A FEW MORE SATISFIED CUSTOMERS

Comment Wall 2020

Hi Don,

I want thank you for your help with our Ice Maker. From the first call to you and the ease of asking you questions and your knowledge of the units put our minds at ease that we would not need to purchase a new refrigerator. We also could not believe your customer service when you notice the package was in transit longer than it should have been and the amount of times you were in contact with us until the unit arrived.

If anyone I know needs parts for Ice makers I will be sure to direct them your way.

Thank you again for all your help.

Sharon Petrelesse -California

Don

Thank you so much. My freezer is almost full with Ice!!!!!!

Best regards

Reuben

Sent from my iPhone

Don,

The new ice maker is working great! Thanks for the call last night. I apologize for the mix up on my end.

I know where to tell friends and family where to go, if they need ice makers.

-Ryan Sheaffer

Don,

Thanks for helping me select the proper Ice Maker replacement for my Viking side by side refrigerator. Your guidance in selecting the correct part was very much appreciated. I followed the instructions on your website and had the new ice maker installed in less than 10 minutes. The ice maker was pumping out ice in about 4 hours and has been working strong for the past couple of weeks without a problem. You can’t imagine how happy my wife was to have it working again. (Happy Wife = Happy Life) I appreciate your dedication to customer service… from shipping to instructional material made this a breeze.

The local cost of the ice maker, module board, labor, and service call was over $300! What a great tool the internet is. If you are curious, want to learn from others and save money (we saved over $200 with Don) then you have come to the right place. I have told others about my success and directed them to your website. Thanks AGAIN!

If the need arises, I will be contacting you whenever I need a replacement.

Best Regards,

Dee Casida

Oklahoma City, OK

Don,

I just wanted to say that it was a pleasure doing business with your company. It is refreshing to have a company that gives advice and personalized information and clear cut directions. Your prices are very fair and your shipping was very quick. I normally do not write comments but you have earned it and if I ever need ice maker parts I will definitely use you again.

Tim Pearsall

Don,

I got the circuit boards today and followed your instructions. Ice maker cycled in 4 minutes. I now have the solid red light when flapper closed and beam not blocked. Old boards gave the 2 blink off 2 blink with flapper in either position.

While waiting for the parts to arrive I had previously primed with water per your explanation on your easy to follow web site so I now have 8 new cubes.

You are definitely on my "go to" list from now on.

Thanks,

Joe Hellner

Don,

Probably the the best trouble shooting guide I have ever read, incredibly thorough and wonderfully written.

Any way, had a leak on the floor of my kitchen, pulled the fridge MAYTAG MBF2258HES out and saw water welling up on top of the water valve at the nexus of the top of the housing and where a blue plastic button meet. Had been bitter cold and attribute it to possible freezing. Found your site after I ordered the part, or I surely would have ordered from you.

Again, I am grateful for your having taken the time to offer such a great service. Please accept my corrections with the warmth and appreciation they were intended.


Appreciatively,

Steve

Hi Don,

Great news--as of tonight we have ice. I followed your directions installing the new ice maker and sure enough it started pumping out cubes in just a few hours.

I wanted to thank you for all of your help and the time you spent walking me through the installation as well as sending the 2nd ice maker. I will be sure to recommend you and your site to all of my friends and family if the need for new ice makers arrive as it was great to find someone who stands behind their products and understands how excellent customer service really pays.

Thanks again for your time. Please let me know if you want the defective ice maker back.

Regards,

Jeff Misthal

Hello Don-

Thanks for the new wiring harness as well.

I installed the new ice maker and valve today and they are working great. The install instructions you provided were great. We have ice!

I couldn’t remember how old the original ice maker was until I looked at the back of the refrigerator and it was from 2002! The coating on the tray was completely gone at the front which is where it had been leaking from. It also would not turn off anymore. I definitely got my money out of it as we use a lot of ice at my house with 6 people.

Thanks again for your great customer service and quick shipping.

Regards,

Steve Hufford

Hello Again Don,

Well…you just lost a sale! Did everything in your article. The ice maker was cycling just fine after putting in 6 oz of water for 3 cycles, so I figured I’ll try the hair dryer thing (thinking it would be a waste of time!). I emptied the freezer side and turned it off. Hit it with the hair dryer for 4 minutes and left the door open for an hour. Put in another 6 oz of water, turned freezer back on and lo and behold, we’ve got ice! Would have never thought that the inlet line would freeze up. I now realize I have to be more diligent with changing the water line filter.

Well, all kidding aside, I sincerely appreciate your rapid response to my phone call and email and subsequently your attached PDF. When the ice maker does fail, (which it may be reaching the end of its expected life since we’ve had the refrigerator for 7 years now), I know where I will go for the replacement.

Again Don, thank you very much for your help!

Roy Tuller

Dear Don

I realized that it had slipped my mind to send you a thank you note. The ice maker works perfectly.
Your service was super efficient and we really appreciate your prompt replies to all the questions.

Your fully satisfied customer from Dubai!

Nahid Zarei

Don,

I am a airplane pilot (recreational). Harkening back to the movie "Top Gun", my fellow pilots gave me the handle "Ice Man". Unlike the movie character, this name was not given to me due to my cold, calculated, and precise aircraft maneuvers. But rather, it is bestowed upon me because of my ability to never run out of ice, and, it is always expected of me to supply ice at all parties. I set-up an old Amana fridg in my basement with a freezer-top fully gutted and dedicated to making ice into a large plastic bin.

When my old ice maker gave-up and several attempts to fix it failed (pretty sure the tray warmer quit working), I thought I was destined to loose my cool nickname. But then, I found your website, matched part numbers, and ordered a new ice maker for the old fridg. Well ... I am still holding my title, "Ice Man", because my maker is back in business.

Just wanted to let you know,

Many Thanks,

Rob Donato, owner/oper

Bermudian Valley Airport

East Berlin, PA 17316

Hey Don,

I ordered my icemaker and water inlet valve from you late Wed afternoon, Sep 10. It was delivered on Fri, Sep 12. I followed your instructions for installing and had no problems. Took about 30 minutes. I’ve been making ice ever since and is working fine. Thank you for quick delivery and great instructions!

Guy Currin

Don:

I just wanted to say thank you for your help in getting me a replacement icemaker for my 26 year old Whirlpool refrigerator. This was back on July 8^th and I had just had surgery 6 days earlier on my leg to repair my broken tibia and fibula, and was in some discomfort. You walked me through the process of finding the part number and letting me know that it was no longer available, but you had a replacement. It took several emails and phone calls, but you patiently helped me. I received the ice maker on Friday, 7-11-14, and 6 hours later I had ice. I just wanted to thank you for working with me and solving my problem.

Thank, You

Landie Fowler

Don,

Thank you for your excellent support. I appreciate the help in the diagnosis and everything went fine during the installation. As a result, I purchased the icemaker from you as your support has tremendous value even though I might have been able to buy it for a few dollars less.

I would be happy to recommend you in any way I can.

Thanks again,

Peter Blum

Don,

Thanks for your help. I installed the unit last night and it is on its way to filling the bin.

BTW, your website is the only place I have read about giving the printed circuit board 4 minutes to link with the new icemaker. I appreciate the tip.

Again, all went smoothly. Thanks.

Rick Anderson

Don

Thanks so much for the great service. I received the ice maker replacement in 2 days and it took me 5 minutes to install it. As your directions said we waited 4 minutes and like magic we could hear the water filling. An hour later we had new ice. Works like promised. Good luck and thanks again. Ice after 2 years.

John

Sent from my iPad

Comment Wall 2014

I have a 106.53602202 Kenmore with an ice maker that stopped working after a piece of ice was caught in the water hopper and caused all of the new water to flood out of the freezer onto my floor. I had turned the unit to the off position while I cleaned up the mess and when I turned it back on it did not work... I called in the Sears service tech and he worked on it for an hour and a half without success. He recommended that I order a whole new unit for $189.00. I said I would think about it. I read your troubleshooting guide and tried the prime it trick and it now works like a charm. 1st load just ejected and then it filled with water for the second load. I am very happy! Thanks Ice Maker.. Neil Johnston Regina, Saskatchewan. Canada

Hi Don , Sorry I didn't contact you earlier but I installed the ice maker and immediately left town . Now I'm back home and it's GREAT to have a bin full of ice . The install was as easy as you described and dealing with you was a pleasure . I'd like to wish you and yours a very Happy Holidays! Thanks , Charles Vollmer Lampe, Mo.

Dear just-ice-makers, Don, I want to Thank You for the most incredible experience. Your attitude, your service, your follow up, your product, your price, your shipment, all were just GREAT. Thanks you for re-insuring my faith in being able to completely trust a person. You are few and far between and I have already spread your story and will continue to do so. Thanks again for all that you have done. Oh, yes, the ice maker is working great. -Don in Va. - usetomerch65

Don, Thank you so much for the terrific and speedy service. I am currently being serenaded by the beautiful sound of ice cubes hitting the bin and water refilling the ice maker! After filling the tray manually as instructed, the ice maker has cycled through on it's own twice, So everything looks great! It's a pleasure doing business with you and I will gladly recommend you to others. Sincerely, -Bob MacGregor

Dear just-ice-makers, Don, It was a pleasure speaking with you on the telephone regarding my broken ice maker. I certainly can understand why so many people leave outstanding comments about you and your customer service. Received the new ice maker had it installed in just a couple of minutes and it quickly began making ice. Thanks for all the help. Regards, -Russell Lakewood, CA

Hi Don. I am writing this in addition to the most positive feedback I left on EBAY because 80 characters and 5 stars just don't say enough! I am not one to say much when I leave feedback except for the occasional comment about the speed or accuracy of the goods received. However, I want you and everyone else who may be trying to decide who to buy from to know that your customer service is off the chart! Thank you for your desire and willingness to do whatever it takes to insure every customer is 100% satisfied. Many sellers provide decent merchandise, but it is indeed rare to find one who is willing to help long after the money has been exchanged. THANK YOU SO MUCH! Scott

Mr.Schlesinger, I had complete success in the installation, and I have been enjoying automatic ice production for the past 5 days. Thank you. I would not not have attempted this project without the instructions you provided "up front" before purchase. When looking at the installed unit it was not clear that the electrical and water connections were so easily disconnected and reconnected. So when you explained that it could be done and the other e-mails you posted confirmed that it had been done, I decided to give it a go. Again, thanks for your help.Best regards, Charles Thorsen

