, or take cover during a game of hide and seek, but a generator is a dangerous piece of equipment that can cause injury. It says on the manual that we should also keep children away at all times from the portable generator to avoid injuries. Please do not allow a child or unqualified people to operate the portable generator. It is important to keep your children safe especially little ones. The portable generator can be hot during an operation. Just because some manuals missed what should be listed doesn’t mean it’s safe to do. Always follow the generator safety rules when using portable generators. Generators pose electrical risks. If you need to use your generator during wet weather, you need a generator tent to protect your generator from getting wet. Don’t let your generator get wet. Keep your generator dry and before using your generator, please make sure your hands and your generator is dry. Do not wear loose clothing when operating the generator. Everything that is said on the generator’s operating manual should not be ignored. Never smoke cigarettes near the generator. Please keep flammable things away from the generator. Never overload your generator too. Your generator can catch fire. Never ever try to plug a generator cord into a wall outlet to avoid back feeding. Back feeding your generator is dangerous. Always turn on your generator first before plugging in appliances and shut off the appliances before turning your generator off. Use a heavy duty cord for your generator and the cord should not be worn out. All the instructions should be followed carefully. Never refuel your generator while it’s running. It can cause fire if fuel spills while your generator is hot. You should turn off your generator and let it cool off before refueling it. Having a fire extinguisher next to the generator is also important. This is only a reminder for everyone’s safety of using generators. Make sure your generator is properly grounded. Having a fire extinguisher next to the generator is also important against the safety rules. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-I1jT3ANENvI.html and here is a video more about keeping others safe when using generators and also about our family’s safety. Hope this helps. Thank you.
I’ll be doing the same and should be getting a video out about that soon. I didn’t notice that it said 25A max, but you have to use a 30 amp cable with it, so I think it should be fine.
It’s not grounded unless you have it attached to a grounding rod or have it plugged in to a grounded circuit. I’m plugging mine in to a generator plug on my house so I’m not going to worry about a grounding rod.
Just got one just like it only difrence the newer ones the gas cap is on the end of the tank there $599 here now i think there purdy good mine started 2nd pull right out of the box were expecting a ice storm
I get confusing answers on this, Does this generator need to be grounded? but i thought it was grounded to the frame already? i have the same one, want to know if thats something i have to do every time i want to use it. ughhh
My understanding is that it’s grounded if you have it plugged into a 4 prong inlet to power a house, but if you want to have ground protection when it’s not plugged in, you have to attach a ground rod. Essentially it’s like running two prong outlets if you don’t have it grounded.
I saw that it started on one pull. My question is was it an easy pull? I have some arthritis in my shoulder and I'm wondering about the pull start one as opposed to one that has an electrical start. Good review thanks. Sorry. I just watched it again and you did say it was an easy pull. Thanks
It’s an extremely easy pull. My wife has the upper body strength of a toddler and she could handle it no problem. I also have tendinitis issues with my shoulder and it didn’t bother me. Predator has some new generators out now, though, so you may be able to get one at this price point with an electric start sometime soon if that’s what would work best for you.
Thanks again. I just bought the 6500 and was reading the manual and it states that this needs to be grounded. I assumed since it’s portable the frame was its ground. Is it really necessary to ground this generator? I’m planning on just pulling it out of the garage and running heavy duty extension cords and not plug it into the electrical panel with a transfer switch. I was surprised when I read that. Thanks.
I read the same thing and my understanding is that if you want the full grounding functionality of the third prong of the outlets, you have to either be plugged into a system that is grounded with an actual grounding rod or connect the generator directly to a grounding rod. Otherwise the outlets basically operate like the old two prong outlets with no ground wire.
This model doesn’t have an option for electric start that I know of, but the 9,000 starting watt model has that option. Much like the wheel kit, I think that might be something you have to pay extra for.
I’m running mine on gasoline, so I haven’t looked into conversion kits yet. I’d like to maybe run it on natural gas at some point, so I may look into that in the future.
I never looked for one, so I don’t know where you might get one. I would look at an electrical supply store first if I were trying to find one. I ended up setting my house up to plug the generator in directly so I have a locking 4 prong 30 amp cord for that. When it’s connected, it’s grounded through the house electrical system.
My neighbor runs his house with this generator his stove and dryer is electric he says it takes ai little longer but works and that is while using the AC sump pump and pool filter
you should have turned the fuel off and close the petcock to off... get all that fuel out of the carb, even with the stabalizer, it only lasts so long... as me how I know lol.
@@huddy5941 I don't ever keep gas in it, but you better make sure to have fuel stabilizer in it... Generators unfortunately don't get used that often so they tend to get gummed up carbs if you leave fuel in them.
@@huddy5941 make sure to use fuel stabilizer in it and you would be ok I guess if you’re using it decently often. Personally I’m not a big fan of leaving fuel in the tank of something that isn’t used every week or so but whatever you want, it’s your engine.
