The ice maker in my kenmore elite (whirlpool) s/s fridge/freezer quit working last week. So, after reading several posts and calling sears - yikes! $70 just to come out! I decided to gamble and just buy a replacement icemaker - 2198597. When I took the old one out I noticed the large plastic gear on the motor was off kilter and upon further inspection could see that it had actually broken at the shaft and therefore was not engaging with the small brass gear. However, 24 hours after installation of the new ice maker…no ice, no nothing. And yes, before all this, I used the hair dryer to verify no frozen line, made sure the temp was 0-5 degrees, the red optic light was not obscured, the water filter is good, water supply is good (water dispenser in door has always worked). If I have a bad water supply valve/solenoid would it have contributed to the breakage of the old ice maker in some way? …or am I just looking at coincidental breakages? …or is it something else I am missing entirely? Any help greatly appreciated.
Make sure the "on-off" switch on the right side is "on". Push in the flopper on the left side and watch the optic LED. Would it stay "on" or it would blinking?
Gene.
Please click one of the Quick Reply icons in the posts above to activate Quick Reply.
— Begin quote from Gene;147239
Unplug the ice maker harness plug and check for 120VAC between the black and white wires at the plug. Post the results.
Gene.
— End quote
Thank you Gene, Using a digital multimeter checking between the black and white wires I got a reading of 34.9.
Marshal
— Begin quote from Gene;147239
Unplug the ice maker harness plug and check for 120VAC between the black and white wires at the plug. Post the results.
Gene.
— End quote
Just so I understand…the optic board can be bad even though the sensor light is okay?
Marshal
The optic part of the boards can be fine, but there are a few more parts in the boards between the optic receiver and the power supply for the ice maker. If there is 120 VAC coming to the boards as shown in the attached file then the boards have to be replaced.
Gene.
— Begin quote from Gene;147588
I can not say I’m positive about it without proper diagnosis. I just told you which step should be next.
Measuring the incoming voltage to the optic boards can prove the boards are bad or can lead to some other problem.
- The PC boards kit [part]AP3137510[/part]
Gene.
— End quote
Understood, thank you again for your time, expertise and patience.
Marshal
You are welcome. Keep us posted.
Gene.
— Begin quote from Gene;147592
You are welcome. Keep us posted.
Gene.
— End quote
One more quick question. Should I go with OEM or do you think after market board kits ore okay?
Marshal
— Begin quote from Gene;147614
Such electronic parts is better to use OEM.
Gene.
— End quote
Thanks, will post what happens.
Marshal
— Begin quote from foobydoo;147619
Thanks, will post what happens.
Marshal
— End quote
Well, the optic boards were not the problem. I’ve replaced the main unit and now the optic boards and still no ice. I just ordered a new water valve, we’ll see what happens when I put that in. I don’t think there is much left to replace!
Marshal
— Begin quote from foobydoo;150560
Well, the optic boards were not the problem. I’ve replaced the main unit and now the optic boards and still no ice. I just ordered a new water valve, we’ll see what happens when I put that in. I don’t think there is much left to replace!
Marshal
— End quote
Well…it’s been 48 hours since I replaced the valve and still nothing. So, let’s recap what I’ve done. Original problem was no ice. I replaced the icemaker unit, when I took the old one out I noticed the plastic shaft was broken and the gears were barely making contact with each other if at all, thought that was it, no dice, no ice. Next I replaced the optical sensors, still no ice. Next I replaced the valve and then just to be sure a new water filter. Forty eight hours later still no ice. I’m now thinking it’s something simple I’m just overlooking. Ice maker is on, water is on, optical sensor is working, freezer temp is zero. Maybe something needs to be reset or the icemaker timer adjusted …? Any ideas are welcome, I’m still trying to avoid a service call and those pesky wife comments.
Marshal
Marshal,
Have you checked the plastic water feeding tube into the ice maker? It can be frozen.
Gene.
— Begin quote from Gene;154172
Marshal,
Have you checked the plastic water feeding tube into the ice maker? It can be frozen.
Gene.
— End quote
I initially used a hair dryer to heat it up and turned the unit off and it brought the temperature up to about 50 degrees. I also ran a flexible plastic wire about 6 inches up into water tube. Where would it be frozen and what is the best way to make for sure?
