Thanks. I am impressed so far. I'll be doing more work with it. If you have extra 1000, go for the enclosed one. Otherwise, when the power is out, it doesn't really matter.
⚠️Portable Generator Safety Tips: 1) KEEPING OTHERS SAFE: Please do not allow an unqualified person or your children to operate and service the portable generator. Just because some manuals don’t say that doesn’t mean it’s safe. That is important against the generator safety rules. We also need to be keeping an eye on our children too. You need to make sure that your children are not playing near the portable generator especially when it’s running so they won’t get electrocuted. Generators pose electrical risks and they can be hot during an operation. Please keep your children away from the portable generator at all times. It is important to keep our children safe especially our little ones. Be aware of all the hazards. 2) WHERE TO RUN YOUR GENERATOR: Some people use their portable generators indoors which increases the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. It’s important to have carbon monoxide detectors if you have a gas generator. Never ever use your generator indoors even if your doors and windows are open and even in the garage is not safe to use a portable generator. Also please never use your generator in your deck or balcony. It is never safe to use your generator indoors and in enclosed areas of your home. Your generator needs to be 15-20 feet away from your house. 3)🔥FIRE HAZARDS: Never refuel your generator while it’s running. You need to let your generator cool off before refueling it and before storing your generator. Never overload your generator too. Never ever back feed your generator. You should never plug your generator into a wall outlet. Also never store propane tanks indoors. Please keep flammable things away from the generator as well and please don’t smoke cigarettes near the generator. Having a fire extinguisher next to the generator is also important against the generator safety rules. It’s also not safe to move your generator while it’s running. 4) GENERATOR OPERATION: make sure your hands are dry before touching the generator. Never use your generator in wet conditions. Don’t let your generator get wet. You need a generator tent if you need to use your generator during wet weather. Please don’t wear loose clothes when operating the generator. Turn on your generator before plugging in appliances. Use the right cord for your generator. Please do not use worn out cords. It is always important to follow the safety rules when using portable generators. Hope this helps
Thanks much.Totally answered all my questions about this particular generator. I was hoping it had the eco mode. I have a predator 2” trash pump that runs beautifully, started first pull out of the box, so I’m beginning to be a fan of predator. I’ve always stuck with Honda, but the price now a days has me looking elsewhere. Really appreciate your video.
I am probably going to do another one. I had gotten 18+ hours on a very full tank of fuel. I pulled it out everytime I needed to do something, ie. table saw, power washed the cars, vacuuming etc and of course just sit and idle. Idling is probably the majority of what it would do powering my home as the only big hitters would be the coffee maker, microwave, vacuum, toaster and maybe the well pump. None of which are going the entire time. The manual says the tank holds 5.8 gallons. My refill from empty, 5 gallons to the red ring, 5.8 to the top of the cap. I appreciate the feed back.
I use my 8750 predator often as i live off grid and it was working great less than 50hrs on this and the output light does not come on and doesnt seem to run the well pump. Can you assist
Is there anything on the volt meter either on the display or your meter in the outlet? The next thing I would look at is the top of the module. It sits under the gas tank. I feel this may be an area for rodents to make a nest or chew into the wires. Keep me posted.
Great review and information. I like the open frame , but as you pointed out the exposed inverter would be a great spot for a mouse nest. The 9500 is enclosed, but has venting for air flow and might be a better place for a mouse house (if they can get in).I have never had any mice problems with my open 17 yo generator and will probably go with the 8750 keeping a close watch on the inverter.
@@Cp314-i4p I need more information about the 5000 watts. Is that running or surge, is it 120 or 240. The 7000 watt should be 240. Know that if all of your equipment is 120, you'll have 30 amps per leg. It's important the loads are evenly split and you accommodate for any surges.
I had to put a reducer on my plug eliminating the ground and making it just 2 plugs due to my breaker tripping when I plugged a cord in even with no load. Doesn’t seem right to me. Any ideas. I have this same generator.
All of my portable ac units are 120V, but a lot of other things in houses also require 240V including electric stovetops, ovens, dryers and hot water heaters just to name a few👍
The stove can be used, a burner or two at a time. The oven can be used if nothing else of high wattage is being used. Same goes for the hot water heater and the drier. Individually, they can be used. Think of alternatives if fuel consumption becomes a problem.
Yes. If you need to shut off the generator for a short time period, then use the switch. Otherwise, turn the fuel off and let it run out. 13 years of owning Champion generators and never a carburetor issue.
I second that. Also had a Champion for years. Always shut it down by turning the fuel valve off, and never once a gummed carb or stuck needle valve etc. Always started easy, even after significant periods of disuse.
we have two air conditioning units (upstairs and downstairs). obviously, running two units on this is not possible, but you would agree that running one air conditioner along with normal appliances (not stove, not not dryer) should be reliable, right? a buddy of mind let me borrow the 9500 and i am slightly worried the less wattage output on this one won't be able to perform to the level of the 9500. what are your thoughts?
Are they window units? If so, what size? Or are they central air units? If so, I believe they use a 30 Amp, some even a 40 Amp. If that's the case, then you're at the limits. You need to look at the LRA (locked rotor amp). That may exceed the capacity of the max watts rating of this unit. Let me know. The LRA can be pretty high. If you have mini splits, then it shouldn't be an issue.
Yes. I would put the space heater on one outlet set and the fridge with lights on the other. The heater... the heater needs to be on a substantial cord. The manual that comes with the heater may advise against using an extension cord. There may be a constant draw of 1500-1800 watts from the heater. That comes close to or even maxing out the use of the outlet and cord. Understand the risks. Ask questions. I am not an electrician and offer advise only on my own experiences and knowledge. Following my advice could lead up to a major fire resulting in severe injury, property loss and or death.
@@MrRChitty okay thanks I'll have to look that up. So I'm understanding the heater need to be plugged directly to the 20 amp power cord. I have to figure out how to safely use essentials until I can afford to have the predator wired to my house.
@@alwaysgrateful6337 Listen, just make sure it is a substantial cord. No less than a 12 gage, shorter the better. (25 feet, no more than 50). Check the ends for heat build up. Smoke detectors in place. We want you to be safe. People do crazy things.
