Hello everyone. I would like to run this one past the members:

Small walk in freezer not pulling down. When I got to site someone had disconnected the evap fan and told me that freezers only had static evaporators in them and he had disconnected it to make the freezer run better. I will not bother you with the ensuing argument.

As the evap was partially dismantled I took the opportunity to place my thermometer probe by the TXV bulb. Before reinstating the fan I took these readings.

R404A
Suction pressure 1bar/14.5psi
Head pressure 14bar/203psi
Temp at bulb fluctuating -23 to -28°C/-8 to -18.5°f
Amps 3.8A(3.6A on comp plate)

Reinstalled fan and freezer pulled down very slowly. After three hours got to
Ambient in freezer -16°C
Temp at bulb -13.3°C
Air off evap -19.5°C
Suction 1.5bar(-25°C)
Head pressure 17bar(39.5°C)
temp after cond 39°C

The liquid line leaving the accumulator goes up above it and bends in the direction of the evap and this is where the sight glass is fitted, almost on the same level as the TXV inside the box. It remanded clear throughout the three hours. The temps above is where we stagnated. Throughout the pull down air off evap, ever decreasing, remained 5°C lower than the bulb temp. I was expecting the SH to reduce as we approached the set temp but as you can see it remained high and my suction pressure/temp is not sufficiently low either.

Does anyone else feel that this is a worn out comp (13 years old)?