12v Ice Maker

[Captn_Black]

So this is an idea I have been thinking of for awhile now. We already have a well insulated 50ltr ice box built in to the counter top, and we get by ok with buying 2kg ice every 3-4 days, but I would really like a more self sufficient solution. Obviously a fridge system is one idea, but I have been thinking about deconstructing an ice maker and rebuilding it in a way that allows it to feed ice directly into a compartment within the cool box. Of course I would have to vent air away from the hot side to make it efficient. What other consideration would I have to make? Can I get recommendations for a suitable machine, and what kind of power consumption am I looking at per kilo?
Cheers.

[Captn_Black]

Found this so far - https://www.rse.co.nz/product/1679206
As well as some from China. Ideally I don't want one that keeps the ice cool after it is produced, seeing as I plan to deconstruct it. Even better than that would be somewhere that I can buy spare parts for such a machine, and only buy the parts that I need.

[two-rocks]

We run an a/c version of the countertop ice maker off the solar/inverter.

They make ice for drinks, with what I’d call a low energy density. The bags or blocks you are purchasing are More effective for cooling as they are chilled to a lower temperature and solid. The countertop ice makers make hollow “tubes” of ice.

Get a powered fridge (cooler with electric compressor) and use the icebox as storage.

[Captn_Black]

Originally Posted by two-rocks

We run an a/c version of the countertop ice maker off the solar/inverter.

They make ice for drinks, with what I’d call a low energy density. The bags or blocks you are purchasing are More effective for cooling as they are chilled to a lower temperature and solid. The countertop ice makers make hollow “tubes” of ice.

Get a powered fridge (cooler with electric compressor) and use the icebox as storage.

I had already considered that option. I don't want to run 240v across the ship, nor have a 240v machine in a damp environment under the counter top, and we don't have counter top space for a portable one. We also can't afford the additional power loss from running it off the inverter.

As far as our power production goes, the choice is fridge or ice maker, not both. I like the ice maker option as the ice itself is better at getting drinks really cold, and by storing it in the fridge/icebox in the manner I have proposed it will also keep the fridge cool.

If I wanted to use the obvious solution I would not have been asking this question.

[two-rocks]

I should have said the ice maker will not work. I was giving you my opinion of the counter top ice makers (any voltage, matters not).

Get a 12v compressor based cooler. They make solid ice blocks if you want. And ice trays too.

In this day and age an ice box is truly an antique, and costs way more to cool, and tethers you to a location to buy ice.

Good luck

[Captn_Black]

Originally Posted by two-rocks

I should have said the ice maker will not work. I was giving you my opinion of the counter top ice makers (any voltage, matters not).

Get a 12v compressor based cooler. They make solid ice blocks if you want. And ice trays too.

In this day and age an ice box is truly an antique, and costs way more to cool, and tethers you to a location to buy ice.

Good luck

Umm, yes, also the point of this question is that we want to be self sufficient, as I said, and not rely on shop bought ice. I am aware it is not the best solution, but it is what we currently have and I am looking to improve it.

Voltage is important, as there are power loses from the inverter, and low voltage is safer. 12v ice makers do work, I was looking for recommendations about them. Our funds are also limited, and an ice maker is half the price of a compressor fridge, and also seems to only use 6 amps - although as I said, we only need about 2 kg of ice for it to last 3 days. And as far as I can tell, that would require only 4 hours running of the ice maker. Thanks for your input, but I am looking for advice from someone that has used a 12v ice maker.

[two-rocks]

Do you have a water maker?

Your idea will not work for many reasons, but you are you. Good luck.

[Captn_Black]

Originally Posted by two-rocks

Do you have a water maker?

Your idea will not work for many reasons, but you are you. Good luck.

Really? Do you care to state those reasons? No, we don't have a water maker. You have come here, not read my question, and not offered any relevant advice. And much of what you have said is wrong, yet you expect me to accept your statement as true without further information. What do you hope to salvage by continuing to make statements on this thread?

