What have you done with your icemaker

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billybokay

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Joined
Jul 22, 2005
RO Number
18354
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218
I have a '94 40 foot express cruiser with the smallest cockpit icemaker.
Even when it made ice we rarely used the icerette ice maker, since making ice from the tank did not apeal to us. When filled with frost, plastic plumbing pieces inside the freezer broke when trying to take out the icecube bin.
Now it is just a noisy freezer that we rarely use since it only works with a.c. power.
Tried the smallest marine fridge as a swap but it would not fit and had to be returned. Perhaps I can make a nice starboard door and make it a storage locker, or just keep it as is and almost never use it.
Anyone do anything creative that you would like to share?
 
I have a 97 330 and the previous owner removed the ice making mechanisim, so now we just use it as a freezer. We usually buy two bags of ice a throw it the freezer for drinks.

Keep it and use it as a freezer.. and regarding running on AC.. with a 40' boat do you not have a generator?
 
I dont have a sea ray but with a plastic basket and starbord door my ice maker space became a great rope locker.
 
My icemaker works fine. It's great for short cruises rather than mess with the cooler and such. I flushed the system out last week with 2 cups of bleach in a 40 gallon tank. It took about 100 gallons to flush the bleach taste out of the system but tastes no different than home now. I am putting an inline filter from homedepotlowes in soon. For forty bucks or so, it's worth it.
 
yeah I Have a generator, but don't use it all that much. I spent 10 hours on the hook the other day watching the blue angels, and only used the genny to cook dinner. I have a 3/4 fridge that can run all day on battery power and not drain too much battery power.
When I do turn on the freezer, the fan is loud and constant.
 
Costco is having a sale on a small portable ice maker that runs on 110V $129. One of my dock buddies uses it & it does a good job. May be a good alternative but it's not made to leave outdoors in rain. Might be just small enough to fit?
 
quote:
Originally posted by billybokay

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I removed the unit from the boat and took it home. Removed the icemaker parts from inside the box. Get a thermostat for a fridge at your local appliance parts place, and replace the present one. Adjust the temp for about 35 degrees. Install some small shelves inside and on the door. Now you have a handy extra cockpit fridge outside. Ours works perfect and we love it. You can cool about 15 can drinks there. 12 inside and 3 on the door.
 
Airbus
Now that sounds like the kind of a suggestion I was looking for.
Thanks.
 
quote:
Originally posted by billybokay

Airbus
Now that sounds like the kind of a suggestion I was looking for.
Thanks.

Click to expand...


It's been the best thing we've done so far. Very happy with the result. Let me know if you have any questions.

After I was done, I bench tested it in the basement for a week to get the thermostat setting just right. Fill it up with canned drinks while you adjust it.

I had one of those wireless thermometers that I put inside to monitor the temp.

Even though it requires 110v to run, that unit is so well insulated, it will stay cold for most of the day on the hook with out the genny running, as long as you grab a drink and quickly close the door.

Since it's designed for temps in the teens, if it's set for 35 degrees, it will not run very often, so the noise isn't an issue.

The shelf I mounted in the door was from the Walmart bathroom dept. It was a shelf for a shower, so I knew it wouldn't rust.

I also went to the storage section of Walmart and picked up some little white plastic stackable shelves for the freezer main section. They had little ridges to hold in the cans. No drilling required.

DO NOT DRILL ANY HOLES IN THE WALLS OF THE FREEZER.

Good luck if you try it. Entire cost was about $70.
 
it sounds like you have the low profile icemaker that has the "guts" behind it. Do you have room width wise to put in a drawer style refrigerator? Isotherm makes some nice small stainless steel drawer style fridges. Cruisers Yachts offers one on their 390 Sport Coupe.
 
I have plenty of depth but not the width for that unit. 15 inches and I could steel another inch if I felt like cutting the fiberglass. Looks like I will be going with modifying the freezer into a fridge.
 
quote:
Originally posted by billybokay

I have plenty of depth but not the width for that unit. 15 inches and I could steel another inch if I felt like cutting the fiberglass. Looks like I will be going with modifying the freezer into a fridge.

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Billy,

Here is a couple of other points I thought of.

When you get the replacement thermostat, it has a sensor that you feed into a hole in the back, just like the one you removed. On the original mounting, the sensor wet in the hole, and was mounted across the back top of the freezer main section.

For some reason, I never could get the temp regulated correctly, so I pointed the sensor down. In other words, the sensor goes in the hole from the back, into the freezer, then straight down. That fixed my problem. No need to mount it, just push it into the corner and let it hang. It will be out of sight anyway, so it won't matter.

Another point, is by just turning it to full cold, you can turn it right back into a freezer if you like. Just be sure to mark your fridge setting, so you will know how to reset it.
 
O.K. now I am scared
I took the ice maker out and removed the icemaker guts inside the freezer. Had to cut 4 wires that were going back to the compressor area and hooked up in 3 different places. Two different relays and the water valve that supplied the trays. Went to an appliance store and they would not even consider selling me anything without a part number for an exact replacement. Wires hanging everywhere and enough knoledge to start a pretty little fire, I am at a crossroads.

Went to the marine store and confirmed that nothing else will fit in my spot. I purchased some starboard and hinges to make a nice locker door.
I don't know anyone with refigeration skills and can't imagine a professional willing to help me do a modification to a 15 year old unit.
I guess I will make it a storage unit and keep the freezer in the basement shop until I find out the correct way to rewire this unit.
Thanks for listening
 
quote:
Originally posted by billybokay

O.K. now I am scared
I took the ice maker out and removed the icemaker guts inside the freezer. Had to cut 4 wires that were going back to the compressor area and hooked up in 3 different places. Two different relays and the water valve that supplied the trays. Went to an appliance store and they would not even consider selling me anything without a part number for an exact replacement. Wires hanging everywhere and enough knoledge to start a pretty little fire, I am at a crossroads.

Went to the marine store and confirmed that nothing else will fit in my spot. I purchased some starboard and hinges to make a nice locker door.
I don't know anyone with refigeration skills and can't imagine a professional willing to help me do a modification to a 15 year old unit.
I guess I will make it a storage unit and keep the freezer in the basement shop until I find out the correct way to rewire this unit.
Thanks for listening

Click to expand...


Billy,

The only wires you have to be concerned about is the power to the compressor. It's either on or off, and the thermostat determines that. Just use the wires that are conected to the old thermostat. That will work. The others can probably be tied off and capped.

There are tons of generic thermostats you can order off the internet.

This is the one I have mounted in a small electrical box next to the compressor.
b0592305.gif


http://www.pcappliancerepair.com/cgi-bin/detail.cgi?item=B0592305&brand=MAC

Or you might try this:
4230.jpg


http://www.midwestsupplies.com/products/ProdByID.aspx?ProdID=4230

Don't give up yet. If you figure it out, you will be very happy.
 
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