Homemade ice maker! SAVE thousands over a commercial ice maker

[@James-vf5gs]

I'm a commercial refrigeration mechanic, I don't know how it popped up on my you tube feed, but I think this is really clever. Well done.

[@TKCL]

Thank you for watching

[@torainbowsend]

Also a commercial refrigeration mechanic.... 40 years in the field. Well done!

[@TKCL]

Thank you!

[@travisthejiu-jitsuguy3743]

@@torainbowsend Any thoughts as if this could be done with a commercial ice maker unit? (Apealing features could be more capacity, better quality ice, less draining/energy waste)

[@user-fn6ls5hr4q]

the algorithm has blessed you

[@robertmoore1472]

I'm an actual Ice Machine Technician. I'm a representative of all 5 major commercial ice machine manufacturers. Manitowoc, Iceomatic, Scotsman, Hoshizaki and Ice Tro. Been doing ice machines for a long time.......all I can say is Bravo!! Commercial ice machine quality has declined. They're are expensive to maintain, and getting more expensive every year. So kudos to you for figuring this out! Pure genius.

[@TKCL]

Thank you very much! I'd love to have the capacity of the big name brands, I just can't afford them.

[@robertmoore1472]

@@TKCL heck I fix them for a living and I can't afford them either! Lol I get used units from time to time and fix them, then use it until it dies. Throw it away and start over.

[@golf-n-guns]

Is Kold Draft still around?

[@BCowcorn]

My wife loves the crunch ice nuggets you sometimes get at restaurants. Is there an ice maker unit for those that could fit into a project like this? Or better yet, replace the ice maker in our Samsung freezer drawer? (We don't have a dispenser in the door.)

[@TKCL]

I am not sure, never seen one other than the crush function ice makers that go in side by side referators and freezers

[@dakota5805]

I’m a refrigeration tech, and it seems you got everything right, just be sure to seal up around were your wires and tube meet the gasket or it frost up around the top edge if there are any air leaks. Otherwise I’m looking forward to seeing how this turns out. Seems like a great idea.

[@TKCL]

Thank you

[@capman911]

Craig I have a question for you. I am doing the same thing he is doing but the GE icemaker WR30X10093 I bought has the color code on the wires coming out of the icemaker are light blue, black, yellow, and green. I would be grateful to know which wire hooks up to power, neutral, ground, and down to the solenoid. Thanks for any help.

[@dakota5805]

@@capman911 hey mike, it’s been awhile, so double check me on this, in the back of the i.m cover or there may be on in the front kick plate a diagram. Green is ground,black should be hot, look at the valve to see what 2 wires are there, brown should be one. But please double check me, it’s been a few years since I’ve been in the field hope this helps some .

[@capman911]

@@dakota5805 Thank you Sir for the gracious help.

[@johndemore6402]

silicone caulk and duct tape

[@1984wasthebestyear]

I was just talking to some guys at work about buying a ice maker. This may be the one time I’m happy that the phone listens to conversations….. great video!

[@TKCL]

Lol scary isn't it!

[@BoDiesel]

Same here. Can't be a coincidence this random video got pushed on me so coincidentally.

[@dennispope8160]

Damn I just went camping and then this popped up. We talked about ice about as much as on a usual camping trip. Didn’t think about this till I read your comment.

[@TKCL]

If you camp a lot you need to watch my review video coming this Friday. It's the perfect camping companion.

[@liticalskate7061]

You can turn that off

[@ljslw]

I’d mount the I/M on the left side and have a tall plastic trash can or similar directly under it. The ice would fall directly into the can. This would allow you to use the rest of the freezer for freezing food room without it coming in contact with the ice. The only concern might be getting a good seal where the water line enters, this would cause the fill tube to freeze and frost to form. Mullion heaters are often used to prevent water lines from freezing. Great video. I have nothing but respect for anyone who has an idea and goes for it. The world needs more do-ers. Kudos to you!

[@TKCL]

Keep watching the series, I build a lip to run lines and wiring so I no longer had to cut or modify the freezer.

[@mkrpmllc3174]

i did something like you're suggestion, just used plexiglass to divide my freezer

[@JosiahKerley]

3 years later and I come back to rewatch this. I have no idea why, but this concept fascinates me. I don't need ice, but now I want to start an ice-based empire using this as a template.

[@TKCL]

It's still kicking use it almost daily. Glad you enjoy!

[@unkleeyerose]

Did you put on any strange magic crowns recently?

[@jackp9805]

Bro same

[@michaelbond4609]

Yeah, don't sell or give it away, if someone says they got sick, big old law suit😂

[@jimmybobhere]

You have to appreciate this guy's intelligence. Good design and thought process.

[@TKCL]

Thank you for watching

[@rick-zc6xm]

Mans the build was awsome. What really blew my mind was I never realized I was using ice at different temperatures. My fridge ice does last alot longer than bagged ice. Super educational keep, it up creators.

[@TKCL]

Thank you for watching

[@c.h.2503]

ice can't be different fucking temperatures. Bro. wtf lolololololololol!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@TKCL]

Before you make a comment like this you might should do a simple Google search. Ice can and is a wide range of temperatures. Ice can actually get so cold that it liquifies in a very weird minus temperature state. It amazes me that people get stuck on the 32 degrees. That's the point at which a state change happens from liquid to solid. The solid form will continue to drop based on surrounding temperatures.

