icemaker problem
 

This is in an Amana side-by-side, FWIW.

Fills, freezes, starts a harvest cycle. Then it hangs up with all the
ice cubes stuck on top of the icemaker, and the fingers don't complete
their rotation since they're blocked by the ice. If I remove them
manually, the cycle finishes, and more ice is made, which also ends up
on top of the icemaker on the next harvest cycle. It's not overfilling,
the cubes are normal size, and there is no overflow into the ice
dispenser bucket.

Could it be a heater problem? Not sure since the cubes leave the tray,
then get stuck on top. Weak motor?

The appliance repair sites I googled were not too helpful with this
specific problem.

Think this is anything that removing the icemaker and cleaning it up
will help, or should I just bite the bullet and buy a new icemaker?

Oh, BTW, the icemaker is just a little over a year old, sure didn't
last too long.

Thanks in advance for any advice,

Jerry

icemaker problem
 

Meat Plow wrote:
On Wed, 25 Oct 2006 09:01:46 -0700, jerry_maple Has Frothed:

his is in an Amana side-by-side, FWIW.

Fills, freezes, starts a harvest cycle. Then it hangs up with all the ice
cubes stuck on top of the icemaker, and the fingers don't complete their
rotation since they're blocked by the ice. If I remove them manually, the
cycle finishes, and more ice is made, which also ends up on top of the
icemaker on the next harvest cycle. It's not overfilling, the cubes are
normal size, and there is no overflow into the ice dispenser bucket.

Could it be a heater problem? Not sure since the cubes leave the tray,
then get stuck on top. Weak motor?

Sticking as in refreezing to a surface?

Yeah, the cubes are almost completely upside down, sticking to the top
surface of the icemaker tray, with the fingers pushing on the cubes at
about the 10 o'clock position, but getting nowhere. When I break the
cubes free manually, the fingers continue the rest of their cycle to
the normal 2 o'clock parking position, and the tray refills normally.
Kinda strange, seems like the heater is working well enough to release
the cubes from the tray, but then they get hung up and stick to the top
of the tray strongly enough that the fingers can't move them and
complete the harvest cycle.

I'm going to take the icemaker out tonight and see if anything looks
funny. Just wondered if anybody had run across this problem before.

Jerry

icemaker problem
 

"Meat Plow" wrote in message
...

Well I haven't had this problem before but I did service commercial ice
makers at one time. Obviously the ice is too wet when it's released or it
wouldn't refreeze like that.

Could it be that the defrost circuit isn't working in the fridge? Wonder why
it's so wet?

icemaker problem
 

wrote in message
oups.com...

Meat Plow wrote:
On Wed, 25 Oct 2006 09:01:46 -0700, jerry_maple Has Frothed:

his is in an Amana side-by-side, FWIW.

Fills, freezes, starts a harvest cycle. Then it hangs up with all the
ice
cubes stuck on top of the icemaker, and the fingers don't complete
their
rotation since they're blocked by the ice. If I remove them manually,
the
cycle finishes, and more ice is made, which also ends up on top of the
icemaker on the next harvest cycle. It's not overfilling, the cubes
are
normal size, and there is no overflow into the ice dispenser bucket.

Could it be a heater problem? Not sure since the cubes leave the tray,
then get stuck on top. Weak motor?

Sticking as in refreezing to a surface?

Yeah, the cubes are almost completely upside down, sticking to the top
surface of the icemaker tray, with the fingers pushing on the cubes at
about the 10 o'clock position, but getting nowhere. When I break the
cubes free manually, the fingers continue the rest of their cycle to
the normal 2 o'clock parking position, and the tray refills normally.
Kinda strange, seems like the heater is working well enough to release
the cubes from the tray, but then they get hung up and stick to the top
of the tray strongly enough that the fingers can't move them and
complete the harvest cycle.

I'm going to take the icemaker out tonight and see if anything looks
funny. Just wondered if anybody had run across this problem before.

Jerry

Try slightly raising the temperature in the freezer, if its adjustable. It
may be that having the temp cranked very low may cause the motor/fingers to
turn slower, and the supercold surface may flash freeze the cubes to the
tray edge.

