Predator 3500 inverter questions

[RiverDave]

So I have a couple of these that we use fir our shows, and offroad etc. I read somewhere that there is some recipe to make these things life forever.. some kind of oil they use and some spark plug they set at a certain gap?

anyone know what the answers are?

 

[King295]

All I know is mine has developed a sweet leak with about 20 hours on it. I haven't used it outside of running it once every few weeks but its leaving oil on the garage floor. I've read bolts come loose and need to be snugged up and possibly a new o-ring on the dip stick. I need to pull it apart and see whats up.

For the plugs, recommended to run these by YouTube/Forums: Amazon.com: NGK 5122 Spark Plug - BR7ES, 4 Pack : Automotive

Can't speak to the other mod, possibly cleaning the element on the exhaust regularly but pretty sure someone will be along to confirm/deny.

 

[outboard_256]

I heard you get the warranty, drain oil and gas before it ends and get a new one.

 

[RiverDave]

I heard you get the warranty, drain oil and gas before it ends and get a new one.

Lol.

 

[LuauLounge]

If you want one that is always reliable and lasts forever, buy a Honda......
There is a reason they are expensive.

 

[TPC]

Never fill gas above the red level tab in the filler neck.
Never fill it while its running.
Those that say theirs is starving for air had filled it above the fill level tab, it sucked liquid into the evap canister causing it to starve for air because the liquid hardened the carbon choking off air flow.
No cure.

If you have the Torch spark plug you replace it with the NGK BPR6ES and I'll send you one today.
If you have the Bosch spark plug you're good for 1000 hours.

Change the oil and clean the spark arrester every 100 hours.

 

[Blackmagic94]

You spelled Honda wrong.

 

[RiverDave]

Never fill gas above the red level tab in the filler neck.
Never fill it while its running.
Those that say theirs is starving for air had filled it above the fill level tab, it sucked liquid into the evap canister causing it to starve for air because the liquid hardened the carbon choking off air flow.
No cure.
View attachment 1052589

If you have the Torch spark plug you replace it with the NGK BPR6ES and I'll send you one today.
If you have the Bosch spark plug you're good for 1000 hours.

Change the oil and clean the spark arrester every 100 hours.

can I just buy the Bosch spark plug and be good for 1000 hrs? Do you know what to set the gap too?

 

[TPC]

I’ll gap & send you the NGK if you like. I have a box of them.
Amazon was the only place I found them.

The Predator handles the Havasu heat and will run 15k RV ac.
The Honda 3000 does neither.

 

[RiverDave]

I’ll gap & send you the NGK if you like. I have a box of them.
Amazon was the only place I found them.

The Predator handles the Havasu heat and will run 15k RV ac.
The Honda 3000 does neither.

Just bring them to Desert Bash. Did you get your ticket yet? I got you a campsite.

 

[bilz]

I have a champion gen. I switched to mobil 1. Runs quieter and smoother.

 

[mash on it]

I have a champion gen. I switched to mobil 1. Runs quieter and smoother.

What grade of mobil 1?

I'm using Valvoline straight 30 wt conventional motor oil per owners manual.
Edit: anything quieter is good.

Dan'l

 

[Meaney77]

I’ll gap & send you the NGK if you like. I have a box of them.
Amazon was the only place I found them.

The Predator handles the Havasu heat and will run 15k RV ac.
The Honda 3000 does neither.

Are you back on the Predator Bandwagon? I thought you had an issue with one of yours and ended up going with the Honda?

I use the crap out of mine- change oil regularly and knock on wood no issues... I think I have about 5 years on mine.

 

[TPC]

Are you back on the Predator Bandwagon? I thought you had an issue with one of yours and ended up going with the Honda?

I use the crap out of mine- change oil regularly and knock on wood no issues... I think I have about 5 years on mine.

Yes and I found out the hard way.

I found out not to overfill nor fill them with gas while running. The problem was all on me.
I have 3 more and love them.

If you Parallel two together with the Firman 1201 kit you get 50 amps and a 50 amp plug:

 

[Bigbore500r]

Never fill gas above the red level tab in the filler neck.
Never fill it while its running.
Those that say theirs is starving for air had filled it above the fill level tab, it sucked liquid into the evap canister causing it to starve for air because the liquid hardened the carbon choking off air flow.
No cure.
View attachment 1052589

If you have the Torch spark plug you replace it with the NGK BPR6ES and I'll send you one today.
If you have the Bosch spark plug you're good for 1000 hours.

