Predator 4550 VS 3500 Watt Inverter Generator - Which Is Better For Camping and Overall Use?
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- čas přidán 21. 07. 2024
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0:00 Intro
1:08 Predator 3500 Overview
3:53 Predator 4550 Overview
6:54 Price Comparison
7:20 Main Feature Comparison
8:53 Maintenance Comparison
9:49 Power & Run Time Comparison
11:54 Noise Comparison w/dB Meter
13:21 Portability Comparison
14:34 Which Is Better For Overall Use & Camping?
16:06 Closing
In this video compare the new Predator 4550 Watt Inverter Generator Item #59303 and #59304 versus the Predator 3500 Item #56720 & #63584. The reason I am doing the video is because I am selling one of these generators. You will have to stayed tuned to the end of the video to find out which one we like best and which one we are selling. I figured now is a good time to do the video because these are two popular sized generators. They are both great for camping and overall use.
I will compare the generators based on price, their main features, maintenance, power & run time, noise level with a dB meter, portability, and over all which is better. We have primarily used these generators for camping with our 28' travel trailer. However, I have also use them for work because I run a painting business and for doing projects on our 35 acre property.
Please let me know if you have any questions about either of the generators. Thanks for watching!
Harbor Freight Generator Descriptions:
The PREDATOR® 4550W Max Starting, 3650W Running Inverter Generator uses built-in inverter technology to produce clean power that is safe for sensitive electronics. This inverter generator is designed for efficiency, providing more power with lower fuel consumption, and running over 16 hours per fill-up. Electronic Speed Control Mode (ESC Mode) saves fuel and extends engine life. Quieter than conventional generators at only 64.6 dBA, this inverter generator is ideal for camping, boating, and RV use with the included RV adapter.
- CO SECURE™ technology automatically shuts down the generator for safety when harmful levels of carbon monoxide are detected
- Pure sine wave inverter technology safely powers sensitive electronics such as smartphones, laptops, and TVs
- Electronic Speed Control Mode (ESC Mode) optimizes engine performance to maximize runtime
- Heavy duty steel frame and covered GFCI outlets are perfect for jobsite use
- Integrated fuel gauge to easily monitor fuel levels
- Low oil, overload, and output light indicators
- Parallel ports for connecting two 4550W generators for double the power
- Includes (2) 120V GFCI protected 5-20R duplex outlets, (1) 120V L5-30R twist-lock outlet, (2) 5V USB-A outlets
Predator 3500 Watt Super Quiet Inverter Generator
Using advanced inverter technology this SUPER QUIET™ generator produces a pure sine wave power curve that is safe to use with sensitive electronics. The efficient design of this inverter generator gives you more power with lower fuel consumption. With 11 hours of runtime at 25% load this powerful inverter generator is ideal for powering RVs, camping, supplying household emergency power and tailgating. SUPER QUIET™ power output (57 dB) makes this generator ideal for campsites. Parallel capable to double your output. A 30 amp RV adapter is included for easy hookup to your RV.
- Runtime: 11 hours @ 25% load
- Quiet - only 57 dB
- Electronic overload protection
- 212cc air-cooled OHV gas engine
- 3500 starting watts, 3000 running watts
- Digital LCD Screen with low oil, overload and output light indicators
- Integrated smooth-rolling casters for portability
- (2) 120VAC grounded outlets, (1) 120VAC Twistlock Outlet, (1) DC-12v Two Pin Outlet
- Hassle free electric start for quick and easy starting
#Predatorgenerators #RVGenerators #Generators #Harborfreight #Backuppower #Predator4550 #Predator 3500 #Predator4550vs3500
DISCLAIMER: This video and description contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a small commission at no cost to you. This helps support the channel and allows me to continue to make videos like this. Thank you for the support!
Literally in the store, standing in front of these two, watching your video to help me decide. I had researched the 3500 several years ago, but never pulled the trigger on it. I had no idea the 4550 even existed until this cemented the thoughts about it that were already going through my head. The biggest drawback, in my mind, would be the difference in noise level...but for the price difference, and power that you gain, I'd say it's worth the trade-off. Thanks for helping to make my decision easier!