@@MrRChitty thank YOU for great advice. I think the black Friday sale ends tomorrow. So I'll grab one tomorrow. I never used so I'm just trying to educate myself the best I can.
@@MrRChitty wait you said to check the ends for heat build up. Are you saying to check the ends after I shut everything down - the ends of the power cord? The 12 gauge one?
I left it as bonded. It's not permanently mounted and is on a 10 foot cord. If it was permanently mounted, then I'd consider and look at the code closer.
The battery on this specific generator is a 12 volt lithium ion battery. This allows the battery to be physically smaller. An automotive battery would not fit. Champion makes a similar style generator to this one. I believe that battery is lead acid. While that may be a similar chemistry to an automotive battery, it is not the same. It's size resembles that of a motorcycle battery. Again, an automotive battery would not fit. These generators come with a battery. If you need to replace it, there is usually a number or some information on the side of the battery you could use to research. The manufacturer is a good resource.
I am having a problem with the 8750 I just purchased. The digital display will not climb beyond 121 volts to 240. Notice that others are having the same problem with their 8750. Did these people have drain the unit and take it back to HF, or is there a fix? Thanks
I am not aware of a fix. However, if you bring it back, you'll need to drain all of the fluids. I'd imagine that it would have something to do with the inverter. I'd peak underneath the fuel tank and see if a plug came apart.
After having contacted HF several times, they finally sent me a new digital display unit; however, I have not installed it since I am only using the generator's 110 volts.
So I don’t think the display is defective. It shows 120V and i believe it should update to 240V when you put a 240V load on it. I tested the poles with my voltmeter on the twist lock and they are outputting 240V even though the display reads 120V. I haven’t yet connected anything that pulls 240 V directly off of the generator to see if the display updates from 120V to 240V yet.
Thanks for asking. It will not "wreck" the generator. If you overload 1 leg, it will shut down the whole module. I am open for any other questions you may have. Honestly, it's a beast of a generator.
Would you still recommend the 9500 if using for home backup only? I’m a newbie to this, but if you’re only using the 30A/240V port to power your house, you wouldn’t exceed 7200 watts correct? If that’s the case, the extra surge watts of the 9500 wouldn’t really come into play? I’m deciding between the 2 & money isn’t a huge issue, but it’s also my first time buying a portable generator. I can see that the 9500 is quieter & holds a bit more fuel, but I’m a little hesitant to start with the 9500 in case I make mistakes or have some lessons I could learn with the cheaper unit. My AC is on a 30 amp breaker so I’m guessing if I needed to use it in the summer, I’d be lucky if it would start/run the AC & nothing else…possible it wouldn’t be able to run it at all?
@@steveknick1978 Hello and thanks for reaching out. Hopefully I can answer all of your questions. If money is no object as far this is concerned, then go with the 9500. As far as the surge is concerned, you circuit breakers (30 amps) will not pop. They work on 2 different principles. 1 is a surge that would exceed the 30 amps, actually it would be greater than that, like a dead short. There has to be wiggle room for inductive loads that have high locked rotor amps. Look on your air-conditioning unit, you'll find a label with all of the numbers. It may state LRA ##. Inductive loads may require up to 3 times their running. My well pump runs at 1080 watts but needs 4800 watts to start it. (Those are actual numbers). I am willing to be your AC unit will be close to 75 amps. Your breakers have to allow for that. The second part your breakers react to is temperature. If you decide to run straight up 30 amps through a breaker, it'll start to heat up and then pop. You'll need to look into what you need during a power outage. These generators may not be able to start the central air. it will shut down if it sees a locked rotor amps higher than the 9500 watts. (Volts x Watts = Amps). A surge or in-rush current is measured during the first 400 milliseconds. If it doesn't start, then the breaker may pop. What other electrical requirements do you have at home? Mine is just the well pump, otherwise, I can go less. I have window units and with some testing, I found I have limitations because most of them are on one leg. I hope this helps. I am available to respond if you have more questions.
I'm gonna be putting a mobile home in our yard we just purchased. The area has no electricity yet. I have 1 fridge I electric stove, water heater, 2 beds and a living room, the mobile home is only 60ft long. Would it be ok to run this generator as a power source til electricity is ran in my area?
I am terribly sorry, I saw this a while ago and forgot to respond back to you. It's probably too late. You can use this in your application however, the stove will draw a lot of power. You can use a couple of burners at a time. The oven may draw a lot of power. The rest of the home would be primarily lights.
Which gen you recommend? I dont have 240 but do want to run small window ac, fan, lights, tv n router with cords not wired to breaker box. Of course I could turn ac off to use microwave n such. Interested in your recommendations. Subbed good vid.
@@DitchChickenAdventures Best to remove them before putting oil in it. You can turn it over. Also, do 5-10 hour oil changes. I believe the metallic appearance you'll see, may be graphite.
@@TjBrooks-zn2ol technically, no. Or it's not mentioned as it stands in the manual. However, one of the FB forums, somebody mentioned the replacement inverter on Amazon was the same as the 9500. That model (9500) has a setup for parallel where the 8750 does not. I am curious myself if using a cable with two males will work. There's a TH-cam video of somebody attaching three together, two 9500 and one 8750. The 8750 was started first followed by each of the 9500's.
@@MrRChitty 8750 inverter generator It's only showing 121volts. TH-cam videos I've watched they climbed up to 240. I'm thinking I need to bring it back to harbor freight.
I bought one. I have been disappointed in it. For one, I had the Predator 8750 generator first and it had no problem powering my entire home. It finally gave out after several great years. I went to buy a new one and this 8750 inverter was all they had. The salesman told me it was a good generator so I purchased it. It did not perform as well as the normal generator did. I had to turn off my electric hot water heater for it to run the rest of the house. Also I only used the inverter generator once, went to use it again a few months later and it wouldn't start. It did get a LOT BETTER fuel mileage and is much quieter than the normal generator but if I had my choice I rather spend more money in gas with less inverter problems. Currently it only starts for a few seconds, a red light comes on and it dies. I will be looking at it today hoping to figure out why it shuts off and shows a code on the display.
