Why Are Some Ice Cubes Hollow

A typical problem with commercial ice makers is that the quality of ice can change over time. Cleanliness, quality of ice maker parts, and quality of water can all affect how the ice turns out. Bad ice is usually referred to as hollow ice or cubes that don't seem to completely form properly.  These types of ice chip easily and even cause problems with the ice maker's operation.

The ice thickness control is the ice machine part that tells the board when to initiate harvest.  If the ice thickness control or ice probe is set to thin, it will cause a premature harvest, which would then lead to hollow cubes.  Freeze cycles can also vary, so consult your ice makers installation use and care manual on what thickness  the ice probe should be set at.  Manitowoc ice makers recommend an ice thickness probe be set at at an 1/8th of an inch.

Like a premature harvest a long harvest can also cause hollow cubes.  Consider this, if the ice maker is not harvesting properly, the ice will simply hang on the evaporator.  The cubes will eventually melt off of the evaporator and fall into the bin.  Long harvests are most commonly indicated by a dirty ice machine.  Minerals and scale build up will hold the ice onto the evaporator, forcing the slab of ice to melt partially before harvesting and falling properly.  Solution, thoroughly clean your ice machine.

Ice Maker Water Filters, Reduce Maintenance Costs

Keeping your commercial ice maker clean is a proven method to reduce maintenance and service costs.  Having an ice machine on a regular cleaning schedule will help, but part of your plan should include an ice maker water filter.  Properly treating water before it enters your ice maker will help limit the amount of scale build up, thus lowering cleaning times and saving on preventative maintenance costs.

A proper ice machine water filter system will not only filter out particulates, but also treat the water for scale.  The best water filters will include a chemical called siliphos, which is a chemical that reduces scale, without affecting water taste or odor.

In addition, ice machine water filters, like those made by Arctic Pure, also reduce chlorine, taste, and odor.  This treatment of the water will make your drinks taste better and keep customers happy.

Be sure to purchase a filter that contains siliphos, filters particulates down to 1 micron, and has enough capacity to treat the water consumption needs of your maker.  Improperly sizing your water filter system will lead to costly early change outs and poor performance.  Please see the filter systems below to properly size an Arctic Pure Water Filter System for your commercial ice machine.

AR10000 For 0-600lb Per Day Production Ice Machines

AR20000 For 600-1000lb Per Day Production Ice Machines

AR40000 For 1000 + lb Production Ice Machines

Manitowoc Parts

Looking for Manitowoc parts at a low price, with reliable shipping options?  Look no further than Ice Maker Parts Shop, which specializes in Manitowoc parts and exceptional customer service.

Ice Maker Parts Shop is able to sell Manitowoc parts at a low price and ship the same day in most cases, because that's all they focus on.  With years of experience in the restaurant equipment industry, specifically ice makers, they know how important your ice maker is to your business.  That's why all parts on their website are in stock, ready to ship the same day, if ordered before 3:00 CST.

To keep things simple, only the most common components are listed for sale.  This allows for a cleaner and simpler user experience.  Every item found at Ice Maker Parts Shop can be installed by almost anyone, no refrigeration license required.

Let's look at the most common Manitowoc parts available:

76-2781-3 Ice Thickness Probe - Just $45.89
115v Manitowoc Pump - Just $216.38
115v Water Inlet Valve - Just $53.94
115v Water Dump Valve - Just $53.13

This is just a small sample of Manitowoc parts available at Ice Maker Parts Shop.  There are many more ice maker parts available on site or by request.  Simply email sales@icemakerpartsshop.com to get a custom quote and special discounts on bulk orders.

Ice Maker Service Warning #1

Never, ever use anything to pry ice off of the evaporator!

If your ice machine is having trouble harvesting and you must remove the ice to diagnose, use warm water.  In most cases you should simply shut the machine down and wait for the ice to melt off.

To properly diagnose a Manitowoc ice maker it is important to monitor each individual cycle.  Depending on the time the ice machine takes to freeze and whether or not the harvest cycle is initiated is very important.  But remember, never force the ice off ocf the evaporator or you may damage the freezing plates.  If the plates become scratched or damaged the ice maker may never harvest properly.

Manitowoc Wins Overall Best In Class Award

Manitowoc Ice won the Overall Best In Class award from the Foodservice Equipment & Supplies Magazine.  The award was based on the ice makers ability to adapt to current industry environments and reliability.  This is the 11th year in a row that Manitowoc Ice has taken the Overall Best In Class award.

The Manitowoc I Series ice machine was released in 2011, rolling out updated S Series throughout the year.  In March of 2011, the first 300lb and 400lb cubers were coming into local distributors and now, almost every Manitowoc ice maker is updated to the I Series model.  Currently, only the largest 48" ice makers remain in the previous S Model and are expected to be updated sometime in the 1st quarter of 2012.

Manitowoc I Series ice machines boast a number of updates to improve efficiency and reliability.  The Manitowoc control board has been updated to add new features like logging error codes, running in fail safe mode, and remote diagnosing.  In addition, features like a new ice thickness probe, that utilize sonar technology instead of continuity, set the I Series apart from it's predecessors.

2012 promises to be another successful year for the Manitowoc company and for Manitowoc Ice brand ice makers.  Look to IceMakerPartsShop.com for Manitowoc parts and service technician handbooks to help in repairing your ice maker.

Can You Change The Ice Cube Size?

No.  Unfortunately most modern commercial ice makers do not allow for a change in ice cube size through any kind of setting.  The ice machine purchased will come making a specific sized and stylized cube.  While there are cube size differences, there is no easy way to convert the ice maker to another.

The ice cube size is determined by the evaporator on the ice maker.  The evaporator is the plating where the ice actually forms and is then harvested.  There are many different ice types, but typical cubes are all made the same way, by freezing cascading water over an evaporator.

Therefore to change the ice cube size you must change out the evaporator, which is not a cost effective method, nor is it even always possible.  If you are in need of a different size ice cube, simply purchase another ice machine.

When purchasing a new ice machine, consider the size and style of ice that you will need.  Modern commercial ice makers are capable of producing a wide range of ice types, from wet and soft pellets, to hard and large squares.  Choose wisely, because the ice size you choose, will be all that maker is capable of producing.

Manitowoc Ice Types

Before You Buy A Dump Valve

Before you buy a dump valve for a Manitowoc ice machine, make sure to verify the voltage.  While model numbers are 99% effective at giving you the information you need to find out the voltage, some machines can be special ordered in non common voltages.

Did you know that you can order a 300lb Manitowoc cuber in 208-230v?  It would be very rare, but these machines do exist, so it never hurts to check your voltage before ordering.  This same rule would apply to components like water pumps and inlet valves.