[hurricanehole]

Hi. Bought a Igloo brand 120 volt ice maker. Solar to inverter. Works for cold drinks. Then bought a smaller cooler for the so so ice but that barely worked. Appreciated for cold drinks and not buying bags of ice for that, so worth the purchase

[Captn_Black]

Originally Posted by hurricanehole

Hi. Bought a Igloo brand 120 volt ice maker. Solar to inverter. Works for cold drinks. Then bought a smaller cooler for the so so ice but that barely worked. Appreciated for cold drinks and not buying bags of ice for that, so worth the purchase

Yea, I looked at AC ones, but like I said previously, we do not have the countertop space, and can't afford the additional losses by running it off the inverter. Also our inverter is only 300w, which is fine for the few items we need it for, but would not power such a load in addition to them.

[two-rocks]

How will you add water? (They hold very little water, the water sits below the ice and gets chilled with the ice above.) The cubes grow as the machine runs and the SMALL amount of water cools.

Your 12v counter top ice maker is the same as the a/c versions, just directly run off DC. That was my reference, but you missed it. You miss quite a bit.

The 6 amps is huge. A proper fridge will use less than half that.

Countertop ice makers are NOT quiet. They are not efficient. You don’t have the money to do it right, then you defiantly don’t have the money to do it wrong.

Have you looked at why you don’t have the money? You don’t listen well...google can help with finding the energy calculations you want others do do for you. Google is free, so yeah.

[Captn_Black]

Originally Posted by two-rocks

How will you add water? (They hold very little water, the water sits below the ice and gets chilled with the ice above.) The cubes grow as the machine runs and the SMALL amount of water cools.

Your 12v counter top ice maker is the same as the a/c versions, just directly run off DC. That was my reference, but you missed it. You miss quite a bit.

The 6 amps is huge. A proper fridge will use less than half that.

Countertop ice makers are NOT quiet. They are not efficient. You don’t have the money to do it right, then you defiantly don’t have the money to do it wrong.

Have you looked at why you don’t have the money? You don’t listen well...google can help with finding the energy calculations you want others do do for you. Google is free, so yeah.

There is a big difference between going to shore every 2 weeks for water and every three days for ice. 6 amps is the maximum draw for a compressor fridge, yes the average is less. But as I stated I would only need to run an ice maker for a few hours every 3 days. I already researched this, and was looking for relevant advice from people that had experience with it. If you don't understand the drawbacks of using AC on a boat, then why are you even commenting? There is some serious Dunning-Kruger going on here. But your assumption that you know more than everyone else is clearly setting the bar impossibly low.
You say "doing it right", but you clearly don't know anything other than what you have been told by salesmen. Noise would not be a factor if installed under the counter top. I am looking for answers to my questions, not opinions based on your extremely limited experience and knowledge. You need to stop making a fool of yourself.

[two-rocks]

You are thick.

The dc POS you linked it the same POS we all run for sundowners.

POS is piece of $hit.

It takes a long time to ramp up the ice production. It will take you most of the day to make the ice you need. Thus you have used a day in the process. And your two days is now one. You’re running in place using 2x the energy.

They use full amps to make ice. No breaks. And more amps the heat the element to drop the ice. They are not efficient. You are thick.

I sell nothing. You learn nothing.

[Captn_Black]

Originally Posted by two-rocks

You are thick.

The dc POS you linked it the same POS we all run for sundowners.

POS is piece of $hit.

It takes a long time to ramp up the ice production. It will take you most of the day to make the ice you need. Thus you have used a day in the process. And your two days is now one. You’re running in place using 2x the energy.

They use full amps to make ice. No breaks. And more amps the heat the element to drop the ice. They are not efficient. You are thick.

Right, and 4 hours every three days at 6 amps if worse than 3 amps 24 hours a day for 3 days? Some high quality math there... You should have quit while you were ahead. It is pretty clear that you have never used a DC ice maker, so what are you basing your opinion on?

[Captn_Black]

Originally Posted by two-rocks

You are thick.

The dc POS you linked it the same POS we all run for sundowners.

POS is piece of $hit.

It takes a long time to ramp up the ice production. It will take you most of the day to make the ice you need. Thus you have used a day in the process. And your two days is now one. You’re running in place using 2x the energy.

They use full amps to make ice. No breaks. And more amps the heat the element to drop the ice. They are not efficient. You are thick.

I sell nothing. You learn nothing.

So mad... lol.. If you are so sure I am thick then why didn't you try better to explain yourself? You are the one that seems incapable of using google. Not that it would have done you any good, as clearly even reading my original question was too much for you.