I have a Kenmore fridge - pull-drawer freezer on bottom, no door water
or ice dispenser - that came with an icemaker installed in the freezer.
The icemaker needs to be replaced. Must I buy the exact model or brand
that's in there now or are the mountings and hookups standard enough
that I can consider other models/brands?

On 1/2/2019 9:07 PM, Nil wrote:
I have a Kenmore fridge - pull-drawer freezer on bottom, no door water
or ice dispenser - that came with an icemaker installed in the freezer.
The icemaker needs to be replaced. Must I buy the exact model or brand
that's in there now or are the mountings and hookups standard enough
that I can consider other models/brands?

Many are standard, but not all. Try looking it up on www.repairclinic.com

On Wed, 02 Jan 2019 21:07:26 -0500, Nil
wrote:

I have a Kenmore fridge - pull-drawer freezer on bottom, no door water
or ice dispenser - that came with an icemaker installed in the freezer.
The icemaker needs to be replaced. Must I buy the exact model or brand
that's in there now or are the mountings and hookups standard enough
that I can consider other models/brands?

Kenmore is Whirlpool (Amana, Kitchen aid Roper etc) and that one of
the two basic types, GE being the other.
The basic icemaker unit is pretty universal. What is different is the
plastic doodads that fit on it.
You may have to split the unit to replace the output guide (5 screws)
The "head" usually fixes most of them. That is the brown plastic part
with the gear on it, 3 screws. That is the timer motor, the contacts
and a few plastic parts that don't break. It is usually the contacts
that go bad. You really can't fix them.
This is the after market
https://www.amazon.com/Supco-IMM8366-Icemaker-Replaces-Whirlpool/dp/B009ZRS1YQ/ref=sr_1_17?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1546491394&sr=1-17&keywords=ice+maker+head+whirlpool
The problem is you can buy the whole unit from an after market cheaper
than a genuine whirlpool head
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079TC13Z8...il_aax_0?psc=1

A little better $3 more
https://www.amazon.com/Supco-Replacement-Whirlpool-KitchenAid-RIM597/dp/B003IVGJBC/ref=pd_lpo_vtph_60_bs_lp_t_1/136-3671483-5061309?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=EDB9S4FPBY0KZC XK3W58
This is the one I keep as a hot spare.

On 02 Jan 2019, wrote in alt.home.repair:

On Wed, 02 Jan 2019 21:07:26 -0500, Nil
wrote:

I have a Kenmore fridge - pull-drawer freezer on bottom, no door
water or ice dispenser - that came with an icemaker installed in
the freezer. The icemaker needs to be replaced. Must I buy the
exact model or brand that's in there now or are the mountings and
hookups standard enough that I can consider other models/brands?

Kenmore is Whirlpool (Amana, Kitchen aid Roper etc) and that one
of the two basic types, GE being the other.
The basic icemaker unit is pretty universal. What is different is
the plastic doodads that fit on it.
You may have to split the unit to replace the output guide (5
screws) The "head" usually fixes most of them. That is the brown
plastic part with the gear on it, 3 screws. That is the timer
motor, the contacts and a few plastic parts that don't break. It
is usually the contacts that go bad. You really can't fix them.
This is the after market
https://www.amazon.com/Supco-IMM8366-Icemaker-Replaces-Whirlpool/dp/B009ZRS1YQ/ref=sr_1_17?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1546491394&sr=1-17&keywords=ice+maker+head+whirlpool
The problem is you can buy the whole unit from an after market
cheaper than a genuine whirlpool head
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079TC13Z8...il_aax_0?psc=1

A little better $3 more
https://www.amazon.com/Supco-Replacement-Whirlpool-KitchenAid-RIM597/dp/B003IVGJBC/ref=pd_lpo_vtph_60_bs_lp_t_1/136-3671483-5061309?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=EDB9S4FPBY0KZC XK3W58
This is the one I keep as a hot spare.