Lol, glad I could be helpful at the last minute! Thanks for watching.
I’m a professional youtube video watcher. You didn’t waste any time and got everything I needed to perfection. Celebrate tonight with a steak dinner because getting a 10/10 from someone of my stature is quite the accomplishment.
Lol! Thanks for the good laugh!
This was EXACTLY the review that I was looking for! Thank you for this video. Great information (and you saved me a couple hundred dollars)
Awesome! I'm glad the video could be helpful! Thanks for the comment and watching!
Thanks for making the decision soo easy for me! I was up in the air about which of these two generators I should get and this was an incredibly detailed review. You are the man!
Glad it was helpful! We have been really happy with the 4550. Thanks for watching!
I just bought the Predator 4550 this week. I really like it! The engine started one the first pull and it runs very smooth. Bellow I have a recommendation for Oil Changes:
I recommend the Pela-2000 oil extractor. It makes removing used oil from my small engines a breeze! Then to put the oil in the FloTook 10704, makes pitting in the oil much easier.
Thank you for the information about the oil extractor. I actually have the flow tool funnel, that thing is amazing! Thanks for the comment and watching.
Bro...just convinced me..picked one up today
You're the only one that's reviewed this generator so far! Keep it going!
We love the 4550, it is a great generator! Enjoy your new purchase and thanks for watching!
Awesome review. The open frame noise is probably comparable to my Champion 3500 watt synchronous generator. I would consider that as a replacement because you never really load them up in power outages more so than keeping refrigerators going and some other odds and ends. Fuel economy is important. You mention why they have a 30 amp connector when you can only get 25 amps.... it's the only way you'll get the 25 amps. Appreciate the time and energy.
Thanks for the comment and watching!
Just seen that 4550 at HF today, nice rig. I’ve had the 3500 for 2 years now and put almost 1000 hours on it camping. I live in Texas and sometimes it’s over 100 degrees and so far it’s never overheated even running non stop for 3-4 days running 13,500 ac. I can only run either the microwave or the hot water heater with ac (2 out of 3) or it will over load it.
If you want to run your compressor or welder you should get a 30a twist lock to 20a standard receptacle adapter to take advantage of the higher output and I bet you wouldn’t have any problems.
The only problem I have had is a few times I have left mine sitting in a sandy area on the ground and somehow sand has got sucked up past the air filter into the carburetor and made the throttle stick at idle to where the throttle servo can’t add throttle when load is applied. All I do is pull it apart and clean it up with some starting fluid or wd40 ect. Had to do mine twice and a buddies once. Since I’ve welded a platform on the nose of my little camper and it lives there permanently.
Thanks for the review!!
Sounds like you've had some good luck with the 3500! I wonder if I would have installed the high elevation kit on the 3500, how much of a difference that would have made. I actually bought a 30a twist lock to a 20a standard receptacle and still couldn't run my welder or air compressor. Thanks for the comment and watching!
Thanks for the video, these are the two I am considering and your review/compare helps a lot.
You're welcome! Glad the video could be helpful. Thanks for watching!
Good review. I had to make a choice between these two. I chose the 4550. Had to use it 2 hours tonight. Once I hook it up and close the house door, you can barely hear it and if you run a fan at night, you won’t hear it. It cranks easy and ran an 1800 watt air fryer, a 55 inch tv, a fan, and a lamp with ease. It was a good purchase.
Thank you! Glad the generator has been working out for you. We still love it! Thanks for the comment and watching!
Thank you for this review! It greatly helped! This was very well done, IMHO, and as someone who will be using same in a manner similar to how you use it, was EXACTLY what I needed to see...
Glad the video was helpful! Thanks for watching.
Thank you so much for this video it was really helpful! I had the 3500 and I only had it for 1 month and it started leaking gas and it broke down on me. Today I will be going to harbor freight and picking up the 4550!!
You're welcome! How's the 4550 working out for you?
Hey I just want to say thank you for an excellent review it was concerned about the noise and the reliability since like 4500 definitely the way to go
You're welcome! Thanks for watching!
We have the 3500 and are happy with it. Definitely quiet which we need plus will run the a.c. microwave toaster and coffee maker on are 2018 aspen trail camper. Many at the same time.
