New 9500W Inverter Generator

[Edd505]

Has anyone heard anything about the new Harbor Fright inverter generators, 9500, 8750, & 4400. The smaller Predators have been getting good reviews on the RV forums. Only issue I see is it only has a 30amp twist lock, that much power needs a 50 amp. I'm not an electrical guy it might not be possible.

 

[Viajeros]

Has anyone heard anything about the new Harbor Fright inverter generators, 9500, 8750, & 4400. The smaller Predators have been getting good reviews on the RV forums. Only issue I see is it only has a 30amp twist lock, that much power needs a 50 amp. I'm not an electrical guy it might not be possible.

Well, a 50 amp is 240. A 30 amp could be 120 or 240 if it’s a twist lock. If it’s a 240 volt 30 amp twist lock it will probably two legs both able to supply 30 amp at 120 volts. Not as good as an RV 50 amp connection which is two x 50 amp legs at 120 volts each, but not bad. Show me a picture of the front panel and I can probably tell.

 

[Edd505]

Part of the specs:

• Super-quiet enclosure significantly reduces generator noise levels, operating at only 67 dB
• Integrated hour meter makes it easy to track maintenance levels
• Electric start with non-spillable battery (included) for easy starts every time
• Includes four flat-free wheels and foldable handle for easy portability
• Includes: (4) 120v 20A GFCI protected outlets, 120v/240v 30A twistlock, 120v 30A twistlock, 12v 8A DC, (2) USB outlets

​

 

[DonTom]

Has anyone heard anything about the new Harbor Fright inverter generators, 9500, 8750, & 4400. The smaller Predators have been getting good reviews on the RV forums. Only issue I see is it only has a 30amp twist lock, that much power needs a 50 amp. I'm not an electrical guy it might not be possible.

A 9500 watt genny with a 240 VAC outlet at 30 amps makes little sense to me.

240 times 30 amps=7,200 watts
240 times 50 amps=12,000 watts

So why would a 9500 watt genny have an outlet rated for only 30 amps?

-Don- Auburn, CA

 

[Edd505]

A 9500 watt genny with a 240 VAC outlet at 30 amps makes little sense to me.

240 times 30 amps=7,200 watts
240 times 50 amps=12,000 watts

So why would a 9500 watt genny have an outlet rated for only 30 amps?

-Don- Auburn, CA

Like I said I know little about electricity, it bites, and I need enough to run various appliances. I live in heat and being able to run two A/Cs off a gen set I would be interested. I learned quick what I can & can't run on 30amps every time we are on 30 with the A/C and the wife fires the micro wave when she forgets we don't have the 50amp. The Predator has good reviews and this would be a fine addition to my shop or RV when traveling. Powers out lets just go to the 5W.

 

[JayArr]

It's Model #9500

Read the specs...

It's a 7600W genny, the 9500 refers to "Starting Wattage" which is a bullshit term made up by the marketing department to fool people who aren't technical into thinking it's bigger than it is.

I'm an Electronic Engineering Technologist with 35 years of experience and the last 25 years in power inverters and chargers and none of my textbooks refer to "Starting Wattage". It's not a technical term and doesn't really exist.

 

[DonTom]

It's a 7600W genny,

Yeah, I forgot about the BS factor. But even 7.6 KW is 31.6 amps at 240 VAC , still a little over the spec of the 30 amp twistlock outlet.

-Don- Auburn, CA

 

[Edd505]

It's Model #9500

Read the specs...

It's a 7600W genny, the 9500 refers to "Starting Wattage" which is a bullshit term made up by the marketing department to fool people who aren't technical into thinking it's bigger than it is.

I'm an Electronic Engineering Technologist with 35 years of experience and the last 25 years in power inverters and chargers and none of my textbooks refer to "Starting Wattage". It's not a technical term and doesn't really exist.

This is why I asked here, I know my weaknesses and that there are people here that do know. The forums full of retired & working from many different fields, making it easy to get good answers when you don't know. Thanks, Edd

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

The total capacity of the generator is for all the outlets, not just a single one. The inability to get all the amps thru a single outlet is a negative for RVers, but not for many other uses, e.g. jobsite power or festivals. They can utilize multiple outlets.

Starting or "peak" watts is hardly an unknown parameter, but the advertising people abuse it terribly. But in reality it's not much different than advertising the peak horsepower of a car engine, which also can only be exploited in certain conditions and for short periods.