Change the oil and clean the spark arrester every 100 hours.

So what im hearing is ditch the evap canister shit? Possible?

 

[4Waters]

So what im hearing is ditch the evap canister shit? Possible?

Good question, I'll have to look at mine when I get a moment

 

[RiverDave]

I'm gonna buy that firman deal.. I have been looking at 28' trailers, but the main reason I wanted to stick with 24 is the 28's are all 50 amp and I wasn't sure how I was gonna power one with 2 AC's etc..

RD

 

[Yldboyz]

Now I want to get one.

 

[TPC]

So what im hearing is ditch the evap canister shit? Possible?

Their are You Tubes where they re-jet the carb and claim they have success.
Ya can't just remove it nor drill holes in the canister. I tried all that when I was stranded in Idaho.
YouTube certified means maybe,,, maybe not.

115F in Cabazon and the Predator ran several days straight and near full load. The Honda eu3000i woulda'a never done it. I've tried it.

 

[ElAzul]

RDP in general- "fuck China!!!!"
Also RDP- "how you guy's keeping yore Chinese shit running the longest??"'.

 

[TPC]

RDP in general- "fuck China!!!!"
Also RDP- "how you guy's keeping yore Chinese shit running the longest??"'.

Ya have no choice.
The Hondas are made in China too.

 

[4Waters]

RDP in general- "fuck China!!!!"
Also RDP- "how you guy's keeping yore Chinese shit running the longest??"'.

Californians- just trying to keep the lights on

 

[ElAzul]

Ya have no choice.
The Chondas are made in China too.

Fixed

 

[lbhsbz]

Yes and I found out the hard way.

I found out not to overfill nor fill them with gas while running. The problem was all on me.
I have 3 more and love them.

If you Parallel two together with the Firman 1201 kit you get 50 amps and a 50 amp plug:

Typical RDP guy....puts a lift kit on the fucking generator. lol

 

[lbhsbz]

So what im hearing is ditch the evap canister shit? Possible?

The gas thing is sort of bullshit I think. I poured a gallon in mine when it was new, and fired it up....if I hold the oil dipstick door at about a 45° angle and let go...it'll suck it shut. It's starving for air regardless of fueling.

Although, leaving the dipstick door off doesn't seem to make any difference at all in "performance"

 

[Meaney77]

The gas thing is sort of bullshit I think. I poured a gallon in mine when it was new, and fired it up....if I hold the oil dipstick door at about a 45° angle and let go...it'll suck it shut. It's starving for air regardless of fueling.

Although, leaving the dipstick door off doesn't seem to make any difference at all in "performance"

I dont want to jinx myself here but I cant tell you how many times in a drunken stooper I have left the campfire drunk and stoned to the bejesus to fill my ego booster and spilled gas everywhere after really "topping it off " before going to bed and never had this issue....

 

[TPC]

I dont want to jinx myself here but I cant tell you how many times in a drunken stooper I have left the campfire drunk and stoned to the bejesus to fill my ego booster and spilled gas everywhere after really "topping it off " before going to bed and never had this issue....

Me too and you’ll get away with it for awhile, but eventually it’ll puke and I warned ya.
One day the generator won’t come off idle, hard to start, snorting and farting when it does and there you have it.

 

[TPC]

The gas thing is sort of bullshit I think. I poured a gallon in mine when it was new, and fired it up....if I hold the oil dipstick door at about a 45° angle and let go...it'll suck it shut. It's starving for air regardless of fueling.

Although, leaving the dipstick door off doesn't seem to make any difference at all in "performance"

It’s drawing in air to cool the engine, inverter and generator. Negative draft inside the case.

I digress from my take but its what I found out the hard way and being careful has prevented repeat failure.

Eventually liquid sucked down the evaporator line grenades the canister and I told ya all so. Read that: Eventually.

If that doesn't convince you it's the only reason their are no extended run tank systems for the Predator.
Jus' trying to save you all the $950 otd that a new HF 3500 now costs.

