I have a 1995 Maytag refridgerator. The ice maker stopped working a few weeks ago. Water still dispenses for drinking. I had a repair man come out. He tested it and said it was the water valve. He didn’t have one with him and told they could come back or I could just order one on the web and install it myself - he showed me how to do it. After he left, he called back 10 minutes later and said he was mistaken and that the problem was actually the ice maker itself - he told me how to replace that too and said to just order one off the web. So - I ordered a replacement ice maker, installed it with no problem, verifed that there was power with a paper clip (as the repair man showed me that too) - but still no water. So - I ordered a replacement water valve off the web - installed that with no problem - but still no ice to the ice maker (the water dispenser for drinking still works fine). I could call another repair person I guess - but I was hoping someone might have some guidance for me.
Thanks Gene - I had already checked inside and it looked okay - I pulled off the feeder tube that leads to the ice maker and I used a screw driver to go up into the tube that connects to the freezer and that seemed clear. I just read one other item online that said I should disconnect the tube from the water valve and blow into it - if air goes through I assume I’m clear of ice - I’ll try that tonight when I get home. I’ll respond back tonight.
Here’s the current status (still focused on icemaker not working for Maytag RSW24E0DAE). I have done the following: (1) I poured water into the ice maker - then let it cycle normally - it froze it and dispensed it into the ice bin properly. (2) I disconnected the hose for the ice maker from the valve and blew air through it - I’m sure there’s no ice blockage. (3) I disconnected both clips to the water valve and put a voltmeter in each one - when I pressed the water dispenser, I got 120V, when I forced a cycle of the ice maker I never got any voltage reading (and I waited for 10 minutes or so to make sure it made a complete cycle). Please recall that I have already replaced the existing ice maker with a new ice maker, I also replaced the water valve with a new valve (and the water dispenser is still working).
So - I still can’t figure out what’s wrong - could the 2nd icemaker be bad also?? How can I test the ice maker to check the method by which it should turn on the water flow? Could it be bad wiring from where the ice maker hooks into the fridge to where the wiring connects with the water valve? If so - do you know how I could test that?
There are two wires connected to the ice maker solenoid at the water valve: tan and white. Unplug the refrigerator. Unplug the ice maker plug from the wall and, using a piece of wire, short the two terminals where these wires (tan & white) were connected to at the wall plug.
Disconnect the wires from the ice maker water valve solenoid and for continuity between them. It should read less than 1 Ohm.
I just did the resistance test. You said it should read less than 1 Ohm. It read 2.9 Ohms. Specifically, I shorted the connection points for the tan and white harness wires on the inside wall of the freezer, I disconnected the the connector from the water valve that feeds up to the ice maker (and note, one side of the connector is also wired to the connector for the water dispenser), I connected my multimeter to both sides of the connector for the ice maker, tested for Ohms and it came out as 2.9.
That’s very strange. It suppose to be some voltage reading at the water valve solenoid for the ice maker.
Install the ice maker back in place and plug it in. Do the next test: Remove the ice maker head cover and check for 120VAC between "N" & "L" test points. Make sure the test probes are 1/2" in.
If there is 120VAC then using an insulated piece of wire (14 GA), short points "T" & "H" to run the motor. Leave the jumper in for a half of a revolution and remove it. The water valve should be energized in the last half of the revolution. Check the voltage at the water inlet valve and post the results.
Power on - Voltmeter on N and L - 120 Volts on Voltmeter
Power off - Ohmmeter between L and H - 73 Ohms. Ohmmeter between L and M - 73 Ohms. Ohmmeter between V and N - 4.2 M Ohms.
I turned power off - removed clips from water valve. Placed Voltmeter in clips for water dispenser. Turned power on - Voltmeter showed 0. Pressed water dispenser - Voltmeter showed 120.
I turned power off, moved multimeter probes to the clips for ice maker. Turned power on - Voltmeter showed range from 11 - 14 volts (but the ice maker was not turning yet). Then I used paper clip to short T and H - I watched the dial start turning, pulled out the paper clip mid way - saw that the dial continued to turn. I watched the Voltmeter the whole time - it stayed in the 11 to 14 range - never jumped higher than that. After it completed the cycle, it stayed at 11 or 12. I ran this test a 2nd time with the same results.
Then - if you recall - this was a new ice maker. I put the old ice maker back in - reran all of the tests and got similar results.
Thanks Gene. I will call them on Monday to try to get an exchange - is there any explicit measurement that I can tell them to convince them that their ice maker is defective?
If you did order it from APP then you can refer to our conversation. Otherwise you can tell them that there is no power to the water valve during the enforced ice maker cycle.
I received a second new ice maker and installed it. The ice maker is still not working. To recap - the water dispenser does work, the ice maker does go through the cycle, but no water dispenses. I haven’t done much testing other than to install the new one and to leave it in for 24 hours - I have monitored to make sure it was cycling on it’s own - and it does, but I have not done any volt/ohm meter readings.
At this point in time, I have to assume the ice maker is okay and the water valve is okay (based on prior testing).
Any thoughts for next steps - I’m happy to rerun any old tests, run new tests, etc. Could it just be bad wiring from the ice maker to the water valve? If that’s a possibility, do you have guidance as to what type of testing I should do for that?
I would like to confirm (I know it sounds weird) the position of the ice maker shut off arm. Make sure it is inserted properly into the ice maker and is in down position.
You had to use the old ice maker wire harness because it’s not included. Order the new harness and give it a try.
The ice maker wire harness [part]70076-1[/part]
Gene.
I have checked and the arm is properly in the down position. I have watched it cycle several times over the past 2 days and the ice maker goes through the cycle every hour or so, but no water comes out. I also do have a second harness and I have connected the ice maker with both the old and new harness (and I’ve watched to make sure that the ice maker runs through the cycle with both harnesses).
Please let me know if you have any other thoughts or if there are any other tests you think I should run.
I can not believe that two new ice makers are both defective, causing the same problem. It’s impossible. The only thing left is a problem with the wires inside the walls. Try to run a wire from the ice maker "V" test point to the water valve solenoid instead of the wire connected to it now. Watch how it will work.