Dear just-ice-makers, Hi Don, You sent my Ice Maker on May 1,2008 and I received it on May 3,2008. I installed it the day after receiving it. Thanks for the instructions, and like you said it would be easy to install. I would have gotten back to you sooner but I wanted to make sure that the ice maker worked properly. My wife said that your ice maker operates better than the one that came with the refrigerator and she and I are very pleased with the results. I could have bought the Ice Maker for a few pennies less Don, but you were the only one who sounded like he knew what he was talking about and followed up with emails!!!!! Thanks again!!! Best regards, - Robert J. Fern P.S. I left you positive feedback! - fernrjf

Don, Thank you so much. I left feedback on eBay, of course positive. If every eBay seller provided the high level of customer support as you, stores everywhere would be closing for lack of business. My ice maker installed easily and works perfect. Thanks again for the outstanding experience. - Jeff

Don, You are the man! Your idea to try and reset the circuit boards worked!!! I went ahead and unplugged the refrigerator for a minute, and then plugged it back in. This did seem to reset everything because we have been making ice all afternoon. Thank you for all your money saving suggestions and help. -Mark Matthews

Hi Don, My husband did get the ice maker installed and it works wonderfully. The directions were very clear. Thanks for a great product. If we know anyone in need of a product you sell, we'll be sure to refer you. - Dianne

Mr. Schlesinger Sorry it took so long to get back to you. The Ice Maker worked perfectly as you stated it would. I took the old ice maker apart and found the motor was the problem. Thanks so much for your help in resolving this problem. You saved our family money and helped me maintain my status level in my family. (Dad can fix anything) - David Morgan :)

Don, Thank you the the new ice maker. Received it Saturday. I was able to install it and prime it. Everything worked perfectly. The instruction sheet you sent with the ice maker was perfect. - Brent

Don, You are the ice maker wizard. We have lots of cubes. It was fairly late last night when I checked the progress, so I didn't want to call you and possibly wake you up. Thanks for all your help. - Ken

Hi Don. The ice maker is working very well, it works better now, than when it was new. Every 2 hours it produces a batch of ice. Thanks again for your help. -Keith.

Hi Don, I installed the ice maker today and it's working great! Thanks for all the help and I'll leave positive feedback for you. Thanks again, -Paul

HI Don, I got the boards this morning intact!, And so far all looks good. My first indication is the LED lights up now and blinks when you open the door and stays constant when you close the TX cover.. Hopefully I can shut down my Ice making factory now! Thanks, - Mike

Hi Don,

I would like express by complete satisfaction with your customer service. I have experienced many claims from others but you do deliver what you promise and more. Your focus on technical completeness, quality and to work with exceptions has really impressed me. I am very appreciative of you shipping the ice maker and the other recommended parts to me in Australia. To other buyers I thoroughly recommend that they use your competent and efficient services.

- Hank, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Hi Don, I received the package about 5 days after the you shipped...not bad! Installation of icemaker, solenoid and sensor into my Kitchenaid fridge went flawlessly and was done in under an hour. Cubes fully filled the hopper by the next morning. Just wanted to thank-you for your personalized help and top-notch attention to customer service. FYI for you and those looking to do business with you from Canada...the delivered cost of all the parts from Whirlpool Canada would have been in the $500.00CDN range. The totals from you including shipping and the taxes came out to be the equivalent of just under $300.00 in Canadian funds. any way you do the math, I saved a ton!! Take care, Sam Rallis Barrie, Ontario, Canada

Hi, I had A problem with my ice maker,and thanks to Don and his staff and a simple phone call my problem was solved.I am very pleased because this organization made it possible for me to do the repair and save a lot of money.I would not hesitate to recommend them to anyone who has a problem.The parts are finest quality.When I described my problem they responded with sound advice I followed the advice and now I have ice.if you want 5 star service don't hesitate to do business with this company. Thank You, John Depaola Flemington,NJ

To all those with troubled ice makers: I would like to express my gratitude to Don and Just Ice Makers. I have dealt with a lot of companies and fly by night scams thru the years. Very rarely have I run across a Person or Company with the Honesty, Integrity and Reliability provided by Just Ice Makers. After calling a appliance repair service out, a $60.00 service call to tell me my Ice maker was broken, also needed a service panel, not in stock and needed to be ordered. Parts should be in less than a week and be a little more than $300.00. After the Tech left I took a shot in the dark and found Just Ice Makers. After my conversations with Don I felt I could do this with his easy step-by-step instructions provided and parts were here in a couple days at less than 1/2 of what I was going to be charged from the repair service. Parts were here and I had it installed in about 20 minutes and never had even attempted this before. I have no reservations whatsoever on recommending Just Ice Makers to my friends,family and whoever could benefit from Don and his professional experience. Please feel free to contact me if you should have any hesitations @ beagled@bellsouth.net If Don could walk me through it..anyone can do it. Thanks again Don and I do hope we can do business in the future. - Dewey Beagle

Don, Thank you for all of your help with my ice maker issues. I received the ice maker today and with your great instructions I had it and the control boards installed quickly and ice in the bin is a very short amount of time. Your quick communications and your fast service along with the great instruction made this project go perfectly. Thank you again. Sean Mullin

Dear Don, I got my instructs within an hour of talking to you and my parts 48 hours later. The installation was a breeze. I had ice in 2 hours. Thank you for everything you are a man of your word. I am sorry not to leave this on the E bay site but I could not find a way to do it since I paid with credit card Sincerely, Tony Smith

Hi Don

Well received the Ice Maker Friday installed it Friday night and it is making ice. I will send the broken one out today, I want to thank you for the hard work on making this rite I'm in the customer service business as well and there is not to many of us left that take care of our customers, I salute you sir keep it up and i will send positive feed back. Thank You Stephen Porter

Dear icemakerrepairservice,

Hi. I just wanted to thank you for the additional information that you provide to all of us in the Ebay community. Your trouble shooting suggestions saved me from having to buy a new ice maker. The water inlet was clogged and the ice maker was fine. If it wasn't for your advice I wouldn't have known how to check it. Thank you so much! Cara

- arking9519

Don , I received, installed and all is back to normal!Thanks for great service and value. I will be ordering an ice maker for a friend as soon as I know the refrigerator model. Thanks again, Steve,

Hello Don,

The ice maker is producing cubes…….so the solenoid and ice maker install went well (whew!).

I really appreciate your very positive and strong focus on customer service. I will definitely send friends to your website when they have an issue.

Have a great weekend,

Jeff

Don, I wanted to thank you for your help in ensuring we ordered the correct parts. Everything was just as described and right on time. Directions were easy to follow and the installation of all three components went smoothly. Works like a charm. Again thank you for everything. Sincerely, Dennis

Hi Don,

The install was painless and we have been making ice since Saturday. The unit arrived right on time. Thanks for the awesome support and follow through! -Mike

Sent from my iPhone

Dear Don, Thank goodness for business owners such as yourself who look out for the customer. We received our ice maker yesterday afternoon and had it installed in a short amount of time. Your instructions were easy to understand and we are now turning out ice in style! We certainly know who we will recommend and where we will go if we ever have repair concerns again. Thank you, thank you, thank you! Sincerely, Katharyn Blades, Alberta Canada

Hi Don

Just wanted to let you know that the ice maker is working! We had ice in about two hours!

Thanks again for all your help.

Cindy & Carl

Don, I can't thank you enough for your professionalism from start to finish. I'm still shocked how quickly that thing got here. I installed it this morning and it seems to be working as it should. It has made a few loads. I did have to prime it since it did not pull water right after the install, but I poured water in, took my son to Walmart and the grocery store and once we got back we had ice. Thank goodness. I was tired of dragging bags home from the store. Thanks again for the great service. avabee3504 Dave Rickelton

Hi Don; Just wanted to drop you a note if thanks!! Your expertise in ice makers is truly amazing!I installed the new ice maker per your perfect, easy to follow directions and we once again have "ice"!!Again, thanks for your help! I will pass along your info to anyone who also needs help with their ice makers!!

Hi Don, Joe here from just outside of the Philadelphia area. ( ANIA215 ) I wish to take this time to say YOU ARE THE MAN!!!!, I rec'd my unit the other day and installed it within minutes, even after working a 12 hour day, it was a real simplified process and your Instructions are impeccable, clear to understand. When I was shopping for a new unit, your listing is what caught my eye, ALL THOSE GREAT, NOTHING BUT GOOD FEEDBACKS had me sold with you immediately. It's Great living in this Country, and to know that there's still Honest good down to earth people like yourself willing to help others is FABULOUS. I'm a very happy Customer and am happy that you fully understand that in order to be a successful Business man, Customer satisfaction is number one, treat a Customer like a Customer wants to be treated, and you'll have the Customer for life and receive many good recommendations from those Customers. So I say, Thanks again, up and running, and loving it. Best Regards to you my Friend. Joe

Dear just-ice-makers,

Don-- I just want to thank you for your devotion to your customers. I have never had an ebay experience like you provided. Your customer service far exceeded what I expected and I only wish more companies treated their customers as well as you. From the beginning, you diagnosed the problem and then explained verbally and through email the exact procedure of installation-- which might I add, saved me AT LEAST $200.00 in parts alone, not including a service call and labor charges. I will save you in my favorites and recommend you to anyone with a similar problem. Thank you once again and God bless you! - rene5373

Don, Your eBay feedback shows that you go the extra mile for your customers, and I now see that firsthand. I will gladly pay for the wire harness and shipping. Thank you again for your help. Regards, Barry.

