BajaNomad - Ice cubes ??make your own ????

Ice cubes ??make your own ????

cj5orion - 3-6-2010 at 08:54 AM

Hey all
I'm lookin into ways to make my own ice,in Baja.
Jus for myself,not anything commercial.
Got the solar power and even a fridge/freezer.
But no icemaker !
Should I jus get a aftermarket icemaker for my existing freezer ? or would i be better to get a separate freezer,jus for ice ???
What have you guys done ? Happy with it ? Improvements ?
Wish ya woulda done it "this way"'s ?

BajaWarrior - 3-6-2010 at 09:30 AM

We have an LG 3.5 amp Fridge/Freezer that is a bottom freezer model. It has the ice maker but it is too slow. We just purchased 12 matching ice cube trays and fill them from our water crock. It's a lot cheaper than starting all over again with new equipment... After a couple of refills we have quite a bit of ice.

Elena La Loca - 3-6-2010 at 09:55 AM

Mr. Freeze Portable Auto Ice Maker

Product Features
-Portable machine makes a tray of ice in just 10 minutes and up to 35 lbs. in a day
-Features 3 cube-size settings, touch-pad controls and a 1-gal. water reservoir
-Includes ice tray and scoop
-UL listed
-17-1/2Hx15Wx17-1/2L"
-- Power Consumption: 200 Watts, 115V/60hz

We bought our MrFreeze a couple years ago ($159.99 at Costco...where ELSE?!?!?) and have had no regrets. We can make ice while we're still underway :bounce:

and we've got cubes ready wherever & whenever we land. :yes:

www.maxi-matic.com shows re-conditioned units for around $100

Ice maker???

Dave - 3-6-2010 at 10:12 AM

Why don't you just buy ice?

It's not that hard to find. :rolleyes:

David K - 3-6-2010 at 10:16 AM

There are some places in Baja that are far from cities and stores with ice we like to stay at... making ice is nice, but one must make electricity first!

How big a solar panel to give 200 watts in the outback of Baja?

vandenberg - 3-6-2010 at 10:18 AM

This one ?

http://www.provantage.com/haier-america-hpim33s~7HAER05A.htm

Far from?

Dave - 3-6-2010 at 10:21 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by David K
There are some places in Baja that are far from cities and stores with ice we like to stay at...

What...like weeks away...uphill...both ways?

There's not a place in Baja that's more than a day away from a store that sells ice.

Buy an ice chest. :rolleyes:

DENNIS - 3-6-2010 at 10:24 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Dave

Buy an ice chest. :rolleyes:

Not just any ol' ice chest...THIS ice chest:

http://www.triggerandreel.com/Engel_50_p/engel50.htm

David K - 3-6-2010 at 10:26 AM

If you have a camp set up at say Bahia Guadalupe, it would be nice to have ice (if you run out) without breaking down camp and four wheeling out and then driving the 40 miles to L.A. Bay for more.

There are even more remote places...

Of course, I have gotten by without an ice maker for over 40 years of Baja camping... I bring two ice chests for longer trips... I was just asking a 'what-if' question.

monoloco - 3-6-2010 at 10:35 AM

Check out the Engel refrigerator/ freezers. They can be used as a refrigerator or a freezer, will freeze down below 0, and only draw 2.5 amps @ 12 volts. I have one and run it with 165 watts of panels and one costco deep cycle marine battery. It works flawlessly. I am guessing that you could get by with a 75 watt panel with no problems.

All the comforts....

Dave - 3-6-2010 at 10:41 AM

Tell you what...

Give me the money you'd spend on that fancy ice maker and I'll show you how to properly pack an off-the-shelf ice chest.

I swear, you people think a trip to Baja is like going to Timbuktu. :rolleyes:

P.S. Don't forget the PZRu14 mega-super generator. Then you can use your electric toothbrush.

BajaWarrior - 3-6-2010 at 10:49 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Dave

Quote:

Originally posted by David K
There are some places in Baja that are far from cities and stores with ice we like to stay at...

What...like weeks away...uphill...both ways?

There's not a place in Baja that's more than a day away from a store that sells ice.

Buy an ice chest. :rolleyes:

He is in Gonzaga Bay. So ya, uphill both ways...

