The use of ice-making machines is getting upward in recent years. Ice is made by freezing water conventionally but this is not good for use at parties or bars. It’s not a joke when your guests or friends complain about warming up their drink because of the hot flavor. And you are running back and forth to the kitchen for ice rather than enjoying the party. An ice maker machine might be feasible in this case.
In this article, I will describe how to use an ice maker machine to make ice cubes. Keep reading.
10 Steps To Make Ice Cubes Using An Ice Maker:
To ensure that your ice maker is running smoothly and performing in the best working order, you need to know a few usage guidelines for the possible best experience of your ice maker. Let’s start reading the steps to make your desired ice cubes!
1. Before Installing Your Unit:
Remember a few things before the installation of your new ice maker unit.
- Unpack the unit carefully;
- Check all accessories of the ice maker including the user manual, ice scoop.
- I recommend keeping the unit stand-up for about two hours before connecting it with electric power. This will help to reduce the probability of malfunction in the cooling system.
- Find a place with a proper ventilation system to set up your ice-making unit.
- Clean inside the unit with a warm soggy soft cloth.
2. Electrical Connection:
To make ice, the unit needs a proper electrical connection with a standard 110-120 Volt, AC ~/60Hz electrical ground outlet with a three-prong plug.
I recommend an individual electric circuit that will be used only in your ice maker unit. The unit should be grounded for your safety.
Use standard power cords to reduce the risk and deal with electric power carefully. It poses a severe risk even to your life. And repair or replace immediately all damaged or frayed power cords. I recommend using new cords of standard quality. check the wall outlet and electric circuit by an expert electrician.
3. Connect With Water Supply:
The ice maker needs cold tap water {should be between 7°C (45ºF) and 35°C (95ºF)} to make ice pieces. Warm water takes a lot of time to freeze and consume more electric power.
To connect the water supply with your ice maker unit, use a new hose pipe because the old hose pipe has a probability to leak thwarting ice production.
First, connect the new water-supplying hose pipe to the water inlet port at the ice maker unit’s backside. Secondly, link the water draining line to the main water drainage pipeline.
Then connect the water hose to the water main supply system.
4. Start Making ice!
You’ve just installed your ice maker and completely connected the water supply system to the unit and electric power.
Before using the unit for the first time, clean inside the unit. Open the top cover of the ice maker, remove the ice bin and clean the dust in the water tank. The dirt inside the water tank or dirty water will cause dirty or cloudy ice pieces.
Now follow below processes to make the ice cubes:
- Fill the empty tank with clean water up to the area labeled “MAX”.
- Ensure power connection with the proper voltage, press the “ON/OFF “button to start ice making. The “ICE” indicator light will be on during the process.
- Depending on water temperature, each batch of ice will be produced by 10-15 minutes. It may take longer to make ice for the first time.
- If the ice maker unit detects water shortage in the water reservoir, it will stop making ice and the “ADD WATER” indicator light will be turned on.
- If the unit detects water shortage, fill the reservoir with clean water and press again the “ON/OFF” button to restart making ice.
- After producing maximum ice cubes till reaching the ice bin sensor, the unit will stop making ice automatically. The “Ice full” indicator light at the control panel will be lit.
You’ve just made your desired ice. Open the top cover and collect ice cubes using a scooper from the ice bin. And have a sweet cold drink!
5. Keep The Unit Clean:
Bacteria breeds in unsanitary conditions and like any other home appliance that deals with foodstuff, your ice maker machine could be a safe breeding home for these bacteria or germs if it is not cleaned periodically.
So, sanitize inside and outside the ice maker at least once or twice a month to avoid looking your ice cube dirty or cloudy and breeding germs, or bacteria inside the machine. The periodical cleanup will give a shiny look to your ice maker and also guard against muddy dirt and spots.
I recommend you use a small scoop to grab ice pieces to avoid using your hands to avoid biological contamination and maintain its hygiene longer.
Periodic cleaning and proper maintenance will ensure efficiency, top performance, and long life.
Remember! You should not keep anything in the ice bin or tray that is noticed: objects like wine bottles or ice cream are not only unsanitary, but they also can blockade the drain circle.