[@archedgeworth]

Mine makes crushed ice, if I put it in my house freezer you need an ice pick to use it, but if taken straight outta the machine and put n ice chest with some water it’s temperature is below freezing and the ice water mix will last for days. I left an orange water jug with no lid on it inside truck with windows rolled up with these 106 degree days over weekend and was still cold on day 3

[@jlsrgent]

Nice job. I like the way you avoided drilling and installing into the side walls. I installed 2 icemakers into the sidewalls of a freezer (same one from Sams) 5+ years back. Had to be very careful working around those copper refrigeration lines. Worked great until finally one got stuck in the fill cycle and I got a solid block of ice the inside dimensions of the freezer. No worries, cleaned it all out and reinstalled 1 maker this time. All still going good.

[@jamesnolan1673]

when heating up and bending plastic tubes or even pvc, you can fill the piece with sand then bend and it helps keep tube or pipe from kinking. great job on the project

[@TKCL]

That's been a popular suggestion, thanks

[@shitshowadventures4311]

3D and 5D bends for pigging :)

[@melissawallace9745]

Just commented the same thing...

[@paulamitzner]

Thanks. Great tip!!

[@Favorite-catNip]

Wonder if a heat gun can be used?

[@alphasaiyan5760]

Industry standard on lamp cord is the ridged wire is the neutral and the smooth wire is the hot. You could’ve used a flat 4 wire instead of the lamp cord but this is a great video you did and I’m going to do this because I’m tired of paying over $5 a day for ice at the store.

[@knuckle47]

Not only was it educational and fun to watch…. I’m planning to move next door ! Love this workshop

[@ryry2726]

just so you know..... on a lamp cord or appliance cord that has those ridges... the ridges is the neutral(white), and the smooth is the black(hot). If you hook a lamp up the opposite way then you increase, by a lot, the chances of getting shocked because the outer part of the socket(the part that a bulb screws into) becomes the hot and it is very likely that you will touch it while trying to screw the bulb in.

[@HangTimeDeluxe]

Back in my boating days I thought about doing this, but I never did. Now that I'm older and my boating days are behind me, I don't have a need any longer. Still, I regret not doing it. Nice job!

[@anthonygrant7952]

Kick in the freezer with the lid open and look for the condensation to become visible where the freon lines are. It will frost in stripes within minutes usually

[@traviskingwv]

Our beer club mods freezers like this all the time for CO2 lines to use as kegerators - this is how we find the lines as well.... tried and true method.

[@thedancinzerg]

If it's something you do a lot, you can get a FLIR thermal camera attachment for your phone for about 100 bucks.

[@edstimator1]

Well done Bud!

[@sporktek]

Be careful drilling and/or cutting around the edge where the door seal contacts - most refrigerators and freezers have a loop of tubing that is off the hot side of the compressor to keep this edge warm. This is to keep ice from forming where the seal is and freezing the gasket down to the unit body.

[@brianbailey462]

great info .. thx

[@MikeySlou]

Pretty sure he figured out where to cut.

[@TheUbuntuGardens]

One idea would be to get the schematics of the unit to see where these parts are located.

[@OlAbeLincoln]

@@MikeySlou LMAO i mean the guy mentioned it in the video... people dont watch the whole thing the just skim through it

[@ModelLights]

@@OlAbeLincoln 'the just skim through it' Realize, that is the entirely correct method. No one should be watching entire videos except when they really need the entire video. Anything else is a ridiculous waste.

[@JeanneKinland]

I remember when I was a kid my mom used to fill 1 gallon milk jugs with water and freeze them prior to our big fishing trip. We used them in portable coolers to keep the fish fresh until we got home.

[@GunManOsh]

I do that for camping trips when I have freezer space and remember to do it! 😂

[@bigd7861]

Small soda bottles for small coolers, and balloons for big coolers! 👍

[@dgpuig45]

You did great! Catch the ice in a new plastic trash can then bag it as it gets full. You are right, the commercial ice makers depend on the ice itself to cool the ice bin, however, using the entire freezer as the maker and storage you don't have to worry about a drain constantly dripping water to the outside or a floor drain.

[@vincentvango5338]

I bought a used side by side refrigerator freezer. With an ice maker already in it. blocked off the refrigerator section...so just the freezer is used.. removed the shelves in the freezer... installed a brand new clean kitchen trash container ...and wallah ! And now I have pounds and pounds of ice in my garage with extra storage space where the refrigerator used to be ! 75 bucks ! And 2 huge doors for trump stickers!

[@TKCL]

That sounds like a great option

[@alittleofeverything4190]

The convenience factor alone, including just using ice for back yard use is huge. Nice work.

[@TKCL]

Yes it is, I don't live in a city and don't feel like driving to town anytime I need ice.

[@larrypugh9662]

Most of all, I’m impressed by the neat, orderly and clean shop!!!! Also, a great straight up narrated video no BS involved!!! Thank you sir!

[@charliesheehan4577]

I've done this 5 years ago. It worked well when I had it running, was great for camping trips. Sadly, Last year when I moved, I dismantled the system and put the ice maker in my garage freezer/fridge. So now I have the ice maker in the kitchen and the garage. both of those combined will give me ~10-8 lb of ice in 24 hrs.

