Icemaker repair

Free standing icemakers can offer a great way to produce large amount of ice in a short period of time. Many business’s rely on their icemaker to provide their customers with chilled beverages. When it comes to making sure that your customers are satisfied with the quality of ice that they are consuming a few thing need to be addressed either by you or an ice maker repair technician.

If you realize that the ice smells or tastes of impurities it is usually a problem with the quality of water that is being supplied to the icemaker. The best suggestion is to install or replace the water filtration system attached to your icemaker. If you feel that this job is beyond your skill set or you just don’t have the time, one of your qualified icemaker repair technicians can come out and install or replace the filtration system necessary for your icemaker. Your filter should be replaced based on the amount of use it gets. A clogged filtration system can also cause your icemaker to produce ice at a much slower rate then necessary or expected based on factory projections.

If the cubes that are coming out seem to be small or misshaped you can check the water-supply valve first, the shut-off water-supply valve may be clogged or there might be a problem with the filter.

For additional help please contact our office or make an on-line request for one of our icemaker repair technicians. They can come out and evaluate your problem with in 24 hour of your request. It is always a good idea to have a professional come out as soon as you notice the problem, any procrastination could leave you with out a properly working icemaker. This could lead to decrease in quality of product and loss of clients for your business.

Modular Icemaker

HOW THEY WORK

An icemaker draws water through a water inlet valve, located behind the refrigerator, that taps into the household water supply. The valve meters in enough water to fill the ice cube mold. A thermostat inside the icemaker determines when the water is frozen and activates the motor and mold heater (if any) to eject the ice into a bin. A shutoff arm turns off the icemaker as it is pushed upward by ice accumulating in the bin. The motor and heater in this kind of icemaker are combined in a module that must be replaced as a unit if any part of it malfunctions. However, the thermostat, installed in the back of the icemaker housing, is a separate part. You can replace it if it fails.

ТЕSTING THE MOTOR AND HEATER

A legend and diagram on the back of the icemaker cover show test points for each component on the face of the module. Test the icemaker with the shutoff arm down and the ejector blades in their resting position.

• Unplug the refrigerator, then pry off the icemaker cover with a coin.
• To test the motor, set a multitester to RX1 and insert the probes in test holes; the tester should show continuity.
• Test the heater by placing the probes in holes; the needle should register about 70 ohms.
• Replace the module if either the motor or heater fails the test (next step).

REPLACING THE MODULE

• With the refrigerator unplugged, remove the screws that secure the module, then pull the module off.
• Install a new module.

CHECKING THE THERMOSTAT

• Test the thermostat with the freezer cold.
• Unplug the refrigerator.
• Insert the bare ends of an insulated wire.
• Plug the refrigerator back in (don't touch the wire).
• Replace the thermostat if the motor runs.

INSTALLING A NEW THERMOSTAT

• Unplug the refrigerator and remove the module.
• Slip the old thermostat out of the housing .
• Remove the screws that secure the housing and detach it from the ice cube mold.
• Install a new thermostat, using metallic putty where the thermostat touches the housing, as specified by the manufacturer.

Non-Modular Icemaker

HOW THEY WORK

Although it makes ice in the same way as a modular unit , a non-modular icemaker has a motor and switches — as well as a thermostat — that you can test and replace individually. There are usually three switches: an ON/OFF switch operated by the shutoff arm; a holding switch that keeps power running to the ejector blades in the ice release phase; and a water inlet valve switch that manages the flow of water into the icemaker.

Icemaker Internal Parts

1. DISSCONNECTING THE ICEMAKER

• Unplug the refrigerator and set the ice bin aside.
• Remove the screw from the icemaker's bottom bracket.
• Support the icemaker with one hand and remove the top screws and clips.
• Lower the icemaker and unplug it from the refrigerator wall.

2. INSPECTING THE EJECTOR GEAR

• Use a coin to pry off the cover.
• Inspect the ejector gear for teeth that are worn down or broken.
• Replace the gear if it is damaged. Remove the screw at its center and pull the gear off its axle; save the washer.
• Place a new gear on the axle and refasten the washer and screw.

3. REMOVING THE MOUNTING PLATE

• Take out the screws around the edges of the mounting plate to gain access to the motor, switches, and thermostat, as well as the shutoff lever and arm.

