Homemade ice maker! SAVE thousands over a commercial ice maker

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  • čas přidán 24. 02. 2021
  • I've been playing with an idea for awhile to make a homemade ice maker. Commercial ice makers costs thousands and was far out of our budget. DO NOT ATTEMPT, FOR ENTERTAINMENT ONLY. Seek professional advice for any wiring or modifications of any appliance. The Kelley's Country Life LLC accepts no responsibility for you trying anything you see on our show.
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Komentáře • 3K

  • @James-vf5gs
    @James-vf5gs Před 3 lety +423

    I'm a commercial refrigeration mechanic, I don't know how it popped up on my you tube feed, but I think this is really clever. Well done.

    • @TKCL
      @TKCL  Před 3 lety +6

      Thank you for watching

    • @torainbowsend
      @torainbowsend Před 3 lety +15

      Also a commercial refrigeration mechanic.... 40 years in the field. Well done!

    • @TKCL
      @TKCL  Před 3 lety +7

      Thank you!

    • @travisthejiu-jitsuguy3743
      @travisthejiu-jitsuguy3743 Před 3 lety +5

      @@torainbowsend Any thoughts as if this could be done with a commercial ice maker unit? (Apealing features could be more capacity, better quality ice, less draining/energy waste)

    • @user-fn6ls5hr4q
      @user-fn6ls5hr4q Před 3 lety +10

      the algorithm has blessed you

  • @dakota5805
    @dakota5805 Před 3 lety +105

    I’m a refrigeration tech, and it seems you got everything right, just be sure to seal up around were your wires and tube meet the gasket or it frost up around the top edge if there are any air leaks. Otherwise I’m looking forward to seeing how this turns out. Seems like a great idea.

    • @TKCL
      @TKCL  Před 3 lety +3

      Thank you

    • @capman911
      @capman911 Před 2 lety +2

      Craig I have a question for you. I am doing the same thing he is doing but the GE icemaker WR30X10093 I bought has the color code on the wires coming out of the icemaker are light blue, black, yellow, and green. I would be grateful to know which wire hooks up to power, neutral, ground, and down to the solenoid. Thanks for any help.

    • @dakota5805
      @dakota5805 Před 2 lety +6

      @@capman911 hey mike, it’s been awhile, so double check me on this, in the back of the i.m cover or there may be on in the front kick plate a diagram. Green is ground,black should be hot, look at the valve to see what 2 wires are there, brown should be one. But please double check me, it’s been a few years since I’ve been in the field hope this helps some .

    • @capman911
      @capman911 Před 2 lety +2

      @@dakota5805 Thank you Sir for the gracious help.

    • @johndemore6402
      @johndemore6402 Před rokem +3

      silicone caulk and duct tape

  • @1984wasthebestyear
    @1984wasthebestyear Před 3 lety +49

    I was just talking to some guys at work about buying a ice maker. This may be the one time I’m happy that the phone listens to conversations….. great video!

    • @TKCL
      @TKCL  Před 3 lety +10

      Lol scary isn't it!

    • @BoDiesel
      @BoDiesel Před 3 lety +2

      Same here. Can't be a coincidence this random video got pushed on me so coincidentally.

    • @dennispope8160
      @dennispope8160 Před 3 lety +3

      Damn I just went camping and then this popped up. We talked about ice about as much as on a usual camping trip. Didn’t think about this till I read your comment.

    • @TKCL
      @TKCL  Před 3 lety +2

      If you camp a lot you need to watch my review video coming this Friday. It's the perfect camping companion.

    • @liticalskate7061
      @liticalskate7061 Před 3 lety

      You can turn that off

  • @knuckle47
    @knuckle47 Před 3 lety +10

    Not only was it educational and fun to watch…. I’m planning to move next door ! Love this workshop

  • @alphasaiyan5760
    @alphasaiyan5760 Před rokem +20

    Industry standard on lamp cord is the ridged wire is the neutral and the smooth wire is the hot. You could’ve used a flat 4 wire instead of the lamp cord but this is a great video you did and I’m going to do this because I’m tired of paying over $5 a day for ice at the store.

  • @rickigunter1960
    @rickigunter1960 Před rokem +20

    Hey I had a similar idea a long time ago but never had a need to put it in motion but to see you placing both of our ideals in motion was very satisfying and I was excited to see you come up with the ideal of a second ice maker because I was saying to myself that you should do that... and you did ...good job

  • @jlsrgent
    @jlsrgent Před rokem +12

    Nice job. I like the way you avoided drilling and installing into the side walls. I installed 2 icemakers into the sidewalls of a freezer (same one from Sams) 5+ years back. Had to be very careful working around those copper refrigeration lines. Worked great until finally one got stuck in the fill cycle and I got a solid block of ice the inside dimensions of the freezer. No worries, cleaned it all out and reinstalled 1 maker this time. All still going good.

  • @HangTimeDeluxe
    @HangTimeDeluxe Před 2 lety +4

    Back in my boating days I thought about doing this, but I never did. Now that I'm older and my boating days are behind me, I don't have a need any longer. Still, I regret not doing it. Nice job!

  • @robertmoore1472
    @robertmoore1472 Před 3 lety +14

    I'm an actual Ice Machine Technician. I'm a representative of all 5 major commercial ice machine manufacturers. Manitowoc, Iceomatic, Scotsman, Hoshizaki and Ice Tro. Been doing ice machines for a long time.......all I can say is Bravo!!
    Commercial ice machine quality has declined. They're are expensive to maintain, and getting more expensive every year. So kudos to you for figuring this out! Pure genius.