[@TKCL]

I'm getting there

[@rickigunter1960]

Hey I had a similar idea a long time ago but never had a need to put it in motion but to see you placing both of our ideals in motion was very satisfying and I was excited to see you come up with the ideal of a second ice maker because I was saying to myself that you should do that... and you did ...good job

[@toddmussman8486]

Fill one gallon jugs with water and line the bottom of the freezer to get the thermal mass and you can use the jugs in your coolers too. Great build!

[@6xflowerranch890]

It’s easy to find out where the coils are at. Turn on spray the walls with water in a mist spray bottle. It will show right away where the coils run. Not exactly but it will show where they run. The cable and hose location although not a huge escape of cold air it will affect the efficiency of the freezer a lot. It will run here and possibly ruin it or shorten the life of it. Cut lower into the freezer lip and silicone the are really good. No coils in that area for sure.

[@TKCL]

Thank you for the tip!

[@dunntanktrucks]

Still be careful the condenser is mounted to the outer shell that's why it's hotter on the outside

[@dalethomasdewitt]

Flip on side on thin table. Apply ultrasound horn from under with fine sand on top. A pattern should emerge.

[@SilvaDreams]

@@dunntanktrucks The compressor is in the bottom, that is what that one square block is in the bottom that lifts up from the rest.

[@dunntanktrucks]

@@SilvaDreams the CONDENSER is still where?

[@billywampler2852]

To bend pvc or other rigid plastic tubing cap one end, fill your tube with HOT sand (400 degrees heated in the oven) cap the other end, wait a few minutes for the platic to heat up make your bends, and dump the sand

[@Favorite-catNip]

I seen large PVC vent into 90* angles with... a bucket of hot water and and metal pipe. Slip over pipe and alittle muscle should work. I'm a unemployed REGISTERED Nurse. I worked day Labor* places to get a couple bucks in my pockets.

[@slshock]

I love it when a guy is not afraid to modify new equipment to build a project. You are spot on with your assessment comparing like the Nugget ice commercial ice maker to a home type half moon ice maker. We have both. The only issue with the half moon cube is it has a tendency to melt and fuse together into a big chunk in a ice chest. The commercial Nugget ice has air in it and melts very fast and is not a good choice for ice chests. Good job and thanks for posting!

[@TKCL]

Thank you for watching

[@rickyroof806]

The one with ridges is your neutral, power is smooth as per electrical codes.

[@ponyboykurtis4645]

i just freeze 1 gallon pails of water, that block last 4x as long or put whole cooler in freezer 1/4 full of water and that will last 4 x as long. then you only need a min of ice to go in between

[@austinpetersen5282]

I usually freeze water bottles, that way you can drink it when it thaws, but they don’t have the surface area to cool down as quickly, so I have noticed a difference between that and pebble/ cubed ice

[@seandrake7534]

I have been doing block ice for a long time also if you brake it into large chunks and put it in a yeti style cup the ice will last all day well as long as your liquid isn’t hot/warm but still last a long time

[@maertsaidaem2106]

I've been using brownie pans making thick blocks. They fit perfect in the bottom of my cooler or can use them as divider or break them up.

[@danielmartin2736]

I bought an edge star ice maker about three years ago and the enamel on the ice maker bottom started to flake off and get in the ice. So I tried to find another replacement and could not get one. I ended up rewiring a close duplicate ice maker unit and I am up and running. Ice making machines are a rip off. I also ended up buying a so called commercial ice maker that continuously melts and find that to me a waste of water and electricity. Now that I see your video I am thinking about building a smaller version of yours. Love it when inventive people like us can build things and save money. Ice maker for $2000 IS A RIP OFF. Great job.

[@rogerbartel9075]

Nice video! Many freezers have the "extra ice" function. If this selection is available, it basically just sets the freezer temperature to a colder temperature for 24 hours. The rate of ice production is determined by how fast the water, which enters the ice cube mold, gets to a temperature below freezing. Only when the temperature of the ice cube molding tray gets to that temperature, will the ice-maker cycle to the next step in the sequence. The next step is to briefly turn on the electric heater in the mold to melt the edges of the cubes and allow the ejection fingers to sweep through the mold and release the cubes. Most ice makers are placed at the top of the freezer compartment. Since "hot air rises" this is not the most productive environment , but most freezers have a circulation fan which forces the cold evaporator (also called the freezer coil) air to the top of the freezer compartment and across the ice maker. If the incoming temperature of the water was 90° F , it would take 32 calories to take a gram of water to the freezing temperature, but it takes an additional 80 calories to convert that 32° F water to 32° ice. It is this "phase change" of water to ice that requires the most energy. That would mean that it would take a total of 112 calories to convert a gram of 90° water to 32° ice. If the water entering the ice-maker could be prechilled to 32° F then a total of only 80 calories would be needed and would only result in about a 30% increase in production. It would be an interesting experiment to take a circulation fan to pull air from the bottom of the freezer and duct it into the ice maker to see how much this improves production.

