Portable ice makers decision

Discussion in 'The Tiki Bar' started by Blueone, Mar 26, 2023.

  1. Blueone

    Blueone Well-Known Member SILVER Sponsor

    Jan 24, 2007
    Lake Erie, Ohio
    2004 420 Sundancer
    Cummins 6CTA 450's
    I am putting in a dry bar in our loft at the house…. No water … no sink…there is a bathroom up there but down the hall….. I started looking at them…. And they are between $100 and $600…the loft is for me to watch shooting killing movies…not life channel ….so will be by myself and want to have a couple of drinks with out having to go down stairs.
    So weekend use during the winter…. Can’t be noisy and on the lower end of the cost point.
    I see they recycle melted water with filters and stuff…..so can I leave this thing running all week….. or turn it on and wait ?
    Here is an example of what I have seen…any of you guys have any experience with these things ?….or is this a waste of money?

    A6B3C61D-C877-432C-95F0-C06A2F2B428A.jpeg
     
  2. Chris-380

    Chris-380 Well-Known Member

    Jan 20, 2019
    Pontoon Beach IL
    2000 380 Sundancer
    7.4L Horizon w/V drives
    I have owned some of the less expensive ones, maybe the 100-125 range. They work good. They are fast, I think in 10-15 mins it had ice produced, could make 1 lb and hour iirc…. But they are kinda loud, it may be worth getting the more expensive one. I was completely satisfied with the one I owned

     
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  3. Blueone

    Blueone Well-Known Member SILVER Sponsor

    Jan 24, 2007
    Lake Erie, Ohio
    2004 420 Sundancer
    Cummins 6CTA 450's
    What about the recycling?…how long can it self sustain ? Without adding water
     
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  4. bbwhitejr

    bbwhitejr Well-Known Member

    Apr 14, 2013
    Lake Lanier GA
    2003 420DA, 6CTAs
    NA
    We have one looks exactly like the one in your post. It is amazing how quick it produces ice. We have filled it with water and left it on the counter for a day. At the end of the day, dumped the ice and remaining water and started fresh the next day.

    Bennett
     
  5. Great Lakes

    Great Lakes Well-Known Member

    Oct 11, 2016
    Lake St. Clair - Michigan (MacRay Harbor)
    2008 - Formula 400ss
    Volvo Penta D6-350
    I have this exact model. It’ll work great for your situation. You need to change the water out after a few days but it’s just to keep the ice fresh. We let ours run all weekend in our bar. We use it so we don’t have to constantly run upstairs to the fridge in the kitchen.
     
  6. Chris-380

    Chris-380 Well-Known Member

    Jan 20, 2019
    Pontoon Beach IL
    2000 380 Sundancer
    7.4L Horizon w/V drives
    Since the storage area isn’t refrigerated they do melt and it reuses the melted ice for making more ice. We used to keep a gallon of our fav bottled water for it to make ice from, or even 20 ounce bottles of Dasani…. It made great ice. My only concern would be dealing with the noise of the fan and the ice dumping. It didn’t bother me, but you mentioned noise would be an issue
     
  7. Blueone

    Blueone Well-Known Member SILVER Sponsor

    Jan 24, 2007
    Lake Erie, Ohio
    2004 420 Sundancer
    Cummins 6CTA 450's
    I just don’t want a loud fan humming in the back ground…. The furnace is up here and it’s frustrating enough….ice dumping is music…that’s fine
     
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  8. Chris-380

    Chris-380 Well-Known Member

    Jan 20, 2019
    Pontoon Beach IL
    2000 380 Sundancer
    7.4L Horizon w/V drives
    There will def be a fan humming, for $100 it’s a cheap try, or getnin FB marketplace and buy one used for $25-65 and give one of those a try…. I would give you mine (I think it’s in the garage in a shelf), if you were closer
     
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  9. bahamabreisus

    bahamabreisus Well-Known Member

    Oct 25, 2007
    Hampstead NC
    370 dancer, previous 500,420,390,300 dancers
    454 CI MPI
    I think I would get a small freezer to put there with a bucket to store ice. Then just one trip from regular fridge with a bag of ice, when needed.
     
