SO going to be needing a generator soon and looking for suggestions. While I would like to follow my own advice and buy right one first and save,it just not happening now.

Looking for something to power at least one AC unit,air compressor and maybe pit fan. On weekends I have motor home I will not need it much.On short trip weekends when just using truck it will get more work out. Need to be fairly quite. Would like to stay under 1000 bucks on this one since I will need bigger in short time frame.

Harbor freight predator 3500 generator/invertor. My brother uses his for his trailer with no issues.
He's used it for two years and runs a small living quarters. I used it to run my motorhome one weekend and it worked fine. It's well under 1000$.

X2 on Harbor Freight. The predator generators are about the best bang for the buck you can get....Yeah, Honda's are nice....but are they really worth nearly four times the price for the same thing???

I have a 8500 watt Predator that's been used at the track, to power my house when the power went out, and anytime I've needed electricity when there wasn't a plug...it's never failed to start, provide clean power, or do what it's supposed to do...I'll buy another without hesitation if/when I need one.

I've seen several of these at the race track, they are surprisingly quite, and the owners are happy with the performance. https://www.tractorsupply.com/...?solr=1&cm_vc=-10005

At the last race there was a guy pitted next to me with a predator 3500 he was having constant problems with it and it only had 22 hours on it..... My Honda has 1500 trouble-free hours on it JS

The predator is a great deal for sure, I would just make sure and buy the extended warranty....

This message has been edited. Last edited by: "The Bender",

quote:

Originally posted by "The Bender":
At the last race there was a guy pitted next to me with a predator 3500 he was having constant problems with it and it only had 22 hours on it..... My Honda has 1500 trouble-free hours on it JS

The predator is a great deal for sure, I would just make sure and buy the extended warranty....

Not saying anything here for or against the generator with only 22 hours on it but with today's cheap gas and tight emissions regulations if you let a generator or anything sit even just few months it will gum up the carb and it will not idle or run good. I highly recommend what ever you get that you start it and run it a few minutes at least once a month.

quote:

Originally posted by topfuel:
I've seen several of these at the race track, they are surprisingly quite, and the owners are happy with the performance. https://www.tractorsupply.com/...?solr=1&cm_vc=-10005

Sorry,Sent pm about noise factor then reread post just ignore pm. They are cheaper which good and bad.Cheap although needed right now scares the hell out of me. 95% of time when I make purchase with saving money as deciding factor it bites me in the ass.

Maybe a few other will chime in on those champion generator's

Thanks for suggestions. I was looking at the predator 3500 already.Only thing that bothers me is just like here it has mixed reviews and they are one end or other, Great for the money or a waste of money short life POS.

Will see what others have to say.Plus I have a 3 week wait for a trailer to put it in so for once time is on my side.

I have a predictor 3500 I paid 600.00 for that’s 2 years old with zero issues. I can by 3 for the price of 1 honda 3000 so ill keep running them. A honda would have to last 6 years to justify buying it and that’s if mine blew up tomorrow. Yes the honda is good but not that good. I bracket race every saturday the gates are open and its been flawless.

quote:

Originally posted by wideopen231:

quote:

Originally posted by topfuel:
I've seen several of these at the race track, they are surprisingly quite, and the owners are happy with the performance. https://www.tractorsupply.com/...?solr=1&cm_vc=-10005

Sorry,Sent pm about noise factor then reread post just ignore pm. They are cheaper which good and bad.Cheap although needed right now scares the hell out of me. 95% of time when I make purchase with saving money as deciding factor it bites me in the ass.

Maybe a few other will chime in on those champion generator's

Champion generators are some of best out there. Period. When I first got my 2000 (around 2014?) everyone said I should not get it. Now most all of them own Champions to. The 2000 is extremely quiet and does not use much gas at all. Starts first pull every time.

Stay away from Generac! Far, far away

I have had the Honda for a long time and love it but in your case I would buy the Harbor Freight clone. They are also easier to plumb the exhaust to the top of trailer than the Honda. Good luck with whatever you pick!

In my case I bought 2 of the Champion 2000s and the parallel kit so I have 4000 starting watts. The reason for 2 is that if one quits I can still run everything in my trailer but the AC. Using 2 I can run my 10000 BTU AC, computer, 2 dbl. bulb 4’ fluorescent lights, air compressor, outside LED lights, mini fridge and the carpet fan I cool my trans with.

I haven't seen anybody mention them but i took a chance on a 2300w ryobi. It has some neat features like bluetooth to your phone and a display that shows hours remaining before needing fuel and watts being used. I run rec fuel in it and no problems for the first year. It will run 9+ hours on a tank approx 1 gallon. You would need 2 in parallel to run a ac.

I have a 2000 watt Champion that's 5 years old and it has been flawless.

I run it at special events for over 24 hours at a time several times a year. Typically starts on the second pull even if it has been sitting for a few weeks.

At one of our events last month, my Champion was actually a touch quieter than the Honda the guy next to me was using.

Only negative thing I have came across is that the Honda has a touch higher surge output and will sometimes start a bit larger load than the champion will.

If you want the higher capacity by using 2 generators, they will vertically stack on top of each other with the stacking module between them and not take up a bunch of extra room on the ground.

Looks like champion is pulling a head by 3 or 4 cars and we are not near finish line.

https://apelectric.com/westing...-inverter-generator/

What I run at the track. Nice and quiet without the price tag of a Honda. Have had it for over a year with no problems. More watts than a honda too.I fire it up in the morning and it will run all day no sweat.

https://www.championpowerequip...-open-frame-inverter

I've had this one for the past 3 years with no problems so far. Runs A/C when needed and two battery chargers and small compressor.

I've got a Champion 4KW. It eats a circuit board about once a year. Out of warranty now and I'm not going to put any more into it. I have not been pleased with it. Has cost me a lot of frustration in the last 2 years. I bought a Yamaha EF2800i and kept it as a spare but it's obviously smaller and won't run everything all at once. Runs longer on a tank of fuel and considerably quieter in doing so, but again it's a smaller generator (and MUCH lighter!).

another vote for the predator. extremely quiet and does the job well!