The ice maker inside your freezer is a plumbing appliance insomuch as it uses water from your home’s plumbing system. If something goes wrong, you can call a Staten Island plumber to take a look at it or an appliance repairman.
In most cases, the ice maker is a complete and separate unit that is added into a standard refrigerator, either as an upgrade feature at the time of purchase or an actual add-on by the homeowner, who can also purchase a standalone ice maker and “tie it into” the home’s fresh water supply.
A standard ice maker’s operation is dependent upon the freezer to provide the cold and the electricity and the home’s plumbing to supply fresh water.
In this How To Plumbing post, we take a look at ice makers because, well, they are a part of the home’s plumbing.
How an Ice Maker Works
There are four common types of ice makers:
The ice tray is by way of the Flintstones and we’re not going to mess with those. For those of you who have no idea what an ice tray is: You’d fill a cubed tray with water, put it in the freezer, then take it out after it’s frozen, twist it to loosen the cubes, and drop them into an bucket. Chances dad and the kids would “forget” to refill the ice tray.
The other styles use a metal ice mold with an electric heater — yes, heater — to loosen the ice and drop them into a container. Both are similar in operation.
- Water — yeah, the plumbing part! — travels from a tap, usually under the kitchen sink or “plumbed” by a Staten Island plumber at the time the house or condo was built. This makes it super easy to run a hose from the tap in the wall behind the refrigerator to the ice maker, providing fresh water.
- Water lines are commonly copper or plastic tubing. They connect to the water inlet valve, which controls the flow of water. When the inlet valves receives electrical current from the ice maker, the solenoid on the valve is triggered and allows water to flow. Water travels through the outbound water line into the freezer and into the ice mold. It is possible that, if there are issues with the ice maker, it could stem from the water inlet valves and, in that case, you may need to call a Staten Island plumber to inspect or repair.
- The cycling of most ice makers is initiated by a thermostat attached to the ice mold. It monitors the temperature of the mold and when it drops to a preset temperature, the thermostat signals the ice maker to begin an ice making cycle.
- The motor turns the ejector blades which rotate until they contact the ice. Because the ice is frozen to the mold, it cannot be pushed out and the motor stalls. As the blades continue to press on the ice, the ice mold heater begins heating. Once the ice loosens the ejector motor turns, the mold heater shuts off and the ice is pushed out.
- The shutoff arm is located over the ice bin and it rises up while the ice is being ejected and then drops back down afterward. If it does not drop down far enough, because the bin is full, no more ice will be made. Only after the ice level drops sufficiently, will the ice making cycle resume. The shutoff arm can be used to manually shut off the ice maker by moving it to the up position.
In component models:
- While the ejector motor is turning, a cam engages the holding switch and the water inlet switch. The holding switch temporarily keeps the ejection cycle going even though the shutoff arm has been raised up.
- After the ice has been pushed out of the mold, the inlet switch signals the water inlet valve to release more water to refill the ice mold. The amount of water released is determined by how long the inlet switch remains depressed by the cam. Most ice makers have adjustments for controlling ice cube size. It may be a knob, lever or possibly a set screw hidden beneath the face plate. Increasing or decreasing the length of time the inlet switch is depressed will affect the amount of water that flows into the ice mold and thus the size of the ice cube.
On modular units the ejector motor momentarily completes a circuit to signal for water flow from the inlet valve.
Troubleshooting Your Ice Maker
For the most part, you can handle anything that goes wrong with your ice maker. However, if there is a plumbing issue like low water flow to the ice maker, then calling a Staten Island plumber or plumbing contractor for repair is prudent.
In most cases, calling an appliance repairman, particularly one familiar with the make and model of your refrigerator, will suffice.
Makes too much ice or will not shut off
- Check the shutoff arm
- Test the shutoff switch
Makes no ice
- Check the shutoff arm
- Check the supply valve
- Inspect the water supply line ()
- Test the shutoff switch
- Check the freezer temperature
- Inspect the ejector gear
- Test the ejector motor
- Test the ice mold heater
- Test the holding switch
- Test the water inlet switch
- Test the thermostat
- Test the water inlet valve
Ice cubes too small or large, or not enough ice
- Adjust cube size control
- Check the supply valve
- Inspect the water supply line
- Test the water inlet switch
- Test the water inlet valve
Ice will not eject
- Inspect the ejector gear
- Test the ejector motor
- Test the holding switch
- Test the thermostat
- Test the ice mold heater
Ice tastes bad
- Wash the ice bin
- Remove any old food
- Wash the refrigerator & freezer interior
- Flush out the supply line
- Test the water inlet valve
- Replace the refrigerator’s water filter
- Install a supply line filter if your fridge doesn’t already have one
Ice is discolored
- Test the water inlet valve
- Flush out the supply line
- Clean the ice mold tray
- Install a supply line filter if your fridge doesn’t already have one
Water leaks from unit
- Check the refrigerator for level
- Check the ice maker for level
- Inspect the fill cup alignment
- Inspect the water supply line
- Test the water inlet switch
- Test the water inlet valve
Ice Maker Tips and Advice
Do:
- Do use a water filter in the supply line to improve the taste of your ice cubes.
- Do change your water filter every six months.
Don’t:
- Don’t use a plastic water supply line unless it is rated for use with drinking water.
Next Up
Do you need to call a Staten Island plumber or plumbing contractor to fix your washing machine?