I think the head is OK. The problem with the maker is that the cubes
come out with flakes of material stuck to them. The fact that it's
only on the outer surface makes me confident that the stuff is the
surface of the ice cube forms (teflon?) flaking off. Otherwise the
unit cycles and produces cubes as expected

I didn't realize the
parts were so inexpensive - I had done a quick search several months
ago and it seemed to me at the time that I was looking at a couple
hundred bucks at least. I need to look close at the existing unit to
see what's compatible. Maybe I'll take it out now. I can survive
without automatic ice for a little while.

Thanks for pointing me in a good direction.

On Thu, 03 Jan 2019 00:48:58 -0500, Nil
wrote:

On 02 Jan 2019, wrote in alt.home.repair:

On Wed, 02 Jan 2019 21:07:26 -0500, Nil
wrote:

I have a Kenmore fridge - pull-drawer freezer on bottom, no door
water or ice dispenser - that came with an icemaker installed in
the freezer. The icemaker needs to be replaced. Must I buy the
exact model or brand that's in there now or are the mountings and
hookups standard enough that I can consider other models/brands?

Kenmore is Whirlpool (Amana, Kitchen aid Roper etc) and that one
of the two basic types, GE being the other.
The basic icemaker unit is pretty universal. What is different is
the plastic doodads that fit on it.
You may have to split the unit to replace the output guide (5
screws) The "head" usually fixes most of them. That is the brown
plastic part with the gear on it, 3 screws. That is the timer
motor, the contacts and a few plastic parts that don't break. It
is usually the contacts that go bad. You really can't fix them.
This is the after market
https://www.amazon.com/Supco-IMM8366-Icemaker-Replaces-Whirlpool/dp/B009ZRS1YQ/ref=sr_1_17?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1546491394&sr=1-17&keywords=ice+maker+head+whirlpool
The problem is you can buy the whole unit from an after market
cheaper than a genuine whirlpool head
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079TC13Z8...il_aax_0?psc=1

A little better $3 more
https://www.amazon.com/Supco-Replacement-Whirlpool-KitchenAid-RIM597/dp/B003IVGJBC/ref=pd_lpo_vtph_60_bs_lp_t_1/136-3671483-5061309?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=EDB9S4FPBY0KZC XK3W58
This is the one I keep as a hot spare.

I think the head is OK. The problem with the maker is that the cubes
come out with flakes of material stuck to them. The fact that it's
only on the outer surface makes me confident that the stuff is the
surface of the ice cube forms (teflon?) flaking off. Otherwise the
unit cycles and produces cubes as expected

I didn't realize the
parts were so inexpensive - I had done a quick search several months
ago and it seemed to me at the time that I was looking at a couple
hundred bucks at least. I need to look close at the existing unit to
see what's compatible. Maybe I'll take it out now. I can survive
without automatic ice for a little while.

Thanks for pointing me in a good direction.

The flaking is just a bad tray.
I would buy a new icemaker and save the old parts like the head and
the thermostat (in the black housing that holds the head)
The Supco is part for part identical with the Whirlpool as far as I
know. I know the head is the same.
I never tried the cheaper one.
I have 4 of these things I maintain so I have a lot of experience with
them.

On Thursday, January 3, 2019 at 10:52:22 AM UTC-5, wrote:
On Thu, 03 Jan 2019 00:48:58 -0500, Nil
wrote:

On 02 Jan 2019, wrote in alt.home.repair:

On Wed, 02 Jan 2019 21:07:26 -0500, Nil
wrote:

I have a Kenmore fridge - pull-drawer freezer on bottom, no door
water or ice dispenser - that came with an icemaker installed in
the freezer. The icemaker needs to be replaced. Must I buy the
exact model or brand that's in there now or are the mountings and
hookups standard enough that I can consider other models/brands?