    • @TKCL
      @TKCL  Před 3 lety +2

      Thank you very much! I'd love to have the capacity of the big name brands, I just can't afford them.

    • @robertmoore1472
      @robertmoore1472 Před 3 lety +1

      @@TKCL heck I fix them for a living and I can't afford them either! Lol I get used units from time to time and fix them, then use it until it dies. Throw it away and start over.

    • @golf-n-guns
      @golf-n-guns Před 3 lety +1

      Is Kold Draft still around?

    • @BCowcorn
      @BCowcorn Před 3 lety

      My wife loves the crunch ice nuggets you sometimes get at restaurants. Is there an ice maker unit for those that could fit into a project like this? Or better yet, replace the ice maker in our Samsung freezer drawer? (We don't have a dispenser in the door.)

    • @TKCL
      @TKCL  Před 3 lety +1

      I am not sure, never seen one other than the crush function ice makers that go in side by side referators and freezers

  • @ljslw
    @ljslw Před rokem +15

    I’d mount the I/M on the left side and have a tall plastic trash can or similar directly under it. The ice would fall directly into the can. This would allow you to use the rest of the freezer for freezing food room without it coming in contact with the ice.
    The only concern might be getting a good seal where the water line enters, this would cause the fill tube to freeze and frost to form. Mullion heaters are often used to prevent water lines from freezing.
    Great video. I have nothing but respect for anyone who has an idea and goes for it. The world needs more do-ers. Kudos to you!

    • @TKCL
      @TKCL  Před rokem +5

      Keep watching the series, I build a lip to run lines and wiring so I no longer had to cut or modify the freezer.

    • @mkrpmllc3174
      @mkrpmllc3174 Před rokem

      i did something like you're suggestion, just used plexiglass to divide my freezer

  • @JeanneKinland
    @JeanneKinland Před 3 lety +19

    I remember when I was a kid my mom used to fill 1 gallon milk jugs with water and freeze them prior to our big fishing trip. We used them in portable coolers to keep the fish fresh until we got home.

    • @GunManOsh
      @GunManOsh Před 3 lety +2

      I do that for camping trips when I have freezer space and remember to do it! 😂

    • @bigd7861
      @bigd7861 Před 3 lety +2

      Small soda bottles for small coolers, and balloons for big coolers! 👍

  • @dgpuig45
    @dgpuig45 Před 3 lety +7

    You did great! Catch the ice in a new plastic trash can then bag it as it gets full. You are right, the commercial ice makers depend on the ice itself to cool the ice bin, however, using the entire freezer as the maker and storage you don't have to worry about a drain constantly dripping water to the outside or a floor drain.

  • @RednecksGoneWild
    @RednecksGoneWild Před 3 lety +172

    Thank You so much , iI have been running this idea thru my head for about 2 years now & this video helps me decide to go ahead with the project.

    • @TKCL
      @TKCL  Před 3 lety +10

      Awesome, glad it helped! I've been enjoying mine!

    • @michaelbrinks8089
      @michaelbrinks8089 Před 3 lety +1

      @@TKCL do you know how many amps the ice maker draws? I found one for free in an old working standard refrigerator. I was thinking about using it in a cooler to build one of those DIY air conditioners that you fill with ice & water. But trying to use it inside the cooler as a submerged water chiller instead of a normal ice maker that wouldn't need connected to a water line or solenoid.

    • @seeqr9
      @seeqr9 Před 3 lety

      Same

    • @user-el4ii7zq6l
      @user-el4ii7zq6l Před 3 lety

      Same

    • @TKCL
      @TKCL  Před 3 lety +7

      I do not, but I'm getting a killawatt meter Friday and will be testing energy usage next week. Video out soon

  • @ryry2726
    @ryry2726 Před 3 lety +11

    just so you know..... on a lamp cord or appliance cord that has those ridges... the ridges is the neutral(white), and the smooth is the black(hot). If you hook a lamp up the opposite way then you increase, by a lot, the chances of getting shocked because the outer part of the socket(the part that a bulb screws into) becomes the hot and it is very likely that you will touch it while trying to screw the bulb in.

  • @slshock
    @slshock Před 3 lety +1

    I love it when a guy is not afraid to modify new equipment to build a project. You are spot on with your assessment comparing like the Nugget ice commercial ice maker to a home type half moon ice maker. We have both. The only issue with the half moon cube is it has a tendency to melt and fuse together into a big chunk in a ice chest. The commercial Nugget ice has air in it and melts very fast and is not a good choice for ice chests. Good job and thanks for posting!

    • @TKCL
      @TKCL  Před 3 lety +1

      Thank you for watching

  • @calsmith7476
    @calsmith7476 Před rokem

    I made myself an ice maker following your design, very simple and a single ice maker is enough for what I need, thank you.

    • @TKCL
      @TKCL  Před rokem

      Awesome! Thanks for watching

  • @alittleofeverything4190
    @alittleofeverything4190 Před 3 lety +9

    The convenience factor alone, including just using ice for back yard use is huge. Nice work.

    • @TKCL
      @TKCL  Před 3 lety +4

      Yes it is, I don't live in a city and don't feel like driving to town anytime I need ice.

  • @markwhite8543
    @markwhite8543 Před 3 lety +7

    Well done! I appreciate backyard engineering.

  • @arkansasmike5474
    @arkansasmike5474 Před 3 lety

    I've had this exact idea for years, but life happened and never got around to it. Several helpful tips that I didn't think of on the mounting and water routing. Thanks a bunch.

    • @TKCL
      @TKCL  Před 3 lety +1

      Thank you for watching

  • @rick-zc6xm
    @rick-zc6xm Před 3 lety +19

    Mans the build was awsome. What really blew my mind was I never realized I was using ice at different temperatures. My fridge ice does last alot longer than bagged ice. Super educational keep, it up creators.

