Portable Ice maker?

M

motostew

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Mar 26, 2007
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25640
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Anyone using the Emerson prtable ice maker on the boat? Just saw one of these the other day and it looks like a good solution to have ice for cocktails on the boat.
 
Had one on my old boat. Worked good.
Was heavy but if you find a good spot for it it just stays put.
Didn't make slot if ice for cooler but for drinks an blender drinks it was good
Stil looking to sell mine as new boat has ice maker
 
I think the one I'm using on the boat now is an Emerson. Picked it up at Target a few years ago for $60 on sale. They're great little machines.
 
What Kurt said +1

I have an Emerson I got at Target and it works like a charm. Start it up and it starts spittong ice in about 5 minutes and will keep up with even me on a hot night in the Bahamas on a Vodka and Tonic binge. :)

Bob
 
Good friends took off on the Great Loop from here with a new similar AC portable ice maker by Magic Chef onboard.

So far, they absolutely love it and use it every time they stop for the night and figure it will pay for itself quickly. I believe they have the smaller version that can purportedly make up to 27 lbs on 24 hrs. I think the bin capacity is much less, so that assumes ice is removed.

It uses no water hookup, only AC from shore power, genset or batteries/inverter. Water (maybe up to a gallon?, dunno)is simply poured into the top of the machine and they use water from the FW tank or dock water , and they run it through a good filter. The only parts of the machine that is actually freezing or refrigerated are the freeze "pins" around which the ice forms elongated "cubes' after 7-14 minuts, depending on desired cube size the user sets. When the desired size is `accumulated, the rack of pins releases (with pin heat?)the cubes (with hole down the middle) into a slide into the insulated but otherwise uncooled bin compartment which acts rather as an ice bucket.

The machine stops making ice if it senses the bin is full. Eventually earlier ice will melt and drip down to be recycled into the water reservoir & make more ice if that earliest ice is not used fast enough. There is also a valved lower drain at the side so the sytsem can be emptied out when not being used.

It's just over 27 lbs. empty, and sits on a countertop. I think it was a little under $140 at one of the box stores like wallyworld or BJ's.

Here's the manual: http://mcappliance.com/document/MCIM22TS.pdf The model number MCIM22 suffix , TS or TW just stands for silver or white color. There is also a somewhat larger model MCIM30TS & TSS(stainless).
 
I have the Emerson and it works well. If you plan to use it a lot then don't expect to get more than 2 to 3 years out of it. At least that's the experience I've had. Still worth it though. Try to keep it in the cabin. It won't have to work as hard if it's in the A/C.
 
Thanks for the replys I can't believe I have never seen one of these. I will be picking one up this weekend. Lets just hope it does not trip the breaker. Should be fine as long as there are not to many things on the circuit. Thanks again.
 
A big help is to use water that is already chilled, like a jug in the fridge. If you use water that has been sitting in the sun the cubes in the beginning are a bit lame until the reservoir water is chilled or at least room temp.
 
Anyone local on long island I will sell mine for $75. Half price of new.
 
Since it's not a freezer it has no capacity. Any ice it makes begins to melt and goes back into water. Capacity is like 12 cubes every 10 minutes. Says it will make 35 lbs a day. It will hold ice for a while if not removed right away.
 
At $75 it's a heck of a deal. No it will not fill a cooler. But it will most certainly keep the high ball glasses well filled. :-)

Great little device.

Bob
 
Boatcomfortt, you should not be using antifreeze. In your fresh water system, you should be blowing out the lines, very easy to do. Learned that tid bit here many years ago
 
I'm upping my inverter capacity so I can run my ice maker off battery. During the early afternoon I've got more solar power than I can store so I might as well put it to good use.
 
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