Oldfeller--FSO wrote on 12/07/22 at 14:19:26:


So... change the oil every day and you might need to run it for 7 days?
Also, large gas tank good for 14.5 hrs at 50% load?

You'll need to figure out how long the freezers need to run each day to maintain temperature cause the generator can't run all day.

If you have propane and the tank has a wet line, look for a carburetor kit that lets you run gas or propane. The oil stays much cleaner on propane.
If the gas station is outta power, the pumps don't work well.

Eegore,

Yep,  I think the Predator is a Chinese modified copy of somebody's original design.  

Mebbe Honda, mebbe Coleman, mebbe DeVilbiss as I do not remember who actually made it first.   The general design layout is pushing 40-50 years old by now ......

Most of today's larger capacity "portable" generators take this same shape & format along with using the same tilted single cylinder engine (because it fits in the space requirements so much better than a straight upright engine).   Indian was the first to supply the tilted small engine format, then Briggs and Honda did it next.   Been around a while, in other words.

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https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09SH3519K/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s...

I bought some of these 1/4" rod style super magnets to add to the drain plugs of all of my stuff that lacks an exterior oil filter for me to put a sizable ring magnet on the end of the steel can.   Bad news is the engine oil temp in the little generators gets right up to the temp that begins to demagnetize the n45 super magnet material.

Such is life, and the temperature demag issue is true for all drain plug magnet rigs that are being sold today.   I had a very old one for my Savage and it still picked up some crap each oil change.

As of today, I have 30 gallons of E10 gas sitting in my cars and a separate "Stabil treated" 10 gallon supply sitting in two 5 gallon gas cans.

So, I can keep the generator going for a week or until somebody manages to rig up their own generator to run their gas selling pumps and stuff.   I think most major gas and food places have backup generators available to rent for the North Carolina hurricane season anyway, so I would expect to be able to buy some gas somewhere.

Most likely that is plenty. Of Course having a look at the tag will tell you.
A full freezer uses less juice. Not Packed,but loaded up good. IDK about frost free,

That 20 hour oil change interval has to be a mistake - I found this thread where folks believe the manual has a mistake.  The table for maintenance is not very accurate and lists you should change oil every 20 hours or every month, 100 hours or 6 months, 300 hours and yearly......or and/or every 2 years!  It appears that even if you don't use your generator this table expects you will change your oil monthly!    (I would be tempted to believe you need to change the break in oil at 20 hours - then 100 hours after the engine is broken in.  Depending on where you store your generator - starting the dormant generator and changing oil yearly would likely be sufficient.

https://manuals.harborfreight.com/manuals/63000-63999/63083.pdf

https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/predator-20-hr-oil-change-interval....

Most small engines can go 50 -100 hours - my Honda generator recommends changes at 100 hours.

I have some experience with generators, as we have had a few "power outage" events in our rural area.  Most of the events only last a few hours and we really don't need to hook up the generator.  we have had one event that lasted a week when a leftover hurricane knocked down a lot of trees, another event lasted a few days.  Every now and then the outages will last for half a day.  We only need to run the generator a few hours to get the freezer and fridge cold - then we can shut it off for a very long time before we need to start it again.....we can sleep all night with the generator turned off.

For the fridge and freezer you only need power about 1/3rd of the day, and a small 2,000 watt generator is plenty of power to keep them running.  Start the generator and let it run until the fridge/freezer are cold - then you can turn the generator off for a few hours.  I have a watt meter in my generator setup and it only requires 1,300 watts to power both the fridge and freezer.  Luckily all of our long power outage events have occurred when the outside temperature was warm and we didn't need heat.  Our house is all electric and our water heater requires 3,800 watts - so we turn that off.  Running lights and a TV or computer adds very little extra load.  When cooking we need to have power as the gas oven has electric controls and will not operate without electric power......we can cook on the outdoor grill when necessary.

I have a 7,500 watt/220V generator that can run the 220V appliances (furnace,AC,water heater) and just about everything else in the house when it is needed - however it is loud and uses a lot of fuel.  I have a "lock out" in the main circuit breaker in the garage and an outside generator plug to connect the generator.  The generator is stored in the garage and only needs to be wheeled outside and connected.........it only takes a few minutes to plug the generator in and get the house running on the generator.  I have a smaller Honda 110V inverter/generator that we got for our camper that is far more fuel efficient and quiet - we run that most of the time and it connects to the same outdoor plug.

I am very "sick/obsessed" about fuel and storage.  I store my generator without any fuel.  The generator is stored in my insulated garage and it is not subject to extreme temperature or humidity changes.  I add a small amount of fuel and start and run the generator a few times a year.  My Generac generator is more than 20 years old and I have never had any fuel/carb problems and it always starts the first pull.  Some folks will argue that storing without fuel will cause the gaskets/seals/fuel lines to dry up - I don't believe that is true.  The thing that causes rubber parts to deteriorate is storing in sheds/barns that get really hot in the summer......those little sheds can easily get up over 100 -120 degrees in the full sun.  (I have replaced the fuel line a time or two.......they do age and need replaced periodically).

I have a couple of 55 gallon fuel drums where I store gasoline for use in my lawn mowing/emergencies - the yard maintenance on my property requires a lot of fuel in a year and I don't want to run to the gas station every week (I also have 1 drum of diesel fuel for the tractor).  I fill the drum and add Sta-Bil and seal it up - I alternate the drums and use up the fuel in one drum over the next year in my mowers and yard equipment.  I have 1 full drum and 1 partial drum of gasoline at all times (I generally fill up in the fall so I have 2 full drums all winter).  I realize that not everyone has the ability or need to have this much fuel - but having a couple of 5 gallon cans of generator fuel is not unreasonable.  If you are going to store fuel for extended periods get "ethanol free" gasoline if possible, add Sta-Bil, and only use metal cans. 

Dave, when you put gas in a 55 gallon drum, how much do you put in?
How do you store the drum?
I ask because I was doing that for a while and was alarmed at the pressure I was seeing. I was digging a pit and parking them in that with plywood for shade. Did the same with diesel. I have a discarded fuel pump and a long enough hose to fill whatever and a big fuel filter.

We see triple digits and when they are full,they don't dome up all that bad, but at about 3/4 they started worrying me, so I stop at the upper reinforcement line,and try to keep them from getting too hot. It's looking like I should do that again. If my back was okay, phhht..