    • @TKCL
      @TKCL  Před 3 lety +1

      Thank you for watching

    • @c.h.2503
      @c.h.2503 Před rokem

      ice can't be different fucking temperatures. Bro. wtf lolololololololol!!!!!!!!!!!!

    • @TKCL
      @TKCL  Před rokem +1

      Before you make a comment like this you might should do a simple Google search. Ice can and is a wide range of temperatures. Ice can actually get so cold that it liquifies in a very weird minus temperature state. It amazes me that people get stuck on the 32 degrees. That's the point at which a state change happens from liquid to solid. The solid form will continue to drop based on surrounding temperatures.

    • @archedgeworth
      @archedgeworth Před rokem

      Mine makes crushed ice, if I put it in my house freezer you need an ice pick to use it, but if taken straight outta the machine and put n ice chest with some water it’s temperature is below freezing and the ice water mix will last for days. I left an orange water jug with no lid on it inside truck with windows rolled up with these 106 degree days over weekend and was still cold on day 3

  • @jamesnolan1673
    @jamesnolan1673 Před 3 lety +47

    when heating up and bending plastic tubes or even pvc, you can fill the piece with sand then bend and it helps keep tube or pipe from kinking. great job on the project

  • @Whipple1
    @Whipple1 Před 2 lety +6

    Excellent idea. Great production. I thought about this years ago. Can’t believe you executed on it so well.
    Cheers!
    Whipple

    • @TKCL
      @TKCL  Před 2 lety +1

      Thank you for watching

  • @drachenfeuer5042
    @drachenfeuer5042 Před 3 lety +1

    I’m hypnotized by the genius of ingenuity

  • @toddmuenster8742
    @toddmuenster8742 Před 3 lety

    Just came upon your site. I sure enjoyed the video. Been wanting an ice maker. This is awesome. I also enjoyed reading all the comments from others. Lots of smart people with great suggestions! I have nothing but praise and gratitude to offer. I did subscribe and hit the thumbs up.

    • @TKCL
      @TKCL  Před 3 lety

      Thank you very much

  • @robertcasey7312
    @robertcasey7312 Před 2 lety +3

    Thank you so very much. I’ve been looking for an affordable ice solution for weeks. Sincerely appreciate your hard work and clever problem solving. Best Wishes!

    • @TKCL
      @TKCL  Před 2 lety +1

      Keep looking on the channel, there are a lot of videos with simple upgrades to really increase ice production.

  • @tuvoca825
    @tuvoca825 Před 3 lety +3

    Good work. That type of icemaker is usually 120 volts.
    They usually wait 24 hours and throw away the first batch of 'cubes'.
    The needle clamp is usually called a saddle valve, but I like what you called it better.
    Some people make refrigerators out of those freezers and they are way more efficient and cost less. Usually the only thing stopping the ones who want to try that is their significant other who likes a French-door fridge. :)

  • @3xtelstars
    @3xtelstars Před 3 lety

    This came on my recommendations, I have no idea why but thank you CZcams. This was a joy to watch from start to finish! Excellent job

    • @TKCL
      @TKCL  Před 3 lety +1

      4 more ice maker videos ready for you

  • @sterlingmoore6032
    @sterlingmoore6032 Před rokem

    Absolutely awesome job my friend! This is one of the very reasons I'm proud to be a country boy.......we know how to improvise, build, repair, and survive. May God continue to bless you and yours Andrew.

  • @jimsjacob
    @jimsjacob Před 3 lety +3

    Great ingenuity! Almost makes me want to try this. I need about 20 lbs. of ice on our camping trips, but we don’t go enough to justify. Thanks for sharing this

    • @TKCL
      @TKCL  Před 3 lety +1

      Thank you for watching

  • @toddmussman8486
    @toddmussman8486 Před 2 lety +7

    Fill one gallon jugs with water and line the bottom of the freezer to get the thermal mass and you can use the jugs in your coolers too. Great build!

  • @L8terdays
    @L8terdays Před 2 lety

    That is thinking outside the box! I have wanted an icemaker forever. I am going to do this. I think I'll put two in there to keep up with the demand. Thank you Einstein! Thanks for fixing the icemaker problem for me.

    • @TKCL
      @TKCL  Před 2 lety

      Keep watching the videos on the channel, I added two ice makers and a fan. Production dramatically increased.

  • @MysterysASMR
    @MysterysASMR Před rokem

    People like you make the world go around!! Bravo to you man!! Much respect+!

    • @TKCL
      @TKCL  Před rokem

      Thank you for watching

  • @thor4224
    @thor4224 Před 3 lety +31

    I just used an old side by side fridge, took out all the shelves on the freezer side and put a 5 gallon bucket at the bottom for the ice to fall into

    • @TKCL
      @TKCL  Před 3 lety +8

      My friend did that but with a plastic trash can inside. Works well too

    • @vincentvango5338
      @vincentvango5338 Před 2 lety

      I did the same. 75 bucks👍

  • @anthonygrant7952
    @anthonygrant7952 Před 3 lety +55

    Kick in the freezer with the lid open and look for the condensation to become visible where the freon lines are. It will frost in stripes within minutes usually

    • @traviskingwv
      @traviskingwv Před 2 lety +6

      Our beer club mods freezers like this all the time for CO2 lines to use as kegerators - this is how we find the lines as well.... tried and true method.

    • @thedancinzerg
      @thedancinzerg Před 2 lety +1

      If it's something you do a lot, you can get a FLIR thermal camera attachment for your phone for about 100 bucks.