Good to hear you have had good luck with it! We love how quiet the 3500 is. I think if we got the high elevation fuel kit, it may run better in the heat at our land. At least that is what some other people have said. Thanks for watching!
@@ColoradoCamperman I agree. I'm out here in northern Indiana... Tallest damn thing out here is corn!
Bruh…good review 👍.. Just snagged a like new 4550 from Craigslist. I live in a tiny home near Houston. I wanted something to power my mini split AC, refrigerator and a few lights, just in case. Problem solved and it’s QUIET! If anyone is on the fence about this due to the noise? Do it and don’t look back.
I live next to a bunch of hippies and even they were cool with it. I guarantee, they’ll be even more fine with it when it’s 100* and I’m the only one with AC and internet.
Good score! Sounds like the 4550 is good generator for your setup! Yeah, the 4550 is not loud at all. I just got a WEN 2350 watt inverter generator for my in-laws. It is smaller, has a closed box, and it is louder than the 4550! Thanks for the comment and watching!
Quick comment on the 3500 and the 25A with a 30A connector. There's no (to my knowledge) 25A connector. The nema locking connectors are at 20A and 30A, so with a max of 25A, they simply used the one that gave the connector overhead vs. putting a 20A on it and that being a fire hazard.
Thx for the comparison, you answered the exact question I had looking at these which was why the 4550 was cheaper.
You're welcome, thanks for the comment and watching!
Super awesome comparison, thank you!
You're welcome! Thanks for the comment and watching!
Muy bien la explicación yo tengo el generador predador de 35500 y funciona muy bien
Oh good, I just bought the 4550 vs the 3500 before watching this video. Now I feel better I picked the right one.
I have seen people building boxes with Styrofoam inside with back airflow open, which reduces quite a bit noise too....
Good choice! I have seen those videos of baffle boxes too, they seem to help. Thanks for watching and enjoy the new generator!
Great video. I’m looking to pick one up for my ministry camper
Thank you! I hope the generator works out for you. Thanks for watching!
Fantastic video and review thanks!
You're welcome! Thanks for the comment and watching!
I just bought a 3500. So far it has done everything asked of it without any issues. I brought my 28 gallon 2hp compressor to the camp to blow out the lines and the 3500 did that with the TV and heat on with no problem. It does suck to move around though.
It's a great generator, glad it's working out for you. Thanks for watching.
I do have the 4375 which I believe very similar to 4550, I was thinking to get the 3500 but after your review I will definitely keep my 4375, heavier but very easy to move from point A to B because of the wheels. Also I see is powerfull even when all I do is a Car Mobile Detailing.
Tha k you 🙏
Glad it is working out for you! We love the generator, it has worked out great for us. Thanks for watching.
Wow what a great video for information I was going to buy the 3500 but not now big difference in price just for pull start
Glad you found the video helpful! Thanks for watching!
DUDE !! Awesome ! Perfect .... thank you mucho !!
You're welcome, thanks for watching!
Thanks brutha super helpful 👍
You're welcome! Thanks for watching!
Great review!
Thanks for the comment and watching!
Thank you for making my mind up!
You're welcome! Glad I could be helpful. Thanks for the comment and watching!
Great review 👍🏾 ty 😊
Thanks for the comment and watching!
Hey Brian, I'm glad you did this video. I've been going back and forth on which generator I should get. I've always thought the 4550 was a great deal. I was just a little concerned about the noise. 64 db isn't bad. I appreciate the info. One thing I've noticed is the local HF doesn't stock this model very often. Not sure why. May I'll need to ask then to special order one in.
Glad the video could be helpful! The generator was noticeably quieter when the exhaust was not facing me. In my other review video, it was around 58dB at 25' when the front of the generator was facing me. That's weird they are not stocking the generator. Maybe it's so popular they can't keep it stocked! Thanks for the comment and watching!
Good review! Harbor Freight had 20% off all generators the end of the year so I had purchased a 3500 after borrowing a friends. I never opened it in case I changed my mind. I researched a little and saw the 4500 was $200 less, more power, just a little louder, but lighter. I exchanged for the 4500. Then I came across your review and it makes me feel like I made the right decision and I didn't miss anything. I would only be using it for home backup during a power outage, so the low price I liked for something I wouldn't use that much.