Dear just-ice-makers, Thank you for your five star service. I own a small automotive repair shop and I have just received from you the quality of service that I strive to give to my customers. Your listing was very informative and easy to understand. Your prices were reasonable and your shipping was lightning fast. I've got ice and you've got a customer. I almost hope that this ice maker fails prematurely just so I can do business with you again. Thank you very much for an immaculate ice making experience, Michael and Regina Bacon, Monroe, Georgia.- reggieleig

Hi Donald, this is Jason from Arizona. Your diagnostics of my ice maker was right on. The fix was just installing a new valve pump. Your item arrived and you talked me through what to do so when I got the product I installed it with no hitches. I was SOO happy to hear ice drop again into my ice maker. Thank you so much, you saved me a lot of money and it was not hard to do it myself at all. I felt so awesome knowing I fixed this myself and saved money but do know I could not have done it without talking to you. Thank you SOO much and I will always deal through you if anything ever happens again. Sincerely -Jason

Hi Don, Sorry it took me so long to leave feedback. I left positive feedback, of course. Unfortunately they only allow a choice of 5 Stars. I would have given you at least 12 stars. I wish more eBay sellers were as easy to deal with, and get a hold of!!! I was afraid after money was received, that the customer service was going to end. Well, was I wrong! Not only did you call me back during the install, you stayed on the line the whole time. I wish my car mechanic would do that, I'd save thousands. It's rare to find someone to go above and beyond the call of duty, it even more rare to find someone to do that after the money is in hand. And for that i thank you. Everything is working 100%, the crashing of the ice into the bin was like a new years eve count down. I just wanted to celebrate (good times) I wish you all the best.You are truly a good man. It was a pleasure doing business with you. I almost want to say, i can't wait to do business again!!!Thank you for all of your assistance, patience & understanding. Sava Dee Toronto, Ont. Canada

Dear just-ice-makers, Don, Thanks so much for the ice maker. We have a full tray of ice and it is working great and I felt great being able to install it on my own and your instructions allowed me to do that. You were so helpful and you are in my opinion the best and only person that anyone should buy their replacement ice maker from. So thanks so much. Mac - macunr

- Don, When my ice maker went out, I would have never imagined that I would replace it myself. The only reason I went on Ebay was to price a replacement ice maker so that I would get an idea how much a local contractor might fleece me for the repair/replacement charges. When I read the overwhelmingly positive comments on your site, and everyone's confirmation (especially from you) that do-it-yourself replacement is not difficult to do, it gave me a confidence that I would not have to hire someone to do this for me. I am a 50 year old female; I'm not usually a do-it-yourselfer, but I'm astute and feel I am able to conquer many easier repair tasks. However, I would NEVER have taken on an ice maker replacement without reading the comments from your customers and without your assurances. We spoke several times prior to installation - first to confirm the proper parts required and then to get clarifications on the actual install process after reading your instructions. You were always very easy to work with and willing to help me. You made it clear that my absolute satisfaction is your total goal! I installed the ice maker and the control board in about 45 minutes (it may not have otherwise taken me so long, but I took the opportunity to clean the freezer above and around the ice maker once the old one was removed, as it looked kind of moldy.) I had to prime the ice maker, but that was all it took to get the system going, and it's been going ever since. My husband and I are thrilled. You are by far the most awesome vendor, not just on Ebay, but that I've ever worked with. Your customer service is amazing. I really appreciate the additional warranty you provide! I will refer you, without hesitation, to anyone who needs an ice maker. They say, "if it's too good to be true, it isn't", but you are! Thanks for a great transaction. -Regards, Karen

Copyright 2007,2008,2009,2010,2011,2012,2013,2014,2015 Refrigerator Ice Maker Repair Service/IceMakerRepair.com

If there are obvious water intake problems causing overfilling then all inlet tubes must be clear of any possible frozen water before facilitating the repair. Sometimes however, water intake problems may be the ice maker, but those are usually limited to minor overfill problems or an incomplete rotation cycle. Mostly, when there is major flooding in the freezer it is the solenoid gone defective. The bad news is that an ice maker can be damaged by this. AS A GENERAL RULE, ICE MAKERS AND SOLENOIDS 8-9 YEARS AND OLDER SHOULD BE REPLACED AT THE SAME TIME WHEN THE FIRST OF THE TWO GO DEFECTIVE!!!!

THE SOLENOID VALVE

The water inlet solenoid valve is its own working part and may need replacement even if the ice maker is working just fine. The basic solenoid valve has seen minor changes in shape, and color over the years and different refrigerator makes and model will obviously take different valves. Some valves designed for refrigerator model A can be retrofitted for refrigerator model B. This can and should be done only in instances where the basic vale design is very generic and mounting is not an issue.. In most cases, the original valve should last an average of 9 years but some of the earlier part numbers have averaged 5 or 6 years. If and when a valve does go bad there are some obvious signs to look for. And again...contrary to popular opinion...jumping the T and H is not a foolproof method of proving the solenoid valve is functional or not. Over the years, I have found that the best way to make sure a valve is 100% is to have it working as designed with it's designed counterpart, a functioning ice maker.

There are two basic types of solenoid valves and that would be one for an upright or bottom refrigerator freezer, and another for the side by side with water and ice service. In both cases the valve for all refrigerator ice maker systems is activated on command by the ice maker motor. When the ice maker is cycling as designed and the rotation of the ejector blades is unimpeded, the valve will activate on command for water supply to the ice maker and shut off automatically, as the cycle is completed as designed. So in essence, the solenoid valve when functioning properly 'can not tie it's shoes without permission'. These basics are the standard rule of thumb for all ice maker/solenoid valve systems. The only difference between the side by side with added chilled water service, is that the valve is an added 'half' that actuates on command via the chilled water dispenser. These 2 halves work independently from each other and in most cases the ice maker half will go into disrepair first because it usually 'works' 20x more than the chilled water half. These averages of course would all depend on individual household use. For valves designed for water and ice service, there is no way to replace just the bad half that I am aware of. Some earlier designs will allow the the terminals to take either refrigerator plug in. If that is the case one can avoid replacing the solenoid valve by using the terminal connection for the chilled water on the ice maker using the ice maker plug in with the chilled water half of the valve. This will work but it is not recommended and of course the chilled water service will be obviously forfeited.

There are only a few signs of malfunction exhibited by a solenoid vale when it is in disrepair. Again this part can and does go bad even if the ice maker is fully functional. In most cases, when a valve goes bad it will begin sending up arbitrary amounts of water albeit still on command. This will cause the fill tube to block up with ice and the fill spout as well at times. THIS IS A VERY COMMON AND ROUTINE SIGN OF MALFUNCTION!!! The only other reason for the fill tube blocking up with ice would be caused by any disruption of water supply to the refrigerator. If we have to turn off the water supply to the refrigerator for any reason...the ice maker system should be shut off until water supply is restored. The second sign of disrepair is that the valve simply goes dead and will not respond the the ice maker command to send up water. INTERNAL ELECTRICAL WIRING IS VERY VERY SELDOM THE CASE FOR ICE MAKER SYSTEM PROBLEMS OF ANY KIND!!!!

The third and far more serious sign of solenoid valve malfunction is failure to close on command. This can be caused by sediment build up within the valve or a failed electrical connection. The sediment inside a valve can be cleaned out from time to time. Valves can be removed and taken apart ( and put back together) fairly easily but to save how much $ ???? I have never bothered and there is something to not being so penny conscious that we are not dollar wise. If the ice maker is overfilling and there is some flooding in the freezer, first turn the system off by raising the shut off arm. If the water stops then it very well may be that the ice maker got stuck in a cycle just during the water command. This happens all the time and then it isolates the overfilling to the ice maker. In most cases the ejector blades will be in the 12 to 1 o'clock position (facing almost straight up). If turning the ice maker system off does not solve the water overflow problem, then immediately close the home supply line and make arrangements to replace the solenoid valve.

Again, if any of these signs of malfunction are showing up, do yourself a favor and replace the valve if you intend on keeping the refrigerator for a few more years. If the ice maker system is 8 or 9 years out of manufacture date and you are still on original parts, then you have beaten the odds and averages on the ice maker by almost 2 to 1, and based on that the time would be right to replace BOTH the solenoid valve and the ice maker

THE GOOD FOR NOTHING SELF PIERCING SADDLE VALVE

Poor water supply may be another reason why the ice maker is making smaller than normal ice cubes. A normal crescent shaped cube will be about the size of ones thumb. If cubes are smaller they can get stuck between the rotating blades and the stripper arm and this in turn can cause the motor to break. Many refrigerators water supply originate with the self piercing saddle valve. Though these at first seem convenient and easy for almost any one to install, over the long term they are the worst supply valves on the market. Over time the internal o ring will deteriorate and the small hole all too often gets blocked up with pipe sediment which will impair the intended water supply to the refrigerator. In a good many cases, these valves are the reason the ice maker system is not working properly because of the anemic flow of water to the refrigerator etc. If your saddle valve is 10 years old, do yourself and your ice maker system a favor and have it replaced with a good and more reliable handle valve (with a 1/4" outlet) similar the ones used for water supply to the kitchen faucet. Most plumbers will charge $150-$250 for that service but it will be worth it in the long run.

NEED HELP??? WANT TO TALK TO A HUMAN BEING?? PLEASE DON'T HESITATE TO CALL DON AT 3018904340(o) or 3014048258(m) OR EMAIL YOUR QUESTION TO AskDon@TheIceMakerStore.com

FILL TUBE ICE BLOCKAGE

If a inlet fill tube is blocked up with ice it could only be caused by a few reasons. The most common would be a defective solenoid valve. When this happens the valve will send up improper amounts of water and that will cause a freeze up in the fill tube. Another reason would be if plumbing was done in the house. If some work was done in the house involving turning off the home water supply, the ice maker system will still try to function. When that happens again, the solenoid valve will send up a lesser amount of water and that will cause ice blockage. When turning off the water in the home for any reason, the ice maker system should be turned off as well. That will either entail lifting up the shut off arm to the off position perpendicular to the ice maker, or turning the control board on/off to the off position. In most cases, these are the primary two reasons as to why the fill tube would or could be blocked up with ice and preventing the water fill to take place at the end of the cycle.

CLEARING THE FILL TUBE IF IT IS BLOCKED UP WITH ICE

Ice Blockage in the fill tube - The fill tube is not the 1/4" tube that goes up the back of the freezer but it is the approx 1" in diameter tube that goes through the freezer and feeds water directly into the ice maker. If this gets blocked up with ice is can be cleared by pulling it out from behind the freezer inlet hole, removing, and running under hot water etc. Or you can clear it by removing the ice maker and blowing it clear with a hair dryer. Some of the new Whirlpool units may prove very difficult to remove from the rear of the freezer and if push comes to shove, please do not try to force it out!! That is the time to step back, take a deep breath and invoke the hairdryer method. The idea in all this is to avoid having to call a service repair technician, and if we are breaking some refrigerator parts while trying to fix others we are defeating the purpose. A little extra time and the tube will clear up via the hairdryer buy you may want to unplug the refrigerator or turn the cold controls to zero while using that method.