    • @edstimator1
      @edstimator1 Před 2 lety +1

      Well done Bud!

  • @tedtolentino4955
    @tedtolentino4955 Před 3 lety +2

    I like the idea as DIY project. The cost and simplicity of the design are pluses. Thanks for sharing this video.

  • @jimmybobhere
    @jimmybobhere Před 3 lety +2

    You have to appreciate this guy's intelligence. Good design and thought process.

    • @TKCL
      @TKCL  Před 3 lety

      Thank you for watching

  • @bobmcnelis3648
    @bobmcnelis3648 Před 3 lety +9

    I worked in the ice business in the 80s they did have a refrigerent called Supercool, that doubled our ice output. If your system can handle it, I’d find a technician that was willing to try it.

  • @markb.1259
    @markb.1259 Před 3 lety +41

    Was so glad to hear that you were already aware that the freon lines were run in the walls of the freezer! I'm sure more than one person has ruined a great project by drilling into the side of a planned Kegorator!!! haha Great project Andrew!

    • @TKCL
      @TKCL  Před 3 lety +2

      Oh yeah I've had enough experience in my life with refrigerators, AC units Etc

    • @jakeblanton6853
      @jakeblanton6853 Před 3 lety +6

      @@TKCL -- There's 2 types of lines that you need to be concerned about -- the ones where the cold liquid refrigerant are running and the ones that are used as a heat exchanger with the outside air to move the heat extracted from inside the unit to the surrounding room. It used to be that the latter were mounted to the exterior of the unit, but that is not necessarily the case these days... If you don't see the coils on the exterior or underneath the unit, it might be in the wall... Another clue that this might be the case is if the walls of the unit are noticeably warmer than the surrounding room... When cutting through the wall on the refrigerator that I converted into a kegerator, I started out with a small hole on the outside wall with a drill stop attached so that the hole would only go through the metal skin... From there, I took an very thin shaft screwdriver and gently forced it through the foam, paying attention to whether it seemed to encounter anything along the way... One at the inner wall, I took a long drill bit and while drilling from the outside, allowed it to drill through the inside wall... I then used a larger drill bit to get to the size that I needed for the CO2 hose... Drilled the inside and outside surfaces first and then used the screwdriver to gently poke through the rest of the insullation, paying attention to any resistance from wires or coolant lines... Because of the design of the refrigerator, I was pretty sure there were no coolant lines in the side wall, but there was a possibility of there being electrical lines going through there...

    • @vernonvest9927
      @vernonvest9927 Před 3 lety +5

      Could one use shrink wrap for your Electric wires.

    • @vernonvest9927
      @vernonvest9927 Před 3 lety +1

      Thanks very good.

  • @mman8795
    @mman8795 Před 3 lety +2

    Absolutely badass, love your technique at going at this!

  • @knightcount69
    @knightcount69 Před 3 lety

    My brother! thank you, you have done an excellent job! I can’t wait until the second video. Looking forward to it. God blessed you, and thank you for taking the initiative. 🙏

    • @TKCL
      @TKCL  Před 3 lety +1

      Three more videos already out, watch until the end of this one and they pop up.

  • @rickyroof806
    @rickyroof806 Před 3 lety +9

    The one with ridges is your neutral, power is smooth as per electrical codes.

  • @charliesheehan4577
    @charliesheehan4577 Před 3 lety +3

    I've done this 5 years ago. It worked well when I had it running, was great for camping trips. Sadly, Last year when I moved, I dismantled the system and put the ice maker in my garage freezer/fridge. So now I have the ice maker in the kitchen and the garage. both of those combined will give me ~10-8 lb of ice in 24 hrs.

    • @TKCL
      @TKCL  Před 3 lety +1

      I'm getting there

  • @Jimmy-nv7mn
    @Jimmy-nv7mn Před 3 lety

    Genius! Well done video. No BS, just the pertinent info

    • @TKCL
      @TKCL  Před 3 lety

      Thank you for watching

  • @jeffjones4071
    @jeffjones4071 Před 2 lety +2

    Cool build man!! Once you get that second ice maker it’s going to be a perfect set up

    • @TKCL
      @TKCL  Před 2 lety +2

      Two ice makers and a fan tripled my production. Videos are on the channel, building a new DIY friendly ice maker right now, video out soon.

  • @sporktek
    @sporktek Před 3 lety +83

    Be careful drilling and/or cutting around the edge where the door seal contacts - most refrigerators and freezers have a loop of tubing that is off the hot side of the compressor to keep this edge warm. This is to keep ice from forming where the seal is and freezing the gasket down to the unit body.

    • @brianbailey462
      @brianbailey462 Před 2 lety +4

      great info .. thx

    • @MikeySlou
      @MikeySlou Před 2 lety +2

      Pretty sure he figured out where to cut.

    • @TheUbuntuGardens
      @TheUbuntuGardens Před rokem +7

      One idea would be to get the schematics of the unit to see where these parts are located.

    • @OlAbeLincoln
      @OlAbeLincoln Před rokem +1

      @@MikeySlou LMAO i mean the guy mentioned it in the video... people dont watch the whole thing the just skim through it

    • @ModelLights
      @ModelLights Před rokem +4

      @@OlAbeLincoln 'the just skim through it' Realize, that is the entirely correct method. No one should be watching entire videos except when they really need the entire video. Anything else is a ridiculous waste.

  • @blakehendrix641
    @blakehendrix641 Před 3 lety +7

    Totally brilliant! You earned my sub just for being that genius! I’ve been looking at countertop ice makers but, like you said, they just continually produce and recycle melting ice!

