As many people rag on Harbor Freight over the [low] quality of SOME of their tools, an equal number have praised their warranty service. It is good to see that they did right by you, especially on a big-ticket item like this Predator.
Our equivalent to Harbor Freight in Canada is Princess Auto. They are also very good at warranty repairs and or replacement. Their motto is “ we’re not happy til you are “. 👍🇨🇦
@@mos8541 never had a problem with returns or exchanges . Sometimes you need to expect to get what you pay for, occasionally you’ll find a diamond in the rough.
Harbor Freights, Big Brother or sister store, whatever you want to call it, Princess Auto here in Canada, is the same way when it comes to warranty replacements.
I was fortunate enough to live near the first Harbor Freight in Camarillo CA. Might have been around 85 or 86. Bought an engine hoist from there. Still have it today. I'm on my 2nd cylinder jack and works great. I remember their business model and guarantee policy. This is one reason they are so successful today. I live near Elkin NC now, In the sticks, and a HF opened here last year and its busy.
Been watching your channel for awhile. I've been looking at generators also, so your review was just what I needed yo decide on this one. Thanks for what you do.
Nice! Up here in Canada our Harbour Freight equivalent is Princess Auto. It's my favorite mechanical/hardware go-to store. It has just about everything and carries many major brands of specialty trade tools at far better discount prices as well, compared to HD, Rona or former Lowes.
I just picked up this same 13K generator from HF. Looking forward to getting it setup and tested out. We plan to use it as a whole home backup gen. Gotta love HF and their return/warranty policy.
Wow it threaded up and everything. HF is pretty good with the warranty. At least you will know what to do in the future, if that messes up out of warranty. I had never set one up for propane or natural gas before. Natural gas is cool if you can use it. You don't have to deal with gasoline, running out and I think it would be safer. Also less fumes.
The curious part of me wonders whether the solenoid valve itself failed, or if it simply wasn't getting power from the generator itself? Either way, good on HF to give you a replacement unit without hassle.
They cost less than a Honda for a reason. Also, many people who buy generators fail to break them in. This is important. There is no better portable generator than a Honda. I have had very few issues with Predator equipment but they are cheap for a reason. Rather have a Predator than a Generac. There is also a reason that they model their engines after Honda's. Some of those cheap Chinese electronic parts have a higher rate of failure.
Someone a few years ago gave me a vintage Honda Generator EM-500 because it wouldn't start. I soaked and rebuilt the carburetor because of being used with Ethanol Gasoline and now it starts with one tug on the starter rope. Ethanol use is the worst thing for vintage Engines!
@@hinspect Yes. Some of the old carbs used cork or porous material for floats and they soak up all that ethanol and sink to the bottom of the bowl. Also, the ethanol corrodes the aluminum in the carb blocking the jets. Lived in a place with no electricity we had an old EG 2200 that never failed us. That was our back up for the always failing Generac 5000's that we had. We used that Honda more than any other generator. Never failed us. Used it daily for about 6 to 8 hours every day for years.
I bought a 9000 watt generator from Harbor Freight for each of my 6 rental properties that I keep in my garage (I deliver them to the properties if they call and tell me the power is out) for when we inevitably lose power living here in Maine. Every winter we lose power at least a few times and sometime can last for several days meaning no running water (well water) and no heat (oil heat but you still need electricity for the burner and pumps). I haven't had many issues with them at all with the exception one the electric start stopped working and another for some reason stayed at high idle even when there was no load. Both times Harbor Freight replaced them with no questions asked. These generators are awesome over the last couple years and keep my tenants and their families safe and warm during bad weather and extended power outages.
For those that have this problem with their Harbor freight generator, I would like to point out that it is a very good possibility that reason why the things fail for the gas and propane side is usually due to people, not reading the instructions and slowly opening the valve like you’re supposed to on the propane tank so if this is not your problem, and you have a couple of times where the propane works, and then it bogs down, it could be the simple fact of there’s a well-known problem when people hook their propane tanks to the generator that they turn on the Gas full blast as fast as they can, and that ends up Confusing the electronics of it in this case or in other cases like the Honda ones it ends up the propane pressure bladder so PSA if you’re gonna get a tri fuel generator and you’re gonna use it for propane open your gas tanks slowly but in my personal generator, I have only used the propane twice becauseit doesn’t run as efficient as using gasoline you get more power and wattage from the gasoline versus any of the other ones
Love scratch & dent sales! Last year I bought a brand new $500 compressor for $50 because previous customer returned it complaining of an air leak. I figured it just needed some teflon or high pressure thread seal redone on the factory fittings. Turned out all it was, a little piece of manufacturing metal debris in the rubber seal of the tanks main check valve. Super win for me!
