I would go with the Honda if I had unlimited funds to throw at it. I didnt 5 years ago so tried the Predator 2000 from Harbor Freight when they first introduced it. After 5 years I would estimate Ive used it at least 5 hours a week x 52 weeks x 5 years thats over 1250 hours and Ive only changed the oil about 10x. It has not missed a beat and still starts on the first pull every damn time. The bulk of those hours were at about 1/3 rated capacity, though I regularly use a small microwave at the same time I run a 12v charger at 10 amps, combined they are around 1400 watts.
Its probably a bit louder than the Honda though a youtube video had a head to head comparison showing db levels were virtually the same. Maybe its not as quiet as it was new. Regardless, its been as durable as I need it to be and when I bought it you could get it for $400 with coupon. IIRC now its $550 regular price 10% less on sale.
Still a good deal since Hondas are over $1100 now and have countries of origin no better than what Harbor Freight is using.
I think there are a lot of good gennys out there at half the price of Honda, if I did it again I would buy the Predator or look at the Champion 2500, its supposed to be among the quietest and is a full 10lbs lighter than most. Look at the reviews for the Predator 2000, theyre pretty good and I think HF has a rare winner there.
I will add that over a year ago I designed and started to build a fan cooled hush box for the Predator, got the panels cut and routed the insides for a labyrinth apparatus at each end for cooling. Along the way I had some doubts it would work and got sidetracked by other projects. I will finish it in the near future just to say I did. Its made out of 3/4" birch ply and Im insulating it with some old wet suit material and made it just barely bigger than the genny. Thats where I hit a bug, I really didnt leave enough room for a big enough internal blower, though I have a high power 4" duct blower I can fit externally.
I did fit about 2 feet of high temp heater hose to its exhaust port so I can run it in my minivan if I want, out the rear hatch. I dont do that often, when I do I put a centrifigual blower/air circulator next to it blowing out the back hatch.
On hush boxes, there are a number of videos out there particularly from Japan (where I guess noise is frowned upon) of guys sticking Honda gennys in boxes, many with amazing results.
Nobody that I have seen makes an effective enclosure commercially. The universal ones suck and if you were to manufacture one that worked it would be model specific and would likely sell for more than $500.
Its probably a bit louder than the Honda though a youtube video had a head to head comparison showing db levels were virtually the same. Maybe its not as quiet as it was new. Regardless, its been as durable as I need it to be and when I bought it you could get it for $400 with coupon. IIRC now its $550 regular price 10% less on sale.
Still a good deal since Hondas are over $1100 now and have countries of origin no better than what Harbor Freight is using.
I think there are a lot of good gennys out there at half the price of Honda, if I did it again I would buy the Predator or look at the Champion 2500, its supposed to be among the quietest and is a full 10lbs lighter than most. Look at the reviews for the Predator 2000, theyre pretty good and I think HF has a rare winner there.
I will add that over a year ago I designed and started to build a fan cooled hush box for the Predator, got the panels cut and routed the insides for a labyrinth apparatus at each end for cooling. Along the way I had some doubts it would work and got sidetracked by other projects. I will finish it in the near future just to say I did. Its made out of 3/4" birch ply and Im insulating it with some old wet suit material and made it just barely bigger than the genny. Thats where I hit a bug, I really didnt leave enough room for a big enough internal blower, though I have a high power 4" duct blower I can fit externally.
I did fit about 2 feet of high temp heater hose to its exhaust port so I can run it in my minivan if I want, out the rear hatch. I dont do that often, when I do I put a centrifigual blower/air circulator next to it blowing out the back hatch.
On hush boxes, there are a number of videos out there particularly from Japan (where I guess noise is frowned upon) of guys sticking Honda gennys in boxes, many with amazing results.
Nobody that I have seen makes an effective enclosure commercially. The universal ones suck and if you were to manufacture one that worked it would be model specific and would likely sell for more than $500.