@@murraychadwick9362 the inverter would be less forgiving if you're running your hot water heater. The question is... is your hot water heater 1 or 2 elements? 2500 or 5000 watts? If you were successful in pulling that with your open synchronous generator, it may have been running slower (it's the way it is when it gets maxed out) you may have been running closer to 50 Hz. You'd hope your refrigerators or freezers can handle that. The open synchronous generators have "dirty" waveforms. Hence why fluorescents would flicker. Rather than a smooth sine wave, it's ragged and v-shaped. As far as why yours is not running, I don't know and hope you figure it out. Let me know what the code is.
Champion and Wen sell this exact same generator for about $200-$400 less dollars. I got my Champion 8750 for $799 last year. The Champion comes with a better 3 year warranty vs the 90 day warranty of the Predator too....
I whole heartedly agree. The only reason I did this was for the larger tank. The reviews were decent. So, I bit the bullet. Trust me, if I have an issue, I'll put it on here.
@@dislikebutton102 Literally the only reason I went across the street to Harbor Freight to get this one, instead of Home Depot for the Champion model. I run a LOT of sensitive electronics (think like servers, high end workstations and networking equipment), and the "dirty" power from my old generator caused all sorts of problems. Anything more than 5% thd and it would trip my battery backups.
I would do more research. A generator powering individual items does not have to be grounded to earth. Connected to your home is another story. It depends how it's connected. Mine transfers just the powered legs. The common and ground remain intact and is therefore grounded to earth already. There are transfer switches that completely drop all power and common from utilities and affects ground. I am sorry, I don't know which video to grab to direct you, nor am I an electrician to spell it out clearly.
@@MrRChitty If the generator is connected to a gen transfer box that is connected to your electrical panel then it is grounded to the ground panel in the electrical panel already.
I'll look, later today. Just know that if there's any chance of affording the fully enclosed one, do that. The noise is not horrible and is doable but don't have buyers remorse. If you van get a 25 off coupon, then it will take a few bucks off. I had gotten mine on sale at around 1100. I am pleased with its overall performance, otherwise. Table saw, compressors, well pump, etc. mo issues.
@@ericpearson953 I have 32 hours. Either one you choose, please turn off the gas to the carburetor. I have 4 other generators and have never had an issue with a bad carb.
Brief research may indicate a possible code/reminder to change the oil. Try holding the selector button down while it is running. Let me know how you make out.
Found a Facebook club on this generator: It's an oil change reminder, every 50 hours it pops up. Hold the button down for 30 seconds facebook.com/groups/786648215361197/permalink/1281967515829262/?mibextid=Nif5oz
I have a concession trailer that I recently brought online and with a small refrigerator, a keg-orator, a coffee brewer, coffee grinder, Coleman MACH 13500 AC unit, and a good size blender for frozen drinks, and a 6 gallon hot water heater. I first had the 3500 unit and it held for the most part , did trip on overload so I purchased the 8750 and this weekend during usage it did trip on me once when she was using the big blender. I;m thinking with the compressors and the heating elements on the coffee maker I maybe pushed the envelope on the wattage. I doubled my wattage availability with the 8750 so i was surprised when that happened and that was with the water heater off. I need to total up all the watts and see where I;m at, i must have been close when she turned the blender on. Maybe the ac compressor, the keg-orator and the fridge were using the compressors at that moment. Any suggestions??. The generator box on the front of it fits the 8750 perfect but its to small for the 9000. Jim
Hi, Jim. I am interested in conversing with you further on this, as I am fascinated with it. I built a box to monitor each leg of power so that in the near future I either move breakers or consider my loads. I'll come back here, as I am at work. Randy
@@MrRChitty One output on a 4 prong 30AMP twist lock to a 50 AMP twist lock on the trailer. I did go with an upgrade 100 AMP service just in case for the future when the built it last month. That's the time to go with upgrades right at the factory. I'm most likely going to have to consider the loads like you said but It will be interesting tonight when I get all the wattage readys off the equipment.
@@jimmaruniak8954 How did you make out so far? It's my understanding that you will have to balance the loads. Is there another way I can communicate? I built an in line power monitor which does both legs. I ran my home the other day and had 3200 watts one and about 1400 watts on the other. I was running window AC units. I am gonna have to balance more or just not run one.
@@MrRChitty It looks so far like I will have to choose which components to have running at one given time. Total watts on everything if it all was on would be just over 6000. Generator is good for 8750 startup and 7000 running so its most likely not that. I think its the amp draw. Now if used everything at once it would be 52.9 . What i did have was somewhere around 29.4 or a little more and that was with the following running Coleman MACH AC 15.3 AMPS Small refrigerator 3.5 AMPS Kegorator 1.3 AMPS Bunn Coffee brewer 9 AMPS Blendtec high speed blender 11.5 AMPS So when it overloaded on me , I know the AC was on, maybe the fridge compressor was active , also keg orator and maybe the brewer was heating the internal water. As soon as she fired up that blender , that's when it tripped. Hot water heater and a grinder were offline at the time. I can email you with more info . The twist lock is only a 30 AMP but the generator says up to 58 AMPs. Does that mean the other receptacles have addition load capability??
I would expect it to hit 240v when i flip on the 30amp plug and turn on the well pump. But it never does and now the green output light doesnt even come on.
10w-30 is good year round. I use synthetic. The oil goes in the plug that's found at the base of the motor and requires a funnel with a long flexible tube. The included funnel slows the flow and therefore takes a bit to add oil to the crankcase. Ethanol free is always best, but, not always available. Never use gas containing more than 10% ethanol. The manufacturer recommends using a stabilizer with each tank of gasoline. Infact, they void your warranty if you don't use it. I drain the gas from the carburetor by shutting off the fuel while it's running. Never a carburetor issue with any machine that I have. The battery can be seen under one of the panels along with the connectors. It's pretty straight forward.
@@MrRChitty if I can use 10w-30 that will be better because I'm in a area where it gets really cold.Some guys that works on cars says it's better to use the thicker oil for cars if it gets extremely cold.Im guessing with generators it can work the same way.Is it a way to use a car battery if I have to for the generator using some types of cables that I can get from Autozone or Walmart ?
@@MrRChitty @JPG23 It's you-tube videos that shows how you can use a car as a generator.Can a 1000cc car battery with a 1,000w power inverter power a electric oven that's 800w or even a 800cc car battery ?
