my autocascade

[gkiing]

Just finished the brazing and assembly tonight, its currently pressure testing @ 150PSI (of CO2) and I'm going to let it sit overnight to check for leaks. The condenser is passive for now but i'm going to add a fan eventually, I put a large desuperheater after the compressor and on the separated co2 gas line so I think that I might not need one. The compressor is a 1/4+ hp matsua hbp. My heat exchanger is diy, similar to berkuts but with a few minor changes. In the phase separator there is copper wool in the top half to help with oil separation from the CO2. The evap is just a drill press block, and the suction line is a 3/8" rubber hose, which I'm going to change out for a copper flex hose once I get it because I'm afraid of it cracking under the cold temps. No insulation yet, but I'm going to fix that tomorrow . Ordered some 1" wall armaflex (1/2" id) and I'm going to use a cardboard box + polyeurathane foam to insulate the hx.

overview (the thing to the left of the compressor is an expansion tank, these compressors sometimes have a hard time starting).



Nitrogen purging regulator with cga 580 (n2) to cga 320 (co2) adapter



CO2 tank, 20lb


heat exchanger


phase separator


my vacuum pump, old but pulls a 29" vacuum. I always do a triple evac anyway.


pressure testing 150PSIG co2


my cat by the autocascade


drier position


evap and suction line



heat exchanger installed. I wish I hadnt wrapped it with captube first or I would have brazed the co2 liquid line to it as well.


I still have to wire it, insulate it, add a condenser fan, and install the HP cutout. That's all for now, I'm going to charge it tomorrow and see how it fares