    • @TKCL
      @TKCL  Před 3 lety

      They don't store much either! Thank you for watching

  • @Wickedjc2119
    @Wickedjc2119 Před 3 lety +1

    This video randomly popped up. I've been wanting to add an ice maker to my deep freezer. You're video told me just what I needed to know. Thank you

    • @TKCL
      @TKCL  Před 3 lety +1

      Thank you for watching

    • @TKCL
      @TKCL  Před 3 lety +1

      More videos coming

  • @Beakerzor
    @Beakerzor Před 2 lety +1

    THANK YOU!!! this is what I need, but I need it to run only from 11pm to 7am when I only pay 1cent/kwh, but hopefully not melt during the rest of the 16 hours/day. I can use a $5 smartplug with a smartspeaker routine to easily do that.

  • @anthonymccomack
    @anthonymccomack Před 3 lety +15

    Free ice with this one simple trick, ice companies hate him.
    Thank you CZcams algorithm

    • @TKCL
      @TKCL  Před 3 lety

      Thank you for watching

  • @jaysenise3501
    @jaysenise3501 Před 3 lety +18

    Just thought I'd share an idea. You could also find where the copper tubes are running in the walls if you turned it on and kept the top open and/or put a bucket of water inside then you'd see where the water froze on the wall corresponding with where the copper tubing is

  • @codywhite
    @codywhite Před 3 lety

    Well done sir. Such a great idea and really great video!! I will have to make one soon!

  • @SWTWHITEGSR
    @SWTWHITEGSR Před 3 lety

    Love how your tools are so organized! Nice video.

    • @TKCL
      @TKCL  Před 3 lety +1

      Thank you for watching

  • @Samuel-pg9oj
    @Samuel-pg9oj Před 3 lety +10

    Nice! Maybe throw a couple bags of store bought ice to prime her up/down to temp.

  • @davetoms5009
    @davetoms5009 Před 3 lety +4

    Fill the unused part of the freezer with something that takes up space and remove some of it as the ice fillies the chest.
    We bought a huge chest freezer put the styrofoam packing in the freezer chest and it was down to zero in a couple hours.
    You just add and remove the styrofoam as needed.
    Great idea.👍

    • @c.joelummus8880
      @c.joelummus8880 Před rokem +1

      Amazon's got some really nice ice makers one for 126 that does 26 lb of ice in one day up to a $370 ice maker that does 100 lb today

  • @michellelcinkel4380
    @michellelcinkel4380 Před 3 lety +2

    My hubby demoed a state building we got 3 ice makers outta it . I sold them fir thousand each . I woulda kept one but power is pricey . I like your idea

  • @summerofsam99
    @summerofsam99 Před rokem

    I LOVE THIS! I dont even need one and i want one haha. Going to look for the update video right now. Awesome work

    • @TKCL
      @TKCL  Před rokem

      A full build and test series on the channel. Thanks for watching

  • @JMason-Outdoors
    @JMason-Outdoors Před 3 lety +3

    My wife and I fish avidly. We use a LOT of ice. I've been trying to figure out a way to get ice cheaper. Thanks for the video.

    • @TKCL
      @TKCL  Před 3 lety

      Thank you for watching! Testing fans today for capacity increase, video out soon

    • @AdamJames.
      @AdamJames. Před 3 lety

      @@TKCL It looks great but please don't use those saddle valve it can cause water damage later on. its actually banned to use by a plumber in most states. I will suggest you to use a sharkbite refrigerator valve which is allowed.

  • @TOAD7464
    @TOAD7464 Před 3 lety +11

    Pro tip: get a silicone cake pan from the thrift store. Make big blocks of ice to keep your coolers cold longer.
    Bonus pro tip: keep the ice blocks in a cooler in your freezer. That keeps your ice and cooler ready to go

    • @TKCL
      @TKCL  Před 3 lety

      You'll enjoy next week's video, I'm already planning on making block ice to assist the cubes and to increase thermal mass in the ice maker. Also testing electricity usage

    • @carlosreira413
      @carlosreira413 Před rokem

      Good tip, and you could supercharge the insulation with another layer of polyurethane/polyisocyanurate foam and some thin plywood. Then out in the garage it will be far more efficient.

  • @HankNinja
    @HankNinja Před 3 lety

    Ingenious. Fun to watch you work. Smart play to blow through that tube while bending.

  • @abuckland48
    @abuckland48 Před 2 lety

    Ok this is a great idea. I am watching your videos in order so can’t wait to see how this project progresses

    • @TKCL
      @TKCL  Před 2 lety

      Thank you for watching! Still more tests coming!

  • @NGinuity
    @NGinuity Před 3 lety +17

    Great idea. An old trick I learned from building kegerators and keezers for homebrew... Turn the chest freezer on and let it run a while completely shut. Then get a spray bottle mixed with vodka and cornstarch where it looks like milky water. Spray the outside. You'll see it haze along the lines where the chiller coils are after about 15 minutes because the alcohol will be evaporated by the hot coils and should give you a really good idea where you can drill for lines. I've seen people do it with water on the inside too but this one seems to be a bit more definitive.

  • @gqbme2
    @gqbme2 Před 3 lety +18

    A idea I was thinking is measure the hinges where the freezer lid mounts on the back and use some metal to make the lid sit higher. Then get some expandable weather seal and line the top of the freezer and run hoses or wires through seal instead of notching the freezer. If it don’t work. Just remount the lid back and remove the weather seal. Keep your factory warranty 😂

    • @TKCL
      @TKCL  Před 3 lety +3

      Good idea!