I haven't had to replace a harbor freight generator but some other things I had to put a claim in online it was very easy. If I ever upgrade to the 13 KW generator I will probably buy their protection as I heard good things about it before. Thanks for the tip. FLY NAVY!!!
I'm sure I may not be the only one thinking this but can you actually explain the solenoid part (more) you're replacing, and why that works over the other one without the 12v plug you mentioned? How does the blue solenoid function without the 12V energizing?? Thank you for sharing and glad you got a replacement. Mine has never given me that issue but good to learn. (Lastly, can you share what part # specifically or a site where one can procure that just in case?)
After chasing this thing around for months, I finally picked one up today, West Palm Beach Florida. Can't wait to get it set up and test it out, I'm gonna use it to run my whole house. I got about 3000 ft.².
I had some propane problems with my duromax 13000. I switched spark plugs and let the line purge per duromaxes recommendations and haven’t had a problem since
My brand new out of the box has two cracks in the valve cover spewing oil everywhere. Couldn’t even use it during the hurricane and can’t find a replacement cover for it so guess it’s going back to HF
This is what really bugs me about HF. I'm a member of their Inside Track Club, and I really want to buy this generator. It's only available in stores - not online. Not in stock in my local HF. Not in any "nearby" stores. Or anywhere in NC. Or VA, KY, SC, TN, GA. Now they pour salt in the wound by sending me a coupon for 15% off any generator.
I have one of there generators after 2 years only did the break in went to start it wouldn’t start gas one carburetor was apart the bolt for the bowl was broken imagine that I had buy new carb but works now
So you cant start that generator without battery power? A starter is cool but i always make sure i can pull start my generator. Batteries today are junk and when you need a generator that battery will be flat.
Yeah they will hum along at 1800 rpm’s for days. Wish they could adapt a 4 pole generator in the power range of the smaller gas engines. Would sure beat running 3000 + rpm for days in some cases
Had a New Harbor Freight Open about a mile away but I haven’t had a need to stop by and check it out yet. My brother-in-law’s like going into their Stores. 👍
As your whole house generator, have you had any issues regarding that it’s not an inverter generator? It’s half the price and 4000 watts more than their 9500 inverter unit.
Even though this generator says "13000 watts" that's STARTING power, running power is 10,000 watts which is essentially same load as the 9500 watt inverter generator. So you could make this "dirty power" generator work for home backup if you bought cheap UPS battery backup surge protection boxes to plug your laptops & sensitive electronics in, this dirty sinewave generator will startup & run your home AC air compressor, however it will reduce the life of the components with the higher current inrush vs inverter condutioned power. You can fix the issue with your HVAC reduced life by installing a small inverter or even cheaper $200 "soft starter" on your outdoor unit if it doesn't have one, but now the cost keeps creeping up to the inverter generator price. Asking if it "works" is nuanced, you can make it work cheaper than an inverter by buying small APC UPS battery surge units for sensitive electronics receptacles, and you can startup a 240VAC 30A aircon outside unit compressor-condenser without modifying it BUT each time you do you are reducing its life compared to using inverter-conditioned voltage. BTW this unit is probably not going to run 2 high-load 240VAC loads at the same time like your AC compressor & your electric stove, you WILL need to turn 1 off to run the other. The problem is we have so many "smart home" electronics in expensive fridges & ranges that this unconditioned power could damage, home security systems, camera systems, I would just bite the bullet spend $1700 on 9500 watt inverter & NOT be trying to figure out what you can & can't run, the inverter ensures safe voltage level, balance, conditioning, & provides controlled shutdown saving your home appliances if you are dumb & try to pull too much load. You can make the $1100 work, you just put your home at alot more risk of damaging expensive appliances, if you have to ask how, you don't know how & will damage stuff - seriously just get the inverter generator, a destroyed fridge & range & ac compressor during a blackout is not worth the savings of IF everything ends up working fine.