I have this one and I can sure tell harbor freight makes their stuff look like hondas and Its hard to get me away from honda power stuff because I have had my honda lawn mower for 8+ years and still runs like new but gotta say this thing is good for its price and its very quiet when running 2 fridges and some lights and tv i think it can run my home ac unit if it was the only thing on but idk
Check the breaker on your AC unit. If it's a 25 amp breaker, then the unit should not exceed 75 percent. That will leave some room. I have window units and managed to pull 29 amps on 1 leg. The other leg was about 8. I was intrigued with it running the 1 leg to capacity. It eventually tripped, probably because another fridge fired up. Balancing the load is important if you want to maximize the output. You will go through some fuel if you run the central air unit. My situation lies in the well pump. Otherwise, I can supply the entire home with a max of 3500 watts sharing 110 volts on both legs. We just manage what we do from inside. That would give me serious fuel savings.
@@MrRChitty ok good to know thanks my ac unit is a 30 amp breaker I just put in a 30 amp because I like to over due things but yea I am kinda nervous about doing it I know it can run it when its running it just takes a crap ton of power and amps to actually get the condenser fired up and once its running it doesnt take much I dont think but I might try it because I lost power just last week and I didnt turn the ac on when I had this generator because I was just worried but overloading it so it got up to like 85 in my house and when the power came back my ac was on non stop for about 4 days so i am hopping the power outages I have are in the winter when I can use the furnace since its not as demanding as the ac unit and i do think that a central air would use the full 240 volts and I do think it only does 25 amps i just have it on a 30 amp breaker
When you say, grounding before using, are you asking about a ground rod into the ground? No, you do not. The generator has a bonded neutral which means that the common and ground are tied together. If there was a short with your equipment, it would go back through the ground wire to the frame and pop the breaker. The generator is it's own circuit.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) provides guidelines for portable generators on construction sites. They apply where: You’re plugging your equipment into the generator’s receptacles. There’s low resistance bonding to the frame of: All the generator’s non-current carrying parts like the fuel tank, engine, and housing. The ground conductor terminals in the receptacles. It’s a neutral bonded generator, meaning that its neutral conductor connects to its frame. If you meet these requirements, you won’t need to ground your portable generator with a ground electrode like a grounding rod.
For those of you who don’t know about electricity let me explain… proceeds to talk in complete electric gibberish to me 😂😂😂 I’ll take your word for it bro that’s for sure, you know what you’re talking about
@@brad_art I am not certain I understand what it is you are asking. 8750 Watt rating on this generator is the maximum, another words the surge required to start an appliance. 7000 watts is the max running. You never want to run anything at a 100%. Your household circuits, either 15 or 20 amps is the max, however, same applies, you don't want to make it a habit to run it more than 80% as a standard practice. As I explain in the video, inductive loads require enough power to start them. If you're using this to power your home, you have to understand the loads you are applying to each of the two legs. A single household water heater with two 2500 watt elements would total 5000 watts. Your dryer, although on a 30 amp circuit shouldn't run more than 24-25 amps. This generator provides 29 amps at 240 or 29 amps on each leg. This would be the max you can run. I hope this helps. Anything, feel free to ask.
Excellent review and explanation! Thank you for taking the time and sharing your knowledge.
Thank you very much. Heads up, tank holds 5 gallons to the red line and 5.8 to the top. I got about 18.5 hours on a very full tank 25% load and less.
Ditto what he said Great job!
I just bought this unit today and i really like it. This video was extremely informative. Thank you
Thank you
Thank you for the great review! I just purchased the 8750 today. I’m confident now, that I got the correct one.
@@Charles-i8n thank you
Very informative video. Great to see a 240v inverter generator at an affordable price finally.
Thanks. I am impressed so far. I'll be doing more work with it. If you have extra 1000, go for the enclosed one. Otherwise, when the power is out, it doesn't really matter.
⚠️Portable Generator Safety Tips:
1) KEEPING OTHERS SAFE: Please do not allow an unqualified person or your children to operate and service the portable generator. Just because some manuals don’t say that doesn’t mean it’s safe. That is important against the generator safety rules. We also need to be keeping an eye on our children too. You need to make sure that your children are not playing near the portable generator especially when it’s running so they won’t get electrocuted. Generators pose electrical risks and they can be hot during an operation. Please keep your children away from the portable generator at all times. It is important to keep our children safe especially our little ones. Be aware of all the hazards.
2) WHERE TO RUN YOUR GENERATOR: Some people use their portable generators indoors which increases the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. It’s important to have carbon monoxide detectors if you have a gas generator. Never ever use your generator indoors even if your doors and windows are open and even in the garage is not safe to use a portable generator. Also please never use your generator in your deck or balcony. It is never safe to use your generator indoors and in enclosed areas of your home. Your generator needs to be 15-20 feet away from your house.
3)🔥FIRE HAZARDS: Never refuel your generator while it’s running. You need to let your generator cool off before refueling it and before storing your generator. Never overload your generator too. Never ever back feed your generator. You should never plug your generator into a wall outlet. Also never store propane tanks indoors. Please keep flammable things away from the generator as well and please don’t smoke cigarettes near the generator. Having a fire extinguisher next to the generator is also important against the generator safety rules. It’s also not safe to move your generator while it’s running.
4) GENERATOR OPERATION: make sure your hands are dry before touching the generator. Never use your generator in wet conditions. Don’t let your generator get wet. You need a generator tent if you need to use your generator during wet weather. Please don’t wear loose clothes when operating the generator. Turn on your generator before plugging in appliances. Use the right cord for your generator. Please do not use worn out cords.
It is always important to follow the safety rules when using portable generators.
Hope this helps
Great review. Note: I marked all my outlets with black or red tape to indicate which leg they are on.
@@HomesteadEngineering great idea!!
What is the purpose of marking them, I’m getting ready to buy one and don’t want to screw it up
Would love this generator more if they made a dual fuel version.
Agree.
Thanks much.Totally answered all my questions about this particular generator. I was hoping it had the eco mode. I have a predator 2” trash pump that runs beautifully, started first pull out of the box, so I’m beginning to be a fan of predator. I’ve always stuck with Honda, but the price now a days has me looking elsewhere. Really appreciate your video.