Kenmore is Whirlpool (Amana, Kitchen aid Roper etc) and that one
of the two basic types, GE being the other.
The basic icemaker unit is pretty universal. What is different is
the plastic doodads that fit on it.
You may have to split the unit to replace the output guide (5
screws) The "head" usually fixes most of them. That is the brown
plastic part with the gear on it, 3 screws. That is the timer
motor, the contacts and a few plastic parts that don't break. It
is usually the contacts that go bad. You really can't fix them.
This is the after market
https://www.amazon.com/Supco-IMM8366-Icemaker-Replaces-Whirlpool/dp/B009ZRS1YQ/ref=sr_1_17?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1546491394&sr=1-17&keywords=ice+maker+head+whirlpool
The problem is you can buy the whole unit from an after market
cheaper than a genuine whirlpool head
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079TC13Z8...il_aax_0?psc=1

A little better $3 more
https://www.amazon.com/Supco-Replacement-Whirlpool-KitchenAid-RIM597/dp/B003IVGJBC/ref=pd_lpo_vtph_60_bs_lp_t_1/136-3671483-5061309?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=EDB9S4FPBY0KZC XK3W58
This is the one I keep as a hot spare.

I think the head is OK. The problem with the maker is that the cubes
come out with flakes of material stuck to them. The fact that it's
only on the outer surface makes me confident that the stuff is the
surface of the ice cube forms (teflon?) flaking off. Otherwise the
unit cycles and produces cubes as expected

I didn't realize the
parts were so inexpensive - I had done a quick search several months
ago and it seemed to me at the time that I was looking at a couple
hundred bucks at least. I need to look close at the existing unit to
see what's compatible. Maybe I'll take it out now. I can survive
without automatic ice for a little while.

Thanks for pointing me in a good direction.

The flaking is just a bad tray.
I would buy a new icemaker and save the old parts like the head and
the thermostat (in the black housing that holds the head)
The Supco is part for part identical with the Whirlpool as far as I
know. I know the head is the same.
I never tried the cheaper one.
I have 4 of these things I maintain so I have a lot of experience with
them.

He might find individual parts on Ebay too. Kind of surprising there is
anything to flake off on a fridge ice maker from the last couple of
decades, at least. I would think it's all plastic. I don't see any
sign of metal or anything that could flake off on mine.

On 03 Jan 2019, trader_4 wrote in
alt.home.repair:

He might find individual parts on Ebay too. Kind of surprising
there is anything to flake off on a fridge ice maker from the last
couple of decades, at least. I would think it's all plastic. I
don't see any sign of metal or anything that could flake off on
mine.

I'm actually looking on eBay right now and I found a used one of my
model ("Adjusta Cube"). This picture shows what looks like the silver
surface of the ice form flaking off!

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/QVYAA...VB/s-l1600.jpg

I'm going to remove mine so I can see better what's going on, but I bet
mine looks like this or worse. Based on this listing I'm thinking it's
general problem with that model.

Whoever buys this one off eBay is going to be sorry.

Can't be lymeboi just said:

" Kind of surprising there is
anything to flake off on a fridge ice maker from the last couple of
decades, at least. I would think it's all plastic. I don't see any
sign of metal or anything that could flake off on mine."

Therefore your eyes must be lying to you.



"Nil" wrote in message
...
: On 03 Jan 2019, trader_4 wrote in
: alt.home.repair:
:
: He might find individual parts on Ebay too. Kind of surprising
: there is anything to flake off on a fridge ice maker from the last
: couple of decades, at least. I would think it's all plastic. I
: don't see any sign of metal or anything that could flake off on
: mine.
:
: I'm actually looking on eBay right now and I found a used one of my
: model ("Adjusta Cube"). This picture shows what looks like the silver
: surface of the ice form flaking off!
:
: https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/QVYAA...VB/s-l1600.jpg
:
: I'm going to remove mine so I can see better what's going on, but I bet
: mine looks like this or worse. Based on this listing I'm thinking it's
: general problem with that model.
:
: Whoever buys this one off eBay is going to be sorry.

On 03 Jan 2019, wrote in alt.home.repair:

The flaking is just a bad tray.

I took the icemaker out, that indeed is the problem. I found several of
the same model on eBay, and some of them show the exact same problem:
the lining of the tray, which I assume must be some plastic or teflon
coating over metal, is flaking off. Here's a picture from one of the
listings.

