Enough already

Yesterday’s ordeal wrestling with our Predator 3500 Inverter Generator, the latest in a number of such days, pushed me to the limits of my patience. No more waiting for a cooler morning or a more convenient time. Today would be the day.

Deb and I were up early. The generator still had a half-tank of gas in it, so I started it before 7am and let it run. We did chores and drank coffee ’til the Predator sputtered to a stop. Thus drained of gas, I got out a cheap baking pan and drained the engine oil. With Deb’s help I loaded it into the bed of my truck, strapped it down and set out for Harbor Freight in Mountain Home.

I’d called the store yesterday afternoon, spoke with a supervisor and confirmed the return procedure. I also inquired if it’d be possible to exchange our lemony Predator 3500 for a model that wasn’t available until a couple of weeks ago — the Predator 5000 Inverter Generator.

“No problem at all,” he said. All I’d have to do was make up the relatively small difference in price.

My experience at the Mountain Home store this morning couldn’t’ve been better. Everything went smoothly, truly a no-questions asked affair. Once back on The Mountain, we unloaded and unboxed the new generator, and I plunged into the setup procedure.

Everything about the Predator 5000 seems to reflect attention to customers’ feedback — from setting it up to feature after feature, this thing gets high marks (from me) for stuff that matters. A little bit larger than the 3500 and a wee bit heavier (dry), it offers 42% more startup power (5,000W) and 30% more running power (3,900W). Larger wheels and a pull-out grab handle make it easier to move around.

Oh, and it can run on gasoline or propane.

With the battery connected, oil added to the crankcase and the gas tank filled, ours started right up and idled contentedly. I gave it a half-hour to come up to temperature and settle down, then put the RV’s usual loads on it. To my ears, it runs maybe a little quieter than our 3500 did, and it handles surges with aplomb.

Now here’s a funny thing. We didn’t get the new generator running ’til around noon, by which time the outside temperature was 90°F (and the inside of the fifth-wheel was pretty steamy). Within minutes of turning the AC on, the living space was comfortable. An hour later, it was downright chilly.

That never happened with our 3500. I can’t explain it. But rest assured, we (and the dogs) were diggin’ it.

One more surprise — the 5000 actually appears to be more fuel-efficient than the smaller Predator. The fuel tank is about 50% larger, so I’d expect correspondingly longer runtime (at best). Thing is, today it was eight hours before I felt compelled to refuel it, twice as long as our 3500’s best performance without using “eco mode.”

Most important to us, of course, is that this generator holds up better than the one it replaced. Time will tell. It’s off to a promising start.

So, despite the fact that our site contractor postponed on us again — and no, I don’t much want to talk about that — we had ourselves a damned good Friday.

Take care of yourselves, Patriots. Stay calm. Stay sharp. Stay free.

#WiseUp #LibertyOrDeath #Ungovernable

#LetsGoBrandon #FJB

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