  • @feltsmartin
    @feltsmartin Před 3 lety

    FINALLY, I finally find a channel with someone doing stuff like we do here in South Texas, we rig up and garage engineer all sorts of things. I have thought about making one of these ice makers a thousand times. But I am definitely doing this now.

    • @TKCL
      @TKCL  Před 3 lety

      Thank you for watching

    • @feltsmartin
      @feltsmartin Před 3 lety

      I'm not sure if you've thought about it or not but those types of freezers the exterior is basically a giant heat sink since the coils are in the sides. You could get a basic box fan and use it to speed up the heat dissipating, which in theory means the freezer works less to stay cold.

    • @TKCL
      @TKCL  Před 3 lety

      It's on my list to test, thanks

  • @dcculver2
    @dcculver2 Před 3 lety +2

    Excellent video!
    Great Design!
    That is great bang for the buck!!!

  • @rogerbartel9075
    @rogerbartel9075 Před 3 lety +8

    Nice video!
    Many freezers have the "extra ice" function. If this selection is available, it basically just sets the freezer temperature to a colder temperature for 24 hours. The rate of ice production is determined by how fast the water, which enters the ice cube mold, gets to a temperature below freezing.
    Only when the temperature of the ice cube molding tray gets to that temperature, will the ice-maker cycle to the next step in the sequence. The next step is to briefly turn on the electric heater in the mold to melt the edges of the cubes and allow the ejection fingers to sweep through the mold and release the cubes.
    Most ice makers are placed at the top of the freezer compartment. Since "hot air rises" this is not the most productive environment , but most freezers have a circulation fan which forces the cold evaporator (also called the freezer coil) air to the top of the freezer compartment and across the ice maker.
    If the incoming temperature of the water was 90° F , it would take 32 calories to take a gram of water to the freezing temperature, but it takes an additional 80 calories to convert that 32° F water to 32° ice. It is this "phase change" of water to ice that requires the most energy. That would mean that it would take a total of 112 calories to convert a gram of 90° water to 32° ice. If the water entering the ice-maker could be prechilled to 32° F then a total of only 80 calories would be needed and would only result in about a 30% increase in production.
    It would be an interesting experiment to take a circulation fan to pull air from the bottom of the freezer and duct it into the ice maker to see how much this improves production.

    • @TKCL
      @TKCL  Před 3 lety +2

      If you watch my next videos you'll see two ice makers and fans. Production is way up. Thanks for watching

    • @sunyun4425
      @sunyun4425 Před 3 lety +1

      Most refrigerators have a long loop of the water line inside tge registration side before it goes to the freezer ice maker for pre chilling, however all the energy used to pre chill the water is the same either way because all of the cooling coming from the freezer side so i doubt you will saved electricity, the evaporatorfan might help chill the compartments and iced maker s little faster is all but the fan allay ads heat into the compartment from its motor

    • @Vbluevital
      @Vbluevital Před rokem +1

      Interesting

    • @smokeysmith1282
      @smokeysmith1282 Před rokem +1

      So unfortunately the only calories currently for me are the Hershey Almond bar lol 😆

  • @Thejrb11
    @Thejrb11 Před 3 lety +15

    This is the sweetest CZcams project I’ve seen in a long time. Nice job!

  • @bluefeathercalnimptewa4307

    This is an awesome way to convert a deep freezer ice maker... Thumbs up

    • @TKCL
      @TKCL  Před 3 lety

      Thank you for watching

  • @kevincelebrado5311
    @kevincelebrado5311 Před 2 lety +1

    We live in Hawaii take ice everywhere! We also drink a lot of milk and 1/2 gallon cartons of juice! We just fill those up with water then freeze them! You can drop them in the cooler whole or smash them on the ground a few times, and you got ice! Not perfect cubes , but ice indeed! Great idea though! Hope it all works out for you!

  • @6xflowerranch890
    @6xflowerranch890 Před 3 lety +38

    It’s easy to find out where the coils are at. Turn on spray the walls with water in a mist spray bottle. It will show right away where the coils run. Not exactly but it will show where they run. The cable and hose location although not a huge escape of cold air it will affect the efficiency of the freezer a lot. It will run here and possibly ruin it or shorten the life of it. Cut lower into the freezer lip and silicone the are really good. No coils in that area for sure.

    • @TKCL
      @TKCL  Před 3 lety +5

      Thank you for the tip!

    • @dunntanktrucks
      @dunntanktrucks Před 3 lety +1

      Still be careful the condenser is mounted to the outer shell that's why it's hotter on the outside

    • @dalethomasdewitt
      @dalethomasdewitt Před 3 lety +1

      Flip on side on thin table. Apply ultrasound horn from under with fine sand on top. A pattern should emerge.

    • @SilvaDreams
      @SilvaDreams Před 3 lety

      @@dunntanktrucks The compressor is in the bottom, that is what that one square block is in the bottom that lifts up from the rest.

    • @dunntanktrucks
      @dunntanktrucks Před 3 lety +1

      @@SilvaDreams the CONDENSER is still where?

  • @bambambundy6
    @bambambundy6 Před 3 lety +8

    Genius!! Your gonna piss off lots of corporate people!!

    • @TKCL
      @TKCL  Před 3 lety +1

      Well they better get to building one and selling

  • @danielfain5845
    @danielfain5845 Před 3 lety

    My dad did this same thing years ago in a smaller freezer. It worked great and could fit a 13 gallon kitchen rubbermaid trash can inside. We used it alot because we poured ans finished concrete.

  • @daveLU323
    @daveLU323 Před 3 lety +1

    You are a kindred spirit! Hell yeah!