Preventing an ice cube overflow

If your icemaker runs constantly, causing ice cubes to spill out of the bin, first check to make sure you have the correct bin to catch the cubes. If you are using a different bin or if it is simply out of position, the shutoff arm may not be raised by the build-up of ice cubes, so it cannot turn off the icemaker. The arm extends through the housing that holds the ON/OFF switch and attaches to a short lever that trips the switch when the bin is full. Reposition a shutoff arm that is bent or dislodged from the lever . If the shutoff arm and tray are in good shape, test the icemaker ON/OFF switch.

ON/OFF and Holding Switches

1. REMOVING THE SWITCHES

Although the ON/OFF and holding switches perform different functions, they are mechanically identical and are tested in the same way. The ON/OFF switch, located behind the shutoff lever, turns off the icemaker when the shutoff arm is raised. The holding switch, which is mounted next to the motor, keeps the power going while the ejector pushes out the ice cubes.

• Remove the screws securing the switch.
• Tag the wires with masking tape so that you can reattach them correctly, then pull the connectors off the terminals.
• Unplug the refrigerator, take out the icemaker, and remove the mounting plate.

2. TESTING THE SWITCHES

• Set a multitester to RX1 and clip one probe to the common terminal on the side of the switch.
• Touch the other probe to each of the other two terminals in turn .
• With the switch button out, the tester should show continuity through one terminal and resistance through the other.
• Press the button in; the results should be reversed.
• If either switch fails either test, replace it.

Water Inlet Valve Switch

1. REMOVING THE SWITCH

• Unplug the refrigerator, take out the icemaker, and remove the mounting plate.
• Unscrew the switch from the plate; save the card-like insulator underneath it.
• Disconnect the wires.

2. TESTING THE SWITCH

• Set a multitester to RX1 and clip one probe to each switch terminal.
• With the button out, the tester should show continuity; with the button in, resistance.
• Replace the switch if it fails the test.

Icemaker motor

1. TESTING THE MOTOR

• Unplug the refrigerator, take out the icemaker, and remove the mounting plate .
• Disconnect two of the three motor wires from the ON/OFF switch, then unscrew the wire cap that joins the third motor wire to a lead from the power supply.
• Set a multitester to RX1 and clip one probe to the third motor wire. Then touch the other probe to each of the two remaining wires in turn. A reading of 0 or infinity from either wire means a faulty motor; install a new one .
• If the motor passes the test, check the thermostat.

1. INSTALLING THE MOTOR

• Unscrew the old motor from its mounting plate.
• Install a new motor; make sure the small gear on the motor shaft meshes with the ejector gear on the mounting plate.
• Reconnect the wires, then reassemble and reinstall the icemaker.

Icemaker thermostat

1. REMOVING THE THERMOSTAT

• Unplug the refrigerator, take out the icemaker, and remove the mounting plate.
• Label the thermostat wires, then disconnect them.
• Loosen the clamp that holds the thermostat and remove it.

2. TESTING THE THERMOSTAT

• Let the thermostat warm to room temperature. Set a multitester to RX10. If the thermostat has three wires, clip one probe to the shorter of the two wires that end with wire caps. Touch the other probe to the other wires in turn. A three - wire thermostat should show continuity through one wire and resistance through the other; look for an infinity reading if testing a two-wire thermostat.
• Chill the thermostat in the freezer for 15 minutes and test again. The continuity test results should reverse on a three-wire thermostat; look for a 0 reading on a two-wire thermostat.
• Replace thermostat if it fails either test.

Water Inlet Valve

1 REMOVING THE VALVE

• Unplug the refrigerator and turn off the water supply to the icemaker (usually at a valve under the sink).
• Pull the refrigerator out from the wall.
• Unscrew the water inlet valve from its bracket on the back of the refrigerator and disconnect the water-supply tubes from the valve ports . Keep a pan handy to catch dripping water.
• Disconnect any wires to the valve.

2 INSPECTING THE FILTER

• Look at the filter screen inside the valve port. If it's clogged, try to clean it by placing the whole valve under running water. Don't attempt to remove the filter. If cleaning the screen as directed doesn't work, consider replacing the valve.

3. TESTING THE VALVE

• To test the water inlet valve solenoid, set a multitester to RX100 and touch a probe to each terminal.
• The tester should show a reading of 200 to 500 ohms. Replace the water inlet valve if it fails the test.
• Hook up the terminal plug and ground wire to the new valve, screw the bracket to the refrigerator, and connect the supply tubes to the valve ports.
• Push the refrigerator against the wall, plug it in, and turn on the water.
• After installing a new water inlet valve, discard the first two or three batches of ice.