The Three Types of Cornelius ice machines and The One Type That Salesmen Like to SellDuring the first week of hot weather, about half of the service calls on Cornelius ice machines, aren�t really needed. They are because the machine is either too small or has the wrong type of condenser for the conditions. Sizing will be covered in the next chapter. Now we will cover the different types of condensers.
Ice machines make ice by removing heat from the water. This heat is then rejected somewhere else. The most common place to get rid of the heat is into the air. It can also be rejected into water. Air Cooled Self Contained Cornelius ice machines This is by far, the most common type of Cornelius ice machine. It consists of a head and the bin. The head is the part that actually makes the ice. You can feel warm air blowing out of it. That is the heat removed from the water plus a little extra from the compressor. This is the cheapest type of Cornelius ice machine and the kind salesmen like to sell. It the best choice for cool, well ventilated areas. The ideal location would be away from greasy cooking appliances such as fryers, flat tops and woks. If they are in a hot or greasy place, you will have problems. The machines life span will be shortened. Make sure you replace it with the proper type of machine. The best solution may be to relocate the unit. Putting a new compressor in the same conditions that killed the old one can get expensive. If you cannot move the machine, maybe you can make the conditions better. If the area is too hot, you can have a temperature controlled ventilation fan installed. Remember that air will not go out unless makeup air can get back in. Keeping the condenser clean will help tremendously. In greasy conditions the condenser needs to be chemically cleaned or steam cleaned. Then an inexpensive air conditioning filter can be added to the air intake. The cheap ones have less resistance to air flow and work better. Note the direction of the air flow and the arrows on the filter. Change monthly or more often if needed. Each lesson of the Ice Machine Secrets e-course have more tips for dealing with these problems. Before we go any further I want to let you know about the Ice Machine Secrets e-course. It is FREE to subscribers of the FREE e-zine Refrigeration Savings Tips. You can sign up below.
Remote Condenser Cornelius ice machinesThe remote condenser Cornelius ice machine moves the condenser coil and fan to a more favorable area. The machine still looks the same but has 2 copper tubes running somewhere else. Remotes cost more and cost more to install. For bad conditions they are likely much cheaper in the long run.Remote condenser Cornelius ice machines are ideal for hot and greasy conditions. The immediate environment has little effect on the performance. If you have to have an Cornelius ice machine in a hot kitchen, near a fryer, this is the one to chose. The conditions around the condenser are now the main concern. The condenser should be placed in the coolest and best ventilated place possible. Some places might be on the roof, next to the building, in a back room or in the basement. Remote condensers are a little oversized and can deal with high temperatures better. If your condenser is in a bad location you can have it moved to a better one. Moving the unit is about as easy unscrewing the copper lines. New lines are usually run to the new location. Before buying a remote unit make sure your landlord will not consider it a part of the building if you leave. I�ve seen many removed and have never heard of a problem. Maybe because the landlord thought it was all in one piece. Water Cooled Cornelius ice machinesWater cooled ice machines transfer the heat from the water used to make the ice to water that goes down the drain. This is the best operating conditions for the machine. The water flow is modulated to provide the ideal operating conditions year around. When the machine gets old the water flow can be used to compensate for other problems.The water cooled machine works well anywhere like the remote condenser ice machine. The condenser is in the water cooled Cornelius ice machine so you do not have to be concerned about the remote condenser operating conditions. Water cooled machines cost more that air cooled but cost much less to install than remotes. They use a lot of water though. If you have average water prices the machines will probably be a good deal for you. If you have high water prices, they are not a good deal. If your water costs go up, the utility company may give incentives for switching to air cooled units.
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