Marshal
Marshal,
Looks like we stepped in a wrong direction somewhere in the troubleshooting. So let start it over, step by step - one step at a time.
Make sure the "on-off" switch on the right side is "on". Remove the ice maker head cover (do not unplug the ice maker) 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.
Post the results.
Gene.
— Begin quote from Gene;154352
Marshal,
Looks like we stepped in a wrong direction somewhere in the troubleshooting. So let start it over, step by step - one step at a time.
Make sure the "on-off" switch on the right side is "on". Remove the ice maker head cover (do not unplug the ice maker) 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.
Post the results.
Gene.
— End quote
Okay, I just checked and re-checked the Vac between the n and l test points and keep getting 34.7 Vac
Marshal
Marshal,
Sorry, I missed couple things in the instructions for the previous test. Before you’ll measure the voltage make sure there is a clear path for the infrared beam to travel to the receiver sensor. Push in and hold the door light switch and wait 5 seconds before the voltage test.
If you’ll have about the same reading, unplug the ice maker and check the voltage between the black wire in the plug and the ground with the same precautions.
Post the results.
Gene.
— Begin quote from Gene;154438
Marshal,
Sorry, I missed couple things in the instructions for the previous test. Before you’ll measure the voltage make sure there is a clear path for the infrared beam to travel to the receiver sensor. Push in and hold the door light switch and wait 5 seconds before the voltage test.
If you’ll have about the same reading, unplug the ice maker and check the voltage between the black wire in the plug and the ground with the same precautions.
Post the results.
Gene.
— End quote
Okay, with the infrared beam path clear and the door light switch held in for 5+ seconds I get a reading of 122.9 Vac between the N and L test points. With the ice maker unplugged voltage between the black and white wires are 34.9 Vac under the same conditions.
Marshal
That means there is a proper power to the ice maker.
Next tests:
Turn off the cold control and unplug the refrigerator.
Slide the ice maker out of the mounting rails and leave the wiring harness connected. Remove the head cover and using an insulated piece of wire (14 GA), short points "T" & "H". Remount the ice maker, making sure that the water fill tube is inside the fill cup. Make sure the "on-off" switch on the right side is "on".
Connect power to the refrigerator, but keep the cold control off, so the compressor would not run. Make sure there is a clear path across the bin for the infrared beam to travel to the receiver sensor. Close the freezer door and wait 5 seconds to allow the optics relay to close. Open the freezer door and you should see the ejector bar moving. If it does not, the ice maker is probably defective.
Remove the jumper wire prior to the ejector blades reaching 10 o’clock position and see if the ice maker fills with water. The mold should be warm due to the heater operation.
Unplug the refrigerator immediately after water fill. Close the freezer door and reconnect the power to the refrigerator. Wait for a minimum of 5 seconds, and a maximum of 50 seconds, then open the freezer door, and view the status LED for the output codes (pulses).
Turn the cold control on to the regular temperature setting after the test done.
Post the results.
Gene.
— Begin quote from Gene;154701
That means there is a proper power to the ice maker.
Next tests:
Turn off the cold control and unplug the refrigerator.
Slide the ice maker out of the mounting rails and leave the wiring harness connected. Remove the head cover and using an insulated piece of wire (14 GA), short points "T" & "H". Remount the ice maker, making sure that the water fill tube is inside the fill cup. Make sure the "on-off" switch on the right side is "on".
Connect power to the refrigerator, but keep the cold control off, so the compressor would not run. Make sure there is a clear path across the bin for the infrared beam to travel to the receiver sensor. Close the freezer door and wait 5 seconds to allow the optics relay to close. Open the freezer door and you should see the ejector bar moving. If it does not, the ice maker is probably defective.
Remove the jumper wire prior to the ejector blades reaching 10 o’clock position and see if the ice maker fills with water. The mold should be warm due to the heater operation.
Unplug the refrigerator immediately after water fill. Close the freezer door and reconnect the power to the refrigerator. Wait for a minimum of 5 seconds, and a maximum of 50 seconds, then open the freezer door, and view the status LED for the output codes (pulses).
Turn the cold control on to the regular temperature setting after the test done.
Post the results.
Gene.
— End quote
Hi Gene, just so I’m clear on this…when you refer to the "cold control" are you referring to the digital temperature degree control unit (run way up to 50 or 60 degrees?) or do you mean just turn off the whole unit?
Marshal