    • @TKCL
      @TKCL  Před 3 lety

      Thank you for watching

  • @billywampler2852
    @billywampler2852 Před 3 lety +7

    To bend pvc or other rigid plastic tubing cap one end, fill your tube with HOT sand (400 degrees heated in the oven) cap the other end, wait a few minutes for the platic to heat up make your bends, and dump the sand

    • @Favorite-catNip
      @Favorite-catNip Před 2 lety

      I seen large PVC vent into 90* angles with... a bucket of hot water and and metal pipe. Slip over pipe and alittle muscle should work. I'm a unemployed REGISTERED Nurse. I worked day Labor* places to get a couple bucks in my pockets.

  • @p.s8950
    @p.s8950 Před 3 lety +27

    fill the tube with sand and use a hair dryer to bend the tube works great.

    • @TomBielecki
      @TomBielecki Před 2 lety

      You can also bake the sand in a pan then pour it into the tube

  • @theducklinghomesteadandgar6639

    That is definitely a good use of and a worthy use of thinking inside the box, especially when you need just so much of an increase in production, rather than the increase in production on steroids, meaning an output that would be so high even the population of your city would be over supplied if one were go the route of the commercial size, both in cost and amount produced.
    I love the video so I subbed, smacked the like button and rang the bell and I look forward to watching your other videos!!!

  • @HiThere-du4up
    @HiThere-du4up Před 3 lety

    Thank you for your great idea. This idea of yours became useful for my family needs. Thank you again.

    • @TKCL
      @TKCL  Před 3 lety

      Thank you for watching

  • @sergioaguilar5691
    @sergioaguilar5691 Před 3 lety +3

    Tip. Lamp wire has a stripped side meaning its for neutral and the smooth its hot

  • @ponyboykurtis4645
    @ponyboykurtis4645 Před 3 lety +37

    i just freeze 1 gallon pails of water, that block last 4x as long or put whole cooler in freezer 1/4 full of water and that will last 4 x as long. then you only need a min of ice to go in between

    • @austinpetersen5282
      @austinpetersen5282 Před 3 lety +2

      I usually freeze water bottles, that way you can drink it when it thaws, but they don’t have the surface area to cool down as quickly, so I have noticed a difference between that and pebble/ cubed ice

    • @seandrake7534
      @seandrake7534 Před 2 lety

      I have been doing block ice for a long time also if you brake it into large chunks and put it in a yeti style cup the ice will last all day well as long as your liquid isn’t hot/warm but still last a long time

    • @maertsaidaem2106
      @maertsaidaem2106 Před 2 lety

      I've been using brownie pans making thick blocks. They fit perfect in the bottom of my cooler or can use them as divider or break them up.

  • @johnr4898
    @johnr4898 Před 2 lety

    Absolutely what i need! Thank you for going to the trouble to record and post.

    • @TKCL
      @TKCL  Před 2 lety

      More videos coming

  • @terryboomershine6812
    @terryboomershine6812 Před 3 lety +10

    The wire with the ridges is your common on most any application, the smooth is line..

    • @TKCL
      @TKCL  Před 3 lety +1

      Thank you for the information

    • @robbiebooth2980
      @robbiebooth2980 Před 3 lety +1

      If present... Ridged wires are ALWAYS neutral...

  • @benjaminwoodward2362
    @benjaminwoodward2362 Před 3 lety +3

    The refrigerant in your “freezemaker” is most likely R-290, which is high grade non-scented liquid propane. When manufacturing they keep the amount of refrigerant charge very low with R-290,so that if there is a catastrophic incident, it is small. Very cool stuff man, great ingenuity!

    • @TKCL
      @TKCL  Před 3 lety +1

      Thank you for watching

    • @kirkjohnson6638
      @kirkjohnson6638 Před 2 lety +1

      With the panel removed to access the compressor area, there is a sticker that says the unit is charged with C5H10 (cyclopentane). Apparently it has little greeenhouse gas effect and is being used rather than stuff like R134a in refrigerators.

  • @davidbushek1572
    @davidbushek1572 Před 2 lety

    That is a great idea. I typically use about 25lbs of ice a week. Thanks for the video.

    • @TKCL
      @TKCL  Před 2 lety +1

      Thank you for watching

  • @TJForehand
    @TJForehand Před 3 lety

    Cool idea! You explained the economics really well too, thanks for the vid!

    • @TKCL
      @TKCL  Před 3 lety

      Thank you for watching

  • @titanebay
    @titanebay Před 3 lety +4

    Cool project! Nice job. One idea, I think you could use a thermal imaging camera to identify the coils and drill through the walls of the freezer to have a cleaner build. Camera might show coils better when unit is first turned on, b/c the temp difference of coils vs. walls/sides of freezer.

    • @TKCL
      @TKCL  Před 3 lety +1

      I have been looking at a flir model.

    • @ironmike742
      @ironmike742 Před rokem +2

      titanebay didn't watch the video.

  • @dontmesswiththeman
    @dontmesswiththeman Před 3 lety +9

    Randomly started watching this video because I like the idea of building your own, then ended up looking on marketplace for used Manitowoc ice machines. I thought “no way a twenty year old used ice machine is $2000+” and boy was I wrong. I think if I used that much ice I’d go this route too.

    • @ComPrt3
      @ComPrt3 Před 3 lety

      Amazon sells a commercial ice machine for $350.

    • @TKCL
      @TKCL  Před 3 lety +4

      Makes small hollow cubes that melt quickly. That's not good for coolers and fish boxes.

    • @ComPrt3
      @ComPrt3 Před 3 lety +1

      @@TKCL I think you're thinking of a counter top ice maker. The one I'm talking about sits on the floor and is a small commercial ice maker that keeps the ice frozen and makes square cubes, up to 88 lbs within 24hrs.