I am probably going to do another one. I had gotten 18+ hours on a very full tank of fuel. I pulled it out everytime I needed to do something, ie. table saw, power washed the cars, vacuuming etc and of course just sit and idle. Idling is probably the majority of what it would do powering my home as the only big hitters would be the coffee maker, microwave, vacuum, toaster and maybe the well pump. None of which are going the entire time. The manual says the tank holds 5.8 gallons. My refill from empty, 5 gallons to the red ring, 5.8 to the top of the cap. I appreciate the feed back.
Go with the Honda eu7000is
Such a calm, thorough review! The best one I have seen on generators!
Thank you.
Hey bud, great review of the generator and explanation of the output split, and how that comes into play at the fuse panel. 👍
I appreciate the feedback, thank you.
I use my 8750 predator often as i live off grid and it was working great less than 50hrs on this and the output light does not come on and doesnt seem to run the well pump. Can you assist
Is there anything on the volt meter either on the display or your meter in the outlet?
The next thing I would look at is the top of the module. It sits under the gas tank. I feel this may be an area for rodents to make a nest or chew into the wires. Keep me posted.
Would love to see how it responds when your well pump kicks on.
I will do that for you.
Great review and information. I like the open frame , but as you pointed out the exposed inverter would be a great spot for a mouse nest. The 9500 is enclosed, but has venting for air flow and might be a better place for a mouse house (if they can get in).I have never had any mice problems with my open 17 yo generator and will probably go with the 8750 keeping a close watch on the inverter.
Thanks for the feedback.
We run 4 freezers and 2 ac units plus tv and other things on a 5000wat . Upgrading to the 7000 tomorrow. Just needed to kkow its quite as well .
@@Cp314-i4p I need more information about the 5000 watts. Is that running or surge, is it 120 or 240. The 7000 watt should be 240. Know that if all of your equipment is 120, you'll have 30 amps per leg. It's important the loads are evenly split and you accommodate for any surges.
I had to put a reducer on my plug eliminating the ground and making it just 2 plugs due to my breaker tripping when I plugged a cord in even with no load. Doesn’t seem right to me. Any ideas. I have this same generator.
I'd have to see it. When you say, "put a reducer" what do you mean?
Hey guys what the best way to run the generator, ESC on at all the time or off
@@fabianthomas3560 esc on. (Slow engine speed). I've performed numerous hard core tests and the generator performs very well with eco throttle on.
For the twist lock outlet, how do you know if you're using 120 or 240 v?
@@Zandermp77 I explain in the video what is what on the 4 prongs. It would be difficult to write it out.
All of my portable ac units are 120V, but a lot of other things in houses also require 240V including electric stovetops, ovens, dryers and hot water heaters just to name a few👍
The stove can be used, a burner or two at a time. The oven can be used if nothing else of high wattage is being used. Same goes for the hot water heater and the drier. Individually, they can be used. Think of alternatives if fuel consumption becomes a problem.
Did I hear you say to shut the fuel off to allow it to go off that way rather than just shutting it off?
Yes. If you need to shut off the generator for a short time period, then use the switch. Otherwise, turn the fuel off and let it run out. 13 years of owning Champion generators and never a carburetor issue.
I second that. Also had a Champion for years. Always shut it down by turning the fuel valve off, and never once a gummed carb or stuck needle valve etc. Always started easy, even after significant periods of disuse.
we have two air conditioning units (upstairs and downstairs). obviously, running two units on this is not possible, but you would agree that running one air conditioner along with normal appliances (not stove, not not dryer) should be reliable, right? a buddy of mind let me borrow the 9500 and i am slightly worried the less wattage output on this one won't be able to perform to the level of the 9500. what are your thoughts?
Are they window units? If so, what size? Or are they central air units? If so, I believe they use a 30 Amp, some even a 40 Amp. If that's the case, then you're at the limits. You need to look at the LRA (locked rotor amp). That may exceed the capacity of the max watts rating of this unit. Let me know. The LRA can be pretty high. If you have mini splits, then it shouldn't be an issue.
@@MrRChitty they are both central air. I would plan to run one. I'm not sure on the LRA but I'll find out!
@@hansbockler sounds good.
Can you plug in lights, fridge and space heater to those two 20 amp power cords?
Yes. I would put the space heater on one outlet set and the fridge with lights on the other. The heater... the heater needs to be on a substantial cord. The manual that comes with the heater may advise against using an extension cord. There may be a constant draw of 1500-1800 watts from the heater. That comes close to or even maxing out the use of the outlet and cord. Understand the risks. Ask questions. I am not an electrician and offer advise only on my own experiences and knowledge. Following my advice could lead up to a major fire resulting in severe injury, property loss and or death.
@@MrRChitty okay thanks I'll have to look that up. So I'm understanding the heater need to be plugged directly to the 20 amp power cord. I have to figure out how to safely use essentials until I can afford to have the predator wired to my house.
@@alwaysgrateful6337 Listen, just make sure it is a substantial cord. No less than a 12 gage, shorter the better. (25 feet, no more than 50). Check the ends for heat build up. Smoke detectors in place. We want you to be safe. People do crazy things.
@@MrRChitty thank YOU for great advice. I think the black Friday sale ends tomorrow. So I'll grab one tomorrow. I never used so I'm just trying to educate myself the best I can.
@@MrRChitty wait you said to check the ends for heat build up. Are you saying to check the ends after I shut everything down - the ends of the power cord? The 12 gauge one?
Any idea why it would show overload with nothing plugged in?
That would be a fault either in the module or a wire is bare and shorting out behind the panel.
Excellent review! Did you convert your generator from bonded neutral to floating neutral before using it to power your house? Thanks!
I left it as bonded. It's not permanently mounted and is on a 10 foot cord. If it was permanently mounted, then I'd consider and look at the code closer.
Can you use a regular car battery for a generator and what other kinds of batteries you can use for a generator ?
The battery on this specific generator is a 12 volt lithium ion battery. This allows the battery to be physically smaller. An automotive battery would not fit. Champion makes a similar style generator to this one. I believe that battery is lead acid. While that may be a similar chemistry to an automotive battery, it is not the same. It's size resembles that of a motorcycle battery. Again, an automotive battery would not fit. These generators come with a battery. If you need to replace it, there is usually a number or some information on the side of the battery you could use to research. The manufacturer is a good resource.
