Blue Air DH-S2 Dual Water Filtration System for Ice Machines, Twin 0.5 Micron Cartridges
Blue Air DH-S2 — Dual-Cartridge Water Filtration System for High-Output Ice Machines
Where a single filter runs out of headroom, the Blue Air Commercial Refrigeration DH-S2 puts two cartridges on one manifold so a high-production ice machine gets treated water without choking the fill line. Blue Air recommends it for ice machines rated 650 to 1,400 lbs per day — the BLMI-650A and BLMI-900A class of modular heads — and each cartridge carries a 21,000 gallon rating at 0.5 micron with scale plus chlorine taste and odor reduction. The assembly plumbs in through 3/8" inlet and outlet fittings, includes a water pressure gauge on the head, and is NSF certified.
Key Features of the DH-S2
Everything that separates the DH-S2 from a single-cartridge filter comes down to one idea: a bigger ice machine pulls more water, more often, and needs filtration that does not become the restriction in the line.
Two Cartridges on a Single Manifold
The DH-S2 is a dual filtration system — two cartridges hang from one shared head rather than a lone canister doing all the work. Splitting the duty across a pair of 21,000 gallon, 0.5 micron cartridges is what lets Blue Air rate the assembly for machines several times the size a single system handles, and it means the media loads up more slowly at the same daily ice output. The whole unit stands 19 1/8" tall and weighs about 14 lbs in service.
Matched to 650 - 1,400 lb Ice Machines
Blue Air's sizing chart steps ice machines into production tiers, and the DH-S2 covers the band above the single-cartridge systems: machines rated from 650 lbs per day up to 1,400 lbs, including the BLMI-650A and BLMI-900A modular units. Specify by the machine's published 24-hour production figure, not by cabinet width — an undersized filter on a big head shows up as slow fill and short cycles long before anyone suspects the water.
Scale Control and Chlorine Taste & Odor Reduction
Both cartridges are chemical-and-mechanical media: they hold back scale-forming hardness that would otherwise plate onto the evaporator and stretch every harvest cycle, and they cut chlorine taste and odor by up to 97%. At 650 lbs a day and up, a machine is turning over thousands of gallons a month, so untreated municipal water compounds fast — this is the point in the system where that gets stopped.
Pressure Gauge Built Into the Head
The 3/8" inlet and outlet connections come with a water pressure gauge fitted to the head, which turns cartridge life into something you can read instead of something you estimate. Feed pressure must sit between 30 and 100 PSI at 35°F to 100°F for the cartridges to hit their ratings; a falling needle downstream is the signal to schedule a change before ice production starts sliding.
Greater Than 99% Particle Reduction at 0.5 Micron
Each cartridge is rated to remove more than 99% of particles down to 0.5 micron — the silt, rust and pipe scale that cloud cubes, jam float valves and wear out circulation pumps. Service flow runs 0.1 to 2.0 GPM, matched to the intermittent, high-volume fill demand of a modular ice head rather than a continuous tap. New cartridges need a 5 minute flush, or until the water runs clear, before the machine is put back on line.
NSF Certified for Potable Water Service
The DH-S2 is NSF certified, which is the listing health inspectors and equipment specifications ask for on anything plumbed ahead of an ice machine on a potable line. Because only the cartridges are consumable, the head, bracket, gauge and plumbing stay put for the life of the installation — budget for a pair of cartridges per change-out rather than a whole new assembly.
Allow room for two cartridges, not one: the DH-S2 is 19 1/8" tall with cartridges installed and about 14 lbs filled, and both canisters drop straight down to come off — so the clearance you need below the head is the same as a single system, but the wall width is roughly double. Confirm the mounting surface can carry 14 lbs, fit a shut-off valve upstream so a change does not take the kitchen's cold line down, and add a pressure regulator if your building supply runs over 100 PSI. Flush each new cartridge for 5 minutes or until the water runs clear before restarting the ice machine.
Ideal Applications
The DH-S2 is aimed squarely at operations whose ice demand has outgrown a single-cartridge filter.
