Making Ice

[Arizona]

What is the best way(meaning inexpensive to purchase and run)to make ice cubes on demand. I am looking for a method of making ice where the machine is turned on only long enough to produce a lb or 2 of ice on a daily basis.

[Arizona]

Originally Posted by knottybuoyz

Hiya Arizona

I saw your post over on bateau but thought better to post here.....

Oh I can't resist this one! The censors will probably rip me a new one, but....

How 'bout stickin' a bottle of water between my ex-wife's legs? *lol* Probably not exactly what you had in mind and probably not inexpensive either! *lol*

I'm sorry I couldn't help myself!

Rick

LOL, I can't stop laughing..

If I had that money again, I wouldn't be looking for an inexpensive or innovative solution.

[Sunspot Baby]

We use old fashion ice cube trays in the freezer compartment of the fridge. I don't think we get 2 lbs. a day, but we nearly always have ice in our sundowners.

George

[Arizona]

I was not thinking about use a frig due to the energy requirements.

I have seen portable ice makers from different manufacturers that just make ice for around 200.00. Plug in, make ice and unplug. They are about the size of a porti potti.

The ice would be used immediately or placed in a cooler for use later in the evening. The device will be used once a day, even underway.

The ice is being used for a cold compress for a medical problem.

Maybe freezing ice packs would be more efficient.

[s/v 'Faith']

Here is one for $169.00 that says it can make ice in 6 minutes!


Height: 15"
Width: 12"
Depth: 15"
Energy requirements: 115 Volts / 60 Hertz
150 Watts
3.5 Amps

engine(document);Product Reviews Summary (Powered by PowerReviews.com)
Avg. Customer Rating: (based on 4 reviews)
Customers most agreed on the following attributes:
Pros:
Does Not Jam Up (3)

Best Uses:
Portable (3), Bar (3)


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Reviewed by 4 CustomersSort by: Choose a sortNewest firstOldest firstHighest ratings firstLowest ratings firstMost helpful firstLeast helpful first

[3 of 3 customers found this review helpful]
Ideal for our mountain home

By Paperdoc from Easley, SC on 8/3/2006
Pros:
Does Not Jam Up, Easy to use, No water line
Cons:
A bit noisy, Not Enough Storage
Best Uses:
Bar, Portable

We have a mountain house which is subject to cold temperatures in the winter. This machine does not need a water line which could freeze and break in the winter. The machine was plug and play. Within minutes I saw the first ice. It is perfect for keeping up with the normal day to day needs but will not cope with parties. We collect ice in the morning to store in the freezer in plastic bags. Thus we have some extra for parties.
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[1 of 1 customers found this review helpful]
Gotta have it!

By CAGE from Dowagiac, Michigan on 7/29/2006
Pros:
Does Not Jam Up, Lots of Storage, Multiple Settings, My family loves it.!!
Best Uses:
Anywhere you want it, Bar, Dorm, Kitchen, Portable

we love it and i recommend this machine to everyone that uses ice and hates the grocery store, baggy, soggy ice scene
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[8 of 8 customers found this review helpful]
I would buy again and will!!

By Seafarer from Gulfport, MS on 7/11/2006
Pros:
Does Not Jam Up, Perfect size
Best Uses:
Bar, Kitchen, Portable , Under Counter

My parents entertain the family on a regular basis and someone always has to pick up ice. Following Katrina and moving into their partially renovated home, we needed ice and the portable ice maker was perfect. Even with an ice maker in the refrigerator the extra ice is perfect. Following the storm we are all addicted to bottled water, which sometimes is not refrigerated but the cubes on medium fit perfectly into the bottles. It takes up very little space and since it does not require a water connection bottled water works perfectly. My husband now wants me to order one for our den and his bar.
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[11 of 16 customers found this review helpful]
So fun!

By Iceman from Dallas, TX on 6/13/2006
Pros:
Durable, Good Value, High Quality, It's just so fun!!
Cons:
Expensive
Best Uses:
Making ice!!

This thing is just so cool to use. I make ice when I don't even need it. I guess that's kind of bad... It's just such a cool little machine. I wish it came in more colors though. White's kind of boring. Still a cool little machine.
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http://www.compactappliance.com/imag...KIM10W_vl3.jpg

You buy it, and let us all know how well it works.

[hellosailor]

Arizona, if you're going to be port hopping, and the need is not long-term (i.e. weeks not years) you might be better off buying block ice and dry ice in port, and keeping it in a dedicated double-insulated cooler. Block ice lasts WAY longer than ice cubes. Add some dry ice to the box and it lasts, again, way way longer still.

And if the need is really short, maybe you can use the "slap ice" packs. They are used for sports injuries, and look like a bag of goo. You slap them and a chemical reaction starts and they get icy cold. Some are disposable--but IIRC others can be refrozen(?) and reused.

