HF Predator Generator vs Honda - HF sale

Thataway,

Looking into some of the comparisons, I think the Craftsman is too big for my intended use. Physically bigger and significantly heavier.

I'll look into the 1000’s.

Thanks
 
I have had a Honda 2000i and currently have a Honda 1000i. After an expensive repair on the first Honda generator, I thought I could get by with non-ethanol fuel and Stabil so I did not have to manually drain the carb on the 1000i, which to me is a major PITA. Wrong, another expensive repair on the 1000i. You HAVE to manually drain the carb on Honda generators or be prepared for an expensive repair.

I will NEVER buy another portable generator that does not have a fuel shut-off valve so I can run the fuel out of the carb. For some unknown reason, although Honda lawnmowers have fuel shut-off valves, none of their generators do. Sometime ago, I came across a website that had a lot of pretty good product reviews. It is campaddict.com, by two people who live full time in travel trailers. Kelly preferred Yamaha, but Marshall was sold on WEN. The one he had also lacked a fuel shut-off, but WEN also makes one with a fuel-shut off valve, the WEN 56225i. This will be my next portable generator. 2250 watts, 48.5 lbs., fuel shut-off valve.

This is the one for me,

 
A point of interest.....

I have a Honda lawn mower which has the fuel shut off. I religiously ran the engine out of fuel each time I used it under this theory that it's best to get the fuel out of the carb. Then a friend, who knows engines, told me: "NO". He said it was best to leave the fuel in since when you drain the carb, there is always some fuel left and now lots of air. His theory was that you are more likely to get carb "varnish/gum" by draining the carb. So now I don't drain it (even during the winter). But I have no idea which theory is correct.

Anyone know the "facts"?
 
smckean (Tosca)":pn30lg7d said:
A point of interest.....

I have a Honda lawn mower which has the fuel shut off. I religiously ran the engine out of fuel each time I used it under this theory that it's best to get the fuel out of the carb. Then a friend, who knows engines, told me: "NO". He said it was best to leave the fuel in since when you drain the carb, there is always some fuel left and now lots of air. His theory was that you are more likely to get carb "varnish/gum" by draining the carb. So now I don't drain it (even during the winter). But I have no idea which theory is correct.

Anyone know the "facts"?
Click to expand...

I can only go by personal experience. I ran the fuel out of my Honda lawnmower each time I used it for the last, oh, 15 years or so, and it always started easily. I did NOT drain the carbs on two Honda generators and ended up with expensive carb repairs on each. So I would have to kind of doubt what your friend is telling you.
 
I believe IIRC that HF generator/inverter manuals want you to startup and run them every 90 days ( and run for 30 minute minimum). I left it for about 9 months without starting, and it started up albeit after a few tries.
K
 
If you run the engine (outboard, lawnmower, generator, pressure washer etc, every few weeks, then leave treated gas in the carburetor. (Injected engines are OK with fuel.)

If you cannot run it once a month--then drain. You will gum up the carburetor. Long experience--since the 1940's....
 
Well, let's tslk about draining carbs, shall we? The message is drain those carbs, it gets ALL the fuel out.

I had the worlds heaviest 10 horse Honda outboard. To drain the carb, one had to remove the lifting straps. remove the hood, loosen a screw, wait till the gas drained out, tighten the screw, etc, etc. So I neglected to do that. My reward was, whilst on a trip, it refused to start. Turns out the starting tube? was clogged with a white residue. Removed that and it now started. Well, of course, I now drain the kicker after every trip. And with the Tohatsu (the worlds lightest 10 horse) which replaced the Honda.

I also have a Honda 1000i, which gave me carb problems after a couple of years. It has a shut off valve, combined with an ignition switch, so you can't run it dry. I got a new carb, and those aren't free. Discovered that there was, as Pat mentioned, a drain screw. That drain screw totally drained the carb's float bowl, no gas remaining. So now I have to take both the small outboard and the generator apart and drain the carbs. A pain in the rear, but they both start easily now.

The top of the Honda generator carb has a servo mechanism, which gives the "i" in the name. After several years of service, these become stickey, so that the no-load speed will vary. Just shoot a little silicone spray in there and all will be well. That generator has lasted for 18 years and is still going strong.

Boris
 
Just be sure it is a genuine Yahama generator:EF 2000iSv2. There were some generators which had Yahama engines, but not the same generator section. The EF2000iSv2 is well respected and equivalent to the Honda. Yamaha has a 2200 which seems to have replaced the 2000.
 
thataway":rvkafnyg said:
If you run the engine (outboard, lawnmower, generator, pressure washer etc, every few weeks, then leave treated gas in the carburetor. (Injected engines are OK with fuel.)
...
Click to expand...

FWIW, I don't do anything with my lawn mover between seasons. It's carbed and runs on E-10 gas straight from the pump (i.e. untreated). I just put it away around the end of Oct and start it up again in April (more or less). Other than an extra pull or two to get it started in the spring, no noticeable difference in the way it runs. Worked fine for 10 years so far.
 
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