Free advise is worth what you pay for it and it's your money.

 

[TPC]

RDP in general- "fuck China!!!!"
Also RDP- "how you guy's keeping yore Chinese shit running the longest??"'.

Yeah you’d think we’d learned when RD shipped in those scrambled eggs from China for the RDP breakfast.

 

[bilz]

What grade of mobil 1?

I'm using Valvoline straight 30 wt conventional motor oil per owners manual.
Edit: anything quieter is good.

Dan'l

Mobil1 10-30

 

[SoCalDave]

I have run mobil products in all my stuff for many a years and have never ever had a lubrication failure in any of them...

 

[Bigbore500r]

I dont want to jinx myself here but I cant tell you how many times in a drunken stooper I have left the campfire drunk and stoned to the bejesus to fill my ego booster and spilled gas everywhere after really "topping it off " before going to bed and never had this issue....

That is the exact scenario I was thinking of when TPC was explaining how you can’t overfill it past the line! Lol
Its 2:30am, and I’m pouring all the gas in that sucker in the dark before I stumble into the rig for bed

 

[Meaney77]

That is the exact scenario I was thinking of when TPC was explaining how you can’t overfill it past the line! Lol
Its 2:30am, and I’m pouring all the gas in that sucker in the dark before I stumble into the rig for bed

Every time!

 

[Meaney77]

Not to totally thread jack but @TPC are you at the Joint tonight celebrating Randsburg Days? Looks like a damn good time!

http://instagr.am/p/CUL6BhoJ2oN/

The joint. (@thejoint1955) • Instagram photos and videos

1,645 Followers, 1,083 Following, 3,982 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from The joint. (@thejoint1955)

www.instagram.com

 

[Hardly Satisfied]

Lol.

That’s what everyone does Dave there a website on Facebook Harbor freight Predator 3500/Northern tool powerho inverter generator

 

[HitIt]

I have one of these things and the evap canister thing worries me. I don't understand how or why there is no fix for it. With all of the monkeys on YouTube, you would think that someone would have figured it out. It is a physical part and now some mystical vessel of power, right?

 

[RiverDave]

The gas thing is sort of bullshit I think. I poured a gallon in mine when it was new, and fired it up....if I hold the oil dipstick door at about a 45° angle and let go...it'll suck it shut. It's starving for air regardless of fueling.

Although, leaving the dipstick door off doesn't seem to make any difference at all in "performance"

We cracked the dipstick on one of ours and it shot oil all over the yard.. Picture a monty python movie and that was us turning it off and putting it back to bed.

RD

 

[lbhsbz]

I have one of these things and the evap canister thing worries me. I don't understand how or why there is no fix for it. With all of the monkeys on YouTube, you would think that someone would have figured it out. It is a physical part and now some mystical vessel of power, right?

the same thing will happen with your car if you click the gas pump to top it off 5 times after it shuts off automatically. Although…modern cars have slightly more advanced fuel management systems and envisions systems than a generator. We would typically see rich codes with a fuel saturated canister.

it will change the mixture slightly, but I can’t see it causing the sort of the problem TPC is describing…but I have been wrong before. At most, it should result in an emissions problem.

on the other hand…most small engines certified to be sold in CA are tuned leaner than a popcorn fart so who knows.

 

[TPC]

Turn generator off
Fill gas to level mark
Hit start button
Now that is a full days hard work.

 

[HitIt]

Since I was worried about this happening on a trip, I looked into it.

Since this gen doesn't have a vented cap (due to CARB) the gas tank vents through the evap canister. The evap canister has two hoses hooked to it. An input from the tippy top of the gas tank and an output that goes to the airbox. There are no check valves, solenoids, etc. in line. Normally the fuel vapors from the tank get vented through the canister and eventually through the airbox. When you overfill the tank, the fuel travels down into the canister. This can causes raw fuel to be delivered to the airbox resulting in an overly rich condition.

If this happens, you can simply disconnect the two hoses that go to the cannister and things will be back to normal. If they aren't, it is because the rich condition plugged the spark arrestor, fouled the plug, or the air filter is still saturated in fuel. Fix that and you will be back in business. You should plug the hose coming from the gas tank so that if you overfill the tank, raw fuel doesn't get dumped into the case if you overfill. This will require you to either crack the gas cap of buy a vented cap since the tank still needs to be vented.