I am having a problem with the 8750 I just purchased. The digital display will not climb beyond 121 volts to 240. Notice that others are having the same problem with their 8750. Did these people have drain the unit and take it back to HF, or is there a fix? Thanks
I am not aware of a fix. However, if you bring it back, you'll need to drain all of the fluids. I'd imagine that it would have something to do with the inverter. I'd peak underneath the fuel tank and see if a plug came apart.
I’m having the same issue, only shows 120v on the display. Returned it for another unit and the same thing. Any fix?
After having contacted HF several times, they finally sent me a new digital display unit; however, I have not installed it since I am only using the generator's 110 volts.
So I don’t think the display is defective. It shows 120V and i believe it should update to 240V when you put a 240V load on it.
I tested the poles with my voltmeter on the twist lock and they are outputting 240V even though the display reads 120V.
I haven’t yet connected anything that pulls 240 V directly off of the generator to see if the display updates from 120V to 240V yet.
what happens if you turn on something that overloads? will it wreck the generator or ???
Thanks for asking. It will not "wreck" the generator. If you overload 1 leg, it will shut down the whole module. I am open for any other questions you may have. Honestly, it's a beast of a generator.
Would you still recommend the 9500 if using for home backup only? I’m a newbie to this, but if you’re only using the 30A/240V port to power your house, you wouldn’t exceed 7200 watts correct? If that’s the case, the extra surge watts of the 9500 wouldn’t really come into play?
I’m deciding between the 2 & money isn’t a huge issue, but it’s also my first time buying a portable generator. I can see that the 9500 is quieter & holds a bit more fuel, but I’m a little hesitant to start with the 9500 in case I make mistakes or have some lessons I could learn with the cheaper unit.
My AC is on a 30 amp breaker so I’m guessing if I needed to use it in the summer, I’d be lucky if it would start/run the AC & nothing else…possible it wouldn’t be able to run it at all?
@@steveknick1978 Hello and thanks for reaching out. Hopefully I can answer all of your questions. If money is no object as far this is concerned, then go with the 9500. As far as the surge is concerned, you circuit breakers (30 amps) will not pop. They work on 2 different principles. 1 is a surge that would exceed the 30 amps, actually it would be greater than that, like a dead short. There has to be wiggle room for inductive loads that have high locked rotor amps. Look on your air-conditioning unit, you'll find a label with all of the numbers. It may state LRA ##. Inductive loads may require up to 3 times their running. My well pump runs at 1080 watts but needs 4800 watts to start it. (Those are actual numbers). I am willing to be your AC unit will be close to 75 amps. Your breakers have to allow for that. The second part your breakers react to is temperature. If you decide to run straight up 30 amps through a breaker, it'll start to heat up and then pop. You'll need to look into what you need during a power outage. These generators may not be able to start the central air. it will shut down if it sees a locked rotor amps higher than the 9500 watts. (Volts x Watts = Amps). A surge or in-rush current is measured during the first 400 milliseconds. If it doesn't start, then the breaker may pop. What other electrical requirements do you have at home? Mine is just the well pump, otherwise, I can go less. I have window units and with some testing, I found I have limitations because most of them are on one leg. I hope this helps. I am available to respond if you have more questions.
@@steveknick1978 You have to find out what the starting wattage is for the AC.
@@MrRChitty It's watts/volts=amps eg. 1200w/120v=10amps.
I'm gonna be putting a mobile home in our yard we just purchased. The area has no electricity yet. I have 1 fridge I electric stove, water heater, 2 beds and a living room, the mobile home is only 60ft long. Would it be ok to run this generator as a power source til electricity is ran in my area?
I am terribly sorry, I saw this a while ago and forgot to respond back to you. It's probably too late. You can use this in your application however, the stove will draw a lot of power. You can use a couple of burners at a time. The oven may draw a lot of power. The rest of the home would be primarily lights.
To add, is your water heater 1 element or 2? Approximately 2500 or 5000 watts.... at 240 volts
Did the wheel kit come with this or not? Thanks...
Yes, it did.
Which gen you recommend? I dont have 240 but do want to run small window ac, fan, lights, tv n router with cords not wired to breaker box. Of course I could turn ac off to use microwave n such. Interested in your recommendations. Subbed good vid.
I highly recommend the Champion 4500 watt inverter generator. It's 3500 running and 4500 surge.
th-cam.com/video/IYFz-qbBK_k/w-d-xo.html
Not sure if I missed it but were there shipping brackets to be removed?
Yes. Sorry, I didn't do an "unboxing". You must remove them.
@@MrRChitty finally found them. Lordy lol. Thank you
@@DitchChickenAdventures Best to remove them before putting oil in it. You can turn it over. Also, do 5-10 hour oil changes. I believe the metallic appearance you'll see, may be graphite.
@@MrRChitty awesome. Running it through first round now. Life is good
Can this be daisy chained to another inverter for more wattage?
@@TjBrooks-zn2ol technically, no. Or it's not mentioned as it stands in the manual. However, one of the FB forums, somebody mentioned the replacement inverter on Amazon was the same as the 9500. That model (9500) has a setup for parallel where the 8750 does not. I am curious myself if using a cable with two males will work. There's a TH-cam video of somebody attaching three together, two 9500 and one 8750. The 8750 was started first followed by each of the 9500's.
@@MrRChitty Thanks for the info
If you have no load on the generator will the display still go up to 240 volts.
Just bought one and it only climbed up to 120volts on the display.
Voltage will display. Which model did you purchase
@@MrRChitty 8750 inverter generator
It's only showing 121volts. TH-cam videos I've watched they climbed up to 240. I'm thinking I need to bring it back to harbor freight.
@@geraldguillory8935 I am thinking the same thing. I wonder if it is metering 1 leg and not both. You'll need to drain the gas and oil
Thanks for the help! Hope they have another in stock 🤞
@@geraldguillory8935 keep me posted. Interested to hear how you make out
I bought one. I have been disappointed in it. For one, I had the Predator 8750 generator first and it had no problem powering my entire home. It finally gave out after several great years. I went to buy a new one and this 8750 inverter was all they had. The salesman told me it was a good generator so I purchased it. It did not perform as well as the normal generator did. I had to turn off my electric hot water heater for it to run the rest of the house. Also I only used the inverter generator once, went to use it again a few months later and it wouldn't start. It did get a LOT BETTER fuel mileage and is much quieter than the normal generator but if I had my choice I rather spend more money in gas with less inverter problems. Currently it only starts for a few seconds, a red light comes on and it dies. I will be looking at it today hoping to figure out why it shuts off and shows a code on the display.
