Portable Ice Makers?

Submitted: Monday, Apr 28, 2003 at 18:58
ThreadID: 4626 Views:6405 Replies:9 FollowUps:6
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I know this is a tad extravagant, but has anyone managed to purchase or manufacture a convenient, light weight portable, ice making machine which _Affordable_Storage_Drawers.aspx under 1000 watts?? The generator our group takes away a Honda 10i (1kva). It would beat trips into town each day and take pressure off the Engels on hot days.
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Reply By: Member - Chris (W.A.) - Monday, Apr 28, 2003 at 19:07

Monday, Apr 28, 2003 at 19:07
Sorry Andy, never heard of one but one thing I used to do was get a medium size esky and throw about three inches of dry ice into the bottom of it, lay cardboard across the top of that and fill up with normal ice. Would keep the ice frozen for days until the dry ice disappeared then it would start to melt. I know it's hard stuff to come by in smaller towns but it's sold at nearly all large regional centres, Boc outlets etc. It's also not the cheapest but last Easter we would have spent about $40 on ice just so we could have cold beer.
If the icemakers exist let me know.
RegardsLove the bush.
Chris
AnswerID: 18616

Reply By: djm67 - Monday, Apr 28, 2003 at 22:47

Monday, Apr 28, 2003 at 22:47
My father has a excellent 4wd fridge/freezer, the brand is 'Trailblazer'. Not sure what the model is.

Big, sturdy, marine grade sheet alloy construction. Much stronger and durable than the Engels etc, but also a lot dearer.

It has an adjustable thermostat to bring the temp well below zero. He can pack meat etc and keep it for months if he wanted to.

Just hope it is left to me in the will lol.
AnswerID: 18646

Follow Up By: djm67 - Monday, Apr 28, 2003 at 22:49

Monday, Apr 28, 2003 at 22:49
Info and photos here http://www.spinifex-creations.com.au/keepikool/trailblaza.htm
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FollowupID: 11641

Reply By: Terry - Monday, Apr 28, 2003 at 23:17

Monday, Apr 28, 2003 at 23:17
Andy

It certainly is a tad extravagant, mates said the same thing about my Reefer 70DT when I bought it. When we were in the Simpson late February this year and it was a tad on the warm side I didn't have to worry about the performance of my fridge, like a few mates did. What do you do when a trip into town is 200km away??

AnswerID: 18648

Reply By: Member - DickyBeach - Tuesday, Apr 29, 2003 at 08:19

Tuesday, Apr 29, 2003 at 08:19
With icemaking only in mind, I looked at a Waeco 25L at the Sydney 4WD show yesterday and at $727 it certainly falls into the "tad extravagant" category! Current draw is approx 35 watts.
See http://www.waeco.com.au/cf25.html
DB
AnswerID: 18654

Reply By: wherethefugawi - Tuesday, Apr 29, 2003 at 09:53

Tuesday, Apr 29, 2003 at 09:53
Andy, Being a refrigeration mechanic the ice made in ice makers for drinks is only around -10 C which makes it fairly useless for storage of product or cold cans! Okay for bleeptails but! Smallest ice maker I can find in catalouge would be physically too big and too pricey to even contemplate. Money would be better spent on a smaller fridge/freezer

When away we take fridge which we run at freezer temps for long term availability of food and 100l esky packed full of ice. we make our own ice in deep freezer which takes it down to -23C whcih lasts 5 guys for perishables and coldies for minumum 7 days. Our hunting trips dont last any longer and we always have around 50% of the ice at the end which we water the vegitation with. During our stay and to keep our lunches cool in a smaller esky (when away from camp al day) we use plastic milk containers which we just keep refreezing overnight in the freezer fridge. Have also used just a smaller esky and milk containers of ice which we freeze overnight for 2 blokes and their coldies...we can keep doing this for as long as required or till we run out.
AnswerID: 18658

Follow Up By: wherethefugawi - Tuesday, Apr 29, 2003 at 09:59

Tuesday, Apr 29, 2003 at 09:59
computer picked up word that it thought was a tad rude but it aint ...replace the beep with another word for a rooster (the chicken variety) or martinee
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Follow Up By: paul - Tuesday, Apr 29, 2003 at 10:51

Tuesday, Apr 29, 2003 at 10:51
Hey wherethefugawi

being dying to talk to a fridge mechanic for ages. so like when i tested my waeco out at full setting the thermostat was happily at minus 18C. My domestic freezer was also minus 18C. But i wondered why my waeco at minus 18C took all day to freeze a tray of ice cubes when my domestic freezer did it in two hours. then i clicked on to the fan thing and the principle of wind chill factor. when the domestic freezer was going i again tested the temperature the internal temperature was minus 30C and combined with the fact that it was circulating both above and below the ice trays was clearly the differing factor. My question is, is that right ? and if so why doesn't someone create a portable fridge/freezer with whatever set up causes this - i presume fan blowing over the cooling fins. or would this be just too heavy ?
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Follow Up By: wherethefugawi - Tuesday, Apr 29, 2003 at 12:30

