General Discussion If it's Baja Related but Don't Know Where? Post it Here...

Old 09-04-09, 08:04 PM   #1
cancunTom
 
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Default Automatic Purified Water Ice Maker System

CancunTom, has just published an article on how to free yourself from the task of lugging home those half melted, heavy bags of ice, you use to chill out your drinks.

cancunTom a retired ex-pat How To: Automatic purified water for your ice maker
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Old 09-05-09, 08:17 AM   #2
Marty Cortez
 
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Thumbs up Re: Automatic Purified Water Ice Maker System

Nice job, Tom!

I'm not sure you even need that water dispenser setup, though. You could just drop the intake hose into the 5-gallon bottle and the pump will do the rest.

If there are no leaks you shouldn't need to maintain positive pressure in that line.
Old 09-05-09, 08:31 AM   #3
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Default Re: Automatic Purified Water Ice Maker System

Or you could just install activated carbon and .45 micron filters inline on your house water system to the dispenser. Unless you have brine water for tap this should work fine. But I must admit I do admire your ingenuity...
Old 09-05-09, 09:37 AM   #4
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Default Re: Automatic Purified Water Ice Maker System

I originally had it set up to just draw out of an upright bottle. Two problems occurred that caused me change it to the dispenser method.

1: A large bottle would provide water for the ice maker for about 3-4 weeks. We found that after a 2 1/2 weeks the water would start getting funky. Even though I had a cap on the bottle and a hole in it just big enough for the pickup tube, it wasn't air tight. The dispenser on the other hand having the bottle inverted in it prevents the air entering which spoils the water. (Can't have funky ice in Baja Gingo's Cadillac Margarita's you know...............LOL)

2: When I needed to change the bottle withdrawing the pickup tube would allow the water in it to drain out. Then when restarting the pump it wouldn't always prime. So if we weren't home and prime wasn't achieved the pump would run dry pumping air and get very hot, which I see as a possible fire hazard and of course would ruin the pump. So by inverting the bottle the pump pickup has the head pressure pushing the water up the pickup tube to the pump. Problem solved. If the pump would be placed on the floor next to the dispenser then the pump inlet would be flooded all the time, which would be the best situation. I choose to put it on the shelf because it was close to the outlet I plugged it into. It's easy to change bottles, just remove the empty and tip the new one into the dispenser.
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Old 09-05-09, 10:31 AM   #5
Marty Cortez
 
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Default Re: Automatic Purified Water Ice Maker System

Ah, so; thanx for explaining that. Save somebody from finding out why not on their own.

I wasn't aware that you could get RV/pressure switch pumps like that in 110VAC. I have a few 12VDC ones and wondered about that too until I looked closely at the pump label.
Old 09-05-09, 11:02 AM   #6
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Default Re: Automatic Purified Water Ice Maker System

Marty,& Baja Gringo,

Thanks so much for your interest in this thread.

BG, I couldn't get a satisfactory filtration system here in Cancun which is why I went with this idea. But that would certainly have worked.

I've received a lot of very good suggestions and questions on this one and the homemade solar heating system for our pool. Two or more heads are always better than one!
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Old 09-06-09, 11:27 PM   #7
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Smile Re: Automatic Purified Water Ice Maker System

Nice setup. I am thinking about having a larger amount off drinking water in a tank for the house with small faucet in kitchen and bath. To keep the water purified I am thinking of using a ozone generator as used in a hottub. This gives me the ability to possible replenishing it using a reverse osmosis water filter from my normal wash water and getting rid of having to move those 5 gal bottles.
Old 09-07-09, 05:06 AM   #8
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Default Re: Automatic Purified Water Ice Maker System

What an ingenious idea! We have a neighbor that made a similar setup to have drinking water pumped from a bottle to a spigot on near the kitchen sink. I thought that was smart, but you take the ingenuity prize!


We wound up getting this purifier: WaterFixer Water Filters And Purifiers Model 500

I haven't installed it yet, so I can't say how it works for sure, but my neighbor just installed his and he's very happy with it.
Old 09-07-09, 08:39 PM   #9
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Default Re: Automatic Purified Water Ice Maker System

You may want to check out this system for a whole house water purification......a bit pricy, but it works great, and it is available in either 12vDC or 120vAC

WaterFixer Water Filters And Purifiers Model 500






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