How To Buy Used Ice Machines

What to Do When Your Refrigeration Equipment Dies
Part 3A

This is the kind of insider information you can’t get anywhere else.

Part 3A
How To Buy Used Ice Makers

Ice machines have a greater potential for having problems than other refrigeration equipment. This page will give you a systematic way of checking out a used maker before you buy it.

This is a two-part strategy. First you determine if the machine is operating properly right now. Then you check it for signs there will be problems in the future. It isn’t a good deal if you have to keep putting money into refrigeration repairs.

Production Test

The production test determines if the used ice machine is operating normally. You find out how much ice the machine is suppose to produce, in the current environment. Then you determine how much it actually is producing.

The amount of ice production the machine is rated for may not be what it should be producing. For example a 1000lb ice machine could be producing from 980lbs to 710lbs a day and be operating normally. It depends on the temperature of the water and the surrounding air.

STEP 1 Write down the manufacturer, model number and serial number of the machine. There should be a data plate inside the front of the machine or on the back. The bin is usually a separate piece of equipment. Make sure you get the ice machine data.

STEP 2 Measure the temperature of the cold water from a near by faucet. Measure the air temperature of the air being pulled into the ice machine. Do not measure the air coming out.

STEP 3 Call the manufacturer and ask for Technical Support. These guys are not salesmen and will help anyway they can. Ask for the 24 hour ice production for this machine (STEP 1) under the current conditions (STEP 2). Record this figure.

Scotsman 800-533-6006
Hoshizaki 770-487-2331
Manitowoc 920-682-0161
IceOMatic 800-423-3367

STEP 4 Place a trash bag or bus pan under the drop zone. You need to catch all the ice from 1 cycle. Make sure your scales have been zeroed with the container on it.

STEP 5 Time a complete cycle. Make sure you start and stop timing at the same point in the cycle. For example if you start timing when the machine goes into freeze cycle, stop the next time it goes into freeze cycle. If you aren’t sure, do it again. A small mistake here can make a big difference. You can use any unique event in the cycle as a cue. Record the length of time.

STEP 6 Weigh the ice you collected and record the weight.

STEP 7 24 hours is 1440 minutes. Divide 1440 by the cycle time. That is the number of cycles a day. Then multiply that number by the weight of the ice from 1 cycle. That gives you the actual 24 hour production.

1440/(cycle time) X (weight of ice) = 24 hour production

Compare the expected production to the actual production. If the machine is operating normally, they should be pretty close to each other. The further they are apart, the greater the chance there is something wrong with the machine right now.

You may have had to estimate a little, so don’t expect exact matches. The numbers should be close. If the production looks good to you, move onto the next section. There you will look for signs the used ice machine needs or soon will need other repairs.

Follow the link below for the final set checks for used ice machines.

More Essential Checks For Used Ice Makers Step-by-step procedure for checking out the major components of the used ice machine. FREE REPORT PART 3B
Free 7 lesson e-course Ice Machine Secrets.
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