Chiller Quick-Start Guide

Thank you for choosing Icebound Essentials! This quick start guide will help you set up your new cold plunge chiller and start your cold therapy journey.

⚠️ Important: Do not plug in the chiller before completing assembly and adding water to the tub as outlined in the following steps.

🥶 Note: The Icebound Pro Chiller should not be used in freezing temperatures. Frost formation on the heat exchanger can occur in such conditions, potentially leading to damage.

⚠️ Note: Ensure at least 39 inches of clear space behind the fan unit to prevent excessive back pressure. This helps protect the chiller and maintain optimal efficiency.

Your new cold plunge chiller requires proper setup before powering on. This protects both you and your equipment. We'll walk you through installing the key components and filling your tub first.

The chiller technical manual is not required for setup, but it does contains important information about the setup and operation of your unit. You can download a copy by clicking the button below.

Download Chiller Technical Manual

Now let's get started!

Install the Main Filter Assembly

  • Check to make sure that the filter house O-ring is installed (see image)
  • Place a filter inside the clear filter housing
  • Fill housing 1/2 to 3/4 with water
  • Hand-tighten housing onto the filter base - note: the filter wrench should only be needed for disassembly

Install the Strainer

Chiller Inlet & Outlet Ports

  • Wrap PTFE tape around the threads of each port
  • Verify O-ring is installed around the inlet port

Strainer Base

  • Separate clear strainer housing and strainer from black base
  • Screw base onto inlet port until almost hand tight

Final Assembly

  • Attach clear strainer container
  • Hand-tighten entire assembly

Prepare Water Hoses & Fittings

Thread Preparation: Always apply PTFE tape to the male threads of all fittings or valves before installation in your tub's ports. This prevents potential galling (metal-to-metal seizing) and minimizes the risk
of cross-threading.

Fitting Installation: Install your fittings or valves into the tub's water inlet and outlet ports. Hand tighten only. Do not overtighten, as this can damage the fittings and the tub. If you fill your tub and observe a small leak at the fitting threads, use a wrench to hand tighten the fitting.

  • If your tub has a third port and it's not being used for a chiller connection, it is recommended to plug it using the included repair kit.

Check O-rings: Install either inside both ends of each hose OR around the male threads of each fitting

Connect Water Hoses

  1. Connect the first hose:
    - Connect chiller's WATER INLET to tub's lower water port
    - Important: Using the tub's lower port is strongly recommended as it reduces pump back pressure (a 100-gallon tub creates over 800 pounds of water pressure)
  2. Connect the second hose:
    - Connect chiller's WATER OUTLET to tub's upper water port
  3. Fill the tub:
    - Add water until the level is above both of the tub's water ports.

Plug in Chiller

  • Connect to 120V/15A outlet (standard USA)
  • Important: Use dedicated circuit - no power strips

Test GFCI Protection

  • Press test button on plug: Light will go out as the circuit trips
  • Press reset button: Light will come back on

Power On

  • Unlock the LED control panel by holding the unlock button
  • Set the desired temperature on the control panel
  • Turn the system on by holding the power button

Purge Air from Filter Housing

  • Immediately after powering on, hold the red button on top of main filter housing until it fills with water
  • After approximately 45 seconds, the fan will start

Switching between Celsius and Fahrenheit

- Unlock the control screen

- Press and hold the mode key (on the left with three parallel lines) and ( + ) key for 6 seconds to access factory settings

- Use the ( + ) key to scroll to parameter P08 (temperature unit setting)

- Press unlock to edit

- Under P08, you will see a 0 or 1. Use the ( + ) key to select:

  • 0 = Celsius
  • 1 = Fahrenheit

- Press unlock to save

-Exit by either:

  • Holding the mode key and ( + ) keys together for 6 seconds
  • Waiting 30 seconds for auto-return

Temperature Set Point Tolerance

Your chiller uses a temperature differential (tolerance) to
prevent continuous fan operation and excessive cycling. The factory default
setting is 2°C (3.6°F), controlled by menu code F01.