Some Maytag, Amana, and Kenmore models have 2 working dual solenoid valves which makes this repair a little more complicated and expensive...but still very doable via Just Ice Makers solenoid valve instr. IT IS ALWAYS BEST TO MAKE ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN THAT THE ICE MAKER FILL TUBE HAS NO ICE BLOCKING THE REFILL PROCESS WHEN DOING ICE MAKER OR SOLENOID PART(S) REPLACEMENT!!!

HOLLOW CUBES

In most cases hollow cubes are NOT CAUSED BY A DEFECTIVE ICE MAKER. In most if not all cases they are a result of insufficient water supply. There is a small white flat head screw on the shut off arm side of the motor module and this can adjust the water intake some. Turn counterclockwise 180 degrees for more water intake and the opposite for less for overfilling. If the first 1/2 turn does not help in either situation. try another 1/2 a turn. This minor adjustment probably WILL NOT SOLVE THE HOLLOW CUBE PROBLEM but it is worth a try. It may be that the filter is clogged and needs to be changed, or the refrigerator water supply is being fed by a Reverse Osmosis Filtration System. For the latter...try the small white screw adjustment. The hollow cube problem in the highest percentage of cases is caused by and old and deteriorating self piercing water supply saddle valve. These will clog up with rust and sediment and should be replaced every 10 years at minimum. A good many refrigerators have their water supply from these types of valves and local repair service experience has proven over and over again that these deteriorate, clog up, and reduce water supply to the refrigerator over a period of time. Most homes in the US have sufficient water pressure for proper appliance function. Most repair techs in this business do not like these valves because they do cause problems over a period of time and reduction in water pressure is one of them.

THE SUSPENDED SHUT OFF ARM

If the arm is not coming down as designed then that means that the arm itself is out of alignment. Please make sure that extra food and drink items are not placed in the ice bucket. The ice maker needs to be taken out of the unit and the arm has to be aligned. To do this please remove it from both ends and then fully re-insert it into the module end via the very small white slit...Please make sure that it is pushed in all the way. ON the other end. you will see the arm suspended near the fulcrum hole at the fill spout. That part of the arm should be within a millimeter or 2 of that hole. If it is up. down or not suspended RIGHT NEXT TO THE HOLE almost so close that it is almost in the hole as suspended then the arm is out of alignment. You may adjust while the other end is fully inserted. While the i/m is out you will be able to tell if the arm is fully aligned because you will be able to raise it to the off position...then release it back down where it will follow the spring and snap into the on position. These arm are adjustable and if I can do it anyone can.

THE ACCERER-ICE/MAX-ICE/ICE MAGIC PLUS FEATURE

This is an added feature that Whirlpool came up with around 2001. It does have it's benefits but may be more trouble that what it's worth. THIS FEATURE NEVER HAS TO BE PURCHASED ALONG WITH A NEW REPLACEMENT ICE MAKER as it is never responsible for an ice maker in disrepair. The way in which this feature clips on to the original via the small black clips is the same way it will clip on to any new OEM replacement ice maker. If the new OEM unit comes with the white 4"x4" plastic module cover it can be very easily removed by hand or with an any size flat head screw driver. Simply remove the white cover and then remove the Max Ice unit from the original ice maker and clip it on to the new replacement exactly as it removed from the original. The dimensions of the new OEM unit will be identical to the original and the clip 'holes' will be in all the same places. Once you clip the max ice unit on to the replacement unit and plug in the wiring harness..the feature should turn on and off as designed.

THE ICE MAKER SYSTEM IS NOT RESPONSIBLE WHEN....

There is a Frozen Sheet of Ice at the Base of a Side by Side Refrigerator

Oftentimes in local service calls and on line I get calls that there is a sheet of ice forming at the base of the freezer on a side by side refrigerator. The 'miniature ice skating rink begins to form under the bottom shelf or drawer of the freezer on a side by side refrigerator because the defrost drain tube is frozen up with ice and all the moisture is spilling over into the freezer when it should drain into a plastic pan below the refrigerator. This problem is all too commonly blamed on the ice maker system and the solenoid valve in particular. When the ice maker system is showing signs of malfunction, the signs of improper water overflow will appear in the ice bucket and or immediately around the ice maker. If there are no signs of a miniature ice slating rink in the ice bucket or other water freeze ups in the ice maker rill spout of the fill tube going through the freezer, then the malfunction is most likely not being caused by the ice maker.

To correct the drain tube problem is simple enough. Behind the bulkhead (rear freezer liner) behind the bottom drawer(s) there is in most cases a funnel that is supposed to direct the defrost droplets into the plastic pan below the refrigerator. If you can remove the liner with either 1/4" hex or Phillips screws, you will find usually an aluminum drain that will be blocked up with ice. This can be unblocked with a hear dryer and some boiling water fed by small amounts into the small funnel plate. In the beginning it will be obvious that the approx 3/4" in diameter drain tube is not allowing the hot water to pass through. But after about 15 minutes of both the hair dryer and hot water application...the tube will unblock and the hot water will funnel through. And so for another 6 years or so this should solve the saga of the ice forming at the base of the freezer floor on a side by side refrigerator. This procedure is simple enough foe almost anyone to perform, and SHOULD NOT REQUIRE THE ASSISTANCE OF IN HOME SERVICE REPAIR PERSONNEL!!

There are Freezing Air Issues....

If there are any freezing air issues in an upright or side by side refrigerator then those problems should be addressed first before even looking at the ice maker system. One way to tell if the freezer is freezing as designed is with ice cream. If ice cream is not remaining as ice cream while in the freezer then the defrost timer may be out ...or the relay switch or the worst case scenario...the compressor itself. I do not have experience replacing any of the afore mentioned but I would not touch either the ice maker or the solenoid valve until the refrigerator freezer is functioning fully as designed in both compartments. I would recommend raising the shut off arm (or turning the on/off switch to the off position until the refrigeration issues are fully addressed. After the freezer is back to 100% for 24 hours...then lower the shut off arm ( or turn back on the on/off switch) and the ice maker system should cycle on its own if the parts are functioning properly. Again, it is always best to turn the ice maker system off until other refrigerator repair issues are fully addressed, and then turn the system back on after 24 hours etc. If after turning the ice maker system back on, the ice maker does not begin cycling full ice cubes every 2 hours or so, then please refer to the troubleshooting tips section for the appropriate ice maker system you have.

There is insufficient water supply.

Sometimes water pressure going to the refrigerator can diminish over time and it will be for one of 2 reasons. The easiest to check is to make sure any filtering systems have their replacement cartridges changed on manufacturers schedule. This will be the case for refrigerator embedded filters and external ones installed by the homeowner. The most common reason why water pressure diminishes over time would be the good for nothing self piercing saddle valve used for tapping water supplies for refrigerators. That valve is fast and convenient in the beginning but does evolve with problems over time. Eventually they will not close at all and will need to be replaced. They also provide a very small hole for the water to pass through the main pipe and if some sediment gets caught in that hole it will hinder water supply causing smaller ice cubes to be made that can get stick in the rotation and can cause the ice maker motor to break. If at all possible it is always best to originate water supply with an appropriate full size handle valve with a 1/4" feed outlet that will not need adapting for the refrigerator supply tube/solenoid valve inlet which will always be 1/4" compression. In some cases the solenoid valve will clog up with sediment and in those cases it would be best just to go ahead and replace it...Some favor cleaning it but to save how much $ ???When dealing with any household water related issues it is ALWAYS to be dollar wise over being penny conscious. Inappropriate water supply will be evidenced by ice cubes approx the size of ones pinkie finger instead of ones thumb which would be the correct average size. If the water dispenser is slow that will also be an obvious sign of less than ideal water supply for proper ice maker system function. There average water pressure in most homes in the U. S. is approx 60 P.S.I and American made refrigerator manufacturers have that well in mind in their designs and production of refrigerator ice maker systems.

The average live expectancy of shut off arm controlled ice maker system parts are as follows:

Ice maker - 4-5 years

Solenoid valve(s) - 8-9 years

Sometimes we can rack our brains with the whys and the wherefores. Certainly we want to be cost efficient and isolate problems as best we can, but sometimes it is just better to bite the bullet and replace all working ice maker related parts especially if the refrigerator is 8 years or older. Any more questions after we have done the basics...call me at 7572492502 and I will answer any more questions that you may have. - Don Schlesinger Owner Ice Maker Repair Online(TM)

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For more troubleshooting help call 7572492502 or email direct at 

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COMPREHENSIVE TROUBLESHOOTING TIPS FOR INFRARED SENSOR CONTROLLED ICE MAKER SYSTEMS

***NOTE

ICE MAKER REPAIR ONLINE does not get involved in repairing or replacing internal ice maker parts so I will not be able to help with those questions. We can try to isolate the system problem so your repair $$$ are spent ONLY ON THE NECESSARY REPLACEMENT PART. Here are some valuable tips that should help YOU isolate the problem........BEFORE YOU BUY!!!!

BEFORE GETTING STARTED....

All modular, microswitch, and circuit board controlled ice makers have their own internal thermostat that freezes the water and then detects the formed ice commanding release for the next cycle. These thermostats are activated THE FREEZING AIR AND TEMPERATURES THAT ARE ROUTINE FOR A FREEZER!!! Some temperatures vary but let's say the average freezer temp is between 0 and 10 degrees Fahrenheit. If the freezer compressor or evaporator motor is out, then the freezer temperature will be well below normal obviously and this will automatically suspend the ice maker from making ice. THIS DOES NOT MEAN ANY OF THE ICE MAKER SYSTEM PARTS ARE BROKEN. Freezer conditions must be NORMAL for an ice maker to cycle as designed.

If an ice maker is cycling is lesser frequencies the refrigerator may be going through a defrost cycle. If there is no freezing air blowing into the freezer then the unit may be going through a defrost cycle causing a production slowdown. Please make sure these bases are basic freezing conditions covered before working your way through the information below....

