Subaru Brand Generators

[TimberXX]

Does anyone have any experience with subaru brand generators?

It seem that everyone is making them these days, but I am curious about the quality. I have owned their engines in the past, and they have treated me well.

[nybirdman]

I own two Subaru vehicles but have no experience with the "Subaru Robin " ,which is their small motors.Not to be confused with the flat four and six in their cars.If I were going to purchase a stand alone gen set it would be Honda powered.

[TimberXX]

A honda generator of the same size is $1000 more.

[WilliamBos]

The Subaru Robin engines are swtone cold reliable. Have one on my powerwasher, bought new in 2008. still runs like a top. Have another Fuji(Robin Subaru) engine in my Polaris Sportsman.

I would not hesitate to own another, nor would I spend more on a Honda just to avoid them.

[daugen]

Subaru Robin is a high spec engine maker, well regarded in commercial applications, often offered in same applications as Honda and Kohler.
I don't think they've made a bad engine, and when Kubota wanted to get into the less expensive gasoline powered UTV's, who did they go to?
Not Honda, but Subaru. Who had an EFI single cylinder that no one else had. Seems a pretty tech oriented company. I own an RTV400 with that engine btw.
I had no fears of Subaru, I owned a Legacy wagon once and what a great car.

[TimberXX]

Their generator heads have brushes. Any opinion on that? I thought all high end units are brushless.

[Bob Rooks]

Their generator heads have brushes. Any opinion on that? I thought all high end units are brushless.

Those are not high end generators, they are 3,600 r/m screamers no matter how quiet they are. They are considered throw-aways. A high end portable generator will run at 1,800 r/m and is not for the faint of wallet. My guess is the generator head is imported - from China, but even most of the newer Chinese imports are brushless and self exciting. Find out if it has copper or aluminum wiring.

[daugen]

Bob,
but what gen under say 10kw other than a specialized off grid gen will give you that low speed?
my comments were only about the motor, compared to comparable 3600 rpm motors, they are above average quality.
Interesting that Kubota's new fancy diesel gens, seriously big bucks, run at 1950 rpm. Trying to figure that out, but they must have designed that speed
into the whole design to get the right voltage.

Subaru Robin is competing against both the GCV and GXV Hondas. I'd put their EX models somewhere in the middle of those two Hondas, but now we have
to start talking about engine parts, anyone worried about plastic/Delrin cam parts, governor parts, wherever they use plastic? I think Subaru is an early adopter but even
Kohler is using plastic parts now. Hey, a ceramic part would last forever, maybe their Delrin is really good stuff.

I'm sure that brush equipped gen was included to hit a price point. Next model up? Does it get better?
I think Subaru is number four in their market, and probably has no desire to be number one.
What I feel good about them is that I don't think they will ever put out junk, they are too exacting for that. "old fashioned Japanese values?"....

A gen is only as good as its weakest link. So the electrical end is just as important, as is quality of voltage regulation. I hate running machinery at 3600 rpm, I don't even like pto speed... but finding low speed gens is pretty hard in
smaller sizes. Generally too large and too expensive to sell. I had an 1800 rpm 15kw old Onan diesel gen in my boat, and if that thing had ever hit 3600 rpm, I think we would have landed
on shore.

So I like your idea. But I think the reality is that pairing a good engine and running the wee out of it at 3600 rpm day after day will get you the same service life as a less expensive gen head. Perhaps designed to fail at the same time...

[Bob Rooks]

There are many 1,800 r/m portable generators on the market, some research is required to root them out though.
Although not portable, here is a 6.5 kW Kubota diesel generator for example.

Kubota Powered 6.5 kW water cooled Diesel[/URL]

Here is one possible explanation to that 1,950 r/m generator:
Generator Frequency Conversions: 60 Hz and 50 Hz Power

I operate a 4.16 kV 12 mW plant and our four alternators turn at 900 r/m.

Also, there is always the option of building your own relatively inexpensively:
http://www.surpluscenter.com/item.asp?Item=28-1818

Anyway, I think I'm getting away from the OP's intent. I apologize.

[TimberXX]

Those are not high end generators, they are 3,600 r/m screamers no matter how quiet they are. They are considered throw-aways. A high end portable generator will run at 1,800 r/m and is not for the faint of wallet. My guess is the generator head is imported - from China, but even most of the newer Chinese imports are brushless and self exciting. Find out if it has copper or aluminum wiring.

Whats the advantage of aluminium vs copper?