Pescador - 3-6-2010 at 12:33 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by BajaWarrior

Quote:

Originally posted by Dave

Quote:

Originally posted by David K
There are some places in Baja that are far from cities and stores with ice we like to stay at...

What...like weeks away...uphill...both ways?

There's not a place in Baja that's more than a day away from a store that sells ice.

Buy an ice chest. :rolleyes:

He is in Gonzaga Bay. So ya, uphill both ways...

Is Gonzaga Bay officially a part of Baja, I didn't think Baja started till at least south of Guerrero Negro.

Edguero - 3-6-2010 at 12:37 PM

Go to the mega-mart buy ice cube trays (remember those) fill them with water and put them in the freezer before you go to bed and when you wake up in the morning you should have ice, this has worked for me for years in my old servel even in the hot summers of Gonzaga.........it's not rocket science!

Bajahowodd - 3-6-2010 at 01:05 PM

Tecate ain't bad at room temp. :biggrin:

Natalie Ann - 3-6-2010 at 01:11 PM

If he's at Gonzaga Bay, he's in heaven. No need for ice.

nena

bajalera - 3-6-2010 at 02:42 PM

When there wasn't any ice between El Rosario and San Ignacio, we used to put pieces of sand-worn glass found on a beach in our drinks and pretend the tinkling was being made by ice.

You ice-addicted guys are sissies.

[Edited on 3-6-2010 by bajalera]

Bob and Susan - 3-6-2010 at 04:00 PM

we make our own ice with this
it cost between $100-$150 USA

the ice it makes is great for drinks
a tray in 15 minutes

it takes 180 watts and in the summer we make bags for later

we also freeze block ice...that lasts longer
the block is broken up with a hammer and bagged for later :light:

BajaWarrior - 3-6-2010 at 05:57 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by bajalera
When there wasn't any ice between El Rosario and San Ignacio, we used to put pieces of sand-worn glass found on a beach in our drinks and pretend the tinkling was being made by ice.

You ice-addicted guys are sissies.

[Edited on 3-6-2010 by bajalera]

That would be alcohol abuse without the proper amount of ice in a c-cktail!

Bajaboy - 3-6-2010 at 06:05 PM

We use ice cube trays in our freezer. I empty them into a gallon-sized Ziploc and refill the trays. We always have plenty.

Bob H - 3-7-2010 at 08:01 AM

You can find ice, except if your are in Europe - No ice to be found there.
Bob H

Doug/Vamonos - 3-8-2010 at 10:11 AM

I bring down a large cooler full of ice and then bag it and transfer it to my freezer that runs off my solar. It lasts until used up. The ice is a freebie as I have a commercial icemaker at my office. All I need is room in my truck for the cooler and a strong back. Getting ice used to be a major event in the old days. Now I'm spoiled.

BajaRat - 3-8-2010 at 04:07 PM

Viva Engel for the remote camp location.

Mexitron - 3-8-2010 at 04:16 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Dave
Tell you what...

Give me the money you'd spend on that fancy ice maker and I'll show you how to properly pack an off-the-shelf ice chest.

I swear, you people think a trip to Baja is like going to Timbuktu. :rolleyes:

P.S. Don't forget the PZRu14 mega-super generator. Then you can use your electric toothbrush.

The ice chest scenario works for relatively short trips but there's an exponentially heavier load problem for trips longer than say 7-9 days. In the longer trips you need to bring a separate ice chest full of ice just to refill the other(s). If you're camped at a remote spot it can be a pain to drive 4 or five hours in and the same back out just to get ice. Also, you need to worry about gas consumption if the place that has ice doesn't have gas too. Seems like an icemaker would save space too. Not that we're saavy enough to get one---we still carry half of our payload in beer and ice... :yes:

805gregg - 3-8-2010 at 09:02 PM

I have an Engle and love it, the good thing about Engle is the aftermarket products available. You can get an after market add on to have a freezer on the bottom and a refer on top. But check out the new kids at Edge Star about 1/2 the price of Engle.

[Edited on 3-9-2010 by 805gregg]

Stiktime - 3-9-2010 at 03:57 PM

To make ice cubes quickly & efficiently throw the plastic trays away and go to WallyWorld or and get some non stick mini cup cake pans. They stack nicely, are cheap and will make cubes 5 times faster than plastic. We also offer a remake of the original old Servel aluminum trays with dividers and break out handle. See on our web warehouseappliance.com