Most large domestic refrigerators sold in the United States are equipped with an automatic ice maker or designed so one can be easily added. This investigation sought to develop a modified test procedure that would include the electricity consumed by automatic ice makers and other new features. Designs for automatic ice-making units in different domestic refrigerators are all very similar.
All residential units make cubes, which are then released through the application of heat.
The elapsed time of one ice-making cycle depends upon the temperature setting of the refrigerator, but most ice makers can produce at least 2000 g of ice per day. The automatic ice maker contains several heaters. Not only do they add to the cooling requirements, but they also require more energy than manual ice-production methods. The largest energy consumer is the mold heater, which typically draws 185 watts. Under typical conditions, the additional load will be less.