New Predator 6500W Generator, Recommendations/Tips?

[JoeDirt41]

We had a bad windstorm yesterday evening that knocked our power out for over 24 hours (actually just kicked back on), and these storms have been getting increasingly frequent the last couple years. The house was getting quite cold, and we don’t have a fireplace, so around the 12 hour mark, I went and bought a 6500W Predator Generator from Harbor Freight to try and preserve the food in the fridge and get some heat going in the house.

I bought the wheel kit and installed it, filled it with 1 quart of 10W30 Pennzoil conventional and filled the gas tank with 90 octane ethanol free fuel. It started on the first pull and ran about 8 hours before the power came back on. I ran the fridge, one space heater and the oven for a little bit. By my calculations, I think I ran between 30-60% load on it.

So far I’m happy with the purchase, just wondering if anyone has any suggestions for break in procedure, oil type, maintenance, usage, or upgrades.

 

[4wd]

We had a bad windstorm yesterday evening that knocked our power out for over 24 hours (actually just kicked back on), and these storms have been getting increasingly frequent the last couple years. The house was getting quite cold, and we don’t have a fireplace, so around the 12 hour mark, I went and bought a 6500W Predator Generator from Harbor Freight to try and preserve the food in the fridge and get some heat going in the house.

I bought the wheel kit and installed it, filled it with 1 quart of 10W30 Pennzoil conventional and filled the gas tank with 90 octane ethanol free fuel. It started on the first pull and ran about 8 hours before the power came back on. I ran the fridge, one space heater and the oven for a little bit. By my calculations, I think I ran between 30-60% load on it.

So far I’m happy with the purchase, just wondering if anyone has any suggestions for break in procedure, oil type, maintenance, usage, or upgrades.

View attachment 328342

I run Redline 10W30 - Chonda motors get hot and shed. I’d already change it the first time …

 

[JoeDirt41]

I run Redline 10W30 - Chonda motors get hot and shed. I’d already change it the first time …

View attachment 328343

Yeah the manual claims 30 hours for break-in but that seems excessive to me. I was thinking more like 5-10 max. I was planning on conventional for break-in then synthetic after.

 

[BC1]

Change the oil now. If it only holds one quart I would change it every 25 hours. Store it empty, drain the fuel tank then let run out of gas.

 

[Cujet]

Change the oil now. These engines produce plenty of metal bits. The next oil change, consider going 10 hours. By then most of the glitter will be out of the engine and you will get good service life from it. I use Rotella T6 5W-40 in some of my air cooled engines. Here in FL, for the hardest working air cooled engines, I use Mobil 1, 15W-50 and change at 50 hour intervals. Thousands of post hurricane hours of use.

 

[Rand]

I'd change it now, at 25 hours and again at 50 hours.. then 100hours.. and probably every 100hours thereafter.

 

[SC Maintenance]

When I bought one, which was quite a bit smaller, all the go kart forums which also use the Chonda engines said to break in for 1 hours, change oil, break in for another hour, change oil, gtg.

I did - first change came out really sparkly. Second came out pretty clean.

If it were mine I would say your already broke in now. Change the oil so its ready for next time.

 

[4wd]

When I bought one, which was quite a bit smaller, all the go kart forums which also use the Chonda engines said to break in for 1 hours, change oil, break in for another hour, change oil, gtg.

I did - first change came out really sparkly. Second came out pretty clean.

If it were mine I would say your already broke in now. Change the oil so its ready for next time.

I think the rings are already coked up and stuck - I read that starts happening right away

 

[fantastic]

Cold climate consider a 0w if it's pull start. I have that inverter predator with electric start so that's nice.

 

[perkz]

I run dry on gas, oil fog the cylinder and the gas tank, change oil every run, and put it away.

 

[Sequoiasoon]

If your somewhere cold and need to pull start it, the thicker 15W-50 stuff is no bueno. Mine was like molasses at 8F. Luckily mine has electric start and I just use a car jump pack then. It's back on 5W-30 now, next change it may go to Mobil 1 0W-40 or some other 0W-40. Fortunately I don't need it often.

I would change the oil now. Drain the fuel tank, run it dry, drain carb if possible. At least you have ethanol free or I would say to do some TruFuel or other version, maybe even with a bit of mechanic in a bottle.

Consider getting a transfer switch installed with hook up by your shed or somewhere accordingly. That will allow you to pick your circuits you want and have the exhaust away from the house. Mine stays in my shed, cord is long enough to plug to transfer switch outlet at side of house.

I have some lights and outlets on each floor, fridge/freezers, boiler (mine does hot water). I can survive in heat with a good fan, not happily but my AC would draw too much I think. I can cook on my grill and always have spare propane. Heat in winter is my biggest concern and being able to shower if possible.