Tuesday, Apr 29, 2003 at 12:30
Paul,
Fan forced is of course more effective but not neccessarily more efficient...more watts doing more work means less battery reserve..no need to freeze below -23 unless of corse you plan to keep product for eons and have it sealed to prevent freeze drying of product. And yes the addition of more stuff increases weight, cost and physical size. Practicality is the best here.Just like the old fridges not many bells and whistles... but internet access could be nice to get it restocked with ice- cream and
Does the Waeco have cooling on the bottom like the Trailblazer (and my fridge, a copy of a well known one lol) or is it more like the engel which has a internal wrap around evaportor. A wrap around would take longer to freeze the tray if placed on the bottom versus one that freezes the bottom plate. (4 sides versus 5)
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Reply By: Wim - Tuesday, Apr 29, 2003 at 10:10

Tuesday, Apr 29, 2003 at 10:10
Andy.
A few thoughts on your ice problem.
1. Honda 10i (1Kva) is I believe 900watts (power factor). I have same.
2. Starting current on compressor may be as much as six times running current. Therefore you are limited with your honda. Also carefull with inrush current to honda. Feedback to date shows problems in that area.
3. If you have a fridge/freezer, find out how much ice you can make over 24hrs in freezer blocks ect. Re-cycle blocks each 24hrs. Remember, you may shorten the life span of your freezer. I do not know how they will handle the work load.

The day your problem is solved there will be many happy people camping in the most remote places.

If you have the time and the computing power (my attempt at humour) you can actually work out the HP required.

Best of luck.

Wim
Wim
AnswerID: 18659

Follow Up By: wherethefugawi - Tuesday, Apr 29, 2003 at 12:46

Tuesday, Apr 29, 2003 at 12:46
wim
Engel compressors do not require a lot of starting power. Swing type compressors I believe only require a small amount of additional power to get them running.
A reciprocating or rotary compressor such as the Danfoss reciprocating and the rotaries have a top dead centre and if the compressor stops at either the bottom or top of its stroke the driving motor uses a much greater amount of power to push it over the hill on start up. The general allownace for this, is as you say 6-7 times full load current with an allowance for safety.... reasons why a standard inverter wont survive ( bet you know all this anyhow) but again i am sure that Engel do not require this type of reserve grunt.
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Reply By: colin - Tuesday, Apr 29, 2003 at 20:43

Tuesday, Apr 29, 2003 at 20:43
i have an explorer fridge two compartments one freezer one fridge two thermostats, run the fridge 365 days a year on 240 volts ,all ready to go camping, both compartments can freeze if needed but dont run that cycle, normal camping cycle 3days freeze and fridge still can start a 6 cyld diesal, bottom line insulation, Col
AnswerID: 18718

Reply By: djm67 - Thursday, May 01, 2003 at 15:59

Thursday, May 01, 2003 at 15:59
Found this @ http://www.waeco.com.au/

CF-80 and CF-110 A DREAM COME TRUE - FRIDGE, FREEZER AND DAIRY/CRISPER ALL IN ONE
Frozen food, cold drinks, dairy and vegetables for weeks away, all in one magnificent new high technology package at a price to make our competitors weep.
ONLY $1287 for a huge 80 litres with 3 compartments all with correct temperature and more features than any other fridge. Only $100 more for the giant CF-110. Forget anything else this is the future of mobile refrigeration.
AnswerID: 18907

Reply By: Andy - Thursday, May 01, 2003 at 18:26

Thursday, May 01, 2003 at 18:26
Wow, what a can o' I have opened up here. I think many have overlooked my original point which is fair enuff as I am after ICE and ICE ONLY- You see when we go away for more than two days we take Kegs not slabs. The "temprite" is built into an esky and plumbed from same. Co2 into one, Keg into the other and tap mounted on the side, too much Ice will produce too much head on beer. Hence why my original ice maker question. Perhaps our trips really are getting a bit carried away after all.
AnswerID: 18913

Follow Up By: Shelby - Friday, May 02, 2003 at 01:26

Friday, May 02, 2003 at 01:26
As the guy above said ..........Consider Dry Ice!
Dry Ice is particularly useful for freezing, and keeping things frozen because of its very cold temperature: -78.5°C.

As a general rule, Dry Ice will sublimate at a rate of 2.5 - 4.5 kilos every 24 hours in a typical esky. This sublimation continues from the time of purchase, therefore, pick up Dry Ice as close to the time needed as possible. Bring an ice chest or some other insulated container to hold the Dry Ice and slow the sublimation rate. Dry Ice sublimates faster than regular ice melts but will extend the life of regular ice.

Dry ice gives more than twice the cooling energy per pound of weight and three times the cooling energy per volume than regular water ice

Additionally as it melts it turns directly into carbon dioxide gas rather than a liquid and so there is no messy liquid left over like you would have with normal ice.

Check out the BOC gases for their product 'Snowpack' which allows pellets of CO2 dry ice to be made on the spot, wherever they are wanted.

I don't know if you can hire them but maybe if you do a lot of tripsit is worth purchasing.

To handle dry ice, you want to be sure to wear heavy gloves, the super-cold surface temperature can easily damage your skin if you touch it directly. For the same reason you never want to taste or swallow dry ice either. Another important concern with dry ice is ventilation. You want to make sure the area is well-ventilated. Carbon dioxide is heavier than air and it can concentrate in low areas or in enclosed spaces (like a car). Normal air is 78% Nitrogen, 21% Oxygen and only 0.035% Carbon Dioxide. If the concentration of carbon dioxide in the air rises above 5%, carbon dioxide can become toxic. Be sure to ventilate any area that contains dry ice.
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