[@TKCL]

If you watch my next videos you'll see two ice makers and fans. Production is way up. Thanks for watching

[@sunyun4425]

Most refrigerators have a long loop of the water line inside tge registration side before it goes to the freezer ice maker for pre chilling, however all the energy used to pre chill the water is the same either way because all of the cooling coming from the freezer side so i doubt you will saved electricity, the evaporatorfan might help chill the compartments and iced maker s little faster is all but the fan allay ads heat into the compartment from its motor

[@Vbluevital]

Interesting

[@smokeysmith1282]

So unfortunately the only calories currently for me are the Hershey Almond bar lol 😆

[@thor4224]

I just used an old side by side fridge, took out all the shelves on the freezer side and put a 5 gallon bucket at the bottom for the ice to fall into

[@TKCL]

My friend did that but with a plastic trash can inside. Works well too

[@vincentvango5338]

I did the same. 75 bucks👍

[@haroldgreen1425]

Great job. I have to say I've fished galveston bay most weekends for nearly 70 years and always used a lot of ice. That said no matter how much bagged ice I used it was always gone by the end of a hot summer day. Trial and error I was buying a lot of milk for my kids when they were growing up and started taking the milk jugs and filling them up with water and freezing. One gallon milk jug will likely take two days to even thaw completely. Two frozen jugs will keep a hundred quart ice chest reasonably cold for a day or two and they don't melt all into your food or fish in the chest. You might want to keep a half dozen jugs in that freezer for fish keeping. Get the ones with screw tops and leave a bit of air space at the top before freezing. I leave the lid off until I remove the jug from the freezer and then cap.

[@providencefarmstead2122]

That right there deserves a doctorate in southern engineering brother! Whew! Nicely done and thanks for sharing.

[@TKCL]

Thank you for watching

[@sterlingmoore6032]

Absolutely awesome job my friend! This is one of the very reasons I'm proud to be a country boy.......we know how to improvise, build, repair, and survive. May God continue to bless you and yours Andrew.

[@TKCL]

Thank you for watching!

[@sterlingmoore6032]

@@TKCL You're very welcome!

[@tuvoca825]

Good work. That type of icemaker is usually 120 volts. They usually wait 24 hours and throw away the first batch of 'cubes'. The needle clamp is usually called a saddle valve, but I like what you called it better. Some people make refrigerators out of those freezers and they are way more efficient and cost less. Usually the only thing stopping the ones who want to try that is their significant other who likes a French-door fridge. :)

[@jaysenise3501]

Just thought I'd share an idea. You could also find where the copper tubes are running in the walls if you turned it on and kept the top open and/or put a bucket of water inside then you'd see where the water froze on the wall corresponding with where the copper tubing is

[@youroutdoors5453]

You just saved my wife and I a lot of money. We are like you in that we are on the water a lot and use a lot of ice for drinks and for the fish/shrimp/crabs we catch here in Louisiana and you're right, ice prices are getting too high. We were thinking about an ice maker as well and now I know what to do, thank you for the video.

[@markb.1259]

Was so glad to hear that you were already aware that the freon lines were run in the walls of the freezer! I'm sure more than one person has ruined a great project by drilling into the side of a planned Kegorator!!! haha Great project Andrew!

[@TKCL]

Oh yeah I've had enough experience in my life with refrigerators, AC units Etc

[@jakeblanton6853]

@@TKCL -- There's 2 types of lines that you need to be concerned about -- the ones where the cold liquid refrigerant are running and the ones that are used as a heat exchanger with the outside air to move the heat extracted from inside the unit to the surrounding room. It used to be that the latter were mounted to the exterior of the unit, but that is not necessarily the case these days... If you don't see the coils on the exterior or underneath the unit, it might be in the wall... Another clue that this might be the case is if the walls of the unit are noticeably warmer than the surrounding room... When cutting through the wall on the refrigerator that I converted into a kegerator, I started out with a small hole on the outside wall with a drill stop attached so that the hole would only go through the metal skin... From there, I took an very thin shaft screwdriver and gently forced it through the foam, paying attention to whether it seemed to encounter anything along the way... One at the inner wall, I took a long drill bit and while drilling from the outside, allowed it to drill through the inside wall... I then used a larger drill bit to get to the size that I needed for the CO2 hose... Drilled the inside and outside surfaces first and then used the screwdriver to gently poke through the rest of the insullation, paying attention to any resistance from wires or coolant lines... Because of the design of the refrigerator, I was pretty sure there were no coolant lines in the side wall, but there was a possibility of there being electrical lines going through there...

[@vernonvest9927]

Could one use shrink wrap for your Electric wires.

[@vernonvest9927]

Thanks very good.

[@stevenherlein8282]

To avoid Locate your coils is to simply turn it on and you'll be able to feel where they're at sometimes you can even see the pattern as it forms condensation in the coils pattern

[@austinpetersen5282]

You could put a mister against the walls to show pattern easier too

[@potsu671]

We run a drink business and to supplement our ice maker, we just add water to a bucket like yours (around two thirds full) and just leave it inside the freezer to freeze up. When it’s reached solid ice, we remove it from the bucket mold and set aside and repeat. We fill up our ice freezer pretty quick, depending on the bucket size and we have larger block ice instead of just cubes. All you’ll need is an ice pick to size the ice blocks to your needs. Suggest lining the bottom of your freezer with wood strips, plywood or styrofoam. It helps when water accumulates and you need to defrost and drain it quick. It will also save your freezer deck when you have heavy items drop accidentally. Lol. Great video! Good luck and have fun on your upcoming outdoor adventures!

[@AJ-rm7yy]

Does the bucket ever break?

[@potsu671]

@@AJ-rm7yy over time, yes. But its my experience that those leak sealing tapes sold at the big box stores extends use. Otherwise, those cheap buckets like the one in the vid are well.. cheap. Other inexpensive plastic food containers work well too.

