Honda EM5000SX generator - will not idle up when a load is placed on. Will produce power but will not idle up.

if you want to use the generator properly then have an electrician wire up a 3 way switch into the power board and use a caravan connection
run a lead from the gen set to that plug and move the switch from mains to off to gen set
that way you have lights fridges fans freezers, tv running as normal and as it is a 5000 kw unit there will be plenty for continuous rated operation ( 4500 kw is max for continuous operation)
turn off electric hot water as that will cause excessive current draw unless you turn off all other uses until the hot water is hot again and do any cooking on a gas top
for your purpose , an auto controller is not necessary because when you want to use it you will have a need for full rpm and voltage out put from start
the unit has to run at set rpms to maintain correct voltage and cycles
you are testing the auto controller by simply plugging something into the outlet socket and it is not speeding up the rpms
however it is best if the unit is tested by a gen set repair shop
I am in an area where the mains power is generated some 2500 miles away so power outages are frequent and can last in excess of a week
That is how I use my 5500kw unit and inconvenience is reduced to a minimum if you want to use the generator properly then have an electrician wire up a 3 way switch into the power board and use a caravan connection run a lead from the gen set to that plug and move the switch from mains to off to gen set that way you have lights fridges fans freezers, tv running as normal and as it is a 5000 kw unit there will be plenty for continuous rated operation ( 4500 kw is max for continuous operation) turn off electric hot water as that will cause excessive current draw unless you turn off all other uses until the hot water is hot again and do any cooking on a gas top for your purpose , an auto controller is not necessary because when you want to use it you will have a need for full rpm and voltage out put from start the unit has to run at set rpms to maintain correct voltage and cycles you are testing the auto controller by simply plugging something into the outlet socket and it is not speeding up the rpms however it is best if the unit is tested by a gen set repair shop I am in an area where the mains power is generated some 2500 miles away so power outages are frequent and can last in excess of a week That is how I use my 5500kw unit and inconvenience is reduced to a minimum

I ended up taking the front panel off the generator and moving the wires around in the Auto-Throttle unit. I took a voltage measurement at the two wire connection coming to the solenoid from the auto throttle unit. I was getting a good reading and it would change when I applied a load. This is key if you are working on this. Take this measure and watch the DC voltage when you add a load. I think voltage was about 20 volt DC no load and 0 volt DC under load. I might have those switched around but that's what I recall. When I noticed that change in voltage (load vs no load) I thought that the auto throttle unit must be working. I hadn't tested the solenoid with 12 volts so I did that. It didn't work with 12 volts from my battery charger (it may require more voltage). So, I figured I had a bad solenoid. I have conflicting results in regard to the solenoid. The unit ran at low rpm when I turned the auto throttle on but would not pull in with 12 volts. I felt that whatever the problem was might be fixed as I knew the solenoid would work based upon it running at low RPM in auto mode on prior tests. I put everything back together and it works now. :) I not sure what fixed it but maybe the position of the wires in the auto throttle unit or maybe a lose wiring connection. The service manual states that the direction of the wires matters going thought the auto throttle unit maybe the position of the wires also matters. In any event the generator now works and will idle up when I put a load on it (now). I ended up taking the front panel off the generator and moving the wires around in the Auto-Throttle unit. I took a voltage measurement at the two wire connection coming to the solenoid from the auto throttle unit. I was getting a good reading and it would change when I applied a load. This is key if you are working on this. Take this measure and watch the DC voltage when you add a load. I think voltage was about 20 volt DC no load and 0 volt DC under load. I might have those switched around but that's what I recall. When I noticed that change in voltage (load vs no load) I thought that the auto throttle unit must be working. I hadn't tested the solenoid with 12 volts so I did that. It didn't work with 12 volts from my battery charger (it may require more voltage). So, I figured I had a bad solenoid. I have conflicting results in regard to the solenoid. The unit ran at low rpm when I turned the auto throttle on but would not pull in with 12 volts. I felt that whatever the problem was might be fixed as I knew the solenoid would work based upon it running at low RPM in auto mode on prior tests. I put everything back together and it works now. :) I not sure what fixed it but maybe the position of the wires in the auto throttle unit or maybe a lose wiring connection. The service manual states that the direction of the wires matters going thought the auto throttle unit maybe the position of the wires also matters. In any event the generator now works and will idle up when I put a load on it (now).