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/QVYAA...VB/s-l1600.jpg

Mine is much worse. I see I can buy a whole new unit for about $150 or
a used one for half that. I'll probably go for the used one if the
seller assures me that there is no similar corrosion.

On Thu, 03 Jan 2019 20:13:34 -0500, Nil
wrote:

On 03 Jan 2019, wrote in alt.home.repair:

The flaking is just a bad tray.

I took the icemaker out, that indeed is the problem. I found several of
the same model on eBay, and some of them show the exact same problem:
the lining of the tray, which I assume must be some plastic or teflon
coating over metal, is flaking off. Here's a picture from one of the
listings.

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/QVYAA...VB/s-l1600.jpg

Mine is much worse. I see I can buy a whole new unit for about $150 or
a used one for half that. I'll probably go for the used one if the
seller assures me that there is no similar corrosion.


Or buy this one new for $43
https://tinyurl.com/ybkw2b6f

On 03 Jan 2019, wrote in alt.home.repair:

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/QVYAA...VB/s-l1600.jpg

Mine is much worse. I see I can buy a whole new unit for about
$150 or a used one for half that. I'll probably go for the used
one if the seller assures me that there is no similar corrosion.

Or buy this one new for $43
https://tinyurl.com/ybkw2b6f

That one isn't identical to my current one, but it might fit. Yours
doesn't have a cube size control (not important) or an on/off switch
(probably not important either. What's more important is the
position of the mounting ears - I'd rather not have to drill more
holes in the freezer wall, especially since I can't really see what
I'm doing in there unless I were to completely remove the freezer
drawer and door. But the price is certainly right! I could afford to
replace it twice as often for that price, if necessary. The current
one lasted 5 - 6 years before it started contaminating the ice.

This is my current model, but this is the crummy one that I would
not buy:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Refrigerato...Q/153290084295

On Thu, 03 Jan 2019 21:02:51 -0500, Nil
wrote:

On 03 Jan 2019, wrote in alt.home.repair:

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/QVYAA...VB/s-l1600.jpg

Mine is much worse. I see I can buy a whole new unit for about
$150 or a used one for half that. I'll probably go for the used
one if the seller assures me that there is no similar corrosion.

Or buy this one new for $43
https://tinyurl.com/ybkw2b6f

That one isn't identical to my current one, but it might fit. Yours
doesn't have a cube size control (not important) or an on/off switch
(probably not important either. What's more important is the
position of the mounting ears - I'd rather not have to drill more
holes in the freezer wall, especially since I can't really see what
I'm doing in there unless I were to completely remove the freezer
drawer and door. But the price is certainly right! I could afford to
replace it twice as often for that price, if necessary. The current
one lasted 5 - 6 years before it started contaminating the ice.

This is my current model, but this is the crummy one that I would
not buy:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Refrigerato...Q/153290084295

The basic unit on all of those whirlpools are the same. When you pull
the end cover off does it look like this

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon...._AC_US160_.jpg

On 03 Jan 2019, wrote in alt.home.repair:

The basic unit on all of those whirlpools are the same. When you
pull the end cover off does it look like this

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon...._AC_US160_.jpg

No, instead there's a resin-potted circuit board, behind which is a
gear that looks similar to your picture, but smaller and positioned
differently. Here's a picture of mine:

http://rednoise.x10host.com/temp/IceMakerInnards.jpg

On Fri, 04 Jan 2019 15:59:39 -0500, Nil
wrote:

On 03 Jan 2019, wrote in alt.home.repair:

The basic unit on all of those whirlpools are the same. When you
pull the end cover off does it look like this

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon...._AC_US160_.jpg

No, instead there's a resin-potted circuit board, behind which is a
gear that looks similar to your picture, but smaller and positioned
differently. Here's a picture of mine:

http://rednoise.x10host.com/temp/IceMakerInnards.jpg

You may be screwed but the question is whether a whirlpool ice maker
will plug in and work. Since they are pretty much a self contained
thing, only having 150v, neutral ground and the water valve
connection. if there 4 wires the worst you would have to do is splice
the plug/cord, they include, on
It probably just plugs in.