Eskimo EI600 Ice Chipper Repair

When I bought my 40 Cabo FB 3.5 years ago it came with an Eskimo chipper that was factory installed outboard of Port engine. Given our cold climate I would only use the chipper about 3 months a year. Each spring it would take me a little maintenance involving some Scotsman descaler in the water supply container to get it running again. Unit was loud but it made ice so I was happy. On a fishing trip over labor day last fall the chipper just quit. Thankfully I was on my way home at the time. I could here it attempt to start but it would never get going and eventually trip the high or low pressure switch. I turned the water supply off to it and put it to bed. Over this past winter I had other projects and wasn't sure what I was going to do with the chipper. Our local guy said he physically couldn't get outboard of my engine even though he had never seen it so I took that as he wasn't interested. Most others owners with Eskimo issues seem to just pull the entire unit in the frame and send them to Tropical in FL or a guy in NC. I couldn't do that so I just attended to other projects. I would have physically had to cut the frame and take the unit apart to remove from its location.

After getting my other projects done I circled back to the chipper now several months later.
After a few conversations on the phone with Jesus,the rep for Dometic, He realized I was kind of on my own on this being on a island so to speak in Seattle so he began emailing me some needed parts diagrams and educating me on the history of these units. I also talked several times to the owner of Tropical marine in FL and our consensus was that maybe the capacitor on the motor was bad or I had stripped the coupler between the gear box and auger which is why it was so noisy. As I began trouble shooting I found that the motor was stopping and that was not a good problem to have both pro's told me. So I looked at the manuals and since I couldn't remove the entire frame I removed the motor and gear reducer from the frame in place on the boat. Not an easy task but it was doable. I then took the motor to a local shop that specializes in these types of electric motors and they told me within 15 seconds that the motor was bad. The motor shop and the owner of Martins marine both said any fix would be $500 plus and they are not sure parts would even be available.. So I called around and both Tropical and the NC chipper whisperer (Martins Marine) told me the motors were for all intensive purposes obsolete. This is why both shops trade old units for repaired units as they need parts to piece together working units. Being I couldn't remove my entire unit in frame that wasn't an option for me. Jesus gave me some tips on searching under Scotsman Ice Maker parts using my GE motor model number. I could find it online and I would pay for it to only have that reseller send me an email that they were out of stock at this time. Super frustrating. Jesus told me to try United Refrigeration directly and told my local guy that I had an HVAC guy who would buy from them but I gave him all the specifics and explained how hard it has been to find this motor. I asked if he had a rep for Scotsman and if he could make a call. He did and a few days later I got a call from my HVAC friend that there were 2 left of old stock at some Scotsman warehouse. A week later I picked up a new motor in a factory sealed box for $900. A little dusty and the look of 20 year old cardboard but inside was a new motor which was pretty cool. Painted it up and changed the oil in the gear reducer. With electric motor and gear reducer back together I crossed my fingers and did a bench test.
I then took the motor and gear reducer back to the boat for install. I hook everything up and go to turn the unit back on. Nothing. Start looking around and after a few min of looking at what could be the issue I remember there is a pressure switch on the incoming water supply. Pull rubber boot and a spade had broke off during all the work. I put a volt meter on it and talk through with my dad what it does and how to circumvent and what risks would be. I am not a mechanical person. Thankfully he is. Jumper the wires and try again. Chipper starts up but the sound seems of. Wait for the grinding noise and nothing just the hum of compressor and I can feel the motor running as well. I am getting frustrated and looking all over for why the auger is not making the loud moan it always had. After several minutes while I am laying over the chipper monitoring and checking everything my dad opens the fish box. **** thing is making ice. Crawl out and just watch it dump ice for over an hour. Apparently the loud ass noise was the electric motor going out and this chippers are not only amazing at making ice out of fresh water but they are also **** quiet. My old man thinks the lower bearing in the electric motor was on its way out and that was what was making the louad moaning sound. Unit was probably on it's way out when I bought the boat and it was missed in survey.
Called Tecmark who makes the water pressure switch and of course the adjustable 10 to 100 switch I had is no longer made. Spoke with their engineer and he checked recent Dometic orders and have been buying a 2 to 22 switch that can handle up to 75 psi. Went on line and found a hot tub place that had in stock as Tecmark won't sell direct. Installed new switch and did more testing. All dialed.

I would really like to thank Tropical Marine for the text message help and few quick phone calls. They really know these units and were very helpful. I also wouldn't have had any chance at getting my Eskimo fixed without Jesus from Dometic. Had he not been willing to educate me on these chippers and pointing me in the right direction. From what all parties have said these older units are worth repairing and are quality units. I am really happy I was able to get mine back online.

DOCKMASTER- Good point on the valve to adjust incoming water temp as the cold water can cause performance issues. That was something on the troubleshooting list early on. May be a a future add on as my off seasonwater temps are in that 50 to 52 range when I may want to run the unit a few times to keep things in good shape. Summer time when I need output I am typically in 58 to 64 degree water.

Have not taken the boat that far North. Did a circumnavigation of Vancouver Island in summer 2018 and fished the entire West side on our way down. I have quite a few years left before retirement so while salmon fishing SE Alaska is something I would like to do it is quite a bit further North and that much time away is a challenge.

Distance of hose is probably 6 or 7 feet from Eskimo to fish box.

Thank you. Looking forward to being able to use the boat a bit hopefully this summer as things open up.

Gotta love getting a new-used boat dialed in. Does your pump have water flowing overboard and working properly?

I am not very mechanical but sounds like you may have an issue with the gear box itself and not the motor. They can be rebuilt if that is in fact your issue.