Samsung rfg238aars Ice stuck?, Please help

[adamalbert]

Hello,
We purchased Samsung rfg238aars refrigerator in Oct 2012.
The upper ice maker quit working. It is fusing one set of ice cube with the next. This won’t allow either set to move and drop into the ice tray. We tried the reset button without success. Please see Picture
We replaced the ice maker assembly. The new ice maker did exactly the same thing.
We replaced the water inlet value thinking it was letting to much water into the ice maker.  We replaced the water filter. Neither works

The bottom ice maker and the water dispenser both are working
I notice a couple of other posting about similar issues on different models, but no solutions

I am at a lost and open to suggestions.
Thank you,
Adam

 

 

 

[DurhamAppliance]

check your water fill line to make sure it isn't pushed too far inside  its tube.  Samsung reports that backsplash has occurred even when the line was inserted to the marked location.  Try pulling the water line back several inches. 

Edited April 23, 2016 by DurhamAppliance

[adamalbert]

thank you Durham I will give this a try

[adamalbert]

Durham,

I tried moving the water line back, and the same fused ice cubes happened again.

I have replaced

Ice maker

water value

water filetr

moved the fill tube

What else could it be? aggggggggh

[DurhamAppliance]

 Have you checked for partially frozen water fill tube? 

Although you have two icemakers,  they are not the same.  The icemaker in the freezer is a flex mold icemaker and the one in the ice room is a heat mold icemaker.  

They also have different size molds so if the icemaker in the freezer is working okay but the other one isn't,  the key may be found in their differences. 

Since they have different size molds,  the water requirement is  different.   It's possible that insufficient  water to fill the mold of the heat mold icemaker makes  fragile /deformed ice leaving broken ice in the mold resulting in mold overfilling or broken ice jamming the harvester.  

So examine your water pressure... is it low?  Check your house valve.  Do you have a whole house filter,  reverse osmosis system? 

Does the same thing occur if the water filter is left out of the fridge? 

Also i couldn't tell much from your picture... can you provide more,  larger pictures... is there white frost formed, if so,  where  or is ithe  blockage due to  clear ice? 

Edited April 24, 2016 by DurhamAppliance

[adamalbert]

There is no indication that the water pressure is low.

Nothing has changed in the pumping system.

The house value is a ball value, and completely open. We don't have a have a filter system of any kind.

I haven't tried capping the filter, but a new filter was installed in March, and another one, from a new purchase, last week.

I have attached a larger picture. This was taken after they melted somewhat: usually the cubes are perfectly formed. The pushing arm is always stuck in the middle like this, and the end/tips on the first patch of cubes if fused to the second batch.

This morning one sets of cubes were in the ice maker, and the tips of the puching arms were stuck in the top of the ice. I freed them and hit the reset. I will take/post more picture after I see what happens

I remember years ago 'arguing' with my wife if we even needed an ice maker, now it bugs me that I can't figure out how to fix this one.

 

[adamalbert]

[adamalbert]

[adamalbert]

https://photos.google.com/photo/AF1QipNExZMffodSDHQp4X2vhXm8qCXDmBmMqrWsSbqh

 

link to picture, I could not get a picture to post

[DurhamAppliance]

Measure your the water at the fill tube by first emptying ice ir water from the icemaker then placing the icemaker in test mode.  Remove icemaker and check water level.  You may find it easier to run water into a container at the fill tube. 

 

You don't have to cap a Samsung  as samsungs water and ice will work without the filter.   I understand you already replaced the filter.  Removing the filter will allow  us to check your filter head assembly to some degree.  

 

[adamalbert]

Durham,

I have taken the filter out. You are right it works without the filter.

I took the ice maker out and took these pictures.

This shows the pushing arms stuck in the middle of the ice cubes. These cubes were rock hard this morning.

https://photos.google.com/photo/AF1QipOIJllRgxoVixQjc3F52d9rsAAZX4LlO5mIEq7n

Another view, these cubes are not frozen to the next set, but you can see how it will happen at the next cycle.

https://photos.google.com/photo/AF1QipN3XaKC6XmaBljjgOMRFiEToPw8O6cnR4pNh0dq

I tried to show the level of the next set of cubes. Notice the white top, with white surrounding black at the bottem, the level is 1/8 below the solid white.

https://photos.google.com/photo/AF1QipMp0QG67Ym691R56z38_FPPrBfJmWSLeXiKqlo1

An ice maker is back it, reset hit again, no water filter in place

Thank you for the help,

Adam

 

[DurhamAppliance]

not able to see your pictures..... try using photobucket 

[adamalbert]

I set up a photobucket account

http://s1376.photobucket.com/user/adamwalbert/library/?sort=3&page=1

[DurhamAppliance]

ok great pictures.    After a harvest cycle,  where do the harvesting fingers park,   Inside the mold in the water? 

[adamalbert]

Durham,

The teeth have usually been stuck in the ice pointing roughly at 10 o'clock or 2 o'clock. They have never been inside the mold.

