Ice machines are refrigeration devices that make ice in tubes, cubes, or any other shape and are utilized in grocery stores and restaurants. There are many types of ice machines in the market today.

In actual production ice machines only make 75% of what they are claiming. Take for example a popular brand that claims to make a thousand pounds a day. This is probably true in perfect operating conditions. But in real time it only makes 980 lbs, that is, when the conditions are perfect. In a warm restaurant kitchen, this machine can make only 730 lbs. Both experiments were done in a brand new machine. Now, what if the evaporators and condensers are already dirty?

Why does this happen? The reason is because a cold condition doesn’t exist. A refrigerator doesn’t generate the weather in a small scale. The basic concept of refrigeration is taking the heat out. What we refer to as ‘cold’ is in reality the absence of heat.

The refrigerant, usually Freon gas, absorbs the heat in the water and releases it into the air through the refrigerator coils. This cycle goes on and on repetitively and is referred to as the refrigeration cycle.

Freon is a brand name. The right term for this refrigerant is R-22. The refrigerant absorbs heat by evaporating from liquid to a gas state. Then it releases heat into the air by condensing from a gas state to its original liquid form.

It is imperative to take note of the following which is about the transfer of heat through the ice machines. Cold water produces ice easily because there is only a small amount of heat to be taken out. The cooler the air in the surroundings makes for faster release of heat into it. Thus, the ice machine produces more ice if the source water and the surrounding air are cool.

Only distilled water freezes at a temperature of 32 degrees on the Fahrenheit scale. Thus tap water leaves behind some minerals that corrode the plate on the evaporator up to a point when the machine will not work anymore.

To get the ice machine to make more ice it is important to keep the air around its area cool. Fill it with cold water instead of hot or lukewarm water. Do not wait for the bin to be filled over before turning the machine off. Make sure that the evaporator is always clean. Maintain the cleanliness of the condenser. spiral freezer