3000W Chinese Gensets Info.

I like the gen tent. Might have to order one. On a different topic, but still concerning the 3000W Chinese generator thread, I got my new CPE 46538 out this morning because the electricity had been out since midnight. Things were getting a bit warm in the refrigerator. Checked the oil, filled it with fresh, stabilized gas and hit the remote. Nothing. Battery read 1.83 volts on my meter. Pull started the genset, ran it a few minutes to warm up, and then ran an extension cord to the refrigerator and plugged it in. It ran for about 30 minutes before shutting down all by itself. It never sounded like it was running "right". It sounded like it was not running at full rpm, even though the intelligauge showed 124 volts and 59.9 hertz. When it shut down, the voltage was 119 and hertz went to 56. The light in the refrigerator was pulsing from bright to dim very rapidly while hooked up to the generator. Does it need battery power for the automatic choke to operate? Does running the generator charge the starting battery? I have the battery out of it now, charging. Probably going to put a battery tender on it for storage. When I ran it in August after receiving it, it ran like a charm under load, but not today.
Thanks for the help.