Icemaker cube dispenser problem

[rb608]

This has *got* to be simple; but I'm just not seeing the answer, so I thought I'd post it here.

I have a side-by-side Maytag frig/freezer with an automatic icemaker and a through-the-door cube/crushed/water dispenser. The icemaker is working just fine. The dispenser is fine for the water & crushed ice, but on the cube setting, it still gives crushed ice. I can't get cubes thru the door.

One more interesting clue. The problem began during the power blackout during Hurricane Isabel. We lost power for three days; and when the power came back on, no cubes thru the dispenser. As far as I can remember, I didn't do anything else weird to the unit.

FYI: the removeable inside cube tray has a long rod lever that extends from a hole in the back of the freezer to engage something in the dispenser. If I were a betting man, I'd bet this lever is supposed to adjust something in the dispenser to allow the whole cubes to bypass the crusher; but I'll be darned if I can figger it out.

Any hints?

TIA, Joe

[jeff]

Hi,

There is a solenoid behind the ice bucket that moves the metal arm on the ice bucket to move the cutting teeth out of the way so you get whole cubes rather than crushed cubes.

Bad solenoid, bent arm on the bucket, broken wire, no power from dispensor door to the cube solenoid are -some- possible trouble makers.

jeff.

Appliance Repair Aid

[TURTLE]

This is Turtle.

Yes, You have a switch lever problem and your just not enguaging the open hole for cubes and stuck in crush mode. I'm not versed on these types of ice dispencers on Maytag. Hang around a little bit and Dan-0, Jeff, and aww aww awww you know them all will get to you. I just about quite working on ice boxes for having bigger fish to fry with Commercial hvac and refrigeration. I use to love to work on them but there is no good money in them and I have some bad habits like eating , driving a new truck every few years or so, and having a roof over my head to not get wet when I sleep at nite. If I did not have these bad habits, i would love to work on them. Maybe one day I can break off from these bad habits and go back to the refrigerator work.

TURTLE

[rb608]

I see that; but there is a definite "solenoid sound" when the system is activated, so I just checked it out by putting a video camera in the freezer & triggering the system. Both the solenoid and feed motor are doing their jobs as far as I can see.

Any chance it's something in the front mechanism of the ice tray? I ask because although I can manually manipulate that rod, it doesn't cause any change to the dispenser. From looking at the dispenser mechanism, it appears the default position forces the cubes into the crusher. My expectation is that the rod arm, when activated by the solenoid, should alter the path of the cubes to allow them to pass by. That doesn't happen automatically, and I can't make it happen manually. It just seems to be stuck where it is.

Because of the power outage origin, I had first thought maybe some water had gotten into the mechanism & froze, so my first attempt was to empty the tray & leave it at room temp for a day. Obviously that didn't work.

Thanks (& neat site btw) Joe F.

[jeff]

Hi,

The solenoid should lift a plastic piece a tthe back to move/shift that rod on the bucket.

Sure.

The default position is crushed cubes, the arm moves a flapper at the front of the bucket in the head part so the cubes are not pushed up against the cutting teeth.

jeff.

Appliance Repair Aid

[rb608]

Well then that's where the problem lies, as I suspected. The flapper isn't flappin'. Looks like I'll have to get a set of those funny-looking Torx drivers & take the darned thing apart. (Still easier than taking the icemaker out though. )

Tx, Joe F.

[rb608]

Just as a followup FYI, taking the tray mechanism was the ticket. Somehow (and I have no idea how), the flapper got stuck on the wrong side of a small stop. A few screws, a little pop and all is right with the world.

Joe F.

[jeff]

Hello,

Glad to hear you got somewhere with it :)

Thankx for the update!!

jeff.

Appliance Repair Aid