It's a great generator and I'm glad we made the switch. Good decision ! Thanks for the comment and watching!
The pull start cord on the 3500 tends to break off . I had to replace 3 of them for that reason. If the 4550 uses the same cord it’ll break when you absolutely need it to work. For example when you use a cpap machine to sleep like I do. I use it on my 5th wheel traitor. I use a cpap machine and lucky for me the 3500 watt inverter generator does have the electric start so I’m still able to use it.
No issues with ours yet. Thanks for the heads up and watching.
I don't know if you mentioned it.? What's the total harmonic distortion on these two generators?
It's typically a consideration when powering sensitive electronics. Thanks for the video ☺️👍
Not sure, you can probably find that info in the owner's manual online or at Generator Bible. Thanks for watching.
Well done review.
Thank you! I appreciate your loyalty to the channel!
Superb video!
Thanks for the comment and watching!
Could you run a parallel kit between the 3500 and 4550 without any issues? The 4550 should have the neutral bonded to the frame, whereas the 3500 is floating and requires a bonding plug to keep my RV's Hughes Bulldog surge protector from erroring out.
It says in the instructions only connect two identical inverter generators together using a parallel kit. I'll look into the grounding. Thanks for watching!
Very helpful. Do you. Think this 4500 would be ok for my fairly small food truck.
It depends, what all are you trying to run? I would recommend looking at the wattage of all your appliances you are looking to run and see if that wattage is under the 3600 running watts. It may be kind of loud for a food truck, so you may want to get 50ft extension cord so you can put it a little further from the truck. Thanks for watching!
Thanks so much for this video… I have a small hunting cabin, about 400sq ft. Would this run a 4 ft baseboard heater along with the lights, tv and fridge? I appreciate any help here. Thanks!
You're welcome! Do you know the wattage of each of those devices? Without knowing the wattage of each device, I would just be guessing. Thanks for watching.
Thank you!
You're welcome! Thanks for watching!
Thanks, I was just wondering about generators. That 4500 is the hands down winner across the board.
You're welcome! The 4550 is a great generator and much quieter than I was expecting when we bought it. Thanks for the comment and watching!
Seeing that you are in Colorado...what do you think the altitude is doing to the natural aspirated engine for loss of wattage and over heating? Or is it unaffected?
With the 4550, it came with a high elevation re-jetting kit. I installed it and it seems to do better at high elevation. The 3500 struggled when we would came over 7,200 feet.
The 30 twist lock outlet (L5-30R) really doesn't denote the generator capability....but rather what the outlet could handle. Nice that they give that on a 3K generator.
Thanks for watching.
I’ve had my 3500 predator for over four years and never had a problem running the 15,000 BTU air condition on my camper
What elevation do you camp at? At 7,200' and 90 degrees, it did not do well for us.
How long can you run it for on one tank ?
my 4550 has a label on the top advising to use the top positions of the two 20 amp duplex outlets for some reason. whats that about? I only use the 30 amp outlet to power my camper.
Not sure, maybe it has to do with the GFI or Circuit breaker for the outlets?
I'm eyeballing the wen 400i Duel fuel vs the predator 4550 you have. Right now I think both will be enough power but im new to hearing wen brand. On Amazon its about 630 bucks now and found the pred at hf on sale for 600, curious if that would be a simple decision for ya and which you d get. It's home backup for power outages only with cords. Can you run a small window ac on the rv 30 and still use the 120 plugs for other things?
I don't know anything about the Wen 400i. Check out Generator Bible. They have some great info on generators. Yes, you can definitely use the 30 amp and then still have the 120 plugs operating. As long as you are total under 30 amps, the generator should not trip. Thanks for watching!
@@ColoradoCamperman thanks for the help, .
Trust me, get the 3500. My brand new 4550 has given me so many issues with the pull start system. It randomly refuses to start. My 3500 was fantastic - it always worked, but it was stolen.
I think the low oil shut off sensor is whack.
That stinks you've had issues. Ours has worked flawlessly.
