How to Fix Common Ice Bridge Problems

Ice bridge problems can be vexing to any commercial foodservice establishment, not least because it's hard to pinpoint what exactly is going wrong. If your ice machine produces ice that doesn't hold its shape, or ice that doesn't break apart into usable cubes, your ice bridge may need adjusting. The ice bridge is the bit of ice that connects each individual cube on the evaporator plate. It also indicates when the ice sheet needs to be harvested on many brands of machine. If the ice bridge gets too thick, the ice won't break apart into usable cubes when it's harvested, but if it's too thin, the ice may get harvested before it's ready, leading to shattered bits of ice instead of fully formed cubes. Here, we'll go over several common ice maladies that can be traced back to an improper ice bridge, as well as which direction you'll need to adjust your machine to fix them.

Adjusting Your Ice Bridge

Each manufacturer has a different method of adjusting the ice bridge, which we've cataloged in our Adjusting Ice Bridge by Manufacturer article. Some manufacturers, including Manitowoc and Scotsman, have a sensor that is tripped when the ice bridge is a certain thickness, while others, including Hoshizaki, Ice-O-Matic, and Koolaire, harvest after a certain amount of water has been spent onto the evaporator plate. Both styles of harvest detection can produce quality ice, but the former is a more direct measurement of ice bridge thickness while the latter equates to a timer, which means your bridge may be a different thickness depending on water purity, external temperature, and the cleanliness of your machine. Both styles enable you to adjust the length of time your machine waits before harvesting the ice, which is the important part for fixing ice bridge issues.

Ice Not Breaking Up?

If you find lots of bricks of unbroken ice cubes in the bottom of your ice machine, the problem might be that your ice bridge setting is too thick. If too much water freezes before your harvest cycle begins, the sheet can be so thick that it doesn't break when it falls into the bin. Solve this problem by having your ice machine harvest earlier in the cycle, when the ice bridge is thinner. Then, hopefully, your ice will break apart into usable pieces when it falls into the collection area. For Manitowoc and Scotsman machines, you'll need to access the evaporator plate and then turn the appropriate screw to move the harvest sensor closer to the evaporator plate – do this in small increments and let your machine run a few cycles before deciding whether or not you need to change it further. For Hoshizaki, Ice-O-Matic, and Koolaire, you'll need to tell them to harvest quicker by raising either the float switch or water level adjustment arm.

For every adjustment, let the machine run two or three cycles before adjusting the machine again. Give every ice bridge fix a few runs to take full effect.

Ice Cubes Shattering?

Shattered ice is another common ice bridge problem that can result from the bridge being too thin and the machine harvesting before the ice has frozen sufficiently. If your ice isn't freezing sufficiently, it could be the result of harvesting too quickly, or it could have a different cause, such as insufficient temperature, impure water, or another problem. However, changing the ice bridge is relatively easy and is a good first step in trying to solve your problem. To thicken the ice bridge, you need to do the inverse task as above – for Koolaire, Ice-O-Matic, and Hoshizaki, you'll need to adjust the water lever sensor lower, so your machine goes through more water before it begins to harvest the ice. For Manitowoc and Scotsman, you'll need to adjust the ice bridge sensor outwards, away from the evaporator plate. This will cause your ice machine to wait longer before harvesting the ice, leading to thicker, harder ice.

Adjust your bridge gradually to avoid overcorrecting and ending up with unusable ice.

Will fixing ice bridge issues myself void my warranty?

Most manufacturers of any restaurant equipment don't want an inexperienced operator messing around inside the machine, and as such, they may not cover any issues that occur after you fiddle with the ice machine bridge. You'll have to consult the individual warranty you received with your purchase to ensure you don't void any portions of your coverage. Of course, you can always consult a licensed service provider to ensure everything is done correctly.

How can I adjust my ice bridge thickness?

We have covered this topic in depth in our adjusting your ice bridge by manufacturer article. If your ice machine isn't covered in that article, you'll need to consult the service manual for your individual machine.