Ice Makers

J

jmeirhofer

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So I have this ice maker. Works great as a freezer. Usually we buy a bag of ice and stick a bucket in the saloon fridge and the rest in the ice maker. I have the water to it turned off because the plastic line to it was cracked and leaking when I bought the boat.

So my question is, how many here use ice makers? Do you find it easier or more efficient than buying ice? Do you have filters on it so the ice does not taste funky? If so, what kind?

Just trying to help Pascal find the Boat. lol
 
Took mine out and use the cabinet it was in for storage. I don't drink the water in my tanks, so I only used the ice to keep things cold. Was still buying ice for drinks. I don't miss it at all. one less thing to winterize.
 
Sort of what we do to Greg. I use it to keep the store bought ice. But since I do not have an inverter I have to be on shore power or gen power to keep it going. If it was 12v it would make it more convenient. Just not sure it is worth rehabbing for the occasional use.
 
Sold mine years ago. The water lines are impossible to flush so the worst water on the boat becomes ice.
 
I bought one of those counter top ice makers from Target and ran it off of my inverter. Spit out ice as fast as I needed it and used very little power from my house bank. Of course my boat was small and there was usually only 2 of us on board but it more than served the purpose. Drop the hook, plug in the icemaker and it would start spitting out ice in about 10 minutes.

I drank water from my tanks all the time. I made sure to clean and recommission the system twice a year and ran it through a double filter under the galley sink. Put it in the ice maker, refilled water bottles and cooked with it with no problems.

Bob
 
:)

I just wished the average marine ice maker was better built considering the price they cost! But yes much more practical than buying and carrying ice. I guess it depends on how much ice you use...

On my own boat, I just have the ice maker in the full size GE fridge in the galley and that's enough. On charmer we have two Uline plus the galley sub zero and a countertop dometic.. And sometimes that's barely enough :) but down here we use a lot of ice :)
 
We use ours as a freezer for store bought ice. Even on the hook, if you don't open the door too often, the ice stays frozen for a long time.
 
I use mine all the time and very happy with it. I filter the water as I fill my tank but that is all. We rarely use the city water hook up as to cycle the water in the tank(s) yes I have two port and starboard. I use the ice for drinks all the time and I have no complaints!
 
Mine works great but we don't drink water out of the tank, frozen or not. I use it to produce ice for the soft drink and beer ice chest in the cockpit. If we were hooked to the dock water I would drink it but my wife would not...neither would the dog, she said.

Ice for drinks is kept in a bag in the salon refrigerator/freezer.
 
quote:
Originally posted by rnbenton

I bought one of those counter top ice makers from Target and ran it off of my inverter. Spit out ice as fast as I needed it and used very little power from my house bank. Of course my boat was small and there was usually only 2 of us on board but it more than served the purpose. Drop the hook, plug in the icemaker and it would start spitting out ice in about 10 minutes.

I drank water from my tanks all the time. I made sure to clean and recommission the system twice a year and ran it through a double filter under the galley sink. Put it in the ice maker, refilled water bottles and cooked with it with no problems.

Bob

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Same here, Bob; ice-maker from Target, tank water via the water-maker (easy to check the quality of and usually better quality water than dock-side), plus a Sodastream for carbonation. All of it works off 12v/inverter/generator. With a 36-gallon tank we once survived being stuck at Allens-Pensacola Cay for 6 days and 5 nights with nice, hot showers each day :-)
 
We threw out (well I got 100 bucks for it) a U-Line combi. While it made ice ok, the refrigerator portion was warm at the top and frozen at the bottom. As a result it was an over grown ice maker that barely kept wine on the top shelf cool. The ice maker failed after a couple of years and I had to install a new one. The door gasket took on mildew and I could never get it clean. Goodbye Uline!
Now we have installed a Nova-Kool 4500 4.5 cubic foot unit in it's place and love it. We can use it to make tray ice or store frozen food. We have had parties aboard and if we plan ahead we normally have enough ice on hand between this unit and the Norcold (which will be replaced with a Nova-Kool.

For the most part I think installed ice makers are a waste of space unless they are an option in a full size refrigerator. And I am not talking about a full size Norcold.

Of course commercial applications will need more ice than this but that's only because their rum punch melts ice from across the room. :D
 
Dan. That is what I was considering also. My refer already needs replaced in the cockpit and I had considered getting two and replacing the ice maker with one as well. That would free up the salon refer of all the drinks we put in there. Plus the refers run off 12v.