@@ColoradoCamperman might be the conditions that I've subjected it to, but I'm a tad surprised either way. I mounted it onto my semi truck. Not sure if the bumps maybe caused the low oil shut off sensor to malfunction or something. I'll definitely figure it out and update this post, so as to be helpful to prospecting buyers
The details on how I mounted it are that I strapped it to the back, and it's on top of a thick 1.5" foam to absorb impacts. Had no issues with the 3550 in those conditions tho.
The issue you had with the 3500 starting your compressor; did you try turning off esc throttle, and was it still unable to start? Having ESC off allows the generator to build up RPMs in advance so it can put out its full surge current rating. Once loads are steady, you can turn ESC on. That's why there's a switch for it and it isn't just on all the time.
Yeah, I always tried it exactly as you described. In fact, I would always start the generator with ESC off and then turn it on.
@@ColoradoCamperman thanks for clarifying
@@ewicky You're welcome!
Gracias.
De nada!
What are your thoughts on the EPA versus California CARB models- for those not in CA?
I don't have any thoughts. I was only given one option in Colorado and it was the EPA one. That is what I reviewed the video. Thanks for watching.
@@ColoradoCamperman thank you!
when camping and its 90 degrees whats the run time on the 4550 per tank?
Are you talking about while we run the AC?
I have the 4375 without inverter and it's really loud. Do you think this 4550 with the inverter is more quiet.
Yes, I believe HF has it rated quieter. Thanks for watching.
I’ve got a problem, I bought a used 4500. Open frame. Works well but plugging in to a rv with a 30 to 20 amp dog bone it trips the ground fault , if you turn off the main and plug it in it doesn’t trip. If you turn on the converter to charge the battery on the camper it trips the ground fault every time. Also leave off the converter, normal voltage.
Do you have the 4500 or 4550? The 4500 had issues, so Harbor freight recalled it. Some people were able to return it, others were not. Maybe you have the 4500?
Where did you mount your hour meter on your 4550?
I have yet to mount the meter, lol. Thanks for watching.
I got a refurb 4550 and it seems really loud at 75-80 db at 25' even on eco. Too loud for camp. Now how to quiet it??
Build a portable baffle box. Not sure how else you could quiet the generator.
Middle of nowhere, put it 50 feet away and behind something use 10 AWG cord or bigger. If you had a place you returned to camp, build a sandbag revetment generator house, or concrete block, which I'm doing at home.
Great ideas! Thank you for the comment and watching!
Well done. My needs are to power the house and it normal loads. The 4550 would be my choice. Thanks.
You're welcome! Thanks for the comment and watching!
I just went through a power outage in western pa and my 4550 was a champ. It easily ran lighting, two deep freezers, a fridge, NG forced air furnace, sump pump, TV and an xbox 360.
Holy smokes lol. Nice too know. Just bought a 4550 because my 3500 broke 1k miles from home on a camping trip
Good to hear it worked out for you! I hope you get power back soon.
Thanks for the comment and watching!
I'm guessing not all at the same time, or am I wrong?
How much are you going to ask for the generator? We are local and might be interest, we just got power back after 30 hours thanks to that snow
Hey Braden, that sucks about your power situation. We were flickering over here yesterday morning but never lost power. I always list stuff higher so I have some negotiating room ;). Originally had it listed at $675. Now I have it at $595 OBO. Been getting bites but nobody serious. For a loyal subscriber like yourself, I could knock another $100 off. Let me know man! I'd be willing to work something out with ya!
@@ColoradoCamperman how many hours are on it?
@@ThePrybra07 267hours
💯💯
That’s strange. I chose the predator 3,500 because it would start my rolair air compressors when my other 3,500 generators wouldn’t.
Good to hear your 3500 works. Thanks for watching.
What about grounding if required
I believe the directions say to ground for every use. I've personally never met a single person that grounds their portable generator while using it.
my 3500 i have to pull start in cooler weather 35 to 40, pulls easy
Nice, I never had to pull start our 3500. The 4550 starts pretty easy in the cold temps too. I just started it the other day in 17 degree weather, it was sitting in my shed over night too. Thanks for watching.
which can use for coffee machine
You could easily use this for a coffee maker.
Coupon on the 4550... $579 until 7/4/22.