Water pressure should be average and equal to the rest of the home. Self piercing saddle valves can deteriorate over time and impair water supply going to the refrigerator. For side by side units...hit the chilled water dispenser and that will be a good indication. Water supply tubing should not be 'elbowed' or 'crimped' anywhere from start to finish.

THESE BASICS SHOULD BE COVERED BEFORE PURCHASING REPLACEMENT PARTS AND SUPPLIES!!!

If there is proper freezer temperature, and the water supply is unimpaired, then there is no question whatsoever that some part replacement will be necessary. Please see troubleshooting tips section for your ice maker system design (infrared sensor controlled or shut off arm controlled) for more help in isolating the problem. Wiring harnesses and internal refrigerator electricity supply is very, very, very seldom the cause for a malfunctioning ice maker system.

Basic Introduction to Troubleshooting and Ice Maker System Part Replacement

1) Freezer temperature must be at 10F or less to ensure proper conditions for ice production

2) The wiring harness MUST show basic continuity on all 4 connections. The freezer outlet also must have this but it is very, very rare for refrigerators to have internal wiring issues. It is more common for the ice maker wiring harness to go bad if you have an FSP Whirlpool manufactured ice maker and thermal fuse wiring harness. The voltage reading will not matter in most cases...if you have continuity you will have power when the cycle process is initiated.

The best way to test an ice maker AND a solenoid valve for functionality is by priming the ice maker. This involves adding 6 oz of water manually into the ice maker mold (tray). It is best to raise the shut off arm to the off position for 3 hours for cooling, and then lower the arm. If you have an infrared sensor controlled system then turn the on/off switch off for three hours, then back on and close the freezer door. In either case if the ice maker does not complete the cycle within 5 minutes there is no question that if steps one and two are covered, the ice maker itself (or infrared sensor control board) has gone bad. This is a much better and 100% fail safe proven method over any other because it puts the ice maker system it it's designed function environment with water that freezes into ice, and then ejects when read by the thermostat. If all is well, the thermostat, heating element, and motor will ALL function as designed. Jumping the T and the H does some of this but not all...leaving the thermostat read and activation of the system out. Having said that I can not recommend in good conscience replacing the thermostat if the T and H works. Over the years I have had too many call backs in local repair jobs for trying to 'fix' broken ice makers. So I only recommend whole part replacement in local repair jobs and on the internet.

Priming the ice maker is ALSO the best way to test for a bad solenoid valve because it puts the valve in its natural function condition which is reading the ice maker on command. It is very seldom that BOTH parts go bad at the same time but at 10 years out of manufacturing date one is better off replacing BOTH system parts. For test and troubleshoot purposes the priming test should work well that if the ice maker is bad, the valve in all probability is o.k. and visa versa. In all my years in local repair I have not jumped a T and H once but I would assume it also should indicate a good solenoid valve, but no test is equal to both parts being tested via their 'natural conditions for function' setting. I have also seen numerous cases where proper voltage was put directly on a solenoid valve and it activated but did not read the ice maker. In those cases I have recommend replacing the valve and had success 100% of the time if the ice maker was also 100%. Very , very seldom will an ice maker cycle as designed and NOT signal the valve for water and even more seldom are there wiring issues from the ice maker to the valve.

So that is is our best advice based on years of experience. Please cover these bases when troubleshooting and the rest on this page before ordering parts. This is all so basic and the process can be easy and cost efficient if we will work it one step at a time.

THE WHIRLPOOL DESIGNED 5 AND 8 CUBE INFRARED SENSOR CONTROLLED ICE MAKER SYSTEM

These seem to break routinely after 3-4 years. There is another related working part in this system which is the P.C. board 4389102. Both of these parts have to be 100% functional for the ice maker to work as designed. In most cases the P.C. Board does not go defective this soon. You may want to try resetting the control board according to the installation instr as follows:

BEFORE GETTING STARTED!!! MAKE SURE P.C. ON/OFF IS TURNED TO OFF POSITION AND UNPLUG REFRIGERATOR!!! WHEN FINISHED, PLUG REFRIGERATOR BACK IN AND THEN TURN P.C. BOARD ON/OFF BACK TO THE ON POSITION!!! Close the freezer door for 4 minutes. This procedure will re-set the on/off board to read the new ice maker!!!! The ice maker may cycle and fill on it's own in the first few minutes. If it doesn't then please 'prime' the ice maker as follows:

If an ice maker has stopped working and there is no formed ice in the tray(ice maker mold) then go ahead and pour 4-6 oz of water into the tray and wait 2-3 hours. If that water just freezes and does not eject then the ice maker system is broken...no doubt whatsoever. If the ice maker ejects the primer ice and completes the rotation cycle, and water does not come on command, then there are water intake problems...no doubt whatsoever!!!

If the ice maker has ice in the mold/tray and it has been sitting there for 3 hours plus...then either the freezer is not cold enough or the ice maker (system) is malfunctioning. Because this is a 2 part system the control board may be involved in the disrepair equation.

THE INFRARED SENSOR CONTROL BOARD 4389102

Contrary to popular opinion, there are no foolproof diagnostics on these. If the receiver board (the on/off switch) is not flashing 2x...then pause...then 2x then pause then the control board is out and has to be replaced no question whatsoever. This is the bare minimum if the on/off is on OR off!!!. If the control board is on and in flash/pause sequence...then you may depress the emitter board flapper without covering the infrared hole and look for a solid red. That is another minimum for a working board. Theoretically is should be final word but is some cases has PROVEN NOT TO BE. Those cases are in the minority but still very much part of the equation. For the most part though, if they are 4 years since purchase with the minimum diagnostics are there, the percentages are high that the control board set is functioning according to design and ordering a new ice maker will be enough to effect the completed repair. Just follow control board re-set procedure when installing new replacement ice maker and you should be fine. Crossing the 5 line on these reduces the percentages in the short and long term. If the control board dies while the new ice maker is still under warranty...IT CAN VIRUS THE NEW UNIT FROM RECEIVING SIGNALS FROM THE REPLACEMENT CONTROL BOARD AND THAT IS NOT THE ICE MAKER OR THE SELLERS FAULT. A bad control board can virus a good ice maker but never the other way around. So at 5 years I recommend both working parts be replaced if both are the originals that came with the refrigerator when purchased.

THE LEAKING ICE TRAY (PROPERLY REFERRED TO AS THE ICE MAKER MOLD)

This design and the others from Frigidaire and GE have a finish on the ice mold that is there to seal the mold to contain water, and make for an easier release during the cycle. These mold finishes commonly begin to deteriorate after 4 years. Some go a little sooner some not depending on the home water supply, hardness of water, chlorine content and so forth. Even under the best filtration systems...these mold finishes still deteriorate and go south. When they do begin to deteriorate the water WILL begin to leak through the mold into the ice bucket or the mounting bracket. THAT SMALL LEAKAGE IS NOT BEING CAUSED BY OVERFILL PROBLEMS!!! When it does happen, it is time to get a new ice maker. The cost of replacing the mold after 4+ years is not worth it and may actually cost more than just replacing the complete ice maker.

THE INFRARED CONTROL BOARD 4389102

If the control board is 4 years or less outside of manufacturing date then the odds are that it is o.k. Some good preliminary indications of functionality are as follows:

Turn the on/off switch to 'on' position

The receiver light should blink 2x, pause then repeat.

Depress the emitter flapper and hold without covering the transmitter hole...the receiver light should go solid red and hold until the flapper is released,,,then return back to 2 flashes...pause...repeat etc.

THIS DIAGNOSTIC IS NOT FOOLPROOF AND THERE NO FOOLPROOF METHODS OF TESTING THIS CONTROL BOARD.

Why replace the ice maker and the control board at 5 years? If the control board goes bad during the tenure of the new ice maker...it can virus it and prevent it from receiving signals from the new replacement control board...EXPERIENCE,EXPERIENCE, AND MORE EXPERIENCE!!! This is the exception and not the rule but it does happen enough to sit up, take notice, and make repair/part replacement decisions accordingly.

CHANGING FILTERS

When changing filters ALWAYS TURN THE ICE MAKER SYSTEM OFF!! When turning off the water supply to the refrigerator...ALWAYS TURN THE ICE MAKER SYSTEM OFF!!!After the filter has been changed or whatever plumbing work has been completed, then turn the system back on.

WHEN WINTERIZING FOR A SEASONAL RELOCATION, OR GOING ON VACATION...ALWAYS TURN THE ICE MAKER SYSTEM OFF!!!

WATER INTAKE PROBLEMS

The other working part is the inlet solenoid valve and it is very rare for this working part to go defective under 6 years. In all ice maker repair/replacement situations, it is always best to turn the system OFF while waiting for replacement parts. If there are obvious water intake problems causing overfilling then all inlet tubes must be clear of any possible frozen water before facilitating the repair.

THE SOLENOID VALVE

The water inlet solenoid valve is its own working part and may need replacement even if the ice maker is working just fine. The infrared sensor controlled ice maker system valve has seen minor changes in shape, and color since this came out in 2000. In most cases, the original valve should last an average of 9 years but some of the earlier part numbers have averaged 5 or 6 years. If and when a valve does go bad there are some obvious signs to look for. And again...contrary to popular opinion...jumping the T and H is not a foolproof method of proving the solenoid valve is functional or not. Over the years, I have found that the best way to make sure a valve is 100% is to have it working as designed with it's designed counterpart, a functioning ice maker.

There are two basic types of solenoid valves and that would be one for an upright or bottom refrigerator freezer, and another for the side by side with water and ice service. In both cases the valve for all refrigerator ice maker systems is activated on command by the ice maker motor. When the ice maker is cycling as designed and the rotation of the ejector blades is unimpeded, the valve will activate on command for water supply to the ice maker and shut off automatically, as the cycle is completed as designed. So in essence, the solenoid valve when functioning properly 'can not tie it's shoes without permission'. These basics are the standard rule of thumb for all ice maker/solenoid valve systems. The only difference between the side by side with added chilled water service, is that the valve is an added 'half' that actuates on command via the chilled water dispenser. These 2 halves work independently from each other and in most cases the ice maker half will go into disrepair first because it usually 'works' 20x more than the chilled water half. These averages of course would all depend on individual household use. For valves designed for water and ice service, there is no way to replace just the bad half that I am aware of. Some earlier designs will allow the the terminals to take either refrigerator plug in. If that is the case one can avoid replacing the solenoid valve by using the terminal connection for the chilled water on the ice maker using the ice maker plug in with the chilled water half of the valve. This will work but it is not recommended and of course the chilled water service will be obviously forfeited.