[@bobmcnelis3648]

I worked in the ice business in the 80s they did have a refrigerent called Supercool, that doubled our ice output. If your system can handle it, I’d find a technician that was willing to try it.

[@Samuel-pg9oj]

Nice! Maybe throw a couple bags of store bought ice to prime her up/down to temp.

[@toddmuenster8742]

Just came upon your site. I sure enjoyed the video. Been wanting an ice maker. This is awesome. I also enjoyed reading all the comments from others. Lots of smart people with great suggestions! I have nothing but praise and gratitude to offer. I did subscribe and hit the thumbs up.

[@TKCL]

Thank you very much

[@davetoms5009]

Fill the unused part of the freezer with something that takes up space and remove some of it as the ice fillies the chest. We bought a huge chest freezer put the styrofoam packing in the freezer chest and it was down to zero in a couple hours. You just add and remove the styrofoam as needed. Great idea.👍

[@c.joelummus8880]

Amazon's got some really nice ice makers one for 126 that does 26 lb of ice in one day up to a $370 ice maker that does 100 lb today

[@justingarner3129]

You can fill the pvc with sand before heating will let you bend without crimping.... courtesy of Iraqi "plumbing" expert I learned it from.....

[@cbroz7492]

Sand sure as hell ain't in short supply in the "Land Between the Rivers"

[@lisah6451]

It really works, I had to do that on a project a while back

[@hjc4604]

Another guy heats the sand and pour it in the pipe and then wraps it through a jig to form the curves he wants. The sand stays hot while he bends it around the various curves. I think he was making some kind of roller coaster.

[@larrypugh9662]

Most of all, I’m impressed by the neat, orderly and clean shop!!!!

[@robertcasey7312]

Thank you so very much. I’ve been looking for an affordable ice solution for weeks. Sincerely appreciate your hard work and clever problem solving. Best Wishes!

[@TKCL]

Keep looking on the channel, there are a lot of videos with simple upgrades to really increase ice production.

[@markwhite8543]

Well done! I appreciate backyard engineering.

[@calsmith7476]

I made myself an ice maker following your design, very simple and a single ice maker is enough for what I need, thank you.

[@TKCL]

Awesome! Thanks for watching

[@effyoo6081]

I know you labeled them so you remember. But, the ribbed wire(identified) is the neutral. You just remember that. Looking at the plug(on an extension cord) you'll see the neutral is wider blade and the thinner blade is the hot.

[@TKCL]

Thank you for the information

[@effyoo6081]

You're very welcome. As an electrician, my mind wouldn't let it go. Had to. Thanks

[@russeljones6394]

@@effyoo6081 I came to say the same thing but you already beat me to it

[@terryboomershine6812]

The wire with the ridges is your common on most any application, the smooth is line..

[@TKCL]

Thank you for the information

[@robbiebooth2980]

If present... Ridged wires are ALWAYS neutral...

[@Beakerzor]

THANK YOU!!! this is what I need, but I need it to run only from 11pm to 7am when I only pay 1cent/kwh, but hopefully not melt during the rest of the 16 hours/day. I can use a $5 smartplug with a smartspeaker routine to easily do that.

[@jimtillman3740]

As long as you keep the lid shut as much as possible, the ice left over will be OK. Use a timer to turn the electricity on when you want it to make ice.

[@Whipple1]

Excellent idea. Great production. I thought about this years ago. Can’t believe you executed on it so well. Cheers! Whipple

[@TKCL]

Thank you for watching

[@Thejrb11]

This is the sweetest KZbin project I’ve seen in a long time. Nice job!

[@TKCL]

Thank you for watching

[@kevinkirk4854]

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[@kevinkirk4854]

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[@kevinkirk4854]

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[@kevinkirk4854]

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[@davidstrickler6570]

My wife just purchased a countertop ice machine. Total cost was 60 bucks delivered to the door. And its awesome.

[@Snailmailtrucker]

What Brand name/model did you get David ?

[@davidstrickler6570]

@Snailmailtrucker it was on tic toc that's all I know. Every 7 minutes it dumps more ice into the bucket. It's small enough for our camper.

[@p.s8950]

fill the tube with sand and use a hair dryer to bend the tube works great.

[@TomBielecki]

You can also bake the sand in a pan then pour it into the tube

[@kingkracker1998]

Here's an even easier way of doing this if you drink milk or anything that comes in a large bottle you clean that bottle fill it full of water stick it in your freeze And like magic overnight you have a big block of ice that you can now slam on the ground a few times break it up throw it in a bag or whatever and you have ice. No modifications need ed

[@FinestDerp]

But this is way cooler.

[@flawdanative3223]

​@@FinestDerp - Nice pun...

[@La_Jake]

Well I need 10,000 lbs of ice a day to run my company can you fill that order for me?