Dunno if those are of use in your situation...but small icemakers can be pricey, and consume lots of power. If the need is long term...you might be into beefing up the whole electrical and reefer systems so you can just make ice daily while you run the new reefer's holding plates down.

[ssullivan]

Arizona:

I read in a book (Don Casey's?) that the best way to test out all of your power systems on a boat and makre sure everything works is to try and make ice.

It is literally the hardest thing to do on a boat.

If you put trays in your fridge, count on a large increase in power demand. If you get something that works quickly, you will need to have a pretty decent genset to power it.

In order to properly advise you, we will all need a pretty detailed intro to your current power/energy production and consumption setup. For instance... where do you plan to get the energy to make your ice from?

[delmarrey]

One thing I found that works well is freezing 1 gallon plastic bottles full of water. They are not quite as cold as a regular block of ice but they'll last three days. You just don't drain/use the water until they are completely liquid. Otherwise they thaw faster, and donot displace the heat as well.

And once they are thawed you have that much extra water. Great on a week long cruise.

I've tried dry ice and that's expensive for what you get. Might as well haul liquid nitrigen............................_/)

[hellosailor]

Delmarrey-
If you can get a local diner or ice cream shop to freeae the bottles overnight for you, commercial freezers are often way colder than home freezers. And if you don't mind not having the spare water...you can fill them with home made eutectic solution (i.e. like found in cold plates) to get more cold out of them. Of course, asking someone to freeze a bottle of "goo" these days could get you some odd looks.

For dry ice, you can always order a box of Omaha Steaks. Subtract the cost of the thick cooler and the enclosed dry ice, and the steak ain't so expensive after all.<G> Actually, the price of dry ice varies widely. In Florida I've seen it up front at the Publix supermarkets, sold as a picnic/fishing supply and priced at maybe 1/4 of what the "dry ice" places charge up north. It sells out a good 48 hours before hurricanes, too.

[S/V Elusive]

Rick - I can SOOOOO tell that Lori is out of town. I'd be willing to bet that Lori has a cane, and knows how to use it - and based on what you've written - you probably like that! muahahahahaha }:>

[delmarrey]

Originally Posted by hellosailor

Delmarrey-
If you can get a local diner or ice cream shop to freeae the bottles overnight for you, commercial freezers are often way colder than home freezers. And if you don't mind not having the spare water...you can fill them with home made eutectic solution (i.e. like found in cold plates) to get more cold out of them. Of course, asking someone to freeze a bottle of "goo" these days could get you some odd looks.

For dry ice, you can always order a box of Omaha Steaks. Subtract the cost of the thick cooler and the enclosed dry ice, and the steak ain't so expensive after all.<G> Actually, the price of dry ice varies widely. In Florida I've seen it up front at the Publix supermarkets, sold as a picnic/fishing supply and priced at maybe 1/4 of what the "dry ice" places charge up north. It sells out a good 48 hours before hurricanes, too.

Dry ice here is around $1.20 lb.

As for filling the bottles with the eutectic solution sounds like a good idea! Although, I do like the extra drinking water on board. We consume 2 qt. a day each. And the water tanks, welllllll, my wife is like Ricks

[GordMay]

Keeping Ice Cream is one of the bigger refrigeration challenges we faced.
When ice cream is allowed to increase above -18 degrees C, heat shock, where large ice crystals form and the products start to shrink will occur.
Scoop ice cream should be stored at -18 degrees Celsius, but may be dispensed at -15 degrees Celsius.

[ssullivan]

Wow... I'm impressed that you were able to keep it at all, Gord. The amount of energy required to keep a freezer at "ice cream temps" is staggering. I take it you used a generator rather than solar/wind?

[GordMay]

You'd have been less impressed if I were more forthcoming. I faced the challenge, and (to all practical purposes) failed.
Even with the thermostatic capiliary removed from the evapourator & insulated /w a sock, and the evapourator closed off (bubble wrap), our A-B Cold Machine (running full time for, perhaps 36 hours, in an only moderately well-insulated box) didn't get cold enough to maintain Ice Cream for longer than a few hours.

Yes, the above experiment required I run the generator for a couple of 5-6 hour cycles (had no solar/wind capability).
Notwithstanding, I would expect any serious Cruisers' Wind/Solar system to generate the daily power to continuously operate a 60 Watt compressor ~ this should only require something under 120 Watts of peak Solar power capability (depending on the additional wind component).

BTW: I've since been conditioned to avoid as many "challenges" as possible, and fail much less often. Those who have had better success in meeting (or in choosing) their challenges may have a differing "Pavlovian" response than mine (your results may vary).

[jim lee]

Don't feel bad, our A-B Cold machine couldn't do ice cream either. Even plugged into shore power.

Watch out for block ice. In Mexico, where we tried expermenting with some, we discovered hay was frozen in it. Whoops! Also, on a rough passage, it bashed -all- our food into a mushy chum. (Cold wet yuch with hay and whatever else was on the barn floor with they hay).

-jim lee