Deke

icemaker problem
 

Deke wrote:

Try slightly raising the temperature in the freezer, if its adjustable. It
may be that having the temp cranked very low may cause the motor/fingers to
turn slower, and the supercold surface may flash freeze the cubes to the
tray edge.


Last batch, the fingers were stuck IN the ice, went to the appliance
parts store, they said it was probably something to do with the temp
sensor or the heater, told me there aren't any replaceable parts in a
modular icemaker anyway, far as I could see, that's true. Asked them
why the last one I bought at the same store only lasted 2 years, they
said that's about all I can expect with the cr@ppy water here in
Phoenix. Could be right, my fridge water is filtered but there was
still a lot of calcium buildup in the icemaker tray. Or, it could be
they sell you parts that will self destruct in 2 years, just to keep
you coming back. The parts store sure had a large pile of icemakers in
boxes, right in front of the counter. Bought a new one, plugged it in,
woke to the sight of ice in the bucket this morning.

Life is good,

Jerry

icemaker problem
 

Last batch, the fingers were stuck IN the ice, went to the appliance
parts store, they said it was probably something to do with the temp
sensor or the heater, told me there aren't any replaceable parts in a
modular icemaker anyway, far as I could see, that's true. Asked them
why the last one I bought at the same store only lasted 2 years, they
said that's about all I can expect with the cr@ppy water here in
Phoenix. Could be right, my fridge water is filtered but there was
still a lot of calcium buildup in the icemaker tray. Or, it could be
they sell you parts that will self destruct in 2 years, just to keep
you coming back. The parts store sure had a large pile of icemakers in
boxes, right in front of the counter. Bought a new one, plugged it in,
woke to the sight of ice in the bucket this morning.

Life is good,

Jerry



Wow, 2 years seems awfully short, the ice maker in my fridge is 5 years
old now and the one in my grandmas fridge was still going at around 30
years when the fridge was replaced for something else.

A good external water filter might help.

icemaker problem
 

James Sweet wrote:



Wow, 2 years seems awfully short, the ice maker in my fridge is 5 years
old now and the one in my grandmas fridge was still going at around 30
years when the fridge was replaced for something else.

A good external water filter might help.

My thoughts exactly.

icemaker problem
 

On 27 Oct 2006 09:56:04 -0700, wrote:


Deke wrote:

Try slightly raising the temperature in the freezer, if its adjustable. It
may be that having the temp cranked very low may cause the motor/fingers to
turn slower, and the supercold surface may flash freeze the cubes to the
tray edge.


Last batch, the fingers were stuck IN the ice, went to the appliance
parts store, they said it was probably something to do with the temp
sensor or the heater, told me there aren't any replaceable parts in a
modular icemaker anyway, far as I could see, that's true ...]

{snip}

Could have been worn or missing teeth at some point in the gearbox to
cause the fingers to lose drive just at that crucial moment. :-(

DG

icemaker problem
 

wrote in message
ups.com...

Deke wrote:

Try slightly raising the temperature in the freezer, if its adjustable.
It
may be that having the temp cranked very low may cause the motor/fingers
to
turn slower, and the supercold surface may flash freeze the cubes to the
tray edge.


Last batch, the fingers were stuck IN the ice, went to the appliance
parts store, they said it was probably something to do with the temp
sensor or the heater, told me there aren't any replaceable parts in a
modular icemaker anyway, far as I could see, that's true. Asked them
why the last one I bought at the same store only lasted 2 years, they
said that's about all I can expect with the cr@ppy water here in
Phoenix. Could be right, my fridge water is filtered but there was
still a lot of calcium buildup in the icemaker tray. Or, it could be
they sell you parts that will self destruct in 2 years, just to keep
you coming back. The parts store sure had a large pile of icemakers in
boxes, right in front of the counter. Bought a new one, plugged it in,
woke to the sight of ice in the bucket this morning.

Life is good,

Jerry

I can relate to the hard water problem. Here in the Ozarks, our water is so
hard, a hot water tank, even with regular flushing, wont last more than 8
years. Humidifiers clog up regularly, and everything around the sink or tub
will have a white haze. Water filters clog immediately. Good luck on your
new icemaker.