DH-S2 Specifications
| Model | DH-S2 |
|---|---|
| Type | Dual (two-cartridge) water filtration system for ice machines |
| Number of Cartridges | 2 |
| Rated Capacity | 21,000 gallons (79,494 L) |
| Micron Rating | 0.5 micron, greater than 99% particle reduction |
| Flow Rate | 2 GPM (7.5 LPM); service flow range 0.1 - 2.0 GPM |
| Reduction | Scale; chlorine taste and odor (chlorine reduced up to 97%) |
| Operating Pressure | 30 - 100 PSI (2.1 - 7 kgf/cm²) |
| Operating Temperature | 35°F ~ 100°F (2°C ~ 38°C) |
| Inlet / Outlet Size | 3/8" (9.5 mm) inlet and outlet |
| Gauge | Water pressure gauge included on the filter head |
| Overall Height | 19 1/8" (485.8 mm) including filter cartridges |
| Operating Weight | 14 lbs (6.35 kg) |
| Flushing Time | 5 minutes or until water runs clear |
| Recommended Ice Machine Capacity | 650 - 1,400 lbs per day |
| Compatible Blue Air Ice Machines | BLMI-650A, BLMI-900A |
| Certifications | NSF |
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes the DH-S2 different from the single-cartridge DH-S1?
The DH-S2 carries two filter cartridges on one manifold instead of one, which roughly doubles the media in the water path and lets Blue Air rate it for far bigger ice machines — 650 to 1,400 lbs per day versus up to 500 lbs for the single system. Physically it is the same 19 1/8" height but about 14 lbs in service instead of 6, so it needs more wall width and a mounting surface that can carry it. Both systems share the same 0.5 micron, 2 GPM, 3/8" port and 30 to 100 PSI ratings.
Which ice machines should be paired with a DH-S2?
Blue Air recommends the DH-S2 for machines producing 650 to 1,400 lbs of ice in 24 hours, and names the BLMI-650A and BLMI-900A modular heads among its compatible units. Size by the published daily production rating rather than by the machine's footprint. If your machine tops out under 500 lbs per day, the single-cartridge system is the correct match; going larger than needed does not hurt performance, but going smaller does.
How often do the DH-S2 cartridges need changing?
Capacity is rated in gallons — 21,000 per cartridge — not in months, so the interval tracks how much ice you actually make. The pressure gauge on the head is the practical trigger: a steady decline in downstream pressure means the media is loading up, and a drop in the ice machine's daily output is the same message arriving late. Both cartridges are normally changed together so the pair stays evenly loaded.
What water pressure, temperature and plumbing does the DH-S2 need?
It connects with 3/8" inlet and outlet fittings and is rated for cold potable water between 30 and 100 PSI at 35°F to 100°F, flowing 2 GPM with a service range of 0.1 to 2.0 GPM. Supply below 30 PSI will starve a large ice machine no matter how fresh the cartridges are, and anything above 100 PSI calls for a pressure regulator ahead of the filter head. Fit an upstream shut-off valve so cartridges can be swapped without isolating the rest of the kitchen.
Do new cartridges need to be flushed before the ice machine runs?
Yes. Blue Air specifies a 5 minute flush, or until the water runs clear, after installing fresh cartridges in the DH-S2. That clears loose carbon fines and trapped air out of the media so the first batches of ice are not cloudy or off-tasting. Run the flush to a drain or bucket with the ice machine's fill valve isolated, then put the machine back on line and watch the gauge settle at its normal operating pressure.
Is the DH-S2 NSF certified?
Yes — the Blue Air DH-S2 dual water filtration system carries NSF certification, the listing most health departments and equipment specifications require for a device plumbed into a potable water line ahead of a commercial ice machine. Keeping certified Blue Air cartridges in the head, rather than substituting generic media, is what preserves that certification on your installation.
| Brand | Blue Air Commercial Refrigeration |
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| SKU | DH-S2 |
| Brand | Blue Air Commercial Refrigeration |
| Weight | 14.00 lbs |
| Height | 19.13 |
| Capacity USA | 10,001 - 50,000 gallons |
| Micron Rating | 0.5 microns |
| Service Flow Rate | 0.1 - 2.0 GPM |
| Type | water filter unit |
| Filter Quantity | 2 |
|
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