A solar adsorption ice maker with activated carbon-methanol adsorption pair was developed for a practical application. Its main features include utilization of a water cooled condenser and removing all valves in the refrigerant circuit except the one that is necessary for refrigerant charging. Year round performance tests of the solar ice maker were performed in Kunming, Yunnan Province, China. Test results show that the COP (coefficient of performance) of the solar ice maker is about 0.083-0.127, and its daily ice production varies within the range of 3.2-6.5 kg/m(2) under the climatic conditions of daily solar radiation on the surface of the adsorbent bed being about 15-23 MJ/m(2) and the daily average ambient temperature being within 7.7-21.1 degrees C. The suitable daily solar radiation under which the solar ice maker can run effectively in Kunming is above 16 MJ/m(2). (c) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.