Originally Posted by
seanf
To check it you would need to put atleast a pressure gauge on the suction side, and one on the discharge would be good as well. Again because you have such a small charge in those systems just putting a gauge line on can give a significant change to the system charge and pressures.
Another problem it could be is moisture in the system, which can give intermittent choking of the filter/capillary.
If it was me and I had access to gauges. I would first have the system running to pull the pressure low before switching the unit off, wait a wee bit to allow the low side pressure to hopefully just go above a vacuum, and then connect a low side/suction gauge using a short length gauge line. Then I would be leaving the unit off to allow the system pressure to equilise so I could check the standing pressure (can take some time with a choke). With the pressure equilised then I would be keeping an eye on the pressure and the temperatures of the pipework as it cools down, checking for the frost pattern on the evaporator and of the filter/capillary. The standing pressure and the running suction pressure would give you a rough idea of if its a choke or just low on gas, or something else.
If I was unsure what had been previously done to the system and had access to all the gear, and if it had a low suction pressure. I would be recovering the refrigerant from the system, giving it a leak check with nitrogen (if needed repair any leaks and check again), vacuum the system and check theres no moisture with a torr gauge, then with a gauge on the suction and discharge side I would be recharging it using sensitive scales and isolation valves on the ends of the gauge lines, with gauges on both sides see how it runs, then use the isolation valve on the dischage gauge connection to remove the gauge and allow the trapped refrigerant to be charged to the system to give near enough the correct charge, see how it runs with that. If I still got low pressures and frosting of the filter/capillary then you would be able to safely say theres a restriction there.
Anyway at the moment your probably at the point a fridge tech would be needed.