Samsung Bottom Freezer RF217ACWP Ice Maker

[beabruin]

My 5-yr old Samsung French Door/Bottom Freezer model: RF217ACWP has started to slow its ice production.  The ice maker was already replaced once a year ago by a Sears tech due to some broken part I can't remember which part.  Recently the outdoor temps have been warm for southern New England above 93-degrees for the last week or so and humidity has been in the oppressive range (mid to upper 60s) as well.  Not sure if this has any affect at all on this issue.  At any rate, my wife and I are using more ice  lately and it doesn't seem to be able to keep up.

Is there a filter that needs to be checked or changed?  I am not aware of one.  I also do not use an external filter.  If there is an internal filter, where is it located?  If I need to replace the ice maker, does anyone know if there is an available unit that makes something other than half-moon shaped ice cubes?  What about a test button?  Where is it located?  I've read something about not pressing it more than once every 24 hours.  Again, it is still making ice.  It just appears to be producing less than normal.  It could be my imagination as well.  We may just be using more than normal.  I appreciate any thoughts on this.

[Hiroshi]

The test button is on the bottom of the square power module of the icemaker as seen from the front, push it away from you and hold until the motor begins advancing... Outdoor temps only matter if the machine is outdoors and/or you don't have you Air Conditioning running in the house.

[beabruin]

Thanks for the tip on the ice maker test button.  I was able to test the ice maker and it did make ice "cubes".  Any idea if this unit has an internal filter that needs to be replaced?  Or should I install an external water filter on the line before it connects to the ice maker?

[Hiroshi]

Does the water dispenser seem to be slowing down too? That is usually a better indicator of flow rate through your water system. The machine you have does not list a water filter as a part it contains and if you have very hard water, you may want to install in inline water filter to keep scale from ruining the system down the road... Once they are clogged it is near impossible to clear some parts of the tubing, not to mention potential leaks from sediment in the water valve... 

[lvasquez11]

Are condensor coils clean in back.

a batch of ice made about every 1.5 to 2.5 hours depending on freezer temp.

each cold glass of ice water or iced tea uses up to 2 harvest cyles.

it takes about 48 hrs to fill bin

[beabruin]

I don't have a water dispenser.  Just the bottom freezer icemaker.  Because we had low ice production, I made more observations and also noticed frost on some food and a buildup of frost on the "ceiling" of the freezer.  I decided to remove the frozen food temporarily and the basket trays and clean everything.  There was a small sheet of ice on the freezer "floor" which I broke up and removed.  I didn't remove or clean or defrost the ice crystals on the "ceiling" of the freezer compartment.  After cleaning I put everything back including the frozen food.  In the morning I noticed there was no more frost or ice crystals on the food.  The refreezable ice packs I have in the freezer which had previously been only partially frozen, were now fully frozen.  Ice production has also resumed to normal.  There is still a slight buildup of frost on the "ceiling" of the freezer.  The freezer door also seems to have more friction when opening or closing.

Although I didn't really fix anything, the problems seem to have cleared up for now.  Also in the meantime, I called Sears to schedule a repair tech.  It frustrates me why a refrigerator/freezer repair call takes 2-3 weeks to schedule a repair tech.  It also has me wondering why I am paying for extended warranty service.  When this unit is ready for retirement, I am going to my local appliance company and I'm sure they will have competitive prices and much better service.  I'm done with the big box stores and Sears when it comes to major appliance purchases and repair services.

Thanks for the tips & assistance.

[Hiroshi]

it sounds like you may have a clogged defrost drain tube, this can lead to an ice pad on the freezer floor which often blocks the freezer door from fully closing and keeps humidity trapped in the freezer section through successive defrost cycles...

[beabruin]

Hiroshi - Will it be fairly obvious where the defrost drain tube is located?  Inside the freezer compartment at the front or rear?  Or at the rear of the fridge/freezer unit?

And to Ivasquez11, yes the coils are clean.  They had some dust on them but I brushed it off.  

[JMelvin]

beabruin,

I know this is an old post but Samsung are still selling this model in Home Depot. It’s the defrost drain tube for the freezer. There is also one in the refrigerator. If you see the same ice buildup and subsequent flooding on the refrigerator floor, you know the refrigerator needs the same procedure.

The ice at the bottom of the floor(s) is due to bad design. As water vapor condenses and changes to the liquid phase (water), that water needs to be drained out. But wait, isn’t that water in the freezer? Partially true. It is in the back of the freezer behind an insulated panel. To encourage the water along, there is a heating element all around the condenser. The heating element has a metal clip on the very bottom that sits in the drain hole. That heating element turns on briefly after every cooling cycle. Because heat flows from warm to cold, the inside of the defrost drain tube, which has that metal clip inside, will not get cold enough to make ice. The design flaw is that the clips are too short and don’t reach deep enough to melt the ice at the furthest point in the freezer compartment where ice will begin to form. The solution is to defrost the refrigerator or freezer (whichever one has the ice. You will have to unplug the refrigerator and wait. Or put into power defrost mode (which will help tremendously).
 

You are not alone. This WILL happen to every Samsung refrigerator. There is NOT an official Samsung fix for this design flaw. Someone came up with a hack to fix the design that you might be able to do yourself. You may have to do it yourself. Because it’s a hack, a lot of techs may not want to do this for you. The hack is a beefier and longer clip that both, captures more heat from the heating element, and puts it far enough down the hole to prevent ice buildup.

Search Amazon for the Samsung freezer clip. Here is the one I used:

DA61-06796A Refrigerator Drain Tube Clip Evaporator Replacement Part by Sikawai for Samsung-Replaces AP5579885 2683162 PS4145120-2 Pack

Steps:

Defrost freezer

Once defrosted, unplug from electricity 

Remove the freezer door (4 nuts)

Remove ice maker (2 screws and a wiring clip)

Remove rear panel (2 screws and wiring clip)

Find the heating element around the condenser

At the bottom, in the middle, find the clip that points to the drain below and cut the clip out with tin snips or something that will cut through metal

Take new clip and hang the beefy part on the heating element in the same location where the old one was. As you hang it, you will need to guide the long part into the defrost drain tube. Once hanging on the heating element, wrap the fins on the beefy part around the heating coil. The fins both hold the metal clip in place, and ensure more contact area with the heating element.

Reinstall everything in reverse order

Question yourself the next time you are choosing appliances

-Jeff