Water supply for a garage ice maker

[Barms 94]

I want to put an ice maker in the garage.  One that would hold about 12 pounds of ice.  There are many for sale.  I have a question about water supply.   Ideally I don’t want to run a water line to inside the garage.  I’m wondering if I could just rig up a gravity Fed line line to the machine.  Like have a bucket of water up above the unit to flow down a poly line to supply the water when it wants to make ice.  Do you guys think an ice maker needs some sort of PSI water flow to supply it?

 

 

[Sniper 6,371]

5 minutes ago, Barms said:

Do you guys think an ice maker needs some sort of PSI water flow to supply it?

Interesting question. My guess is that it would need the 40+ psi. water pressure from a standard line and there's some sort of pressure reducer/restrictor in the solenoid when it opens, so the water just flows in slowly to the tray.

[revenger 428]

use pex tubing,  I ran a water line into mine with that

[Redeye65 145]

The water delivery is timed, they cut down the flow like sniper said and time the solenoid opening and closing. With out pressure the cubes will be 1/4 the size of normal. If you had a big enough bucket you can probably overcome this. Just like a city where their water pressure is supplied by a water tower. problem begins when you do not keep the bucket full enough to supply enough pressure to fill the cube tray. And you're not talking about a lot of pressure. 

[EdF 318]

No . . . Gravity feed won't work . . . Well, it WILL but it would require a tall enough tower of water to create the pressure required.  I don't expect that you have a four story garage?

You COULD pressurize the system by putting the water in a tank and using an air pump to provide sufficient pressure.  But, the tank would never empty.  It would only drain down until the pressure too low to open the valve and push water to the ice maker tray.

Why don't you want to run a water line?  Just the aggravation?  Alternative . . . Buy a freezer and an bunch of ice trays.  If you have to fill the bucket in your original post, why not just fill the trays?

[Redeye65 145]

You can work this out with a simple rule: 1 foot of water creates 0.433 psi of pressure, and it takes 2.31 feet of water to create 1 psi of pressure. From this, you can work out the psi of any elevated water storage system.

To create 10 PSI of water you would need a bucket 23.1 feet above the ice maker.

[Sniper 6,371]

1 hour ago, Redeye65 said:

To create 10 PSI of water you would need a bucket 23.1 feet above the ice maker.

So, based on that, if he puts his bucket 90 feet above the freezer, he'll get approximately 40 psi of water pressure..

I wonder how tall his garage/house is?? 

[Redeye65 145]

Looking like running that water line is the winner. Not to mention if it isn’t a closed off water supply, you can expect dust, dirt and bugs in the water and cubes. Sort of like Jurassic Park, there’s a mosquito in my ice cube.  

[Redeye65 145]

Anyone living in Union county and driving up and down the Parkway will have seen the Union water tower, that tower is 212 feet tall.  

[Barms 94]

Regarding freezing my own trays:  too much work.  I want like a constant 12 pounds of ice at the ready.  This summer there was just way too many unexpected gatherings.   Thanks for the feedback on the height that ain’t gonna work.   I’m pretty handy with the pex i just don’t want any holes in the garage walls.  I could just buy a freezer and then just do one ice run for 12 pounds each time.   It’s just one less stress I want each summer “oh shit I gotta get ice”.  

[SmittyMHS 596]

You didn't say what type of ice maker you're looking to get. Many commercial ice makers have a tank and pump system that flows the water over the evaporator freezing the water in sheets of little cubes. Then when thick enough the refrigeration system reverses (like a heat pump) and melts the sheet releasing the ice cubes. This type of ice maker could be used with a bucket as the tank has a float switch and doesn't time out. It's been a while since I worked on them but I don't think thats changed much over the years. With all the restaurants closing up you may be able to find a used one. They ain't cheep but you'll have more ice then you'll know what to do with. 

[Barms 94]

Well I was expecting it to be some sort of “commercial grade”.  I mean not a $2,000 one but several hundred dollars at least.   I was going through over $10 a weekend in ice during the summer anyway.   I fill up a large cooler of ice in the back each Sat and Sunday during the summer to keep all the kids drinks cool, and a dozen cans of beer all the time.  When you have a pool and young kids the gatherings turn from nothing to something fast.    When you said “tank” you mean like a tank that can be filled by hand?

 

[SmittyMHS 596]

4 minutes ago, Barms said:

Well I was expecting it to be some sort of “commercial grade”.  I mean not a $2,000 one but several hundred dollars at least.   I was going through over $10 a weekend in ice during the summer anyway.   I fill up a large cooler of ice in the back each Sat and Sunday during the summer to keep all the kids drinks cool, and a dozen cans of beer all the time.  When you have a pool and young kids the gatherings turn from nothing to something fast.    When you said “tank” you mean like a tank that can be filled by hand?

 

To be honest I only worked on commercial units that did have a city water supply line but through a regulator that just let the water in very slowly. You couldn't just pour the water in. But with a proper, lets say a 5 gallon container with something like a garden hose fitting on the bottom side, you could let it gravity feed into the tank. 

Just thinking about your situation, maybe find used refrigerator you can put someplace covered that the kids could have access to. Put on a GFI to be safe. 

Might try a restaurant supply house to find a used ice maker.                                                                          

[SmittyMHS 596]

Something I just remembered...The reason the water flow is so low (I think) was because we always had a reverse osmoses filter in line which is really needed to keep the evap. from scaling up. One reason the ice cubes are always clear from an ice maker. Anyway you really should have one. And you could fill your tank threw it keeping your machine clean. You wouldn't believe the slime mold that grows inside though things.

[MB24 36]

Is the garage heated? Is there a chance any supply line would freeze.

[Mr.Forks 20]

hey, not sure where you went with this, but if you should check to see if it needs a drain.
lots of icemakers just make ice and don't keep it frozen and don't re used the water from the melted ice.
Sorry I can't offer any real answer to your question

 

[tony357 386]

Your going to need water pressure and filter, i have inline filter on my ice machine, i have one that will make 50lbs in a day, 12lbs is not much. if only want 12lbs they make countertop ice machines that are in the 200 range i think will suit you for what you need.

like this, Frigidaire 26 lb. Countertop Ice Maker EFIC117-SS, Red Stainless Steel - Walmart.com - Walmart.com

i would use filtered or bottle water in ice maker.