That's is probably true...I just got one today. It was on display. I have been trying for 2 months to get one. Got home after a one hour drive and tested it....BIG fail. The motor started and was healthy but NO power.
Those HF generator are cheapest but they have the most unreliable generators on the market I would have bought a Generac brand from HD for the house and a huge propane tank you could use it for heating and BBQ
For HOME power backup I would probably buy the Predator dual-fuel inverter 9500 watt running power for $1700 on sale Black Friday. Comparable to this non-inverter at 10,000 watt running power, the inverter eliminates the need for higher starting current which is what the "13,000 watt" means. If you startup all your home-appliances 1 by 1 under this $1100 generator you should be able to prevent the starting current in-rush damaging equipment if you have cheap $100 UPS battery backup surge-protectors on your computers & fridge, you would need to install an inverter on your outside AC unit if you don't have one, about $200ish This generator is fine for running a
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As many people rag on Harbor Freight over the [low] quality of SOME of their tools, an equal number have praised their warranty service. It is good to see that they did right by you, especially on a big-ticket item like this Predator.
With products that unreliable they have to have a good warranty service lol
Not any good when hurricane 🌀 season and they won’t have any replacement in stock. My question is what’s better than this one , thanks
@@garrettspivey Not all do Mr Negative.
@@philippusviridi6527 What is, "all," and what do they not do? And what was negative about what I said?
They have a 90 day warranty so if you did not buy extended warranty its going to cost you
Our equivalent to Harbor Freight in Canada is Princess Auto. They are also very good at warranty repairs and or replacement. Their motto is
“ we’re not happy til you are “. 👍🇨🇦
were not happy til your not happy
@@mos8541 never had a problem with returns or exchanges . Sometimes you need to expect to get what you pay for, occasionally you’ll find a diamond in the rough.
Exactly. Good temp fix. I work on ref and use those magnets a lot.
Harbor Freights, Big Brother or sister store, whatever you want to call it, Princess Auto here in Canada, is the same way when it comes to warranty replacements.
Well done Curtis, our hardware store Bunnings here in Australia are also like that with a warranty replacement 👍 Au
I was fortunate enough to live near the first Harbor Freight in Camarillo CA. Might have been around 85 or 86. Bought an engine hoist from there. Still have it today. I'm on my 2nd cylinder jack and works great. I remember their business model and guarantee policy. This is one reason they are so successful today. I live near Elkin NC now, In the sticks, and a HF opened here last year and its busy.
alright let’s go i appreciate the different system repair
Been watching your channel for awhile. I've been looking at generators also, so your review was just what I needed yo decide on this one. Thanks for what you do.
Nice! Up here in Canada our Harbour Freight equivalent is Princess Auto. It's my favorite mechanical/hardware go-to store. It has just about everything and carries many major brands of specialty trade tools at far better discount prices as well, compared to HD, Rona or former Lowes.
I just picked up this same 13K generator from HF. Looking forward to getting it setup and tested out. We plan to use it as a whole home backup gen. Gotta love HF and their return/warranty policy.
Wow it threaded up and everything. HF is pretty good with the warranty. At least you will know what to do in the future, if that messes up out of warranty. I had never set one up for propane or natural gas before. Natural gas is cool if you can use it. You don't have to deal with gasoline, running out and I think it would be safer. Also less fumes.
My is set up for natural gas and runs great.
The curious part of me wonders whether the solenoid valve itself failed, or if it simply wasn't getting power from the generator itself? Either way, good on HF to give you a replacement unit without hassle.
I was able to test and confirm it wasn’t getting voltage
They cost less than a Honda for a reason. Also, many people who buy generators fail to break them in. This is important. There is no better portable generator than a Honda. I have had very few issues with Predator equipment but they are cheap for a reason. Rather have a Predator than a Generac. There is also a reason that they model their engines after Honda's. Some of those cheap Chinese electronic parts have a higher rate of failure.
Someone a few years ago gave me a vintage Honda Generator EM-500 because it wouldn't start. I soaked and rebuilt the carburetor because of being used with Ethanol Gasoline and now it starts with one tug on the starter rope. Ethanol use is the worst thing for vintage Engines!
