5 replies to this topic

[occidental tourist]

checked a fridge the other day that has had intermittent performance from the icemaker recently.  (last few months, runs for a few weeks, doesn't run for a couple months, ran a week  . . . etc.

 

according to the wiring diagram I think that the B/W wire to white on the harness plug is supposed to be line voltage but I'm getting like 45 or 50 volts AC. 

 

so this is my first mystery. who knows how many more layers of mystery once I figure out whats up with that but first things first , as they say.

 

( BTW - it does seem that the infrared eye that checks for the ice reservoir being full is working correctly according to the indicator light.)

 

thanks,

 

brian

 

 

[DurhamAppliance]

Did you test voltage From n to L on the ice maker module? There is not constant voltage to this icemaker. Tape down the infrared flap unplug fridge for a few moments. Plug it back in then test ports N to L. You should get about 110 vac after a few minutes Make sure not to block beam with your hand.

Btw is there water or ice in the mold? What is the position of the harvesting fingers, if looking at the ice maker from the front? Are they at a 2:30 position etc or imbedded in ice? Check for continuity across the thermal fuse, the black and white thingy on the connector. lol I know it aint a proper term of art but during recent Asti class, the instructor.. Andy, who I understand participates on this site, asked about that fuse and i answered calling it the "black and white thingy" ... he got a kick out if it and began referring to it as such throughout the class.

Ps you may not need to avoid the beam for voltage testing...definitely so for harvest mode.. Been using the imt1 tester so much I can't remember all the steps for manually testing

[occidental tourist]

So I was testing for voltage on what I believe are the n ad L legs of the plug.  it is a 4 connector plug and one leg I thought - from the wiring diagram although I don't have it in front of me now - was the on off / control so that the n and L legs were constant.

 

I'm not talking particular contacts on the icemaker while it is hooked up, but the pins in the connector.

 

No water or ice in the maker.  I did not take careful account of the finger position. maybe I should have although it looked like they didn't want you to twist them by hand which would have been one way to check if the position of the fingers was not back to some original point that allows for normal operation.

 

And I didn't notice a fuse link in either side of the connector, but maybe I didn't look closely enough so I'll take another look.  I don't believe it was referenced in the halfway decent procedure manual for the icemaker that was on one of the 8.5x11 sheets with the wiring diagram with the fridge.

 

thanks for early thoughts.

 

see if i can get a little more feedback.

 

brian

[DurhamAppliance]

It is important that you do not attempt to move the harvesting fingers by hand with a whirlpool modular style icemaker.   The orientation of the fingers (just look at the orientation, do not move it!), as well as whether there is ice in the mold, can give strong indications of what the problem may be. Remember, there is not constant (full) power to the icemaker directly from the on/off switch with the optical/emitter design.    So your problem, excluding optics, could be voltage, bad thermostat, bad mold heater, frozen line, bad valve or even high temps in freezer. You can trick the fridge to send power to the ice maker if you unplug it and plug it back in. If you don't do that, you gonna be chasing your tail for quite a while.

 

This icemaker is designed to be tested at the ports. It can make your life so much easier. But if you want to test at the molex connector, you would test the black and white wires for proper voltage.  The thermal fuse is located on the black wire, connected to the ice maker itself. You have to disconnect the connector from the module and test both ends of the black wire for continuity.

 

This video by the Samurai may be helpful to you

 

http://appliantology...tical-controls/

[RegUS_PatOff]

... B/W wire to white on the harness plug is supposed to be line voltage but I'm getting like 45 or 50 volts AC. 

all voltage measurements should be made with the devices connected, unless otherwise directed

[DurhamAppliance]

Wisdom from on high! I agree with Reg

 

Your theory is correct in that there should be power to the on/off switch. But the on/off switch is to turn the optics on and off. The optics control itself, is in essence the on off switch for the icemaker. It not only sends/interrupts power to the icemaker but tells it when the bin is full. If you don't want to unplug and plug back in the fridge, then you may have to  jump the optics. Too much work!

 

PS if no thermal fuse, still test black and white wires for continuity, but I don't see that as your problem