Ice Maker Not Making Ice Or Not Working?

Like all things, things don’t always go well. The same is truth for even machinery.

If you want to try and fix your your ice maker your self before calling our for a repair service their are some basic steps that can be followed that may resolve the problem.

Contrary to popular belief it is possible to fix an ice machine yourself.

Before we start with the tips it’s always good for you to have an overview of the process that takes place when ice is being made.

How Ice Is Made

The ice maker is connected to a water supply from a valve. The valve’s water supply line is controlled with an electric solenoid, this sends water in a special fill tube within the ice maker. It’s within the fill tube that the water freezes and is sent into an ice bin.

When this ice bin is full the unit automatically switches it’s self off.

Common Problems With Ice Machines

Unfortunately the most common problems with an ice maker is that it wont make ice, it wont stop making ice or it just stops working altogether.

What To Do When An Ice Maker Stops Working

Problem solving –

If the water supply is blocked or the solenoid isn’t working or the automatic stop mechanism isn’t working the ice maker wont work.

The pressure of your homes water supply can also have an impact on whether or not ice is made.

You will need to ensure that the bail wire that is above the ice collection drawer is not permanently locked in its upper position. If so this will shut off the ice.

Steps To Take

First thing to do is check that the bail wire above your ice tray is down.

Check the supply line for water, if you can hear the machine in operation and see the arm attempting to work. This will mean that the water valve is trying to get water but that it’s not arriving.

More likely than not the solenoid and valve are working – but no water is being supplied.

You will need to check the pipe and ensure that it is not caught up behind or under the fridge.

Generally it is better to have a 1/4-inch copper piping as this is better than plastic as it is much less likely to get caught.

Next you should check if the the tube pipe is actually frozen, this may happen if there is any thing that may be forcing ice back up the tube.

If you notice that ice cubes are decreasing in size – this is usually due to a frozen tube.

You can check the water line that is going into the freezer – to check for any blocks that may have occurred. Then you should check for a water shut off valve, which will be behind the refrigerator or under the sink. Once you have found the valve you should turn it off, then unscrew the copper or plastic line attached to the back of the refrigerator.

Once you have the piping put it in a bucket and then turn the valve back on, to see if any water pours out.

Checking The Tap Valve

You should check your tap valve. If you have a bad tap valve – because this is the pipe that connects to the ice maker this may cause a problem if it is not connected correctly.

If you have a problem with the valve you, should replace the valve inlet and tap valve. If your using a new tap valve the best one to use is one that requires a 1/4 inch hole drilled into it. Instead off a self-piercing type valve.

You can purchase an ice maker connecting kit and fit the valve yourself. If you’re not happy doing this you can call a repair person. Who you can ask to install an inline water filter at the same time they replace the valve.

Check On The Solenoid

The water line for your ice maker will attach to a solenoid, from the back of the refrigerator – which then fits into the ice machine. It may occur that the solenoid is defective or is not receiving power correctly.

The first thing you can try is to remove the sediment screen which is inside the solenoid and wash it down with water, to clean it off. While you are doing this you should inspect the seals to see if they are secure – before doing this you should unplug the refrigerator.

These are just some tips you may not of thought of. If you still can’t resolve the the issue, then it is best to consult a professional. You should also check out your warranty to see if your problems fall under it.

Posted in: blog, Ice Machines

4 Comments

  1. Jack Mulligan says:

    I like your tip to use a copper wire instead of a plastic tubing. My fridge has plastic tubing and it seems to get caught on things and sometimes kink and cause problems. The metal would be much more sturdy and less problematic.

  2. Braden Bills says:

    My ice machine isn’t working. I think it’s just because it’s a very old machine. It’s probably about time that I just go out and buy a new one, since none of this problem solving seems to apply to it!

  3. Great tips. Generally, we avoid the basic things that might cause problems like the bail wire. You have mentioned really very useful check point.

  4. Randle says:

    When it makes ice and dumps, the plunger that pushes the ice out does not move back. Therefore the water wont start over the evaporator.I have to push the plunger in manually for it to make ice. Is the motor not releasing the plunger.

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