GE Profile Arctica PSS26MGPA BB - Icemaker makes small icicles at the bottom front corners

[BillHammer]

My icemaker makes good ice, runs file, and I watched it fill after it dumped a load of ice into the bucket. The inlet valve shut off sharply, looked good. A few seconds later, a singe slow drop emerged from the lower right corner. Looks like it happens with each cycle, after a day or two the icicle is about a half inch long and eventually it flows into the back of the ice bucket and makes a small ice dam. I also get a single drop sometimes from the left front corner that flows onto the bin full paddle, and it very slowly builds up over time.

No flood, nothing over the top, not severe and everything else is fine - but the ice welds together in the back of the bin because of this.

See 2 pics.

Is there an icemaker drain somewhere that should take this little bit of water away? Or is the whole icemaker needing replacement?

Thanks!

-Bill

 

[citizenX]

Usually when that happens it's because the teflon coating (or whatever it actually is) inside the mold starts to peel or come off and the water will leak from those areas. It's weird to see but the water will ramp up over the edge where the coating is gone, like it's getting to much fill but the water level is fine. 

Of course, if you are in fact getting too much water fill then it can do that as well. As far as the coating, you can remove the ice maker easily enough and look at the coating inside the mold and see if it's coming off. If so then you need a new ice maker. 

[BillHammer]

Is there a drain in the icemaker somewhere that should take the little drip water away first?

[citizenX]

Nope no drain. It'll just run over the edge and make interesting sculptures in the ice bucket! 

[BillHammer]

Ok, last item - this fridge dates to 2003. Can I still get a replacement ice maker? I've seen some videos but they have one side screw that holds it in, mine has 2 in the back, and the case is a little different.

[citizenX]

Yeah the ice maker is still available. The new part number is WR30X10093. The OEM unit costs around $200ish but there are aftermarket ones for less than half that on Amazon and ebay. Should just be the two screws in the back and maybe one on the side by the control arm, if memory serves.

Are your cubes normal size or abnormally large and coming out together attached in a big row (too much water)? If the unit is filling with too much water that can cause it to leak as well. The water level can be adjusted with a little screw inside of the ice maker. Also, if the fill valve is leaking extra water into the ice maker then you'd have to replace the fill valve. Being that you witnessed it leaking from the corners immediately after it filled though, I would first suspect the mold coating is bad or it is overfilling. Check the mold first just to verify how the coating looks. 

Edited Wednesday at 11:30 PM by citizenX

[BillHammer]

Coating on the mold was rough and scratchy all over, but not broken and I didn't see any fractures anywhere.

Yes, the cubes do come out in 1 row, then when they land in the bin they split into 2 halves. Like 4 and 3 or 2 and 5. A little big? Maybe, they are not small that's for sure.

[citizenX]

Ok, sounds like the water level is fine as they will typically come out in a row then break apart when they fall into the bin so that's sounds normal.