After melting the ice, the fingers are in the same position. When I replace the ice maker and hit reset, I haven't pulled it back out to see where they land. They haven't seemed in the correct position, but I don't see an adjustment.

I appreciate your trying to solve this: thank you.

Adam

[DurhamAppliance]

if the fingers are not in the correct position,  there could be a problem with the board reading the icemaker's hall sensor.   Since you changed the icemaker and checked out everything else possible ... it could mean a problem with the wires /connector  or the board itself. Failed boards on a Samsung are rare.... however most of the failed ones I've seen results from a short at the icemaker (specifically when the icemaker in the freezer is snatched down by food in the drawer). Check for any visible board damage and   try reseating the icemaker connector,  possibly using electrical contact cleaner.   Do the same thing at the main board... connector 90... specifically pin 6....output for fridge Icemaker hall sensor.    Ignore the fridge Icemaker hall sensor that's labeled at pin 50...that's for the ice chute door. 

btw Have you seen any errors  (flashing led segments)? 

 

 

Edited April 25, 2016 by DurhamAppliance

[adamalbert]

Yes, We  have seen the the flashing LED segment. The LED that is for the Ice Module flashes ( forms a 89 instead of 88). At which point I take out the ice maker again and replace it, hit the reset button, wait a few minutes and run the diagnostic again and the LED is no longer flashing. I have been assuming that is because the harvest fingers are stuck again.

When the original Ice maker failed I noticed  a noise like the harvest arms were fighting to move ( like a drill clutch). Could that have burned out the Hall sensor. That might explain why I am seeing the very same conditions with both the original and new ice makers

Do you suggest that I will replace the Main Control Board Part number: DA41-00617A

?

Thanks

Adam

Edited April 25, 2016 by Samurai Appliance Repair Man
embedded part number

[DurhamAppliance]

At this point,  replacing the board is a logical next step... if you get it from Appliancepartspros you can return it if your problem continues

Edited April 25, 2016 by DurhamAppliance

[DurhamAppliance]

btw,  Adam,  thanks for your detailed posts and your persistence. Your situation is quite rare so many of us are studying,  examinig and learning from your situation.  Make sure to keep us updated. 

Edited April 25, 2016 by DurhamAppliance

[adamalbert]

Durham,

Ok, I have ordered the main control board. A few days for delivery, a little time for me to get to it and hopefully I can report back by Thursday/Friday. I know to be careful about static discharge and small fragile connections, is there anything else I should be careful about?

In researching this problem I was annoyed when I would find a similar problem and no final resolution post.  I want to make it easier on the next guy: I promise to post the resolution to this.

Thanks,

Adam

[adamalbert]

The control board I ordered DA41-00617A which matches the picture you posted, and matches Repair Clinic and several others has arrived

The original board is DA92-00355a, Sear Parts likes this for rfg238aars

Appliance Parts Pro likes DA41-00617A for rfg237aars, but doesn't list rfg238aars.

Thoughts? Idea?

 

[adamalbert]

Hello,

Various sites thinking on DA41-00617A vs DA92-00355A for RFG238AARS

Repair Clinic,

lists DA41-00617A

Appliance Parts Pro, list DA41-00617B - yes 'B' not 'A'

Sears Parts,

‘Online Chat: ‘Does DA41-00617A fit RFG238aars?’ answer, ‘yes, want to order?’

Samsung Parts,

If you enter part DA41-00617a it supports RFG238aars. If you enter DA92-00355A it supports RFG238AARS. If you enter RFG238AARS it calls for DA92-00355A

Best Buy Parts.

DA41-00617A for RFG238AARS, DA92-00355A for RFG238AARS/XAA

Samsung says there isn’t any difference between the RFG238AARS/XAA and RFG238AARS. The first is just the complete model number.

How does anyone working on these things keep from yelling and cursing?

Any suggestions?

Thank you,

Adam

[DurhamAppliance]

1) Parts houses are not always accurate.   Use tne the BOM number found on the model tag to order Samsung parts. 

[adamalbert]

Summary: Ice Maker Working

The ice maker stopped working in late March

First step was installing a new ice maker. This didn’t work, see details in prior posts. Cost =$130

Online research suggested a water flow issue. Since the cubes were stuck together, my theory was that the water valve was slow in closing allowing too much water into the tray. This didn’t work and in hind sight it didn’t match the situation. Cost =$107

Next theory was that the main control board senor for the ice maker was faulty. In searching part websites, I ordered the control board they recommended. This turned out not to be the board in the refrigerator: see prior posts for details.

I try to give local guys the business whenever I can. In this case it means I was stuck with eating the costs of the first board, $114, even if many sites said it was the correct board.

The new board that matched what was in the refrigerator cost $125. I have known for 40 years to check the part number before ordering whenever possible. Guess I needed another lesson.

I installed the new control board 05/06/16 at around 2:00pm. On 05/07/16 at 5:00am I have an ice bin full of ice.

Final results:

Ice maker working

Total Spending $476

Wasted one control board and one water valve $221

Special thanks to Durham Appliance

[DurhamAppliance]

Thank you for your time and for the update!  invaluable info, now stored in my evernote.