Originally Posted by
Xeon th MG Pony
Accepted, Sorry for being blunt, just the way I communicate it is not intended to be mean or insulting, just take it at face value.
2 - A weak solution of sodium hydroxide will eat away the aluminium fins on the evap nicely. Your evap is fine, it is the cap tube length or mor likely some moisture in the system is freezing and reducing your capacity. We want our evap large in volume and surface area!
3 - No, no it wouldn't be very good for a chiller this size, you want at least a 6,000btu condenser (Remember a hermetic compressor will be adding 30% of its own load on the condensor!)
What to do?
I'd immagin if you can get your self a cheap R-12 tvx from ebay of the 1/4Ton range will make your life way easier for charging and load handling, if not then wait till you have a vac pump that can pull down to 500 microns, (A good vac makes all the dif in the world!).
I'd start with a larger condensor first off. Secondaly what are you going for? Fast pull down or ultimate acheived temp? You can have one or the other but not both! unles you have a TXV it can give both!