strange little freezer/ice maker...looking for ideas

[Zamial]

A friend gave me a http://www.milcarsky.com/product_information/15IM-BS-F-L.html Marvel Counter Top No Drain Ice Machine Black. Mine is older, used and not SS but is working.

I was hoping to rig this up as a yeast farm freezer, since I have all the rest of what I need to start a farm and was lacking freezer space. I am not wanting to taking this thing apart as it looks pretty complex.

Does anyone know anything about these units other than they are expensive and make ice? Is it possible to use this for a yeast bank and an ice machine in one?

 

[audger]

ice makers dont normally have any more space inside than the bin where the ice collects. there are not many details on that site, but from the icemakers ive seen, there probably isnt an easy way to use it to both store yeast and make ice, without modification. also the ice storage bin isnt directly refrigerated normally. the parts that make ice (usually in the top of the machine) are refrigerated and the cold from that keeps the ice bin just below freezing.

but isnt storing yeast frozen supposed to be done below something like -60F? i didnt think a regular freezer would work. i thought it was either in the refrigerator (~30's) or cryo (below -60 or so), andin between causes too much cell death, or drift, or something or other...?

 

[Zamial]

ice makers dont normally have any more space inside than the bin where the ice collects. there are not many details on that site, but from the icemakers ive seen, there probably isnt an easy way to use it to both store yeast and make ice, without modification. also the ice storage bin isnt directly refrigerated normally. the parts that make ice (usually in the top of the machine) are refrigerated and the cold from that keeps the ice bin just below freezing.

I am curious as to what would happen if I tried running it as a freezer and not extract any ice??? The device does have a small interior and I am missing the ice tray/bin. I guess the only thing to do is try it...

but isnt storing yeast frozen supposed to be done below something like -60F? i didnt think a regular freezer would work. i thought it was either in the refrigerator (~30's) or cryo (below -60 or so), andin between causes too much cell death, or drift, or something or other...?

I am planning a frozen yeast bank as described here: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f13/guide-making-frozen-yeast-bank-35891/ This allows for a standard freezer to be used in banking yeast. My immediate problem is space in my chest freezer and no room for another chest freezer... I do have a spot I can set the small unit up in my brewery.

 

[Zamial]

Well I finally got a chance to clean the unit up a little and plug it in. it is getting cold as we speak. It appears that this unit requires a water "line in" to be an ice maker. No water = No ice. Time to finish this project and start the frozen yeast ranch. As a note this unit is FREAKING quiet, the fans in my PC are louder!

I may put a temp controller on it but I really do not know why I would...I need it to be freezing temps and it is a freezer...lol.