why is my working ice maker not making ice?
September 10, 2015 6:40 AM Subscribe
I have an ice maker that presumably works, but no water is even coming to it to start producing ice. What things can I try to get it to start making ice?photo1 photo2
I bought this refrigerator used off craigslist and I saw the ice maker working when I bought it from a nice couple in the suburbs. I paid to have a line professionally installed from the plumbing to the fridge. It now produces cold filtered water, but the ice maker isn't producing Ice. I have looked up online suggestions and I have tried everything I could think of (waiting 24 hours, making sure the on/off/ arm is in the down position, turning the tiny gear counter clockwise to start a cycle) nothing has worked. If we assume the ice maker is in working order, what things can I try to get it to start making ice? Thanks
I bought this refrigerator used off craigslist and I saw the ice maker working when I bought it from a nice couple in the suburbs. I paid to have a line professionally installed from the plumbing to the fridge. It now produces cold filtered water, but the ice maker isn't producing Ice. I have looked up online suggestions and I have tried everything I could think of (waiting 24 hours, making sure the on/off/ arm is in the down position, turning the tiny gear counter clockwise to start a cycle) nothing has worked. If we assume the ice maker is in working order, what things can I try to get it to start making ice? Thanks
If we assume the ice maker is in working order
Can you really assume that? The icemaker isn't making ice. Therefore it's not in working order...yet.
The main mechanism of an icemaker is that slow-turning gear. It should always be running when it's trying to produce a cycle of ice. When the arm is down and the water valve to the icemaking unit is open, do you hear the motor running? It should almost sound like an old electric clock.
posted by JoeZydeco at 6:52 AM on September 10, 2015
Can you really assume that? The icemaker isn't making ice. Therefore it's not in working order...yet.
The main mechanism of an icemaker is that slow-turning gear. It should always be running when it's trying to produce a cycle of ice. When the arm is down and the water valve to the icemaking unit is open, do you hear the motor running? It should almost sound like an old electric clock.
posted by JoeZydeco at 6:52 AM on September 10, 2015
You're aware the on/off arm is in the up position in both photos, right?
Yeah, silver arm up == no ice. Silver arm down == ice. This is to keep your icemaker from just churning out ice forever and overflowing your freezer.
posted by muddgirl at 6:59 AM on September 10, 2015
Yeah, silver arm up == no ice. Silver arm down == ice. This is to keep your icemaker from just churning out ice forever and overflowing your freezer.
posted by muddgirl at 6:59 AM on September 10, 2015
Response by poster: the arm may appear to be up, but I have checked it carefully and it is down past the clicking mechanism that decides whether it's "up" or "down", I don't hear anything like a slow running clock, the gear doesn't seem to be turning.
posted by lijiaxiaoniu at 7:02 AM on September 10, 2015
posted by lijiaxiaoniu at 7:02 AM on September 10, 2015
(Sorry, just saw that you did try putting the arm down.)
posted by muddgirl at 7:03 AM on September 10, 2015
posted by muddgirl at 7:03 AM on September 10, 2015
Is the icemaker installed upside down? Or are you taking the picture upside down? See this picture or this one and compare how your icemaker looks.
posted by muddgirl at 7:09 AM on September 10, 2015
posted by muddgirl at 7:09 AM on September 10, 2015
If it's not even getting water, have a plumber check the water line.
posted by briank at 7:14 AM on September 10, 2015
posted by briank at 7:14 AM on September 10, 2015
Ok, your photos are posted upside down but I am 90% sure we have the same ice maker. Put the ice catching bucket back in (it's missing in both photos). Then slowly lift the metal thing up. Leave it for a couple min then lower it. Make sure the bucket is seated correctly. This means sticking your hand in it and rotating the auger until the whole thing slides right to the back of the freezer. It's a touchy system.
posted by saradarlin at 7:14 AM on September 10, 2015
posted by saradarlin at 7:14 AM on September 10, 2015
I recently replaced a similar icemaker in my fridge. I found it on Amazon for about $100.00 or so and it took me about 30 minutes to replace. Pretty easy.
The ice maker is attached to the fridge electrically via a cable with a connector that snaps into a socket on the fridge. It's possible this came loose when the fridge was moved. If you have not done so already, I suggest removing the ice maker (a couple of screws) and checking to make sure the connector is secure.
Other than that, if the power is on and the shut-off arm is in the correct position, there really isn't much to it. Something may have burned out. Google your fridge model and find out what ice maker goes in it. The same icemaker works in a whole bunch of fridges.
Also, your pictures aren't loading for me. I'm going by the ones Muddgirl posted.
posted by bondcliff at 7:17 AM on September 10, 2015
The ice maker is attached to the fridge electrically via a cable with a connector that snaps into a socket on the fridge. It's possible this came loose when the fridge was moved. If you have not done so already, I suggest removing the ice maker (a couple of screws) and checking to make sure the connector is secure.
