Abstract: The invention comprises an improvement to a freezing plate type continuous ice making machine. Such machines continuously form chunks of hard ice without alternating freezing and harvesting cycles. The improvement comprises apparatus to control the temperature of the inlet water supplied to the freezing plate. The control is accomplished by a thermal, electrical and mechanical feedback loop that automatically increases the water inlet temperature as a result of excessive ice buildup on the freezing plate. In theory the control operates as a negative feedback loop actuated by excessive ice buildup on the freezing plate. As a result the inlet water temperature is prevented from falling below the proper temperature for continuous smooth operation of the ice making machine.The apparatus of the loop comprises the mechanical and electrical drive mechanism for the ice cutter or scraper and an inlet water heat exchanger in thermal communication with the electric drive motor for the ice cutter.