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  10. carterchapman

    carterchapman Well-Known Member TECHNICAL Contributor

    Mar 25, 2008
    Lake Chickamauga/Marietta, GA/Ft. Myers, FL
    2006 Sea Ray 58 DB
    MAN CRM V8-900s, Twin Disc Drives; Onan 21.5 Generator
    Had one of those on the 340 - loved it!
     
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  11. dtfeld

    dtfeld Water Contrails GOLD Sponsor

    Jun 5, 2016
    Milton, GA
    410 Sundancer
    2001
    12" Axiom and 9" Axiom+ MFD
    Cat 3126 V-Drives
    I bought one for $89 at Costco or Sam’s and keep it on the boat for when I’m there by myself. Works great for a drink or 2, not loud at all.

    I replaced the Nevercold with a real freezer so ice is able to to be kept onboard, so not sure how much use it’ll get or if I’ll keep it.
     
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  12. Blueone

    Blueone Well-Known Member SILVER Sponsor

    Jan 24, 2007
    Lake Erie, Ohio
    2004 420 Sundancer
    Cummins 6CTA 450's
    I ended up buying the insignia that I posted…. If it doesn’t work out it will be one of the cheapest mistakes I made
     
  13. wyrman

    wyrman Well-Known Member

    Jul 12, 2012
    Tri-Cities, Wa
    2007 310 Sundancer
    Twin 350's, V drives
    2003 Fisher 17 aluminum
    90hp Honda 4 stroke
    I'm curious how it does. I want to get one for our fifth wheel.
     
  14. LTD.330

    LTD.330 Well-Known Member

    Oct 5, 2009
    Lake Erie
    1999 Sundancer 330
    7.4 MPI
    I'll be curious as to how cold the ice really is, as in is half of it melted two minutes after making a drink?
     
  15. Eluther3

    Eluther3 Active Member

    232
    Mar 17, 2019
    1992 Searay 400 EC
    Mercruiser
    I use one of those on my 400 EC because I like using bottled water to make my ice. Sits on top of our fridge (i put in a half size fridge) and works great. Don't really notice any fan noise and it makes ice pretty quickly. I have left it running for days (forgot to turn it off when leaving the boat) with no ill effect. I love it.
     
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  16. Korkie

    Korkie Active Member

    Feb 2, 2016
    Leonardtown, MD Potomac River / Chesapeake Bay
    2006 340 Sundancer, Garmin7610, xHD 24" Radar, VV703, SeaStar Hydraulic Steer, Shadow Drive AP
    Mercruiser 496 Mags
    Bravo III Drives
    Been through 2 of these. Neither had a long life. Lasted a couple of seasons each. Ice was fine, it makes soft ice.
    We have discussed getting another one as they do work nice, when they work. Turn it off at bedtime due to ice dumping all night.
     
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  17. Blueone

    Blueone Well-Known Member SILVER Sponsor

    Jan 24, 2007
    Lake Erie, Ohio
    2004 420 Sundancer
    Cummins 6CTA 450's
    Well ….that was a complete fail. The thing couldn’t make ice at all…it also leaked out the back…. And the fan was too loud even if the thing worked…. So not impressed….going through the return process….oh joy

    FD3FFF9C-F335-4ED4-9865-24A8C567B73D.jpeg
     
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  18. Chris-380

    Chris-380 Well-Known Member

    Jan 20, 2019
    Pontoon Beach IL
    2000 380 Sundancer
    7.4L Horizon w/V drives
    Mine was about $125, it worked great, but def louder than I would have liked….

     
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  19. Eluther3

    Eluther3 Active Member

    232
    Mar 17, 2019
    1992 Searay 400 EC
    Mercruiser
    checked the cabin yesterday - mine's a Magic Chef
     
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  20. Jaybeaux

    Jaybeaux Well-Known Member SILVER Sponsor

    Jan 3, 2016
    Upper Potomac River
    2006 Sea Ray 48
    Naught On Call
    Cummins QSC-540s with V-Drives
    11 KW Onan Genset
    @Blueone I have an Insignia also. It is for the boat. When I leave the boat, I completely drain the ice maker. Upon return, sometimes it does not want to start making ice right away. My suspicion is that the pump gets air locked a bit. I'll drain a bit of water out and the refill and that gets it running. Once it is running and if you keep water in it, it will run forever cranking out ice every 7-9 minutes.

    Jaybeaux
     
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