There are only a few signs of malfunction exhibited by a solenoid vale when it is in disrepair. Again this part can and does go bad even if the ice maker is fully functional. In most cases, when a valve goes bad it will begin sending up arbitrary amounts of water albeit still on command. This will cause the fill tube to block up with ice and the fill spout as well at times. THIS IS A VERY COMMON AND ROUTINE SIGN OF MALFUNCTION!!! The only other reason for the fill tube blocking up with ice would be caused by any disruption of water supply to the refrigerator. If we have to turn off the water supply to the refrigerator for any reason...the ice maker system should be shut off until water supply is restored. The second sign of disrepair is that the valve simply goes dead and will not respond the the ice maker command to send up water. INTERNAL ELECTRICAL WIRING IS VERY VERY SELDOM THE CASE FOR ICE MAKER SYSTEM PROBLEMS OF ANY KIND!!!!

The third and far more serious sign of solenoid valve malfunction is failure to close on command. This can be caused by sediment build up within the valve or a failed electrical connection. The sediment inside a valve can be cleaned out from time to time. Valves can be removed and taken apart ( and put back together) fairly easily but to save how much $$$ ???? I have never bothered and there is something to not being so penny conscious that we are not dollar wise. If the ice maker is overfilling and there is some flooding in the freezer, first turn the system off by raising the shut off arm or via the on/off switch. If the water stops then it very well may be that the ice maker got stuck in a cycle just during the water command. This happens all the time and then it isolates the overfilling to the ice maker. In most cases the ejector blades will be in the 12 to 1 o'clock position (facing almost straight up). If turning the ice maker system off does not solve the water overflow problem, then immediately close the home supply line and make arrangements to replace the solenoid valve.

Again, if any of these signs of malfunction are showing up, do yourself a favor and replace the valve if you intend on keeping the refrigerator for a few more years. If the ice maker system is 8 or 9 years out of manufacture date and you are still on original parts, then you have beaten the odds and averages on the ice maker by almost 2 to 1, and based on that the time would be right to replace BOTH the solenoid valve and the ice maker.

THE GOOD FOR NOTHING SELF PIERCING SADDLE VALVE

Poor water supply may be another reason why the ice maker is making smaller than normal ice cubes. A normal crescent shaped cube will be about the size of ones thumb. If cubes are smaller they can get stuck between the rotating blades and the stripper arm and this in turn can cause the motor to break. Many refrigerators water supply originate with the self piercing saddle valve. Though these at first seem convenient and easy for almost any one to install, over the long term they are the worst supply valves on the market. Over time the internal o ring will deteriorate and the small hole all too often gets blocked up with pipe sediment which will impair the intended water supply to the refrigerator. In a good many cases, these valves are the reason the ice maker system is not working properly because of the anemic flow of water to the refrigerator etc. If your saddle valve is 10 years old, do yourself and your ice maker system a favor and have it replaced with a good and more reliable handle valve (with a 1/4" outlet) similar the ones used for water supply to the kitchen faucet. Most plumbers will charge $150-$250 for that service but it will be worth it in the long run.

FILL TUBE ICE BLOCKAGE

If a inlet fill tube is blocked up with ice it could only be caused by a few reasons. The most common would be a defective solenoid valve. When this happens the valve will send up improper amounts of water and that will cause a freeze up in the fill tube. Another reason would be if plumbing was done in the house. If some work was done in the house involving turning off the home water supply, the ice maker system will still try to function. When that happens again, the solenoid valve will send up a lesser amount of water and that will cause ice blockage. When turning off the water in the home for any reason, the ice maker system should be turned off as well. That will either entail lifting up the shut off arm to the off position perpendicular to the ice maker, or turning the control board on/off to the off position. In most cases, these are the primary two reasons as to why the fill tube would or could be blocked up with ice and preventing the water fill to take place at the end of the cycle.

CLEARING THE FILL TUBE IF IT IS BLOCKED UP WITH ICE

Ice Blockage in the fill tube - The fill tube is not the 1/4" tube that goes up the back of the freezer but it is the approx 1" in diameter tube that goes through the freezer and feeds water directly into the ice maker. If this gets blocked up with ice is can be cleared by pulling it out from behind the freezer inlet hole, removing, and running under hot water etc. Or you can clear it by removing the ice maker and blowing it clear with a hair dryer. Some of the new Whirlpool units may prove very difficult to remove from the rear of the freezer and if push comes to shove, please do not try to force it out!! That is the time to step back, take a deep breath and invoke the hairdryer method. The idea in all this is to avoid having to call a service repair technician, and if we are breaking some refrigerator parts while trying to fix others we are defeating the purpose. A little extra time and the tube will clear up via the hairdryer buy you may want to unplug the refrigerator or turn the cold controls to zero while using that method.

PRIMING

Among the most simple and effective troubleshooting methods is priming. If an ice maker has stopped working and there is no formed ice in the tray(ice maker mold) then go ahead and pour 4-6 oz of water into the tray and wait 2-3 hours. If that water just freezes and does not eject then the ice maker system is broken...no doubt whatsoever.

In this system after 2-3 years 75% of the time it is the ice maker and not the P.C. Board or the solenoid valve. IF THE SYSTEM HAS GONE BAD AFTER 5 YEARS THEN IT IS IN THE CUSTOMERS BEST INTEREST TO REPLACE BOTH THE ICE MAKER AND THE P C BOARD AT THE SAME TIME, BUT NOT NECESSARILY THE SOLENOID VALVE!!!

If the ice maker ejects the primer ice and completes the rotation cycle, and water does not come on command, then there are water intake problems. Either the solenoid valve 4389177 is shot or there is some frozen water in the fill tube. Once it is determined that the line going through the freezer is clear...prime again and the results will speak for themselves.

HOLLOW CUBES

In most cases hollow cubes are NOT CAUSED BY A DEFECTIVE ICE MAKER. In most if not all cases they are a result of insufficient water supply. There is a small white flat head screw on the shut off arm side of the motor module and this can adjust the water intake some. Turn counterclockwise 180 degrees for more water intake and the opposite for less. This minor adjustment probably WILL NOT SOLVE THE HOLLOW CUBE PROBLEM. It may be that the filter is clogged and needs to be changed, or the refrigerator water supply is being fed by a Reverse Osmosis Filtration System. For the latter...try the small white screw adjustment. The hollow cube problem in the highest percentage of cases is caused by and old and deteriorating self piercing water supply saddle valve. These will clog up with rust and sediment and should be replaced every 10 years at minimum. A good many refrigerators have their water supply from these types of valves and local repair service experience has proven over and over again that these deteriorate, clog up, and reduce water supply to the refrigerator over a period of time. Most homes in the US have sufficient water pressure for proper appliance function. Most repair techs in this business do not like these valves because they do cause problems over a period of time and reduction in water pressure is one of them.

THE ICE MAKER SYSTEM IS NOT RESPONSIBLE WHEN....

There is a Frozen Sheet of Ice at the Base of a Side by Side Refrigerator

Oftentimes in local service calls and on line I get calls that there is a sheet of ice forming at the base of the freezer on a side by side refrigerator. The 'miniature ice skating rink begins to form under the bottom shelf or drawer of the freezer on a side by side refrigerator because the defrost drain tube is frozen up with ice and all the moisture is spilling over into the freezer when it should drain into a plastic pan below the refrigerator. This problem is all too commonly blamed on the ice maker system and the solenoid valve in particular. When the ice maker system is showing signs of malfunction, the signs of improper water overflow will appear in the ice bucket and or immediately around the ice maker. If there are no signs of a miniature ice slating rink in the ice bucket or other water freeze ups in the ice maker rill spout of the fill tube going through the freezer, then the malfunction is most likely not being caused by the ice maker.

To correct the drain tube problem is simple enough. Behind the bulkhead (rear freezer liner) behind the bottom drawer(s) there is in most cases a funnel that is supposed to direct the defrost droplets into the plastic pan below the refrigerator. If you can remove the liner with either 1/4" hex or Phillips screws, you will find usually an aluminum drain that will be blocked up with ice. This can be unblocked with a hear dryer and some boiling water fed by small amounts into the small funnel plate. In the beginning it will be obvious that the approx 3/4" in diameter drain tube is not allowing the hot water to pass through. But after about 15 minutes of both the hair dryer and hot water application...the tube will unblock and the hot water will funnel through. And so for another 6 years or so this should solve the saga of the ice forming at the base of the freezer floor on a side by side refrigerator. This procedure is simple enough for almost anyone to perform, and SHOULD NOT REQUIRE THE ASSISTANCE OF IN HOME SERVICE REPAIR PERSONNEL!!

There are Freezing Air Issues....

If there are any freezing air issues in an upright or side by side refrigerator then those problems should be addressed first before even looking at the ice maker system. One way to tell if the freezer is freezing as designed is with ice cream. If ice cream is not remaining as ice cream while in the freezer then the defrost timer may be out ...or the relay switch or the worst case scenario...the compressor itself. I do not have experience replacing any of the afore mentioned but I would not touch either the ice maker or the solenoid valve until the refrigerator freezer is functioning fully as designed in both compartments. I would recommend raising the shut off arm (or turning the on/off switch to the off position until the refrigeration issues are fully addressed. After the freezer is back to 100% for 24 hours...then lower the shut off arm ( or turn back on the on/off switch) and the ice maker system should cycle on its own if the parts are functioning properly. Again, it is always best to turn the ice maker system off until other refrigerator repair issues are fully addressed, and then turn the system back on after 24 hours etc. If after turning the ice maker system back on, the ice maker does not begin cycling full ice cubes every 2 hours or so, then please refer to the troubleshooting tips section for the appropriate ice maker system you have.

There is insufficient water supply.