6. Change The Filter:
An ice-making machine is normally equipped with a water filtration system to purify contaminated water and to remove water impurities. It helps the water to be cleaned and therefore ice pieces. Contaminated water filters can affect your ice taste and make the ice cloudy. You never like that!
There are many kinds of filters available in the market. Some filters ameliorate water taste and scent which are not high in price while others highly efficient filtration systems have bacteriostatic effects that guard bacteria breeding.
Water filters can differ from one to another. So, when you want to replace the old filter, check the manual. Some filters do not need to be changed within a year but some will not run smoothly after about six months.
7. Store Ice:
You have invited some of your friends to drink together and you have a shiny new ice maker machine to prevent warming up your drinks. But the portable ice makers are not able to store frozen ice that was just made rather leftover ice melting down and draining to the water reservoir to make another batch of ice pieces and it’s obviously a time-consuming matter.
So to make sure your friends have continuous access to ice, I recommend you store the ice that you made into a cooler to keep it from melting and place it near the party place or bar!
But an undercounter ice maker machine offers enough storage to store the frozen ice that was made. Ice is being made and stored constantly. You should think about storing the ice only when you use a portable ice maker.
8. Descale periodically:
Scale, also known as calcium deposits can damage the part of your ice-making machine and shorten their lifetime if you do not descale periodically.
A standalone ice maker inside the refrigerator produces fewer ice pieces on average 4-5 pounds each day. Less ice production results in less scale production and bears less threat.
But an ice maker machine has the ability to produce a maximum of 70 pounds of ice per day. Thus, scales can build up quickly and damage parts of the machine over time. So don’t forget to descale the appliances routinely.
9. Discharge The Ice Bin:
The ice maker machine or refrigerator tends to be jammed. The ice dispenser hose tends to be stuck and smash ice fragments and meltdown frozen ice. To ensure the machine is performing in its best working order, void the ice bin occasionally.
In updating models of ice makers, it’s easy to deal with clogs. First, disconnect the electric power connection and discharge the ice bin and ice cubes. Clean the ice bin with a warm soggy cloth. Then wait until the machine is dry and replace the bin again at the previous state. Discharge the ice bin at least once a month for the smooth running of the ice maker.
10. Room To Breathe:
Ice maker machines need proper ventilation spaces to perform satisfactorily. Do not clog up the ventilation and heat-dissipation grids with something. Poor air conditioning may cause serious damage to the appliance.
Make a distance of at least 50 mm from the sides and 100 mm from the back of the ice maker machine, to make sure air conditioning is sufficient.
Troubleshooting a Portable Ice Maker
If the ice maker appears to be malfunctioning, here are some tips that might be helpful for you to correct functional problems. Most of the problem could be something very simple which can be solved without a service call.
1. Power Supply:
If your ice maker doesn’t turn on, check the power connection and ensure the connection is plugged with proper electric voltage. If you find any problem, reconstruct the unit with an expert electrician right away.
If power on and water feed but the ice sensor does not work, remove some ice. Make sure the ice sensor is free of ice.
2. Blocked Water Line:
Water lines circulate water from the water reservoir to the ice bin. If there is a blockage in this line, no water will be circulated to create ice.
To continue making ice, check the water’s pipe and if blocked, flush warm water to melt ice blocking. Or replace the water pump.
3. Water leaking:
If the waterline has no problem but the water won’t circulate from the water reservoir to the freeze tray, there is a probability of water leaking. Check the hose and pump system and replace it if needed.
4. Blocked Water Filters:
Water filters could be blocked with a lot of sediments and minerals for not cleaning the filter over the past few months.
The filters have some tiny holes to guard water particles, but they build up over time If you’ve not cleaned the filter periodically. Replace or clean the water filter to continue making ice.
5. Leaking Coolant:
If the water is circulated properly but doesn’t make ice, the machine may have a coolant leak. It should be fixed by an expert technician.
6. Water Temperature:
Your ice machine will struggle to make ice if the water inside is too hot. It will take longer to make ice as the machine will have to cool the water down first before getting to its freezing point.
So, if the water inside of the reservoir is hot or warm, replace it with normal cold water.
Final Words:
Ice maker machines are getting popular. It is necessary especially on an occasion or at home. Because you don’t want to drink a warm beverage.
An ice maker certainly is one of those appliances that you never knew you needed until you purchased it. Purchase one and have some cold drinks!