[@fALSEfLAGGOT]

@@La_Jake hell yeah I can. You could too it's 4UCKING ICE! Get 10,000lbs of water and throw it s freezer easy peazy! ITS JUST ICE. FROZEN WATER.🙄

[@ReeleKool]

Nice Job FYI : the one with ridges IS ALWAYS the neutral. A lesson I'm sure will serve a DIYer for the rest of his or her life. Also I'm a commercial Ice Machine repair guy and just gave my son a little version undercounter U-Line unit that holds 20#s and retails for 3K ...Your version is very clever indeed.. Thanks for sharing and thumbs up

[@TKCL]

Thank you for watching

[@jctoad]

My old freezer didn't have a fan in it. I found that the top was like 30 degrees warmer than the bottom. Use a thermometer to check if you have a significant difference in temp. if you do, you can do what I did. Make a vertical duct in the corner and mount a computer fan on the top of it. The fan sucks cold air from the bottom. You could probably blow the coldest air directly at the ice maker. Add a switch so that when the door is opened the fan shuts off. This stops the cold air from being blown out and the warm moist air from being drawn in when you open it.

[@TKCL]

Installing two fans today and testing, video out soon

[@ericschulze5641]

Yes it will make a lot more ice that way

[@TKCL]

I'll know by tomorrow

[@MrKoladge]

You ever notice the freezers at the supermarkets with no lids on the freezers. Fans need to draw air and installing a fan in that type freezer makes no sense to me. Just sayin

[@jeffb5615]

@@MrKoladge hot air rises cold air drops. a fan will mix the air creating a more uniform temp in the freezer. it's pretty amazing how much temp will change in a freezer from top to bottom because of the lack of airflow.

[@mattnsac]

If you look at the replacement part blow out at the back of the owners manual, it will show you where the evaporator and condenser are sitting which would allow you to feed everything through while also being able to seal it off.

[@SnarlyWhiplash]

Or the door

[@ljslw]

This style freezer doesn’t have an evaporator. The condenser lines are run throughout the freezer walls. There are no diagrams that show the locations of these refrigerant lines. Parts diagrams only show the “replacement” parts. The refrigerant lines in the walls are not serviceable.

[@mattnsac]

@@ljslw EVERY refrigerator system uses an evaporator, even if its an orfice tube stuffed into the liguid line and bent up to mimic a more conventional evap coil.

[@th71-23]

I'm on this for a new project ,I already have the freezer. Dang good idea. saves money and a trip to get ice every time we get the boat out.

[@NGinuity]

Great idea. An old trick I learned from building kegerators and keezers for homebrew... Turn the chest freezer on and let it run a while completely shut. Then get a spray bottle mixed with vodka and cornstarch where it looks like milky water. Spray the outside. You'll see it haze along the lines where the chiller coils are after about 15 minutes because the alcohol will be evaporated by the hot coils and should give you a really good idea where you can drill for lines. I've seen people do it with water on the inside too but this one seems to be a bit more definitive.

[@michael-dm2bv]

the next time ur trying to get water, so close to a faucet, get one of those tee fittings that screws onto an existing angle valve feeding ur faucet instead of that pos piercing tap. Also, they sell braided stainless ice maker water supply lines. A better choice if ur not looking to flood ur garage if that cr*p plastic tubing decides to give way.

[@luisalvarez8266]

In MA those Valves are against code..

[@michael-dm2bv]

@@luisalvarez8266 why massachusets legalized marijuana before connecticut did.

[@luisalvarez8266]

I replied to this on the wrong post. Just want to be clear. The Tee fitting you mentioned is good, but the the piercing valves are against code...

[@luisalvarez8266]

@@michael-dm2bv profits?

[@michael-dm2bv]

@@luisalvarez8266 u didn't repond wrong. piecing valves suck ass.

[@michellelcinkel4380]

My hubby demoed a state building we got 3 ice makers outta it . I sold them fir thousand each . I woulda kept one but power is pricey . I like your idea

[@sergioaguilar5691]

Tip. Lamp wire has a stripped side meaning its for neutral and the smooth its hot

[@gqbme2]

A idea I was thinking is measure the hinges where the freezer lid mounts on the back and use some metal to make the lid sit higher. Then get some expandable weather seal and line the top of the freezer and run hoses or wires through seal instead of notching the freezer. If it don’t work. Just remount the lid back and remove the weather seal. Keep your factory warranty 😂

[@TKCL]

Good idea!

[@stevenbabb2958]

This is very interesting, great job! You got me curious so I searched Commercial Ice Makers. I discovered, at HD, an ice maker for under $200 that claims to make 70 pounds of ice in 24 hours. Thank you for posting. You did a great job ( I enjoyed you Fan video as well!!)

[@TKCL]

Glad you enjoyed. Thank you for the support.

[@zzp100]

Great idea, my only recommendation is adding foam insulation around and on top of your freezer. That will make a big difference in the energy you use and make your ice that much cheaper. We live off grid and it's a big difference on our batteries with the foam added to our freezer.

[@TKCL]

Working on it, thanks

[@theodorosantreou8730]

The freezer needs the space around it to cool down .If you cover a freezer with insulation it will be destroyed.The freezer emits heat from the side panels which needs to be displaced.

[@georgekronbar4764]

I love this

[@gekorec]

The side with the ridges on it is neutral. It typically connects to the polarized blade of the plug.

[@Ty-mf3vz]

it's AC

[@drachenfeuer5042]

I’m hypnotized by the genius of ingenuity

[@peterjames2004]

the reason its flammable is one of 2 reasons 1 its the same gas as was in the car aircons that caught fire when they crashed or its a butane diritive but its not freon any more

[@mattmain237]

Cyclopentane. I've been seeing a lot more r290 and r600 systems replacing smaller 404A machines lately.

[@im-that-guy-pal]

Some refrigerators run on ethyl alcohol. It's more to do with a liquids freezing and boiling point and its lubrication factors for the compressor.