@@hinspect Yes. Some of the old carbs used cork or porous material for floats and they soak up all that ethanol and sink to the bottom of the bowl. Also, the ethanol corrodes the aluminum in the carb blocking the jets. Lived in a place with no electricity we had an old EG 2200 that never failed us. That was our back up for the always failing Generac 5000's that we had. We used that Honda more than any other generator. Never failed us. Used it daily for about 6 to 8 hours every day for years.
I bought a 9000 watt generator from Harbor Freight for each of my 6 rental properties that I keep in my garage (I deliver them to the properties if they call and tell me the power is out) for when we inevitably lose power living here in Maine. Every winter we lose power at least a few times and sometime can last for several days meaning no running water (well water) and no heat (oil heat but you still need electricity for the burner and pumps). I haven't had many issues with them at all with the exception one the electric start stopped working and another for some reason stayed at high idle even when there was no load. Both times Harbor Freight replaced them with no questions asked. These generators are awesome over the last couple years and keep my tenants and their families safe and warm during bad weather and extended power outages.
Nice gen I need a small one for my camper
Looks like you got trees already flowering down there!!!
Oh yes
For those that have this problem with their Harbor freight generator, I would like to point out that it is a very good possibility that reason why the things fail for the gas and propane side is usually due to people, not reading the instructions and slowly opening the valve like you’re supposed to on the propane tank so if this is not your problem, and you have a couple of times where the propane works, and then it bogs down, it could be the simple fact of there’s a well-known problem when people hook their propane tanks to the generator that they turn on the Gas full blast as fast as they can, and that ends up Confusing the electronics of it in this case or in other cases like the Honda ones it ends up the propane pressure bladder so PSA if you’re gonna get a tri fuel generator and you’re gonna use it for propane open your gas tanks slowly but in my personal generator, I have only used the propane twice becauseit doesn’t run as efficient as using gasoline you get more power and wattage from the gasoline versus any of the other ones
I’m sure it will end up at the harbor freight “scratch and dent” outlets they have in some areas. Sold as-is.
Love scratch & dent sales! Last year I bought a brand new $500 compressor for $50 because previous customer returned it complaining of an air leak. I figured it just needed some teflon or high pressure thread seal redone on the factory fittings. Turned out all it was, a little piece of manufacturing metal debris in the rubber seal of the tanks main check valve. Super win for me!
where can one find d these scratch and dent places?
2:02
You said it would not "crank" with the LP .... What does that have to do with the solenoid not activating ???
I haven't had to replace a harbor freight generator but some other things I had to put a claim in online it was very easy. If I ever upgrade to the 13 KW generator I will probably buy their protection as I heard good things about it before. Thanks for the tip. FLY NAVY!!!
I'm sure I may not be the only one thinking this but can you actually explain the solenoid part (more) you're replacing, and why that works over the other one without the 12v plug you mentioned? How does the blue solenoid function without the 12V energizing?? Thank you for sharing and glad you got a replacement. Mine has never given me that issue but good to learn. (Lastly, can you share what part # specifically or a site where one can procure that just in case?)
After chasing this thing around for months, I finally picked one up today, West Palm Beach Florida. Can't wait to get it set up and test it out, I'm gonna use it to run my whole house. I got about 3000 ft.².
I had some propane problems with my duromax 13000. I switched spark plugs and let the line purge per duromaxes recommendations and haven’t had a problem since
My brand new out of the box has two cracks in the valve cover spewing oil everywhere. Couldn’t even use it during the hurricane and can’t find a replacement cover for it so guess it’s going back to HF
This is what really bugs me about HF.
I'm a member of their Inside Track Club, and I really want to buy this generator.
It's only available in stores - not online.
Not in stock in my local HF. Not in any "nearby" stores.
Or anywhere in NC.
Or VA, KY, SC, TN, GA.
Now they pour salt in the wound by sending me a coupon for 15% off any generator.
I have one of there generators after 2 years only did the break in went to start it wouldn’t start gas one carburetor was apart the bolt for the bowl was broken imagine that I had buy new carb but works now
How long does it run on that size Propane tank ? Looks like a 100 lb tank?
So you cant start that generator without battery power? A starter is cool but i always make sure i can pull start my generator. Batteries today are junk and when you need a generator that battery will be flat.
Yes, you can start without battery power on gasoline. But, because of this solenoid you need battery power to crank on propane.
Best generator is a military surplus diesel generator.
It’d be cool to get my hands on one
@@HVACGUY keep eye on govdeals! Find a lot of stuff lol.
