Manitowoc Ice Machine Water Filters

Which ArcticPure Plus filter do you need?

Pick the filter by the ice machine's rated daily output. That is how Manitowoc sizes the range, and it makes the choice simple.

All four assemblies are 4.13 inches wide and 4.48 inches deep. Specifications from each product page.

Quick matches with Manitowoc machines:

The filter must also handle the machine's peak water flow, not just its daily output. Check the machine's installation manual if you're unsure.

What ArcticPure Plus does

Each primary ArcticPure Plus filter (AR-10000-P, AR-20000-P, AR-40000-P) does four jobs, per Manitowoc's published specifications:

1. Removes fine particles. The 0.5-micron carbon block traps dirt and fine sediment that would otherwise lodge in water valves, distribution tubes and on the evaporator.
2. Reduces chlorine taste and odor. Manitowoc specifies an average 95% chlorine reduction, so ice doesn't carry a chlorine taste into drinks.
3. Inhibits scale. SLOW PHOS slowly soluble polyphosphate helps keep hardness minerals in solution, so they don't form scale on the evaporator and water circuit. Scale is the main reason ice machines lose output over time.
4. Antimicrobial media. The silver-impregnated carbon includes antimicrobial protection for the filter media itself.

The systems carry IAPMO R&T certification to NSF/ANSI 42, 53 and 372, CSA B483.1 and UPC/cUPC. They treat potable cold water. They don't make unsafe water drinkable, and they are not water softeners.

Why filtration matters for an ice machine

An ice machine freezes whatever is in the water. Minerals that stay dissolved in a glass of water are left behind on the evaporator every cycle. Over months, that scale:

• Slows harvest, because cubes stick to a scaled evaporator and take longer to release.
• Cuts output, sometimes by a large share, as each cycle takes longer.
• Raises energy use for the same amount of ice.
• Causes service calls, such as stuck water valves, clogged distribution tubes and failed sensors.
• Clouds the ice and affects taste.

Most manufacturers also expect proper water treatment as part of normal maintenance, so filtration helps protect your warranty as well as your machine. Our ice machine water filter guide explains water quality in more detail.

Do you need the AR-PRE-P pre-filter?

The AR-PRE-P is a 5-micron sediment filter that sits upstream of the primary filter. It catches sand, dirt and rust before they reach the carbon block, so the expensive primary cartridge lasts longer.

Add it if:

• Your water is visibly cloudy, sandy or rusty, or comes from a well.
• Your primary cartridges clog (pressure drops) well before six months.
• The building has old galvanized pipes.

Two notes from Manitowoc's specifications: the AR-PRE-P is rated at 1.5 GPM, so the whole installation must stay within that flow even if the primary filter is rated higher. It doesn't reduce chlorine or scale; those jobs belong to the primary filter.

Gallons vs months: when to change the cartridge

Each primary filter has a rated gallon capacity, but Manitowoc's six-month change interval still applies even if you haven't used all the gallons. Change the cartridge every six months, or sooner if water conditions restrict flow. Here's how long each filter's gallon rating lasts at different ice volumes, assuming roughly 20 gallons of water per 100 lb of ice (typical for cube machines; nugget and flake use less):

So for most smaller machines, the six-month rule is what triggers a change. For big machines, the gallon rating can run out first. Change at whichever comes first.

Installing an ArcticPure Plus filter

From the product pages and Manitowoc's installation notes:

1. Mount vertically, with the cartridge hanging downward.
2. Leave 2.5 inches below the cartridge so it can be removed.
3. Connect to the potable cold-water line feeding the ice machine. The filters use 3/8-inch Parker quick-connect fittings.
4. Check pressure: the operating range is 35-125 psi, with water temperatures of 35-100°F.
5. Flush a new cartridge for 10 minutes before normal use.
6. Use the pressure gauge as a service reference. A pressure drop across the filter means the cartridge is loading up.

If you add the AR-PRE-P, it goes first in the line, then the primary filter, then the ice machine. Don't filter condenser water on water-cooled machines; only the potable ice-making water.

What's in the box

Each assembly includes the filter head, shroud, mounting hardware, mounting assembly and one cartridge. The quick-change cartridge comes off without dismantling the mounting assembly. Replacement cartridge references for the AR-10000-P are listed on its product page.

Warranty

The AR-10000-P product page lists 3 years parts and labor on the filter head, shroud, hardware and mounting assembly for commercial use. Cartridges, O-rings and normal maintenance are excluded. Confirm current terms for each model on its product page.

Cost of filtration vs cost of scale

A filter system costs about $270-450, plus cartridges twice a year. Compare that with what scale does: a machine making 15-20% less ice, more frequent descaling service visits, and failed parts. On a 500 lb/day machine, losing 15% of output means about 75 lb of ice a day you're paying to make but not getting. For most operators, filtration pays for itself within the first year.

How hard is your water?

The U.S. Geological Survey classifies water hardness like this:

Many U.S. cities fall in the moderately hard to very hard range. Your water utility's annual water quality report usually lists hardness, or you can test it with inexpensive test strips. The harder the water, the more an ice machine depends on the scale inhibitor in its filter, and the sooner cartridges should be changed. In very hard water, SLOW PHOS slows scale but may not stop it entirely. Plan more frequent descaling, and ask a water treatment specialist about softening or other treatment for the whole supply.

Signs it's time to change the cartridge

Don't wait for the six-month date if you see any of these:

• Pressure drop: the gauge on the filter head shows lower pressure downstream than usual.
• Slower ice production or longer harvest cycles.
• Cloudy or soft cubes, or ice that tastes or smells of chlorine.
• More scale than usual at cleaning time.
• Water quality change: construction work, main breaks or a switch in your utility's treatment.

Changing an ArcticPure Plus cartridge, step by step

1. Turn off the ice machine and close the water supply to the filter.
2. Relieve pressure at the filter head.
3. Remove the old cartridge using the quick-change connection. Have a towel or small bucket ready.
4. Write the date on the new cartridge and install it.
5. Open the water supply and check for leaks.
6. Flush the new cartridge for 10 minutes before the machine uses the water.
7. Restart the ice machine and note the pressure on the gauge as your new baseline.

If you have the AR-PRE-P, change its sediment cartridge at the same time or whenever its gauge shows a pressure drop.

Filter maintenance calendar

Write the installation date on every cartridge. It is the easiest way to stay on schedule.

Common mistakes

1. Choosing by price, not size. An undersized filter restricts flow and starves the machine.
2. Stretching cartridges past six months. Scale protection fades as the polyphosphate is used up.
3. Skipping the flush. Carbon fines from a new cartridge can enter the machine.
4. No pre-filter on dirty water. Primary cartridges clog early.
5. Treating a filter as a softener. Very hard water may need additional treatment; ask a water specialist.

Related collections

• All ice machine water filters, including Scotsman, Hoshizaki and Ice-O-Matic
• Scotsman water filters, Hoshizaki water filters and Ice-O-Matic water filters
• Manitowoc ice machines, Manitowoc NEO and Manitowoc Indigo NXT
• Replacement cartridges
• Guides: commercial ice machine water filter guide and maintenance checklist