Other than that, if the power is on and the shut-off arm is in the correct position, there really isn't much to it. Something may have burned out. Google your fridge model and find out what ice maker goes in it. The same icemaker works in a whole bunch of fridges.
Also, your pictures aren't loading for me. I'm going by the ones Muddgirl posted.
posted by bondcliff at 7:17 AM on September 10, 2015
Response by poster: Oh yeah, the photos are posted upside down! The refrigerator is getting water, I know this because it has a water filter system built in with the ice maker system, the water comes out fresh and ice cold on demand, but the ice maker doesn't make ice.
posted by lijiaxiaoniu at 7:25 AM on September 10, 2015
posted by lijiaxiaoniu at 7:25 AM on September 10, 2015
Ok, your photos are posted upside down...
Ah, missed that.
posted by jon1270 at 7:26 AM on September 10, 2015
Ah, missed that.
posted by jon1270 at 7:26 AM on September 10, 2015
Response by poster: I detached and reconnected the ice maker and the cable connector that it has. I also raised the lever for a few minutes, then lowered the lever and then turned the auger until I had given it a half turn. .. i still don't hear anything from the ice maker itself though.
posted by lijiaxiaoniu at 7:56 AM on September 10, 2015
posted by lijiaxiaoniu at 7:56 AM on September 10, 2015
It may take it a few minutes to cycle through everything it needs to do.
posted by randomkeystrike at 7:58 AM on September 10, 2015
posted by randomkeystrike at 7:58 AM on September 10, 2015
The control valve for the water dispenser will be on a different electrically-controlled valve than the ice maker. The water dispenser might be fully operational but the supply to the ice maker can be totally offline.
Manually turning the cam should eventually trigger the timing circuit to fill the unit with water. Are all connectors (including the one in the picture) seated properly? Is there any corrosion inside the connector itself?
posted by JoeZydeco at 7:58 AM on September 10, 2015
Manually turning the cam should eventually trigger the timing circuit to fill the unit with water. Are all connectors (including the one in the picture) seated properly? Is there any corrosion inside the connector itself?
posted by JoeZydeco at 7:58 AM on September 10, 2015
I have had to replace the solenoid that controls water flow to the ice maker. This is very likely downstream from where the drinking water tees off- the solenoid for the ice maker controls filling the ice tray so it is only open when triggered by the ice maker. The solenoid should be on the back (outside) of the fridge and pretty easy to replace. Maybe $15 for the part?
posted by janell at 8:06 AM on September 10, 2015
posted by janell at 8:06 AM on September 10, 2015
Response by poster: i watched this video and my coil gave 415 ohms of resistance.. i don't know what that means because it's less than 500 but more than "nothing"
posted by lijiaxiaoniu at 9:03 AM on September 10, 2015
posted by lijiaxiaoniu at 9:03 AM on September 10, 2015
Coils move water valves open and closed when you apply voltage to them.
The resistance indicates that the coil is probably normal and your problems lie elsewhere. If the coil was damaged or had a short in it the resistance would be much much closer to zero (for a short) or infinity (for a broken wire).
posted by JoeZydeco at 9:27 AM on September 10, 2015
The resistance indicates that the coil is probably normal and your problems lie elsewhere. If the coil was damaged or had a short in it the resistance would be much much closer to zero (for a short) or infinity (for a broken wire).
posted by JoeZydeco at 9:27 AM on September 10, 2015
Response by poster: l tested the water pressure to the fridge like the youtube vid did, it seemed strong and adequate, so seems like I should have a good working ice maker.. except it doesn't make ice
posted by lijiaxiaoniu at 9:35 AM on September 10, 2015
posted by lijiaxiaoniu at 9:35 AM on September 10, 2015
Have you tried with the ice bin in? saradarlin mentioned she had the same model, and it sounded like hers needs the ice catching bucket in place to work. Your first photo seems to show a metal catch under the unit that may get tripped when the bucket's in place, like she said.
posted by BevosAngryGhost at 9:45 AM on September 10, 2015
posted by BevosAngryGhost at 9:45 AM on September 10, 2015
So you said you "saw the ice maker working" when you went to pick up the unit from your Craigslist seller.
Did you actually observe the unit filling with water, freezing the ice, then ejecting the cubes? Or did you put a glass to the dispenser and it filled up with cubes from the holding bin?
posted by JoeZydeco at 10:41 AM on September 10, 2015
Did you actually observe the unit filling with water, freezing the ice, then ejecting the cubes? Or did you put a glass to the dispenser and it filled up with cubes from the holding bin?
posted by JoeZydeco at 10:41 AM on September 10, 2015
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by jon1270 at 6:49 AM on September 10, 2015 [1 favorite]