Yeah they will hum along at 1800 rpm’s for days. Wish they could adapt a 4 pole generator in the power range of the smaller gas engines. Would sure beat running 3000 + rpm for days in some cases
Had a New Harbor Freight Open about a mile away but I haven’t had a need to stop by and check it out yet. My brother-in-law’s like going into their Stores. 👍
👍👍👍
As your whole house generator, have you had any issues regarding that it’s not an inverter generator? It’s half the price and 4000 watts more than their 9500 inverter unit.
Even though this generator says "13000 watts" that's STARTING power, running power is 10,000 watts which is essentially same load as the 9500 watt inverter generator.
So you could make this "dirty power" generator work for home backup if you bought cheap UPS battery backup surge protection boxes to plug your laptops & sensitive electronics in,
this dirty sinewave generator will startup & run your home AC air compressor, however it will reduce the life of the components with the higher current inrush vs inverter condutioned power.
You can fix the issue with your HVAC reduced life by installing a small inverter or even cheaper $200 "soft starter" on your outdoor unit if it doesn't have one, but now the cost keeps creeping up to the inverter generator price.
Asking if it "works" is nuanced, you can make it work cheaper than an inverter by buying small APC UPS battery surge units for sensitive electronics receptacles,
and you can startup a 240VAC 30A aircon outside unit compressor-condenser without modifying it BUT each time you do you are reducing its life compared to using inverter-conditioned voltage.
BTW this unit is probably not going to run 2 high-load 240VAC loads at the same time like your AC compressor & your electric stove, you WILL need to turn 1 off to run the other.
The problem is we have so many "smart home" electronics in expensive fridges & ranges that this unconditioned power could damage, home security systems, camera systems,
I would just bite the bullet spend $1700 on 9500 watt inverter & NOT be trying to figure out what you can & can't run, the inverter ensures safe voltage level, balance, conditioning, & provides controlled shutdown saving your home appliances if you are dumb & try to pull too much load.
You can make the $1100 work, you just put your home at alot more risk of damaging expensive appliances, if you have to ask how, you don't know how & will damage stuff - seriously just get the inverter generator, a destroyed fridge & range & ac compressor during a blackout is not worth the savings of IF everything ends up working fine.
does that solenoid not need power? what is the part numbed
Any Idea what air filters this generator takes?
haven't got to use propane on mine yet and not sure i will.
They don’t have this available anywhere now - I wonder if they found that issue across the board so they went back to the drawing board.
That's is probably true...I just got one today. It was on display. I have been trying for 2 months to get one. Got home after a one hour drive and tested it....BIG fail. The motor started and was healthy but NO power.
Thanks
you have to open the valve slowly. if you open it quickly it messes it up.
fix it like you did your leak detector
The shocking thing is they cost about the same.
@@HVACGUY well at least you steered me away from buying one so it wasn't a total waste
Those HF generator are cheapest but they have the most unreliable generators on the market I would have bought a Generac brand from HD for the house and a huge propane tank you could use it for heating and BBQ
And Generac is the laughing stock of the standby generator biz for homes and small businesses.
No matter what you buy, everything is junk, disposable .
Nope , i have bought 2 harbor frieght generators and have not any iss I es at all, cheap store, but some items are great!
These have DIRTY POWER .... 10kW of running power for only $1100 ..... Bet that since wave is modified and not pure.
For HOME power backup I would probably buy the Predator dual-fuel inverter 9500 watt running power for $1700 on sale Black Friday.
Comparable to this non-inverter at 10,000 watt running power, the inverter eliminates the need for higher starting current which is what the "13,000 watt" means.
If you startup all your home-appliances 1 by 1 under this $1100 generator you should be able to prevent the starting current in-rush damaging equipment if you have cheap $100 UPS battery backup surge-protectors on your computers & fridge,
you would need to install an inverter on your outside AC unit if you don't have one, about $200ish
This generator is fine for running a
Harbor freight usually honors their warranty system bc they know what they have lol
Chiesium junk lol
Mine keeps shutting down because of carbon monoxide. This is ridiculous!
Why are you working on a damn new generator for dose it knot have a warranty on Harbor freight JUNK.
you'll have that with harbor freight junk.
I’m just glad the generator is not a Sexual Predator.
THERE only warranty for 90 days.