Hello,
I’ve got a 15" KitchenAid stand alone ice maker - purchased in 2000. I just finished replacing a leaking evaporator. Now when I turn it on the clean light just flashes - nothing else happens.
It will run through the clean cycle if I select clean, just nothing if I select on. Any ideas?
Thanks
Maybe this will help If it blinks 3 times its the bin thermistpr if it blinks 5 times its the evap thermistor I think thats how it goes but you will find something here.
It’s a single blink - one at a time.
It had the blinking light problem before I repaired the evaporator - that is sometimes I would open it to get ice - the system would be on, the light would be flashing - but no ice production.
Turning the icemaker off, then on would correct the problem. Now it just flashes no matter what and no ice production, no cycles, no compressor, just a light.
Could it be the control board?
Thanks
I do know on Ge ice machines, and I believe the whirlpool is made by the same company. It wont run with the bin thermister disconnected or the cutting grid, but will default to a 25 minute harvest cycle if the evap thermister is disconnected. Another thing that can cause a clean light to blink would ba a kinked or clogged drain line or a bad auxillary pump if equipped.
Ah, my bin thermistor is not connected. That may be the problem. Resistance is supposed 10K@ 77°F (25°C). I’ll check that first.
Thanks
Keep us posted
The low side is showing -(minus) 20 psi
The high side is showing 95 psi
The inside of the icemaker door has a label that says:
Design Pressure
95 PSI Low
350 PSI High
What should I do?
Thanks!
go to a refrigeration supply house I used some r-12 replacement once that came in the cans and it came with a piercer and the 1/4 flare fitting it screwd on the top of can had a shut off valve
Evaporator replacement:
It quit making ice so I called the repair guy. He looked at it and said it was the evaporator and it would cost $800 to replace the evaporator and the compressor.
I took the top off the ice maker and sprayed soapy water on the evaporator - sure enough, it was leaking.
The part was only $120 bucks. My brother had a torch and silver solder. I took it apart, he heated up the joints, the old one came off. We put the new one on. Seemed easy enough…
They may have something at an auto parts store, they sell the cans there, they probably have the hose you need.
I’m confused. The cans you buy at the store if I’m not mistaken have automotive 134a ACME threads, and the hose you have is a standard thread that wont screw on the can…Right?, So you need the hose that fits on the can and pierces it, and also the other end needs to attach to the charge port correct? If thats the case, you need and adapter from a refrigerant supply store.
— Begin quote from v2k04;43214
all 134 A and r-12 gauges in domestic refrigeration is 1/4 in flare we use 30 lb bottle not the little cans I was just mentioning the r-12 blend freon I bought was in a can and it had the proper fittin also automotive refrigeration fittings are different than domestic refrigeration. You can get the fitting at nappa to convert automotive to1/4 in flare
— End quote
So the bottle has the valve on it? and the same threads as my yellow hose (134a threads I think).
What’s 1/4 flare?
Thanks
— Begin quote from abadfish66;43215
I’m confused. The cans you buy at the store if I’m not mistaken have automotive 134a ACME threads, and the hose you have is a standard thread that wont screw on the can…Right?, So you need the hose that fits on the can and pierces it, and also the other end needs to attach to the charge port correct? If thats the case, you need and adapter from a refrigerant supply store.
— End quote
The hose I have WILL screw on to a can of 134a, it won’t peirce it. Also, the amount threads on the can are too short, so the hose will screw on, but it won’t bottom out so that the inside of the hose touches the top of threads. It won’t seal.
The threads on the top of the can and the threads on the charge ports are the same, except for the threads on the can are too short for the hose to seal properly.
Yes, "So you need the hose that fits on the can and pierces it, and also the other end needs to attach to the charge port correct? "
So they must have this at a refrigerant supply store?
Thanks
Guaranteed to find what you need there. They will help you get the right stuff.
Back to charging…
The neither the high or low pressure changes when the compressor is running. Are they supposed to?
Thanks
— Begin quote from bchristal;43217
So the bottle has the valve on it? and the same threads as my yellow hose (134a threads I think).
What’s 1/4 flare?
Thanks
— End quote
1/4 flare is what your hoses are as you notice the schrader valve has a tapered end on it thats considered a flare fitting
— Begin quote from bchristal;43226
Back to charging…
The neither the high or low pressure changes when the compressor is running. Are they supposed to?
Thanks
— End quote
if it pulls in a deep vacuum with compressor running it’s restricted 20 in of vacuum would be like no freon and the pressure would rise as freon was added if it goes back in a vacuum something is plugged
If the bin thermister was disconected so it wouldn’t run, how did you charge it with half a can, and if you don’t have the hoses to do the job, just curious.
— Begin quote from abadfish66;43234
If the bin thermister was disconected so it wouldn’t run, how did you charge it with half a can, and if you don’t have the hoses to do the job, just curious.
— End quote
Good question, long story. I can actually add freon, just not through my guages.
I added an automotive 134a snap connector to the low side and connect the guages using this:
Then I have to remove the guages and connect a can like this:
I added the rest of my can of freon (maybe 1/4 of a can).
Low was -20 now -17
High was 94 now 240
Condensor is cool.
This probably isn’t a good idea, i did it accidently. If I let the freon go from the low to the high through the hoses the condesor will get hot.
Any ideas?
Thanks