Sometimes water pressure going to the refrigerator can diminish over time and it will be for one of 2 reasons. The easiest to check is to make sure any filtering systems have their replacement cartridges changed on manufacturers schedule. This will be the case for refrigerator embedded filters and external ones installed by the homeowner. The most common reason why water pressure diminishes over time would be the good for nothing self piercing saddle valve used for tapping water supplies for refrigerators. That valve is fast and convenient in the beginning but does evolve with problems over time. Eventually they will not close at all and will need to be replaced. They also provide a very small hole for the water to pass through the main pipe and if some sediment gets caught in that hole it will hinder water supply causing smaller ice cubes to be made that can get stick in the rotation and can cause the ice maker motor to break. If at all possible it is always best to originate water supply with an appropriate full size handle valve with a 1/4" feed outlet that will not need adapting for the refrigerator supply tube/solenoid valve inlet which will always be 1/4" compression. In some cases the solenoid valve will clog up with sediment and in those cases it would be best just to go ahead and replace it...Some favor cleaning it but to save how much $$$ ???When dealing with any household water related issues it is ALWAYS to be dollar wise over being penny conscious. Inappropriate water supply will be evidenced by ice cubes approx the size of ones pinkie finger instead of ones thumb which would be the correct average size. If the water dispenser is slow that will also be an obvious sign of less than ideal water supply for proper ice maker system function. There average water pressure in most homes in the U. S. is approx 60 P.S.I and American made refrigerator manufacturers have that well in mind in their designs and production of refrigerator ice maker systems.

WINTERIZING - Very simple procedure to winterize...first turn the ice maker off...this is done via the on/off switch to off position either via the receiver on/off if infrared sensor controlled, or the ice maker itself having an on/off switch...or the shut off arm being raised to the off position. From there, please turn off the water supply to the refrigerator and disconnect BOTH the 1/4" tubes inletting and outletting from the solenoid valve (going up the back of the refrigerator wall) and draining all excess water. ALWAYS MAKE SURE THE ICE MAKER IS TURNED OFF WHEN THE WATER SUPPLY IS EITHER DISRUPTED TO THE REFRIGERATOR OR TURNED OFF FOR ANY LENGTH OF TIME. When 'summerizing' an ice maker system...please reconnect outlet tube, turn water supply back on, THEN and THEN turn ice maker back on.

The average life expectancy of these ice maker system parts are as follows:

Ice maker - 3-4 years

Control Board - 5-6 years

Solenoid valve - 8-9 years 

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BASIC TROUBLESHOOTING FOR SHUT OFF ARM CONTROLLED ICE MAKERS and matching solenoid valve(s)for Most Upright, Bottom Freezer and Side by Side Models

ICE MAKER REPAIR ONLINE(TM) does not get involved in repairing or replacing internal ice maker parts so I will not be able to help with those questions. We can try to isolate the system problem so your repair $$$ are spent ONLY ON THE NECESSARY REPLACEMENT PART. Here are some valuable tips that should help YOU isolate the problem........BEFORE YOU BUY!!!!

PRIMING

Among the most simple and effective troubleshooting methods is priming. If an ice maker has stopped working and there is no formed ice in the tray(ice maker mold) then go ahead and pour 4-6 oz of water into the tray and wait 2-3 hours. If that water just freezes and does not eject then the ice maker system is broken...no doubt whatsoever. If the ice maker ejects the primer ice and completes the rotation cycle, and water does not come on command, then there are water intake problems.

THE LEAKING ICE TRAY (PROPERLY REFERRED TO AS THE ICE MAKER MOLD)

This design and the others from Frigidaire and GE have a finish on the ice mold that is there to seal the mold to contain water, and make for an easier release during the cycle. These mold finishes commonly begin to deteriorate after 4 years. Some go a little sooner some not depending on the home water supply, hardness of water, chlorine content and so forth. Even under the best filtration systems...these mold finishes still deteriorate and go south. When they do begin to deteriorate the water WILL begin to leak through the mold into the ice bucket or the mounting bracket. THAT SMALL LEAKAGE IS NOT BEING CAUSED BY OVERFILL PROBLEMS!!! When it does happen, it is time to get a new ice maker. The cost of replacing the mold after 4+ years is not worth it and may actually cost more than just replacing the complete ice maker.

WATER INTAKE PROBLEMS

If there are obvious water intake problems causing overfilling then all inlet tubes must be clear of any possible frozen water before facilitating the repair. Sometimes however, water intake problems may be the ice maker, but those are usually limited to minor overfill problems or an incomplete rotation cycle. Mostly, when there is major flooding in the freezer it is the solenoid gone defective. The bad news is that an ice maker can be damaged by this. AS A GENERAL RULE, ICE MAKERS AND SOLENOIDS 8-9 YEARS AND OLDER SHOULD BE REPLACED AT THE SAME TIME WHEN THE FIRST OF THE TWO GO DEFECTIVE!!!!

THE SOLENOID VALVE

The water inlet solenoid valve is its own working part and may need replacement even if the ice maker is working just fine. The basic solenoid valve has seen minor changes in shape, and color over the years and different refrigerator makes and model will obviously take different valves. Some valves designed for refrigerator model A can be retrofitted for refrigerator model B. This can and should be done only in instances where the basic vale design is very generic and mounting is not an issue.. In most cases, the original valve should last an average of 9 years but some of the earlier part numbers have averaged 5 or 6 years. If and when a valve does go bad there are some obvious signs to look for. And again...contrary to popular opinion...jumping the T and H is not a foolproof method of proving the solenoid valve is functional or not. Over the years, I have found that the best way to make sure a valve is 100% is to have it working as designed with it's designed counterpart, a functioning ice maker.

There are two basic types of solenoid valves and that would be one for an upright or bottom refrigerator freezer, and another for the side by side with water and ice service. In both cases the valve for all refrigerator ice maker systems is activated on command by the ice maker motor. When the ice maker is cycling as designed and the rotation of the ejector blades is unimpeded, the valve will activate on command for water supply to the ice maker and shut off automatically, as the cycle is completed as designed. So in essence, the solenoid valve when functioning properly 'can not tie it's shoes without permission'. These basics are the standard rule of thumb for all ice maker/solenoid valve systems. The only difference between the side by side with added chilled water service, is that the valve is an added 'half' that actuates on command via the chilled water dispenser. These 2 halves work independently from each other and in most cases the ice maker half will go into disrepair first because it usually 'works' 20x more than the chilled water half. These averages of course would all depend on individual household use. For valves designed for water and ice service, there is no way to replace just the bad half that I am aware of. Some earlier designs will allow the the terminals to take either refrigerator plug in. If that is the case one can avoid replacing the solenoid valve by using the terminal connection for the chilled water on the ice maker using the ice maker plug in with the chilled water half of the valve. This will work but it is not recommended and of course the chilled water service will be obviously forfeited.

There are only a few signs of malfunction exhibited by a solenoid vale when it is in disrepair. Again this part can and does go bad even if the ice maker is fully functional. In most cases, when a valve goes bad it will begin sending up arbitrary amounts of water albeit still on command. This will cause the fill tube to block up with ice and the fill spout as well at times. THIS IS A VERY COMMON AND ROUTINE SIGN OF MALFUNCTION!!! The only other reason for the fill tube blocking up with ice would be caused by any disruption of water supply to the refrigerator. If we have to turn off the water supply to the refrigerator for any reason...the ice maker system should be shut off until water supply is restored. The second sign of disrepair is that the valve simply goes dead and will not respond the the ice maker command to send up water. INTERNAL ELECTRICAL WIRING IS VERY VERY SELDOM THE CASE FOR ICE MAKER SYSTEM PROBLEMS OF ANY KIND!!!!

The third and far more serious sign of solenoid valve malfunction is failure to close on command. This can be caused by sediment build up within the valve or a failed electrical connection. The sediment inside a valve can be cleaned out from time to time. Valves can be removed and taken apart ( and put back together) fairly easily but to save how much $$$ ???? I have never bothered and there is something to not being so penny conscious that we are not dollar wise. If the ice maker is overfilling and there is some flooding in the freezer, first turn the system off by raising the shut off arm. If the water stops then it very well may be that the ice maker got stuck in a cycle just during the water command. This happens all the time and then it isolates the overfilling to the ice maker. In most cases the ejector blades will be in the 12 to 1 o'clock position (facing almost straight up). If turning the ice maker system off does not solve the water overflow problem, then immediately close the home supply line and make arrangements to replace the solenoid valve.

Again, if any of these signs of malfunction are showing up, do yourself a favor and replace the valve if you intend on keeping the refrigerator for a few more years. If the ice maker system is 8 or 9 years out of manufacture date and you are still on original parts, then you have beaten the odds and averages on the ice maker by almost 2 to 1, and based on that the time would be right to replace BOTH the solenoid valve and the ice maker

THE GOOD FOR NOTHING SELF PIERCING SADDLE VALVE

Poor water supply may be another reason why the ice maker is making smaller than normal ice cubes. A normal crescent shaped cube will be about the size of ones thumb. If cubes are smaller they can get stuck between the rotating blades and the stripper arm and this in turn can cause the motor to break. Many refrigerators water supply originate with the self piercing saddle valve. Though these at first seem convenient and easy for almost any one to install, over the long term they are the worst supply valves on the market. Over time the internal o ring will deteriorate and the small hole all too often gets blocked up with pipe sediment which will impair the intended water supply to the refrigerator. In a good many cases, these valves are the reason the ice maker system is not working properly because of the anemic flow of water to the refrigerator etc. If your saddle valve is 10 years old, do yourself and your ice maker system a favor and have it replaced with a good and more reliable handle valve (with a 1/4" outlet) similar the ones used for water supply to the kitchen faucet. Most plumbers will charge $150-$250 for that service but it will be worth it in the long run.

FILL TUBE ICE BLOCKAGE

If a inlet fill tube is blocked up with ice it could only be caused by a few reasons. The most common would be a defective solenoid valve. When this happens the valve will send up improper amounts of water and that will cause a freeze up in the fill tube. Another reason would be if plumbing was done in the house. If some work was done in the house involving turning off the home water supply, the ice maker system will still try to function. When that happens again, the solenoid valve will send up a lesser amount of water and that will cause ice blockage. When turning off the water in the home for any reason, the ice maker system should be turned off as well. That will either entail lifting up the shut off arm to the off position perpendicular to the ice maker, or turning the control board on/off to the off position. In most cases, these are the primary two reasons as to why the fill tube would or could be blocked up with ice and preventing the water fill to take place at the end of the cycle.