@@murraychadwick9362 the inverter would be less forgiving if you're running your hot water heater. The question is... is your hot water heater 1 or 2 elements? 2500 or 5000 watts? If you were successful in pulling that with your open synchronous generator, it may have been running slower (it's the way it is when it gets maxed out) you may have been running closer to 50 Hz. You'd hope your refrigerators or freezers can handle that. The open synchronous generators have "dirty" waveforms. Hence why fluorescents would flicker. Rather than a smooth sine wave, it's ragged and v-shaped. As far as why yours is not running, I don't know and hope you figure it out. Let me know what the code is.
Champion and Wen sell this exact same generator for about $200-$400 less dollars. I got my Champion 8750 for $799 last year. The Champion comes with a better 3 year warranty vs the 90 day warranty of the Predator too....
I whole heartedly agree. The only reason I did this was for the larger tank. The reviews were decent. So, I bit the bullet. Trust me, if I have an issue, I'll put it on here.
the champion inverter models doesn't or avoid to list clean sine wave or pure sine wave which is weird. I searched all of the pdf specs..
@@dislikebutton102 Literally the only reason I went across the street to Harbor Freight to get this one, instead of Home Depot for the Champion model. I run a LOT of sensitive electronics (think like servers, high end workstations and networking equipment), and the "dirty" power from my old generator caused all sorts of problems. Anything more than 5% thd and it would trip my battery backups.
The champion is not an inverter generator and that makes a lot of difference on noise and fuel efficiency
@@dislikebutton102 th-cam.com/video/ZeG0QbFuemM/w-d-xo.htmlsi=9P-fMSWhicHT2ITY
So close to buying one . After a week champion put same one sale for 750 thru tractor supply. No brainer.
@@jbabe3282 i feel like the Champion is very similar. Thanks for watching the video.
@@MrRChitty really is. Predator bigger tanks. And don't like co2 sensor
@@jbabe3282 the bigger tank is the only reason I bought it. I believe i can get 18 hours out of it.
In the direction book it says it needs to be attached to a grounding rod, is that just for hooking up to a house? It’s a portable generator 🤷♀️
I would do more research. A generator powering individual items does not have to be grounded to earth. Connected to your home is another story. It depends how it's connected. Mine transfers just the powered legs. The common and ground remain intact and is therefore grounded to earth already. There are transfer switches that completely drop all power and common from utilities and affects ground. I am sorry, I don't know which video to grab to direct you, nor am I an electrician to spell it out clearly.
@@MrRChitty If the generator is connected to a gen transfer box that is connected to your electrical panel then it is grounded to the ground panel in the electrical panel already.
Best generator video ive seen yet. Thank you for explaining.
Thank you
How many hours have you put on it so far? Thinking of picking one up.
I'll look, later today. Just know that if there's any chance of affording the fully enclosed one, do that. The noise is not horrible and is doable but don't have buyers remorse. If you van get a 25 off coupon, then it will take a few bucks off. I had gotten mine on sale at around 1100. I am pleased with its overall performance, otherwise. Table saw, compressors, well pump, etc. mo issues.
Thanks. I've been on the fence between the two. Keep switching back and forth. Would just be for emergency use.
@@ericpearson953 I have 32 hours. Either one you choose, please turn off the gas to the carburetor. I have 4 other generators and have never had an issue with a bad carb.
Whats P 062 generator code?
I don't know. Do you have power?
Brief research may indicate a possible code/reminder to change the oil. Try holding the selector button down while it is running. Let me know how you make out.
Found a Facebook club on this generator:
It's an oil change reminder, every 50 hours it pops up. Hold the button down for 30 seconds
facebook.com/groups/786648215361197/permalink/1281967515829262/?mibextid=Nif5oz
@@MrRChitty Thank you. Its running great again.
@@B.I.-EIO_macdonald9786 was that what it was?
I have a concession trailer that I recently brought online and with a small refrigerator, a keg-orator, a coffee brewer, coffee grinder, Coleman MACH 13500 AC unit, and a good size blender for frozen drinks, and a 6 gallon hot water heater. I first had the 3500 unit and it held for the most part , did trip on overload so I purchased the 8750 and this weekend during usage it did trip on me once when she was using the big blender. I;m thinking with the compressors and the heating elements on the coffee maker I maybe pushed the envelope on the wattage. I doubled my wattage availability with the 8750 so i was surprised when that happened and that was with the water heater off. I need to total up all the watts and see where I;m at, i must have been close when she turned the blender on. Maybe the ac compressor, the keg-orator and the fridge were using the compressors at that moment. Any suggestions??. The generator box on the front of it fits the 8750 perfect but its to small for the 9000.
Jim
Hi, Jim. I am interested in conversing with you further on this, as I am fascinated with it. I built a box to monitor each leg of power so that in the near future I either move breakers or consider my loads. I'll come back here, as I am at work.
Randy
@@MrRChitty One output on a 4 prong 30AMP twist lock to a 50 AMP twist lock on the trailer. I did go with an upgrade 100 AMP service just in case for the future when the built it last month. That's the time to go with upgrades right at the factory. I'm most likely going to have to consider the loads like you said but It will be interesting tonight when I get all the wattage readys off the equipment.
@@jimmaruniak8954 How did you make out so far?
It's my understanding that you will have to balance the loads. Is there another way I can communicate? I built an in line power monitor which does both legs. I ran my home the other day and had 3200 watts one and about 1400 watts on the other. I was running window AC units. I am gonna have to balance more or just not run one.