Side note: You have to do the same thing with the extended run gravity feed tanks for the same reason.

Good video of how to disconnect the hoses:

Also, and another side note: You should stop drilling holes in the case of the gen for airflow. Drill them here instead:

 

[Bigbore500r]

Turn generator off
Fill gas to level mark
Hit start button
Now that is a full days hard work.

Aint nobody got time fo dat.......

You just killed the kids movie, now they're crying it has to start over. You take off your muddy boots, go into the motorhome, try to get the DVD back to where it was when you killed the generator. Now the f*cking DVD player wont read the DVD. Your wiping the DVD on your shirt, but your shirt is full of dirt. Shit now it will never work! Hey Kids, wanna watch Shreck for the 132nd time? NO!

You're the worst dad ever

 

[Meaney77]

Aint nobody got time fo dat.......

You just killed the kids movie, now they're crying it has to start over. You take off your muddy boots, go into the motorhome, try to get the DVD back to where it was when you killed the generator. Now the f*cking DVD player wont read the DVD. Your wiping the DVD on your shirt, but your shirt is full of dirt. Shit now it will never work! Hey Kids, wanna watch Shreck for the 132nd time? NO!

You're the worst dad ever

All while trying to hold you composure in front of your kids so they cant see how hammered you really are

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

Aint nobody got time fo dat.......

You just killed the kids movie, now they're crying it has to start over. You take off your muddy boots, go into the motorhome, try to get the DVD back to where it was when you killed the generator. Now the f*cking DVD player wont read the DVD. Your wiping the DVD on your shirt, but your shirt is full of dirt. Shit now it will never work! Hey Kids, wanna watch Shreck for the 132nd time? NO!

You're the worst dad ever

Dafuq kind of 3rd world camping are you doing with DVD players? Get a 5g satellite uplink and a streaming service, geez.

You are the worst dad ever!!

 

[RCDave]

One word....

YAMAHA.

Ive put thousand of hard hours on 2 of them. Never one problem

2400
and
a 3000. This model is the cats meow. Whisper quiet. 3500 watt surge and runs a 15K A/C easy peasy

 

[outboard_256]

Dafuq kind of 3rd world camping are you doing with DVD players? Get a 5g satellite uplink and a streaming service, geez.

You are the worst dad ever!!

He got tired of rewinding VHS tapes so he stepped up to dvd's. Now you want him to upgrade again?

 

[Bigbore500r]

Dafuq kind of 3rd world camping are you doing with DVD players? Get a 5g satellite uplink and a streaming service, geez.

You are the worst dad ever!!

5G satellite uplink? Thats some Speed UTV deposit holder kinda money I ain't got

 

[HPBoats83]

I'm gonna buy that firman deal.. I have been looking at 28' trailers, but the main reason I wanted to stick with 24 is the 28's are all 50 amp and I wasn't sure how I was gonna power one with 2 AC's etc..

RD

I have the 3500 and it’s ran my trailer many nights, all night in Dumont. They do have a bigger inverter generator available nowbut it doesn’t look like it does 50A

9500 Watt SUPER QUIET Inverter Generator with CO SECURE Technology

Amazing deals on this 9500W Co Secure Inverter Generator at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

5G satellite uplink? Thats some Speed UTV deposit holder kinda money I ain't got

Well perhaps you shouldn't have gotten yourself eliminated.

 

[Bigbore500r]

Well perhaps you shouldn't have gotten yourself eliminated.

Cant' eliminate what ya didn't initiate! Lol

 

[4Waters]

I have the 3500 and it’s ran my trailer many nights, all night in Dumont. They do have a bigger inverter generator available nowbut it doesn’t look like it does 50A

9500 Watt SUPER QUIET Inverter Generator with CO SECURE Technology

Amazing deals on this 9500W Co Secure Inverter Generator at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

The 9500 is pay to order and it's 6-8 weeks out, I got the 8750 inverter generator and has the same 30A for $700 less and it's in stock.

8750 Watt Inverter Generator with CO SECURE Technology

Amazing deals on this 8750W Co Secure Inverter Generator at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com