Your ice maker is going to need to be in top form to provide all your cubes for the Christmas rush. The ice experts at Hubbard, who distribute the Scotsman range of ice makers, offer a few tips:
- Most pubs will have ice makers with air-cooled condensers, which means they’ll have an air filter. This needs cleaning. If it gets clogged with dust it will make the ice maker less efficient, so you’ll get less ice. If it’s a quality ice maker this should be a simple, two minute job.
- Similarly, keep any grills clean and clear of obstructions. Your machine requires a constant airflow around it to ensure correct operation.
- Got a warning light on? If your machine has self-diagnostics and it’s telling you what’s wrong, and it’s something you can fix (e.g. the air filter needs cleaning), then sort it now. If it’s not something you can fix, don’t wait, get it seen to by your equipment service provider. If your ice maker isn’t being looked after by a service company, get one in sharpish.
- Make sure you empty, clean and sanitise the storage bin on a regular, weekly basis. If your machine is fitted with an anti-bacterial system, change the anti-bac bag every month.
- If the pump has a scaleguard, regular cleaning will help prevent scale building up within the water system.
- Having a maintenance schedule for the components that need regular cleaning will help keep your equipment in peak condition.
- Water filters generally need to be changed every six months (more often in some areas) to ensure maximum productivity. Make sure your filter has been changed within this timescale.
- Also check that the ice maker has been descaled and sterilised recently. Again this should be scheduled for every six months or more often in particularly hard water areas.
If you’re thinking of investing in a new ice maker for Christmas, go for a quality brand with decent after sales support. What you don’t want is an ice maker that breaks down and then can’t be fixed because there are no spare parts available. Also look for machines that are easy to clean and maintain on a day-to-day basis. Models with integral pumps, such as the Scotsman EC range, are the easiest to install because they are simpler when it comes to linking the waste outlet to the drains.
Lastly, if you’re getting a new ice maker check what sort of ice it makes – and make sure it’s the right type of ice for your site. If you want to find out more about different types of ice, download the free Guide to Ice from scotsman-ice.co.uk
For more information on the full range of Scotsman ice machines, and details of local stockists, freephone Hubbard Systems on 0800 616559, call 01473 350045email sales@hubbardsystems.co.ukmailto:sales@hubbardice.co.uk or visit www.scotsman-ice.co.uk