Need advice on designing an ice merchandiser for bagged ice storage

Hi, does anyone have experience with outside air defrost ice merchandisers(retail sales of bagged ice at gas stations and convenience stores) The unit uses an evaporator rather than cold wall. I have a customer that would like me to put together a system which can be used outside in low ambient conditions (Canada). Of course they would like it to be as economical (cheap) as possible. I have the condensing unit and evaporator which was specked by the manufacturer. Can you tell me the specific controls that are used for these units eg: head pressure control, crankcase heater, t'stat, defrost, etc. and where to get them.

Where are you in Canada. If its aToronto area, you should go to Eastern Refrigeration or United refrigeration.
If you already have the condensing unit ( I hope it is outdoor unit ), all the controls you named must be preinstalled.

The problem using an evap rather than cold wall, is air circulaion in the cabinet, you will have to open stack bags with shelving and air ducts for air circulation. Alot of wasted space, less ice stored and spoiled product.
In the past I have had to convert dozens to cold wall.

Krgari, Thanks for the advice. We are going to install the t'stat and cch. However we are trying to get him to see the light on having the unit come with head pressure control.Magoo, since I do not have great experience on this you bring up some important issues. How do you convert to a cold wall application from an evap. Can it be done with an existing box? and can it be done on site. I could use as much info as possible.

Hi Fast folder,
cold wall as bare pipes saddled to walls and ceiling, lately I have been using top hat section aluminium lengths to hold pipes to walls and ceiling etc. Serpentine fashion, make up coils to suit box interior wall dimension, fix in place and weld each coil to the next, remove evaporator/ blower of course, takes about a day to do each converstion. To convert a box on a site would recommend making up serpentine pipe sections on a sheets of galv and then fit on site.
The average box I convert here is 2200mm long x 2000mm high x 1000mm deep and use 22 metres of 1/2" tubing and a 5/8 HP medium to low temp condensing unit R404a with HP/LP control, operate box temp at -10'C> -7.0 'C., no thermostats just LP control. No condenser fan control here as we don't get cold ambients.