CLEARING THE FILL TUBE IF IT IS BLOCKED UP WITH ICE

Ice Blockage in the fill tube - The fill tube is not the 1/4" tube that goes up the back of the freezer but it is the approx 1" in diameter tube that goes through the freezer and feeds water directly into the ice maker. If this gets blocked up with ice is can be cleared by pulling it out from behind the freezer inlet hole, removing, and running under hot water etc. Or you can clear it by removing the ice maker and blowing it clear with a hair dryer. Some of the new Whirlpool units may prove very difficult to remove from the rear of the freezer and if push comes to shove, please do not try to force it out!! That is the time to step back, take a deep breath and invoke the hairdryer method. The idea in all this is to avoid having to call a service repair technician, and if we are breaking some refrigerator parts while trying to fix others we are defeating the purpose. A little extra time and the tube will clear up via the hairdryer buy you may want to unplug the refrigerator or turn the cold controls to zero while using that method.

Some Maytag, Amana, and Kenmore models have 2 working dual solenoid valves which makes this repair a little more complicated and expensive...but still very doable via Just Ice Makers solenoid valve instr. IT IS ALWAYS BEST TO MAKE ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN THAT THE ICE MAKER FILL TUBE HAS NO ICE BLOCKING THE REFILL PROCESS WHEN DOING ICE MAKER OR SOLENOID PART(S) REPLACEMENT!!!

HOLLOW CUBES

In most cases hollow cubes are NOT CAUSED BY A DEFECTIVE ICE MAKER. In most if not all cases they are a result of insufficient water supply. There is a small white flat head screw on the shut off arm side of the motor module and this can adjust the water intake some. Turn counterclockwise 180 degrees for more water intake and the opposite for less. This minor adjustment probably WILL NOT SOLVE THE HOLLOW CUBE PROBLEM. It may be that the filter is clogged and needs to be changed, or the refrigerator water supply is being fed by a Reverse Osmosis Filtration System. For the latter...try the small white screw adjustment. The hollow cube problem in the highest percentage of cases is caused by and old and deteriorating self piercing water supply saddle valve. These will clog up with rust and sediment and should be replaced every 10 years at minimum. A good many refrigerators have their water supply from these types of valves and local repair service experience has proven over and over again that these deteriorate, clog up, and reduce water supply to the refrigerator over a period of time. Most homes in the US have sufficient water pressure for proper appliance function. Most repair techs in this business do not like these valves because they do cause problems over a period of time and reduction in water pressure is one of them.

THE SUSPENDED SHUT OFF ARM

If the arm is not coming down as designed then that means that the arm itself is out of alignment. Please make sure that extra food and drink items are not placed in the ice bucket. The ice maker needs to be taken out of the unit and the arm has to be aligned. To do this please remove it from both ends and then fully re-insert it into the module end via the very small white slit...Please make sure that it is pushed in all the way. ON the other end. you will see the arm suspended near the fulcrum hole at the fill spout. That part of the arm should be within a millimeter or 2 of that hole. If it is up. down or not suspended RIGHT NEXT TO THE HOLE almost so close that it is almost in the hole as suspended then the arm is out of alignment. You may adjust while the other end is fully inserted. While the i/m is out you will be able to tell if the arm is fully aligned because you will be able to raise it to the off position...then release it back down where it will follow the spring and snap into the on position. These arm are adjustable and if I can do it anyone can.

THE ACCERER-ICE/MAX-ICE/ICE MAGIC PLUS FEATURE

This is an added feature that Whirlpool came up with around 2001. It does have it's benefits but may be more trouble that what it's worth. THIS FEATURE NEVER HAS TO BE PURCHASED ALONG WITH A NEW REPLACEMENT ICE MAKER as it is never responsible for an ice maker in disrepair. The way in which this feature clips on to the original via the small black clips is the same way it will clip on to any new OEM replacement ice maker. If the new OEM unit comes with the white 4"x4" plastic module cover it can be very easily removed by hand or with an any size flat head screw driver. Simply remove the white cover and then remove the Max Ice unit from the original ice maker and clip it on to the new replacement exactly as it removed from the original. The dimensions of the new OEM unit will be identical to the original and the clip 'holes' will be in all the same places. Once you clip the max ice unit on to the replacement unit and plug in the wiring harness..the feature should turn on and off as designed.

THE ICE MAKER SYSTEM IS NOT RESPONSIBLE WHEN....

There is a Frozen Sheet of Ice at the Base of a Side by Side Refrigerator

Oftentimes in local service calls and on line I get calls that there is a sheet of ice forming at the base of the freezer on a side by side refrigerator. The 'miniature ice skating rink begins to form under the bottom shelf or drawer of the freezer on a side by side refrigerator because the defrost drain tube is frozen up with ice and all the moisture is spilling over into the freezer when it should drain into a plastic pan below the refrigerator. This problem is all too commonly blamed on the ice maker system and the solenoid valve in particular. When the ice maker system is showing signs of malfunction, the signs of improper water overflow will appear in the ice bucket and or immediately around the ice maker. If there are no signs of a miniature ice slating rink in the ice bucket or other water freeze ups in the ice maker rill spout of the fill tube going through the freezer, then the malfunction is most likely not being caused by the ice maker.

To correct the drain tube problem is simple enough. Behind the bulkhead (rear freezer liner) behind the bottom drawer(s) there is in most cases a funnel that is supposed to direct the defrost droplets into the plastic pan below the refrigerator. If you can remove the liner with either 1/4" hex or Phillips screws, you will find usually an aluminum drain that will be blocked up with ice. This can be unblocked with a hear dryer and some boiling water fed by small amounts into the small funnel plate. In the beginning it will be obvious that the approx 3/4" in diameter drain tube is not allowing the hot water to pass through. But after about 15 minutes of both the hair dryer and hot water application...the tube will unblock and the hot water will funnel through. And so for another 6 years or so this should solve the saga of the ice forming at the base of the freezer floor on a side by side refrigerator. This procedure is simple enough for almost anyone to perform, and SHOULD NOT REQUIRE THE ASSISTANCE OF IN HOME SERVICE REPAIR PERSONNEL!!

There are Freezing Air Issues....

If there are any freezing air issues in an upright or side by side refrigerator then those problems should be addressed first before even looking at the ice maker system. One way to tell if the freezer is freezing as designed is with ice cream. If ice cream is not remaining as ice cream while in the freezer then the defrost timer may be out ...or the relay switch or the worst case scenario...the compressor itself. I do not have experience replacing any of the afore mentioned but I would not touch either the ice maker or the solenoid valve until the refrigerator freezer is functioning fully as designed in both compartments. I would recommend raising the shut off arm (or turning the on/off switch to the off position until the refrigeration issues are fully addressed. After the freezer is back to 100% for 24 hours...then lower the shut off arm ( or turn back on the on/off switch) and the ice maker system should cycle on its own if the parts are functioning properly. Again, it is always best to turn the ice maker system off until other refrigerator repair issues are fully addressed, and then turn the system back on after 24 hours etc. If after turning the ice maker system back on, the ice maker does not begin cycling full ice cubes every 2 hours or so, then please refer to the troubleshooting tips section for the appropriate ice maker system you have.

There is insufficient water supply.

Sometimes water pressure going to the refrigerator can diminish over time and it will be for one of 2 reasons. The easiest to check is to make sure any filtering systems have their replacement cartridges changed on manufacturers schedule. This will be the case for refrigerator embedded filters and external ones installed by the homeowner. The most common reason why water pressure diminishes over time would be the good for nothing self piercing saddle valve used for tapping water supplies for refrigerators. That valve is fast and convenient in the beginning but does evolve with problems over time. Eventually they will not close at all and will need to be replaced. They also provide a very small hole for the water to pass through the main pipe and if some sediment gets caught in that hole it will hinder water supply causing smaller ice cubes to be made that can get stick in the rotation and can cause the ice maker motor to break. If at all possible it is always best to originate water supply with an appropriate full size handle valve with a 1/4" feed outlet that will not need adapting for the refrigerator supply tube/solenoid valve inlet which will always be 1/4" compression. In some cases the solenoid valve will clog up with sediment and in those cases it would be best just to go ahead and replace it...Some favor cleaning it but to save how much $$$ ???When dealing with any household water related issues it is ALWAYS to be dollar wise over being penny conscious. Inappropriate water supply will be evidenced by ice cubes approx the size of ones pinkie finger instead of ones thumb which would be the correct average size. If the water dispenser is slow that will also be an obvious sign of less than ideal water supply for proper ice maker system function. There average water pressure in most homes in the U. S. is approx 60 P.S.I and American made refrigerator manufacturers have that well in mind in their designs and production of refrigerator ice maker systems.

WINTERIZING - Very simple procedure to winterize...first turn the ice maker off...this is done via the on/off switch to off position either via the receiver on/off if infrared sensor controlled, or the ice maker itself having an on/off switch...or the shut off arm being raised to the off position. From there, please turn off the water supply to the refrigerator and disconnect the 1/4" supply line tube inletting to the valve, AND outletting from the solenoid valve (going up the back of the refrigerator wall) and draining all excess water. ALWAYS MAKE SURE THE ICE MAKER IS TURNED OFF WHEN THE WATER SUPPLY IS EITHER DISRUPTED TO THE REFRIGERATOR OR TURNED OFF FOR ANY LENGTH OF TIME. When 'summerizing' an ice maker system...please reconnect outlet tube, turn water supply back on, THEN and THEN turn ice maker back on.

The average live expectancy of shut off arm controlled ice maker system parts are as follows:

Ice maker - 4-5 years

Solenoid valve(s) - 8-9 years

Sometimes we can rack our brains with the whys and the wherefores. Certainly we want to be cost efficient and isolate problems as best we can, but sometimes it is just better to bite the bullet and replace all working ice maker related parts especially if the refrigerator is 8 years or older. Any more questions after we have done the basics...call me at 7572492502 and I will answer any more questions that you may have. - Don Schlesinger Owner Ice Maker Repair Online

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