For example: If you set your target temperature to 37°F with
the default 3.6°F differential, the chiller will cool the water to 37°F and
then shut off its fan and compressor (the pump continues running). The water
temperature will gradually rise, and when it reaches 40.6°F (target +
differential), the cooling system reactivates.

Important: This tolerance applies at startup too. If
your target is 37°F with the default 3.6°F differential and your current water
temperature is 39°F, the cooling system won't activate immediately. It will
wait until the water reaches 40.6°F before starting the cooling cycle.

For tighter temperature control, you can adjust F01 to as
low as 0.2°C (0.4°F). With a 1°F differential setting, the water temperature
would stay between 37°F and 38°F.

For detailed instructions on adjusting these settings,
please refer to sections 2.5 and 3 of the technical manual.

Connecting to Wifi

Start by downloading either the Tuya Smart of Hulian Smart app (compatible with iOS and Android)

Tuya Smart

Hulian Smart

Connect to Wi-Fi

  • The chiller control unit is set up for 2.4GHz Wi-Fi networks because they provide better range and reliability than 5Ghz.
  • Connect phone to a 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi network.
  • If you have Google Fiber, see this article for setting up a 2.4GHz network.

Wi-Fi Reset

Check if needed: Wi-Fi icon should be flashing.

If not flashing:

  • Unlock control panel
  • Press and hold the left and bottom buttons on the control dial.
  • Hold until beep (~6 seconds)
  • Release buttons
  • Press and hold the same buttons again
  • Hold until Wi-Fi icon begins flashing

Add Chiller to Smart App

  • Turn on phone's Bluetooth and enable location access
  • Add the chiller to your Smart App by pressing the "+" button or clicking "Add Device"

FAQs

The cooling time depends on several factors: initial water temperature, ambient temperature and humidity, and the amount of water in your tub.

  • With a 100-gallon fill and room temperature water (around 70°F), you can expect:
  • Initial cooldown to plunge temperature (37°F) in approximately 2.5-3 hours
  • Once cold, the system maintains your desired temperature efficiently
  • Our commercial-grade 1HP chiller delivers consistent, powerful cooling performance that makes your plunge ready when you need it.

Yes! The chiller is designed and certified for outdoor use as long as ambient temperatures are above freezing.

The chiller carries IPX4 water resistance certification and ETL safety certification, ensuring reliable performance in various weather conditions. You can confidently setup your chiller indoors or outdoors, knowing it meets rigorous safety and durability standards.

Our chiller’s dual sanitation system keeps your plunge water
crystal clear and hygienic.

The system features:

  • A strainer for larger debris plus a 5-micron filtration (finer than many competitors' 20-micron filters) to remove particles, skin cells, and debris
  • Built-in ozone generator for chemical-free sanitization
  • Continuous water circulation for consistent cleanliness

For optimal performance:

  • Clean the filter monthly by rinsing with water (a garden hose with a jet stream nozzle works great)
  • Swap out filter for new or clean, used filter
  • Change water approximately every 3-4 weeks
  • Keep the tub covered when not in use
  • Clean the tub's inner surface during water changes

These alarms are safety features to protect your pump - there's no need for concern. The E11 alarm indicates low water flow, typically caused by air in the line or insufficient water flow to the pump. While E12 is temperature-related, it's often triggered by low flow conditions as well.

Check these items if you encounter either alarm:

Strainer Position and Fill

  • Must be 100% full of water
  • Install at approximately 90° angle with clear housing at bottom
  • Incorrect orientation can trigger low flow detection

Filter Housing

  • Should be completely full of water (some bubbles during operation are normal)
  • If not full, press and hold the red vent button on top until water flows from the vent

Hose Connections

  • Connect the chiller water inlet hose to your tub's lower water port
  • Verify all connections are secure

Water Level

  • Maintain water level above the port that connects to the chiller water inlet

We've got your back, and your plunge! If you encounter any issues, our dedicated in-house team will spring into action faster than you can say 'brain freeze.' We'll do whatever it takes to get you back to your icy zen.