Position the machine at least 6 inches from the wall. The lid should rest on the wall when open. The back of the machine must have room for air circulation or it will take longer for the ice to freeze.
Plug the machine in to a nearby outlet. Make sure that the voltage is compatible with your machine. If the machine does not start cooling immediately, unplug and call the company's technician for support.
Line the chamber with a plastic liner. Puncture the plastic on the vertical bolts on each side of the chamber. Slide the lifting plates carefully over the plastic and edge of the well on the front and back. If you tear or otherwise puncture the plastic on the inside of the chamber, discard the plastic liner and get a new one.
Fill the lined chamber with water up to 3 inches below the edge of the chamber. A hose is easiest, as the chamber holds about 40 gallons.
Place the pump bracket over the front of the machine. Bend the bracket at a 45-degree angle, until the white bottom of the pump is submerged. Plug in the pump. If it does not start pumping immediately, move it up and down to release trapped air.
Watch the bottom of the chamber until a thin layer of ice begins to form. It may look like white lines. If you don't see it, you will be able to feel it forming. This is called "seeding" and it lets you know that the machine is working properly. If seeding does not occur within a few minutes, unplug the pump until seeding occurs and then plug it back in.
Close the lid with the provided handle and wait for three days. Check the depth of the ice with the provided gauge; it is ready for harvest when the ice touches the bottom of the "T."
Unplug the pump and move it out of the way. Use the wet/dry vacuum to suck up the excess water. Make sure to remove all of the water, because contact with the water could cause the block to crack.
Hook the lifters on to the lifting bar. Hook the lifting bar onto the lifting plates that are now frozen into the block. Using a cherry picker or overhead hoist, lift the block slightly. Push the flexible sides gently to release the block.
Lay the hand cart horizontally on the floor. Place the cardboard box on the handcart with the top open so you can place the block into the box for storage.
Peel the plastic liner from the block.
Slowly lower the block into the box. Do not allow the block to touch metal or a warm surface, because it will crack. Store the block in the freezer until you are ready to use it.