 

[DonTom]

The total capacity of the generator is for all the outlets, not just a single one.

Yeah, I understand that. But IMO, it should still have a 14-50R and be capable for 100% wattage output from a single outlet.

-Don- Aburn, CA

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

But IMO, it should still have a 14-50R and be capable for 100% wattage output from a single outlet.

My house power has 150A/240v (36,000 watts) capacity, but I don't have any single utlet capable of more than 30A/240V. Maybe I should complain to the builder?

 

[DonTom]

My house power has 150A/240v (36,000 watts) capacity, but I don't have any single utlet capable of more than 30A/240V. Maybe I should complain to the builder?

That 36 KW /150 amp must be your house total capacity. No, I don't expect 36KW for a single home outlet, but I do think a 50 amp outlet makes more sense than a 30 amp.

But if you don't need more than 30 amps from any one outlet, not much of an issue.

But with my EVs, even with my Zero SR motorcycle, I often charge it at 7.9 KW which is 0ver that 30 amps @ 240 VAC. So I would have it changed, but I wouldn't complain to anybody.

OTOH, even with that genny, I can run some of my chargers at 120 VAC and others at 240 VAC with no issue and get my full 7.9KW. But I wonder if that "9500" generator can handle 7,900 watts anyway, since it is really a 7.6 KW genny.

-Don- Reno, NV

 

[JayArr]

Why would you put a 50A outlet on a genny that can only provide 30A? That will just confuse non-technical people.

Forcing someone to get an adapter makes them think and realize that the genny won't put out 50A and that maybe they shouldn't run two air conditioners and a microwave all at the same time.

 

[DonTom]

Why would you put a 50A outlet on a genny that can only provide 30A? That will just confuse non-technical people.

Still 1.666 amps over the max outlet rating (7600 / 240=31.666 amps)and for continuous duty, it should be used 20% less than that 30 amps which is 24 amps.

Poor design to not have a 14-50R, IMO. Was it to reduce costs by five bucks? I would rather pay $50.00 more (ten times that cost) for the 14-50R.

But I prefer overkill, like the 300AH lith battery I just added to my new RV, independent from the stock system.

-Don- Reno, NV

 

[DonTom]

Why would you put a 50A outlet on a genny that can only provide 30A? That will just confuse non-technical people.

Simply a note below or above the 14-50R saying "30 amps max" will take care of that issue.

-Don- Reno, NV

 

[DonTom]

It's a 7600W genny, the 9500 refers to "Starting Wattage" which is a bullshit term made up by the marketing department to fool people who aren't technical into thinking it's bigger than it is.

I wonder how many returns they get because of their false advertising. I would advertise it as 7,500 watts and more customers will be happy than with their 9.5KW BS. I wonder how many buyers of that genny needed 8KW only to find the "9.5KW" genny could not do the job and then returned it.

BTW, I could overload that 9500 genny even with my smallest electric motorcycle! But not if it could really do the 9.5KW.

-Don- Reno, NV

 

[JayArr]

caveat emptor

noun​

1. The axiom or principle in commerce that the buyer alone is responsible for assessing the quality of a purchase before buying.

 

[A Traveler]

This is like the cheap audio manufacturers who advertise IPP. They advertise a tiny amp you can hold in the palm of your hand as having 750 watts IPP!

What is IPP? Instaneous Peak Power. That tiny amp can deliver 200 watts for - are you ready - 25 milliseconds. It’s real power is all of 15 watts.

Just like “starting wattage.” Total BS.

 

[DonTom]

Just like “starting wattage.” Total BS.

This world runs on BS.

But as long as this little 3000 amp battery pack will start my motorcycle when the battery is dead, they may call it anything they want!

BTW, it will probably even start your RV with a dead battery. They work quite well and that is all the counts. Normally must be recharged after a single use. But that will usually get us going when out battery goes dead in our car or whatever.

3000 amps times 12.5 volts=37,500 watts! 37,500 watts In the palm of your hand! For perhaps a fraction of a second. As your engine starts!

-Don- Reno, NV

 

[Edd505]

Why would you put a 50A outlet on a genny that can only provide 30A? That will just confuse non-technical people.

Forcing someone to get an adapter makes them think and realize that the genny won't put out 50A and that maybe they shouldn't run two air conditioners and a microwave all at the same time.

What 50 amp? I have a 30amp at the carport the RV lives in. Thinking about have an electrician convert that to a 50amp, it feeds off one of three panels in buildings.