 

[Sequoiasoon]

I think the rings are already coked up and stuck - I read that starts happening right away

That's why Valvoline Restore and Protect 5W-30 may be a good option

 

[4wd]

That's why Valvoline Restore and Protect 5W-30 may be a good option

My smaller gens are pull start and get Mobil Delvac 1 in 5W-40

 

[mrsilv04]

I'd change it now, at 25 hours and again at 50 hours.. then 100hours.. and probably every 100hours thereafter.

OR once a year... whichever of these come first.

 

[DCDG]

You got yourself a nice generator love the wheel kit. Try to keep a 50-60% load until you reach 20 hrs. For now I'd run the engine with the gas off until it stalls out top the fuel off and call it good. When you hit 20 hrs switch over to a synthetic blend or full synthetic. Manual says 5w or 10w-30 just use according to weather and season

 

[Astro_Guy]

I bought the wheel kit and installed it, filled it with 1 quart of 10W30 Pennzoil conventional and filled the gas tank with 90 octane ethanol free fuel. It started on the first pull and ran about 8 hours before the power came back on. I ran the fridge, one space heater and the oven for a little bit. By my calculations, I think I ran between 30-60% load on it.

So far I’m happy with the purchase, just wondering if anyone has any suggestions for break in procedure, oil type, maintenance, usage, or upgrades.

Was that an electric oven being fed with 240 VAC or a gas oven running a 120 VAC ignitor?

I have the Predator 3500 inverter and here is what I did with respect to oil:

1. Initial fill of 10w-30 Mobil 1 High Mileage
2. Break in for 8 hours then changed with the same oil.
3. At 28 hours the oil was changed to 5w-40 Rotella T6
4. At 78 hours (50 on the RT6) changed back to Mobil 1 High Mileage 10w30

I did not notice any difference between those oils but perhaps I might have if pull starting in single digits.

My generator connects via a ten circuit manual transfer switch. I believe I may have seen a maximum load of 2875 VA while running the dishwasher in a heated dry cycle. Other essenstial circuits include the ignitors for the gas furnace, range and hot water heaters, the refrigerators and chest freezer.

 

[billt460]

Change the oil now. These engines produce plenty of metal bits. The next oil change, consider going 10 hours. By then most of the glitter will be out of the engine and you will get good service life from it. I use Rotella T6 5W-40 in some of my air cooled engines. Here in FL, for the hardest working air cooled engines, I use Mobil 1, 15W-50 and change at 50 hour intervals. Thousands of post hurricane hours of use.

I use the Mobil 1 15W-50 as well. Excellent oil for air cooled engines, that run in high ambient temperatures.

 

[RhondaHonda]

Was that an electric oven being fed with 240 VAC or a gas oven running a 120 VAC ignitor?

I have the Predator 3500 inverter and here is what I did with respect to oil:

1. Initial fill of 10w-30 Mobil 1 High Mileage
2. Break in for 8 hours then changed with the same oil.
3. At 28 hours the oil was changed to 5w-40 Rotella T6
4. At 78 hours (50 on the RT6) changed back to Mobil 1 High Mileage 10w30

I did not notice any difference between those oils but perhaps I might have if pull starting in single digits.

My generator connects via a ten circuit manual transfer switch. I believe I may have seen a maximum load of 2875 VA while running the dishwasher in a heated dry cycle. Other essenstial circuits include the ignitors for the gas furnace, range and hot water heaters, the refrigerators and chest freezer.

Did you have to do anything to the generator to ground it or with the neutral? I have the same gen and have considered a 10 circuit manual switch.

My kitchen fridge and freezer columns are permanently installed so it’s a real pain transferring stuff to the garage or basement fridge.

 

[Astro_Guy]

Did you have to do anything to the generator to ground it or with the neutral? I have the same gen and have considered a 10 circuit manual switch.

Connecting it to the panel via a transfer switch effectively grounds the generator.

As an interesting aside I have a level 1 charger for my PHEV and tried using it as a load for an exercise run. The charger detects a ground fault and won't work when connected directly to the generator but works fine when fed from the generator via the transfer switch.

 

[RhondaHonda]

Connecting it to the panel via a transfer switch effectively grounds the generator.

As an interesting aside I have a level 1 charger for my PHEV and tried using it as a load for an exercise run. The charger detects a ground fault and won't work when connected directly to the generator but works fine when fed from the generator via the transfer switch.

Gotcha. I figured that would be the case with the grounding and have the same experience when trying to charge my Tesla from the generator. Thanks.