Commercial Ice Machine Repair: The Most Expensive Ice Maker Components To Replace
The Most Expensive Ice Machine Components To Replace
Ice Machine Condenser
What Is A Condenser?
What Can Go Wrong With A Condenser
Air-cooled condensers usually attract dust through the fans it uses to move air over the condenser coils. Without regular cleaning, dust blankets the condenser coils and traps heat within the refrigerant, making your ice machine work twice as hard to cool down.
Water-cooled ice machine condensers use water to absorb heat. While you won’t have to worry about dust, you do need to make sure the water pumped into the condenser isn’t hard water or mineral-rich. Minerals from water can build up on the condenser coils and create the same insulating effect as dust, and your machine will be overworked.
Finally, if you live in areas with high humidity, you’ll need to keep an eye on your ice machine condenser fins. These fins surround the condenser warp and they’re subject to warping, bending, and rusting when exposed to high humidity levels. Once fin degradation has set in, they can’t be reformed into their original shape and your condenser won’t be able to release hot air out of your ice machine.
How To Prevent Condenser Failure
Routine cleaning is your best ally to beat condenser buildup in your commercial ice machine. Consistency is key to keep dust and mineral buildup away, so consider enrolling in a preventative maintenance program that ensures regular cleaning.
Ice Machine Compressor
What Is A Compressor?
"Condenser vs compressor confusion? Here’s a breakdown of the different component functions: the compressor squeezes gaseous refrigerant, while the condenser converts the refrigerant gas into liquid."
What Can Go Wrong With A Compressor
Ice machine compressors tend to fail when they’re overworked, or when there’s an electrical surge that causes the component to shut down.
To avoid overworking your compressor, make sure your ice machine is clean. A dusty, dirty ice maker takes longer to produce ice, which puts a strain on your compressor. In addition to cleaning your ice machine, make sure the area around it is well ventilated. Poor air circulation can cause the compressor to put in extra effort, shortening its lifespan.
Telltale signs of compressor failure include:
- The compressor is sucking in air
- Unusual sounds coming from your compressor like rattling, or a metal-on-metal screeching noise
How To Avoid Compressor Failure
The cost of replacing your commercial ice machine compressor can run into the thousands—and that’s not including labor. So it’s well worth the time and investment to make sure your compressor isn’t overworked. To maintain your compressor, clean your ice machine regularly, make sure your ice maker is in a well-ventilated space, and make sure your electrical outlet can support the needs of your equipment.
Related: Memphis Commercial Refrigeration Repair, Maintenance & Installation: Your Ultimate Guide
Ice Machine Evaporator
What Is An Evaporator?
What Can Go Wrong With An Evaporator?
The evaporator plate is where the action is for an ice machine, so if it goes bad, ice production freezes (and not in a good way). The big dollar repairs you’ll want to keep an eye on include:
- The evaporator plate warping or separating
- Plating from the evaporator stripping off
- Evaporator separator rows loosening and falling out
Since the evaporator is a critical component of your ice machine, it’s no surprise that evaporator repairs can creep into the thousands of dollars.
How To Avoid Evaporator Failure
Ice Machine Evaporator Chamber
What Is An Evaporator Chamber?
What Can Go Wrong With An Evaporator Chamber
How To Avoid Evaporator Chamber Damage
You’ll know when your evaporator chamber is being damaged by the high-pitched screech of metal-on-metal. When you hear that sound, you’ll likely need to replace the bearings in your auger system which, you guessed it, is in the upward range of a thousand dollars.
Preventing evaporator chamber damage is as simple as routine maintenance to ensure your bearings are in place and the auger system is aligning correctly to harvest ice.
Related: 5 Ways To Make Sure You Buy Good Restaurant Equipment
How To Avoid Expensive Ice Machine Repairs
Preventative Maintenance
We can’t overemphasize the importance of preventative maintenance for the longevity of your ice machine (and your business’s bottom line). Routine cleaning, inspection, and maintenance are your best defense against costly kitchen equipment repairs. Most people will agree that an occasional minor expense is preferable to a sudden unexpected repair that disrupts your business.
At Memphis Ice, we make preventative maintenance easy. When you enroll in our preventative maintenance program, you don’t have to keep track of cleaning. Choose the schedule that fits your business, and we’ll be there every time to keep your ice machine clean.