[@dontmesswiththeman]

Randomly started watching this video because I like the idea of building your own, then ended up looking on marketplace for used Manitowoc ice machines. I thought “no way a twenty year old used ice machine is $2000+” and boy was I wrong. I think if I used that much ice I’d go this route too.

[@ComPrt3]

Amazon sells a commercial ice machine for $350.

[@TKCL]

Makes small hollow cubes that melt quickly. That's not good for coolers and fish boxes.

[@ComPrt3]

@@TKCL I think you're thinking of a counter top ice maker. The one I'm talking about sits on the floor and is a small commercial ice maker that keeps the ice frozen and makes square cubes, up to 88 lbs within 24hrs.

[@TKCL]

I'm very use to those, we use to use them and the big commercial ones at work all the time. They broke down often and had small square ice cubes with hollow indentations. Fine for drinking ice, horrible for filling coolers and fish boxes. That ice does not last.

[@vicexner5662]

I built almost the exact unit about 5 years ago (except I ran the water through the lid). It did not make much ice per day. I Added a small computer cooling fan to blow on the bottom of the ice cube making tray and it picked up ice making substantially. (x 2-3) These simple freezers have no circulating fan like refrigerators that always have one.

[@robertmueller6979]

Tack rigid insulation all around and underneath. That really helps.

[@mrniusi11]

last time checked the sides of most freezers get hot and you would be trapping heat in.

[@TKCL]

That's my thinking. Definitely Insulate the lid though

[@scharlenefolden5352]

Happy birthdAy to Brian from mom and

[@robertmueller6979]

@@scharlenefolden5352 woot!!!

[@rogerhargrave9952]

I've been trying to figure out a icemaker for my Landscaping Company for a few years now. Thanks for video. The only alteration I made was to install two of those refrig. ice makers on each side to double up the ice being made since the one doesn't make enough daily. . Thanks again for the Video.

[@TKCL]

Watch my current videos, I installed two and then fans. Production went up 78% alone just by adding the fans.

[@wakeupamerica2971]

Glad this works for what you need. I really commend your ingenuity. My profession (appliance repair) requires me to explain this a little though. Hate me later. Lol. This is really no comparison to a commercial unit at all. In addition to creating ice a bajillion times faster, they create a pure h2o cube. Way cleaner than your filter can make it. None of the crap in our tap water is frozen into the cube in a comm. unit b/c of how they make ice. This system freezes everything in the water supply into the cube. Slight improvement with your filter, but most still leave around 100 ppm of contaminates after filtering. This ice will melt/water your drink down way faster and leave the tap water taste in it. That's why restaurants/bars use the expensive ones. Completely different animal. Again though, if it works for you, that's all that matters. HUGE $$$ savings! Cheers and thanks for sharing.

[@TKCL]

It works great for coolers and fish boxes as designed. I just can't justify a commercial machine for that.

[@TOAD7464]

Pro tip: get a silicone cake pan from the thrift store. Make big blocks of ice to keep your coolers cold longer. Bonus pro tip: keep the ice blocks in a cooler in your freezer. That keeps your ice and cooler ready to go

[@TKCL]

You'll enjoy next week's video, I'm already planning on making block ice to assist the cubes and to increase thermal mass in the ice maker. Also testing electricity usage

[@carlosreira413]

Good tip, and you could supercharge the insulation with another layer of polyurethane/polyisocyanurate foam and some thin plywood. Then out in the garage it will be far more efficient.

[@drubradley8821]

might want to install a drain at a lowest location, in case there is bunches of ice in the machine, and a power outage happens for an extended period of time, then power gets restored, the slightly melted ice will refreeze stuck together... easier to just unplug the unit, open the top, let it melt and drain all night by filling with a few gallons of additional water. A bulkhead hose fitting can be had fairly cheap, to then allow a common garden hose to run to the outside of the building to drain outside...once the few gallons has assisted in melting the ice, crack open the hose valve, let it drain...just a thought...clever set up, well done.

[@TKCL]

It already has a drain in the bottom just for this. Good tip

[@drubradley8821]

@@TKCL Ahhh. Roger that. I certainly hope I didn't insult your intelligence, as that wasn't my intentions. I am sorry if it was understood that way by any comment readers or the channel owner.. It was just a thought.. or to say, in case it already didn't have one.. either way, neat project though...

[@TKCL]

No worries

[@L8terdays]

That is thinking outside the box! I have wanted an icemaker forever. I am going to do this. I think I'll put two in there to keep up with the demand. Thank you Einstein! Thanks for fixing the icemaker problem for me.

[@TKCL]

Keep watching the videos on the channel, I added two ice makers and a fan. Production dramatically increased.

[@mauriceryton]

All you had to do was use a high end adhesive to attach to the wall of the cabinet interior and mount the tray. Those plastic water lines are notorious for splitting plus use those puncture tube water connectors is asking for trouble. The idea is great just upgrade the materials used for your own protection from unwanted potential water damage.

[@blakehendrix641]

Totally brilliant! You earned my sub just for being that genius! I’ve been looking at countertop ice makers but, like you said, they just continually produce and recycle melting ice!

[@TKCL]

They don't store much either! Thank you for watching

[@kerrykingsolver9359]

Another thing to remember about a setup like this, much easier to maintain. If a icemaker quits, swap it out. With a commercial icemaker you have to clean the grids with special cleaner.

