Portable icemaker

[BlackSilver]

Our rig has a small refrigerator, so no room for a "built in" icemaker.

We bought one of those portable "counter top" models.

Because they take up counter space, I'm looking for ideas on where to place it. (Colleen is very protective of kitchen counter space!)

It wouldn't be friendly to an enclosed cabinet as it generates a LOT of heat in operation.

Wonder what others have done regarding where you "install" these devices?

[sprint99]

We really like our portable ice maker. And lucky too that there is just enough counter space on one side of the stove top between a cabinet. The width is perfect for the ice maker and does not intrude on the rest of the wide open counter space. Just had out ice maker going all last week for our trip to the tropics of Knoxville, Iowa.

[Gdetrailer]

IAMICHABOD wrote:

Gdetrailer wrote:

Simple, yet an difficult solution to the problem, only here on RV net can a simple fix cause an up roar..

Do I need to take a picture on how to do this?

No pictures.......It didn't happen.......:B :B

Kind of reminds me of the riddle..

Q: How many RVnet posters does it take to change a light bulb?

Answer: UNKOWN, they still can't decide which bulb to buy after several hundred pages of "posts" in order to replace it..

[IAMICHABOD]

Gdetrailer wrote:

Simple, yet an difficult solution to the problem, only here on RV net can a simple fix cause an up roar..

Do I need to take a picture on how to do this?

No pictures.......It didn't happen.......:B :B

[MrWizard]

mine resides in what ever corner i can find where i won't trip over it

when needed i move to the kitchen dining area

a few hours use makes enough ice to fill the basket in the fridge

when more is needed in a few days i do it again

[Gdetrailer]

GordonThree wrote:
My Sams Club unit has vents on all sides except for the front where the controls are, so a towel is going to obstruct more than just light getting in the window. I just keep mine inside under the foot of bed and it runs just fine.

Fold the towel UP, no need to let it drape over the machine..

You only need to cover the "window".

Perhaps a dark colored WASH CLOTH?

Simple, yet an difficult solution to the problem, only here on RV net can a simple fix cause an up roar..

Do I need to take a picture on how to do this?

[jplante4]

Get a 10 pound bag of ice and put it in the freezer. Then ask Colleen where you can put the icemaker.

[GordonThree]

My Sams Club unit has vents on all sides except for the front where the controls are, so a towel is going to obstruct more than just light getting in the window. I just keep mine inside under the foot of bed and it runs just fine.

[IAMICHABOD]

I'm glad I am not alone on this,the dark towel sounds good,I hate to cover it all up because of the fan on the side.I wonder if that window tinting film would work.

[Gdetrailer]

GordonThree wrote:

IAMICHABOD wrote:

But when it is outside in the shade of the awning it just keeps on making ice even up past the light that is suppose to stop it.

Has anyone else experienced this phenomenon?

Mine does the same when I operate it outside. It produces ice until it physically jambs its mechanism

I believe the sunlight, even under shade, overwhelms the electric eye. I tried covering the window once, it did not resolve the issue. I believe the entire plastic lid is likely transparent in infrared, which is where the electric eye operates.

Ice "full" sensor uses INFRARED LED source/sensor..

When ice bucket gets full, the ice blocks the path between the source and sensor.

Direct sunlight (or too much ambient light) can overload the sensor and the machine will continue to operate as if it is not full.

The "fix" is simple.

COVER THE LID WITH A DARK TOWEL!

The nice little clear "window" is the issue.

We bought one at Sam's club this spring, used it at Myrtle Beach SC and it never failed to keep a bin full of ready made ice..

Discovered the light issue the first morning when we noticed the machine had popped up the lid and was still going.

No more endless emptying and filling up of ice trays (DW and DD are ice cube hounds and go through ice like crazy).

Happy wife = PRICELESS!

[GordonThree]

IAMICHABOD wrote:

But when it is outside in the shade of the awning it just keeps on making ice even up past the light that is suppose to stop it.

Has anyone else experienced this phenomenon?

Mine does the same when I operate it outside. It produces ice until it physically jambs its mechanism

I believe the sunlight, even under shade, overwhelms the electric eye. I tried covering the window once, it did not resolve the issue. I believe the entire plastic lid is likely transparent in infrared, which is where the electric eye operates.

[RoyB]

I have been wanting to get one of those that is always on sale at WALMART ($60-$70)...


WALMART Image

Never had one before for camping so I am curious how they work out. We always have water with us so that is not a problem...

Even if I got a small bucket of ice would do us just great. I see it doesn't take very long to make ice so should not be a big battery drain using a power inverter...

We load down our COLEMAN 5-day extreme ICE CHEST for the trips which is alot of ice and sit a small see through container with lid ofr our food items we don't want to get water logged... Have lots of room for things keeping them cold...

Roy's image

We live out of the back of the truck with the ice. Stays in the truck bed under the hard bed cover... We most often last about three days before making a run back into town for soft drinks and food etc and more ice...

The small fridge is only good for soft drinks and lunch meat - snacks etc hehe...

Roy Ken

[bob213]

We keep ours inside on top of the stove cover. Where we camp, if left outside, it melts as soon as it's made. Once it gets going it has no problem keeping our ice chest topped off.

[wildtoad]

Mine stays home. Found them to be too much trouble. Just bring a bag of ice from home replenish from nearby store when needed.

[IAMICHABOD]

If I keep it inside it goes on the stove cover,but it does put out a lot of heat so most of the time it goes outside on a small table under the awning.

As always seems to happen I will take this thread a bit sideways. When it is inside, the hopper gets full the Ice Maker will stop making Ice.

But when it is outside in the shade of the awning it just keeps on making ice even up past the light that is suppose to stop it.

Has anyone else experienced this phenomenon?