Dang, that is a good deal! Thanks for sharing and watching!
The 4550 is $699.00 now 12-21-22
Use a syringe to draw out the used oil, simple and clean.
Good idea! Thanks for watching.
The video is awesome, friend. We have launched the 4modes led headlight bulb, would you like to try it? We wanna send it for you to try. I have contacted you by email, hope to hear from you, thanks.
We have used the czcams.com/users/postUgkxOTeIs0vv4_9B5hsmnLsk9r930uDQLu_Y for probably 30 hours with our camper and it’s been great! The noise level is really only noticeable when running the AC and other appliances like the microwave, hair dryer, or coffee pot. It’s not huge like other ones and it has wheels so even at 90lbs, I can move it!
Good to know, thanks for sharing.
Replacement batteries are crazy expensive. Buy aftermarket
What happened to your 4400??
The 4550 replaced the 4400. The 4400 had issues and was pulled from the shelves at Harbor Freight last year. We didn't have many issues with ours but it didn't run my in-laws camper's AC (no soft start) and my air compressor.
Luckily we bought the one year extended warranty. As soon as they came out with the 4550, we swapped out the 4400 for the 4550. All the bugs are worked out and the 4550 is an awesome generator! Runs my In-laws AC and my air compressor, no problem! I talk about it more in the review video I did on the 4550. Thanks for watching!
It went up it's $699.99 now 4550
Thanks for the update and watching.
With that open frame generator, please don't camp next to me.
Well my friend, it is not likely that I would camp next to you, lol! As stated at 15:47, we primarily camp on our 35 acre property. And I know you're not one of my neighbors ;) Also, I mentioned at 16:00 when we do camp at campgrounds, we rely on our solar setup. We are ALWAYS respectful of our neighbors at campgrounds and are not the ones who have their generator constantly running. If we run our generator at a campground, it is to briefly run the microwave. AC isn't needed at the campgrounds we go to because they are over 9,000ft in elevation. Thanks for watching.
Don’t worry, Karen. Your ears will be ok.
@@joshuawebster4272 lol, exactly what I was thinking,, waa was waaaaaaaa!
Im in houston aka satans asshole. There is no way the enclosed one is going to work for me huh? But im at sea level so does that make a diff?
Lol! Yeah, I'd definitely go with an open frame generator. I love how quiet the 3500 is, but it had too many issues running in the heat. Sea level would probably make a difference. But if you're not concerned with noise, I'd go with the 4550 all day long.
4550 is waste. 3500 is perfect
4550 is waste? What exactly does that mean?
@@ColoradoCampermanit can't run my house... an the little one can be connected to my house without peoblem.
@@CarolSanchez-dl6vg I wonder if you have the 4500 and not the 4550. The 4500 was recalled from Harbor Freight because of issues you're talked about. I ended up returning my 4500 and exchanged it for the 4550. The 4550 works fine for me.
@@ColoradoCamperman thatbsound good, but i had the 4550 and it doesn't work good. I onle can conected 2 fans and thats all. The other one (3500) was worked properly with 1 big samsung fridge, 1 55" tv, 1 standing fan, 1 fish tank, 1 deep freezer all together in the morning, and 1 portable a/c 12btu, the fridge, 2 phone chargers, 1 fish tank by nights without problems. Now i have the 5000 predator and I hope it will be bether than 4550.
I forget to mentioned that 4550 can't run my fridge, only my fridge. Thats the reason why is trash for me.
@@CarolSanchez-dl6vg That's interesting, I wonder if you got a bad unit. It doesn't make sense that the 3500 would work with all that but the 4550 wouldn't. Thanks for sharing your experience.
Did you buy the extended warranty , if so was it the 1 or 2 year and how much was it ?
I bought the extended warranty when they came out with this generator in 2021. With the extended warranty, I was able to get this new model in 2022. I did not get the extended warranty on this new model in 2022.
@@ColoradoCamperman I purchased the 4550 based on your review.
Thanks
@@RG-gl6sm You're welcome, glad it was helpful!
Better the 4550 cuz you can use anything.😊😊...only good thing for 3500 is less noise but... not worth it comes to perform 🫣🫣
I agree 100%. Thanks for the comment and watching!