@@MrRChitty It looks so far like I will have to choose which components to have running at one given time. Total watts on everything if it all was on would be just over 6000. Generator is good for 8750 startup and 7000 running so its most likely not that. I think its the amp draw. Now if used everything at once it would be 52.9 . What i did have was somewhere around 29.4 or a little more and that was with the following running
Coleman MACH AC 15.3 AMPS
Small refrigerator 3.5 AMPS
Kegorator 1.3 AMPS
Bunn Coffee brewer 9 AMPS
Blendtec high speed blender 11.5 AMPS
So when it overloaded on me , I know the AC was on, maybe the fridge compressor was active , also keg orator and maybe the brewer was heating the internal water. As soon as she fired up that blender , that's when it tripped. Hot water heater and a grinder were offline at the time. I can email you with more info . The twist lock is only a 30 AMP but the generator says up to 58 AMPs. Does that mean the other receptacles have addition load capability??
@@jimmaruniak8954 Your loads need to be shared on each leg. Email me. I'll send more information what you can do to monitor it.
When should the display read 240v
Mine does it in about 15 seconds.
@@MrRChitty mine never does. Uggh!!
I would expect it to hit 240v when i flip on the 30amp plug and turn on the well pump. But it never does and now the green output light doesnt even come on.
@@sharonferra111 the circuit switch just disconnects the power to the outlets. Try calling Harbor Freight?
@@sharonferra111 1-888-866-5797
Excellent tutorial video, thank you!
Thank you very much.
6:42… wof?
What is wof?
@@dustin9035 "off". One of the three positions on the switch.
What kinds of oil it use ? Where do you put the oil in at ? Is it better to use ethanol free gas ? How to connect the battery ?
10w-30 is good year round. I use synthetic. The oil goes in the plug that's found at the base of the motor and requires a funnel with a long flexible tube. The included funnel slows the flow and therefore takes a bit to add oil to the crankcase. Ethanol free is always best, but, not always available. Never use gas containing more than 10% ethanol. The manufacturer recommends using a stabilizer with each tank of gasoline. Infact, they void your warranty if you don't use it. I drain the gas from the carburetor by shutting off the fuel while it's running. Never a carburetor issue with any machine that I have. The battery can be seen under one of the panels along with the connectors. It's pretty straight forward.
@@MrRChitty if I can use 10w-30 that will be better because I'm in a area where it gets really cold.Some guys that works on cars says it's better to use the thicker oil for cars if it gets extremely cold.Im guessing with generators it can work the same way.Is it a way to use a car battery if I have to for the generator using some types of cables that I can get from Autozone or Walmart ?
@@MrRChitty @JPG23 It's you-tube videos that shows how you can use a car as a generator.Can a 1000cc car battery with a 1,000w power inverter power a electric oven that's 800w or even a 800cc car battery ?
@@drrobotnikmeanbeanma you're oven would need 240 volts. At this point, you're outside what this video is for.
Excellent informative video. Thanks!
Appreciate the feedback
Do you still have it, if so any issues?
I still have it. No issues so far. I run it about once a month or more often if I am doing something outside and need power.
Thank you
Thanks for the feedback.
I have this one and I can sure tell harbor freight makes their stuff look like hondas and Its hard to get me away from honda power stuff because I have had my honda lawn mower for 8+ years and still runs like new but gotta say this thing is good for its price and its very quiet when running 2 fridges and some lights and tv i think it can run my home ac unit if it was the only thing on but idk
Check the breaker on your AC unit. If it's a 25 amp breaker, then the unit should not exceed 75 percent. That will leave some room. I have window units and managed to pull 29 amps on 1 leg. The other leg was about 8. I was intrigued with it running the 1 leg to capacity. It eventually tripped, probably because another fridge fired up. Balancing the load is important if you want to maximize the output. You will go through some fuel if you run the central air unit. My situation lies in the well pump. Otherwise, I can supply the entire home with a max of 3500 watts sharing 110 volts on both legs. We just manage what we do from inside. That would give me serious fuel savings.
@@MrRChitty ok good to know thanks my ac unit is a 30 amp breaker I just put in a 30 amp because I like to over due things but yea I am kinda nervous about doing it I know it can run it when its running it just takes a crap ton of power and amps to actually get the condenser fired up and once its running it doesnt take much I dont think but I might try it because I lost power just last week and I didnt turn the ac on when I had this generator because I was just worried but overloading it so it got up to like 85 in my house and when the power came back my ac was on non stop for about 4 days so i am hopping the power outages I have are in the winter when I can use the furnace since its not as demanding as the ac unit and i do think that a central air would use the full 240 volts and I do think it only does 25 amps i just have it on a 30 amp breaker
Do you need to ground it or anything before using? Or can I put one in my van and just start and use?
When you say, grounding before using, are you asking about a ground rod into the ground? No, you do not. The generator has a bonded neutral which means that the common and ground are tied together. If there was a short with your equipment, it would go back through the ground wire to the frame and pop the breaker. The generator is it's own circuit.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) provides guidelines for portable generators on construction sites. They apply where:
You’re plugging your equipment into the generator’s receptacles.
There’s low resistance bonding to the frame of:
All the generator’s non-current carrying parts like the fuel tank, engine, and housing.
The ground conductor terminals in the receptacles.
It’s a neutral bonded generator, meaning that its neutral conductor connects to its frame.
If you meet these requirements, you won’t need to ground your portable generator with a ground electrode like a grounding rod.
For those of you who don’t know about electricity let me explain… proceeds to talk in complete electric gibberish to me 😂😂😂 I’ll take your word for it bro that’s for sure, you know what you’re talking about
Good morning. Appreciate the feedback and thanks for watching.
Very informative
Appreciate the feedback.
How much 7500 watts
Sorry 8750 watts
@@brad_art I am not certain I understand what it is you are asking. 8750 Watt rating on this generator is the maximum, another words the surge required to start an appliance. 7000 watts is the max running. You never want to run anything at a 100%. Your household circuits, either 15 or 20 amps is the max, however, same applies, you don't want to make it a habit to run it more than 80% as a standard practice. As I explain in the video, inductive loads require enough power to start them. If you're using this to power your home, you have to understand the loads you are applying to each of the two legs.
A single household water heater with two 2500 watt elements would total 5000 watts. Your dryer, although on a 30 amp circuit shouldn't run more than 24-25 amps. This generator provides 29 amps at 240 or 29 amps on each leg. This would be the max you can run.
I hope this helps. Anything, feel free to ask.
Honda money has left the chat...