Ice Maker frustrations!

[SCRealtor]

I purchased a fridge (Kenmore) made in 1998 this weekend. Before I moved the fridge the ice had to be dumped from the ice bin. The bin was 100% full. I get home hook up my water lines, test for leaks, power the fridge up, test the water from the door where the cup goes. Everything works great except for the ice maker. The ice maker is powered up and rotating but little to no water is making it in the fill tray inside the icemaker. What gets me is, the door water works. I know the supply line is not clogged for the door. Now I removed the supply line (plastic one) on the back of the fridge and put it down in to a trashcan to test for flow once the ice maker kicked in. No water. The plastic line isn't blocked to the ice maker that I can see. I looked further into the celenoid fill valve. It has 2, one for the door, one for the icemaker. (I'm assuming)

My question I guess is, could it be that the freezer side valve is bad, but the door valve isn't? I would think the whole thing would be bad. That's where I'm stumped because one seems to work, the other doesn't (icemaker valve).

Anyone help?

[PAUL100]

you might have to wait until the temp of the freezer gets lower enough to allow water to flow into the ice maker

[Edwin Pawlowski]

Be sure the arm in the ice bin is in the down position. If it is, wait at least 12, maybe 24 hours and check. It can take quite a while for it to get cold and run a cycle.

[TURTLE]

This is Turtle.

There is the thermostat in the ice maker that will turn it'self off at +12ºF or above. Until the freezer section gets well below

12ºF the ice make will not fill or do anything. When this thermostat is satisfied, it will fill and start a cycle. Until then you will have to just wait till this happens and start the cycle. now if it has not begun a cycle in 24 hours and does have the level down. You may have a problem but until then you don't know.

TURTLE

[jeff]

Hi,

Model#?

Yes.

Is the freezer below 15ºF to cycle the icemaker? When the icemaker goes through it's cycle it should send power to the fill valve for approx 6-9 seconds at the end of the icemakers harvest. Power at the fill valve but no water would indicate a problem with the fill valve, no power may be a broken/off wire or problem with the acual icemaker.

jeff. Appliance Repair Aid

[ZsaZsa]

I'm voting for the arm solution.

We have a Kenmore of the same age and it just stopped making ice one day. Somehow the arm got pushed up.

It does take awhile to fill after that, but it was a cool moment when one of us noticed that first happy sound of an ice cube dumping into the tray. All systems back to normal!

[SCRealtor]

Well I wish it was that easy, but the arm is down, the ice maker gears are rotating. I'm now leaning towards a bad celenoid. Anyone have a clue if I can get one of these at lows or home depot?

[SCRealtor]

Jeff, if the fill vavle is bad, could I hear the electronics trying to request the vavle open up? I hear nothing. I've checked the plugs on the dual vavle, both are connected firmly. Like I said, the door dispenser works like a charm but little to no water is coming into the tray. I keep leaning toward it being the vavle but my better half is saying, don't attempt the repair! ;)

[SCRealtor]

above. Until the freezer section gets well below

satisfied, it will fill and start a cycle. Until then you

begun a cycle in 24 hours and does have the level

Turtle, thanks for responding. Ok so I'll put it at it's coldest setting now and will watch it closely. What if I had hollow ice cubes though yesterday? It was dumping maybe 3 cubes every 2 hours. They were weak cubes though. Still could be temp?

Scott

[Edwin Pawlowski]

What you mean is a Solenoid valve.

You can get more information at

They have a troubleshooting guide and also sell parts if you don't have a local dealer. Ed

[jeff]

Hi,

Would depend on if the fill valve was mechanically or electrically failing. If good water pressure/flow comming into the valve and the valve receives power from the icemaker but no water flow would/should indicate a bad valve.

jeff. Appliance Repair Aid

[William W. Plummer]

Check to see if the water fill tube is clear. Mine freezes occasionally. Use hot water to get the ice out.

[Dan O.]

If your icemaker's fill tube is continually (ie. more than once) freezing closed, you should check the water supply to make sure it is of sufficient pressure to keep the water valve closed and not allowing a trickle of water through which freezes.

Reduced water pressure often occurs if a 'self piercing' saddle valve was used or any type of saddle valve was mounted on the underside of the house water pipe which can more easily become partially clogged with lime and scale, etc. Such valves should only be installed on the top side of a horizontal water pipe or the side of a vertical one if not using a regular plumbing water valve.

Many of the fridge manufacturers have also come up with 'repair kits' to correct occassional freeze-ups not due to low water pressure. They range from just a redesigned fill tube to an electric heater which is used to keep ice from forming.

JFYI

Dan O.

- Appliance411.com

=Ð~~~~~~

[barry martin]

S > I purchased a fridge (Kenmore) made in 1998 this weekend. Before I S > moved the fridge the ice had to be dumped from the ice bin. The bin S > was 100% full. I get home hook up my water lines, test for leaks,

Seems a little odd the failure occurred after the move but.... On the Kenmore 'fridge here there is a twin selenoid unit at the lower left hand corner, behind a cardboard plate, as you are looking from the front of the unit. We had ours replaced a few months ago -- the ice was fine but the water dispenser was starting not to work.

You might want to make sure the wires to the selenoid weren't knocked or came loose accidentally during the move. Unplug the unit from the wall before removing the cardboard covering.

S > My question I guess is, could it be that the freezer side valve is S > bad, but the door valve isn't? I would think the whole thing would be S > bad. That's where I'm stumped because one seems to work, the other S > doesn't (icemaker valve).

As I said above, yes, it's possible for one of the selenoid pairs to fail. ...Check voltage to the selenoids (I have no idea what it's supposed to be) -- would presume they should be the same.

- ¯ barry.martinþATþthesafebbs.zeppole.com ®

• What does 'moo' actually mean? I get the feeling cows are insulting me.

[Ian Stirling]

Can the poping/wiring be swapped? If so, then that'll tell you if the valve is faulty.