    • @TKCL
      @TKCL  Před 3 lety +3

      I'm very use to those, we use to use them and the big commercial ones at work all the time. They broke down often and had small square ice cubes with hollow indentations. Fine for drinking ice, horrible for filling coolers and fish boxes. That ice does not last.

  • @waltercoffman7724
    @waltercoffman7724 Před 3 lety

    I was watching a video on chisels and the different kinds, how use them and your CZcams video was at the end along with other project and I have spent the last several hours watching the different stages you have gone through and loved every minute of them and the many comments on them. I am eighty three and have the time and will subscribe so I can see your finished project. As for the comments I think you do a great job of handling them. Keep up the excellent work you are doing and look forward to your next project.

    • @TKCL
      @TKCL  Před 3 lety

      Thank you very much for the support and feedback!

  • @jamesjacobs8785
    @jamesjacobs8785 Před 3 lety +1

    I’m thinking seriously about trying this!

  • @justingarner3129
    @justingarner3129 Před 3 lety +13

    You can fill the pvc with sand before heating will let you bend without crimping.... courtesy of Iraqi "plumbing" expert I learned it from.....

    • @cbroz7492
      @cbroz7492 Před 3 lety +1

      Sand sure as hell ain't in short supply in the "Land Between the Rivers"

    • @lisah6451
      @lisah6451 Před 3 lety +1

      It really works, I had to do that on a project a while back

    • @hjc4604
      @hjc4604 Před 3 lety +1

      Another guy heats the sand and pour it in the pipe and then wraps it through a jig to form the curves he wants. The sand stays hot while he bends it around the various curves. I think he was making some kind of roller coaster.

  • @RandyRandersonthefamous
    @RandyRandersonthefamous Před 3 lety +3

    Wow it's cool how workable aluminum looks with a vise!

  • @chet2201
    @chet2201 Před 2 lety +1

    I like these little freezers , getting a freezer with Condenser coils exposed
    On back are preferred because you can
    Wrap HVAC duck insulation on lid and
    Front and 2 sides. This reduces electric
    Use by ~1\2. ALSO getting a 30$ inkbird
    Temp. Control can be used to make a
    Super efficient refrigerator.

  • @funkyman9180
    @funkyman9180 Před 3 lety

    I like this idea. Pure genius if you ask me and you saved a ton of money. I'm definitely gonna do this!!

    • @TKCL
      @TKCL  Před 3 lety

      Up to almost 10lbs a day now with a few simple upgrades. Check out the video at the end of this one. Thanks for watching

  • @stevenherlein8282
    @stevenherlein8282 Před 3 lety +6

    To avoid Locate your coils is to simply turn it on and you'll be able to feel where they're at sometimes you can even see the pattern as it forms condensation in the coils pattern

    • @austinpetersen5282
      @austinpetersen5282 Před 3 lety +1

      You could put a mister against the walls to show pattern easier too

  • @GFlCh
    @GFlCh Před 3 lety +6

    Great video, I just love the idea.
    The unit in our Fridge/Freezer makes 6 ounces of ice per cycle and it takes about an hour and 35 minutes for each cycle so it cycles about 15 times per day for a total of about 5 pounds 10 ounces of ice per day.
    There is usually some adjustability of the size of the ice cubes (how high the water fills in the tray) so you may be able to increase the output a bit.
    Also keep in mind that there is a thermostat inside the ice maker that measures the temperature of the water/ice to determine when the batch of ice is done and ready to cycle. The colder it is inside the freezer, and importantly, the colder the water is, the quicker it will cycle.

    • @TKCL
      @TKCL  Před 3 lety +3

      I agree and more experimenting is in order

  • @xxdeathlordx9683
    @xxdeathlordx9683 Před rokem

    This is hella smart and crafty

  • @eddiegetdownortiz
    @eddiegetdownortiz Před 2 lety +1

    Love this job! Going to build me one now... Just subscribe to your channel. Love it when people save money and build their own idea that work!!! Thanks for posting. Many blessings to you and your family fishing...

    • @TKCL
      @TKCL  Před 2 lety

      Thank you very much for the support and watching

  • @WoodDuxWill
    @WoodDuxWill Před 3 lety +10

    That’s a genius idea there man! Can’t wait to see how it does over the next few weeks.

    • @TKCL
      @TKCL  Před 3 lety +4

      Thanks! I'm excited to hook up the second ice maker and see if it really ramps up production. It's been running for two days and producing a solid amount of ice.

  • @rogerhargrave9952
    @rogerhargrave9952 Před 3 lety +5

    I've been trying to figure out a icemaker for my Landscaping Company for a few years now. Thanks for video. The only alteration I made was to install two of those refrig. ice makers on each side to double up the ice being made since the one doesn't make enough daily. . Thanks again for the Video.

    • @TKCL
      @TKCL  Před 3 lety +2

      Watch my current videos, I installed two and then fans. Production went up 78% alone just by adding the fans.

  • @providencefarmstead2122
    @providencefarmstead2122 Před rokem +1

    That right there deserves a doctorate in southern engineering brother! Whew! Nicely done and thanks for sharing.

    • @TKCL
      @TKCL  Před rokem

      Thank you for watching

  • @biggdogg285
    @biggdogg285 Před 3 lety

    I just found your channel. High-quality video, thumbs up, and thanks for posting! Subscribed.

    • @TKCL
      @TKCL  Před 3 lety

      Thank you for watching and subscribing!

  • @gekorec
    @gekorec Před 3 lety +8

    The side with the ridges on it is neutral. It typically connects to the polarized blade of the plug.