Kurt/Bob. I think I see an Emerson Ice Maker in my future. Sounds like the best option for me since it is only the two of us normally. One question. Do you leave your ice in the unit or put it in the freezer section of your refer.
 
John, I do both. I keep a 1-gallon freezer back full of fresh ice for convenience, but let the Emerson run when hooked into power or running the generator. The ice melts and recycles itself.

NOTE: Buy it at Target and get the affordable extended warranty. We have gone through a number of these units over the years.
 
Yeah. I saw they have a 2yr extension for $18. I can easily put a bucket of ice in our freezer in the saloon.
 
quote:
Originally posted by jmeirhofer

Kurt/Bob. I think I see an Emerson Ice Maker in my future. Sounds like the best option for me since it is only the two of us normally. One question. Do you leave your ice in the unit or put it in the freezer section of your refer.

Click to expand...


Personally, I just left the ice in the icemaker. When finished with the evening's beverages I just turned it off and let the ice melt back into the reservoir. Next day, add a bit of water and turn it on and in 10-15 minutes, begin the days festivities.

I used mine for 4 seasons and never had a problem with it. In fact, I still have it and use it from time to time.

Bob
 
6th season with our U Line. Winter of 07 I put the non functioning U Line in the garage and followed the sticky on here for troubleshooting. Ordered the parts including a new door, and cube tray assembly and the rest is history. Added a carbon filter so the ice cubes and cockpit sink always has clean water. As some here have stated, they use their tank water for everything, with an occasional splash of chlorine & or baking soda . . . a filter is just insurance.
We always have enough ice to make our arriving cocktails or 20. I'd rather pack cases of beer than bags of ice, can buy ice from the marina but not beer. And I'm not buying a golf cart for a mule,lord knows I can use the exercise.
Sometimes I swing the arm up in the maker to stop ice production, and throw in ice cream sandwiches, small bottle of Cabo Wabo or put the frozen blender concoction we're sharing. It's the best of three worlds. We always have ice, always can make room for small frozen stuff and it automatically refills itself. AND it's built in. (that's 4) Can't find the down side of having this ice maker running all summer.
 
Not to hijack but I do have a question about the Uline. Is there a way to prevent it from icing up? Is it the door seal or what? Also as long as I'm asking I have no issue with the taste but what kind of filter are you using I have never tried one but I'm open to new ideas!
 
We use an AquaPure Carbon filter. Expensive. Like 40 bucks expensive. Worked ok and cleaned up any residual chlorine etc.. As far as preventing it from icing up?
[sarcasm]
Dry it out, and NEVER under ANY circumstances, open it up and let humidity in. I don't care if your drink is getting warm, resist the temptation to open that door, grab some ice, and cool down your drink.
[/sarcasm]

It doesn't matter what we have used on board Freedom. They all ice up and need to be manually defrosted. Perhaps the ice maker Kurt and Bob are talking about is ok with that because it can be unplugged thus it defrosts.
 
Mine is a Culligan brand. Came from home center. The small bracket is secured and then the 1/4" tubing is slipped into the inlet and outlet and is held in place like Chinese fingers (push in but can't pull out). The cartridge end is put in and secured with a 1/4 turn. And your done. Almost don't need tools.
Cartridge is good for 3000 gallons, that is probably more than the life of the boat. Bring the filter home in the winter, it will burst, no matter how much air you blow thru it,or if you hang it upside down. And you all know how I found out.
As for icing. The door seal on the U Line sucks. Icing never been an issue cause we don't run the genny all the time on the water and it defrosts itself. Dump the cubes on the beer, leave the door open to dry and it's a dry fresh start when you return to the dock or fire up the genny.
FYI. When we purchase bags of ice at the dock, I don't let the guys drop the bags on the dock to break it up. No tellin what kind of duck poop, shoe goo, whatever crap gets transferred from the outside of the bag, to your cooler. And you know eventually somebody's gonna grab some ice from the cooler and put it in a drink. I'm sure nobody has ever died from it but it's just my deal. (who washes their hands before reaching in the same cooler for a beer ? NOBODY) So we use ice from the U Line for cups, or keep a designated ice bag, not completely open, upright in the cooler for same. How many times has some river water splashed into my open drink when bobbing on a float ? Dunno, but unless it was a BUNCH, I drank it anyway.
 
Thanks for the feedback I think I will pick up a filter it can't hurt and I use the ice. I also make coffee from the tank as well it's tastes fine to me.
 
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