[@videopipeline6419]

Even easier, make ice blocks using any HDPE containers you get free (when you buy what's in them) but would otherwise be thrown out when empty. 1-quart square bottles that originally contained rubbing alcohol don't waste as much space as round bottles.

[@superchuck3259]

Heck, you could save your gallon and half gallon jugs and freeze them.

[@pauljanssen2624]

And if you want to make a lot of ice put two in the unit one on each end

[@TKCL]

I did install two, the video is on the channel and at the end of this one

[@3xtelstars]

This came on my recommendations, I have no idea why but thank you KZbin. This was a joy to watch from start to finish! Excellent job

[@TKCL]

4 more ice maker videos ready for you

[@titanebay]

Cool project! Nice job. One idea, I think you could use a thermal imaging camera to identify the coils and drill through the walls of the freezer to have a cleaner build. Camera might show coils better when unit is first turned on, b/c the temp difference of coils vs. walls/sides of freezer.

[@TKCL]

I have been looking at a flir model.

[@ironmike742]

titanebay didn't watch the video.

[@GFlCh]

Great video, I just love the idea. The unit in our Fridge/Freezer makes 6 ounces of ice per cycle and it takes about an hour and 35 minutes for each cycle so it cycles about 15 times per day for a total of about 5 pounds 10 ounces of ice per day. There is usually some adjustability of the size of the ice cubes (how high the water fills in the tray) so you may be able to increase the output a bit. Also keep in mind that there is a thermostat inside the ice maker that measures the temperature of the water/ice to determine when the batch of ice is done and ready to cycle. The colder it is inside the freezer, and importantly, the colder the water is, the quicker it will cycle.

[@TKCL]

I agree and more experimenting is in order

[@chet2201]

I like these little freezers , getting a freezer with Condenser coils exposed On back are preferred because you can Wrap HVAC duck insulation on lid and Front and 2 sides. This reduces electric Use by ~1\2. ALSO getting a 30$ inkbird Temp. Control can be used to make a Super efficient refrigerator.

[@bajacraig2]

Get some 1/2 drip line and run wires down inside freezer and out drain. Install a terminal strip and clean up excess wires. You only need the power cord the freezer came with.

[@charadremur333]

Make sure there is still a drain for letting melted ice out, aka water.

[@TEBOZ]

Nice video

[@TKCL]

Thanks

[@amazoniancustodian]

Sounds potentially unsanitary

[@bambambundy6]

Genius!! Your gonna piss off lots of corporate people!!

[@TKCL]

Well they better get to building one and selling

[@tedtolentino4955]

I like the idea as DIY project. The cost and simplicity of the design are pluses. Thanks for sharing this video.

[@watercarepro9610]

The piercing valve is the worst idea ever, I've seen those start leaking and there's no way to shut it off when the gasket goes bad, just install an actual shut off valve, and get rid of those piercing valves. I've had dozens of customers have to file a major insurance claim because of those piercing valves.

[@TKCL]

Thank you for the information!

[@redneckpyromania6965]

I thought the exact same thing i'm not a plumber but my uncle was a HVAC/plumber and electrical contractor and he fukin hated those things

[@wolfman1549]

It’s in a metal building with concrete floor. Cmon

[@TKCL]

Kind of my thoughts too, not in a wall and no wood to rot. But yes it's not the best design

[@redneckpyromania6965]

@@TKCL for this application i think they're just gine as long as you check it regularly not s9mething i w9uld install in my ceiling though

[@anthonymccomack]

Free ice with this one simple trick, ice companies hate him. Thank you KZbin algorithm

[@TKCL]

Thank you for watching

[@waltercoffman7724]

I was watching a video on chisels and the different kinds, how use them and your KZbin video was at the end along with other project and I have spent the last several hours watching the different stages you have gone through and loved every minute of them and the many comments on them. I am eighty three and have the time and will subscribe so I can see your finished project. As for the comments I think you do a great job of handling them. Keep up the excellent work you are doing and look forward to your next project.

[@TKCL]

Thank you very much for the support and feedback!

[@JoshuaRodriguez-rm3wx]

Run ur wires through the drain plug Add a rubber gromet u can remove and replace

[@Balpeen]

Run the lines thru the factory drain outlet.

[@filesshared9431]

Wouldn’t the lines freeze?

[@phookadude]

Run the lines through the lid, no freon and it's the warmest part of the cooler.

[@TKCL]

Building a new collar or lip and moving the lid is the next design I want to try.

[@mmarte1622]

I was about to suggest that!! Thanks

[@JeffSkymaster]

@@TKCL ditto

[@appliancerepairshorts]

I’m an appliance tech. Great video. I have one of those for a while now. Had 4 icemakers inside. I use hot water do ice is Crystal clear . If you need less ice, turn off some icemaker.

[@myfriendhenry1]

It is my understanding that the cloudy ice is due to the minerals in the water, how is your hot water void of minerals?

[@time1800]

You could have went thru the lid smart being careful not drilling thru the sides. It's a game of chance. I would hit a line first screw.

[@russellzauner]

If you're going to cut the lid then you can also put a smaller insulated door in it so you can access the inside quickly without opening the whole unit up

[@mattadams7915]

I dont think there's anything critical in the lid, if you do it again you could run your water and power through the lid which would allow you seal everything a little bit better