Pro Tips To Avoid Downtime With Ice Machines

Spring cleaning may be top of mind currently, but anyone who’s faced downtime with their ice machine also knows the importance of regular, year-round upkeep.

Refrigerated Specialist Inc.’s Dustin Hensley, a master CFESA technician and trainer, says following a planned maintenance schedule is the best way an operator can avoid downtime with ice machines. Tasks to focus on include cleaning the condenser, replacing water filters, and descaling and sanitizing the machine about every six months, or according to a manufacturer’s directives. “Those basic steps can prevent most issues,” he says. “Cleaning the machine goes a long way and can prolong life of the machine in most cases.”

An ice machine’s condenser coils should be regularly cleaned to prevent issues and downtime.

Beyond that always-applicable advice, Hensley shared a couple ice machine issues from the field in a recent exchange with FER. Here are two examples:

• The issue: an always-on, yet underperforming, unit. A warehouse called RSI, complaining that their ice machine was running constantly, yet barely producing ice. After opening the machine, Hensley found scale on the evaporator and distribution tubes, plus pitting in the corners of the evaporator plate, caused by scale/calcium buildup and improper maintenance. “This was fixed by a proper cleaning on the ice machine, disassembling all components, and descaling and sanitizing,” he says. When cleaning is the fix, downtime might be a couple hours and the cost is likely a few hundred dollars. If scale is severe, however, both the time and costs increase, as overlooked scale can damage components like pumps and valves, or the more-expensive evaporator plate—which can cost thousands.

• The issue: a unit struggling to freeze/producing low quantities of ice. Hensley started his diagnosis for this underperforming unit by checking the refrigeration system, but all looked normal. “Eventually, I found the issue to be that the ice machine was receiving hot water,” says Hensley, noting it was an installation error. After the hot/cold water valve was fixed by a plumber and checks completed by RSI, ice production was back on track.

Down and Out

Downtime for ice machines can mean costs beyond service, points out Hensley. “Normally in that downtime customers usually come out of pocket to purchase bagged ice to keep up with demand,” he says. “Also, during peak hours of operation, this can mean a huge loss in sales for bars and high-volume restaurants.”

Whether you’re on a tedious maintenance schedule or just getting by on luck, it also never hurts to ensure new staff members are up to speed on in-house maintenance. It just might pay off in the long run.