Ice maker help

[DCP]

Found the ice maker all froze up.

Ice in tray fill hole, rubber fill tube and last 2 inch of fixeds fill line.

Thawed everything out everything worked for about 6 weeks.
Then froze again, worked for about a week. Then froze again.

Then worked about a day.

Through all this fixed line kept freezing deeper into the line
Yesterday it worked 1 cycle and froze fixed tube all the way to the back of freezer
Thawed it again.

This time I did not turn on Ice maker.
The fixed line is froze again this AM.
The last 2 inch of fixed line is ok then froze from there back.

Freezer was set on 10 degrees (was originally 0 degrees)

Any Ideas on what's going on and what to do next.

Thanks

[cheese1566]

defrost mode go bad?

[lostchild0]

Same thing happened to mine and it ended up being the water filter. Changed out the filters and no problems for six months so far. Hope this helps...lost

[Jeffrey]

A little confused "fixed line"? Symptoms you describe are usually caused by water hanging up in the water fill tube. This can be caused by insufficient water pressure. As was mentioned by lostchild0, check the water filter (if there is one). If there is no filter, there may be trash in the fill solenoid. Check this article for guidance. http://www.popularmechanics.com/home/improvement/electrical-plumbing/1276061

[DCP]

No frost in freezer
Fill line is fixed
It now has a crack were the rubber line goes over. It at the top

[Frosty Boolit]

I ws a little confused by the fixed line too. But if this is the line that fills the tray, and it seems to be overfillling then I suspect the solenoid not sealing off and seeping by. For what its worth, icemakers have few parts. Solenoid to fill, heater to release the cubes from the mold during the harvest cycle, timer/motor to drive the the harvest tines and control the whole cycle. Assuming that this is an older style and there are not circuit boards all over it, The whole thing is a carefully calibrated cycle based on time alone, in other words a certain amount of water should flow into the cube mold in a certain amount of time, this much time to freeze and so on. It sounds as if the cubes are not being harvested and more water is being dumped and froze on top of the ones that are already there. Usually when I have to work on these, it is almost always that stinkin motor stopping intermittently. It is always more economical to replace the whole unit.(and easier too) Most folks are pretty mechanical on here so I think a little obsevation of the cycle will help greatly.

remember;
1. timed fill
2. freeze time-this is when to look for that leaking solenoid
3. harvest cubes
4. repeat.

[6bg6ga]

The water solenoid is located down low near the bottom of the refrigerator where the heat generally is. This heat helps to solidify the calcium and other minerals in the water and restrict water flow. The smart thing to do would be to check it using extreme caution. First check the voltage rating on the solenoid( probably 120 volts) some can be 24 on some makes and models. If one is very careful one can build up a temperary setup using an old AC power cord and some crimp on terminal if the unit is 120 volts. Simply unplug the wiring from the frig to the solenoid and plug in your makeshift test cord making sure that the outlet end is not plugged into the wall socket until after you have done the wiring to the solenoid. Next take the water tube and route it into a bucket to catch the water when you plug in the power. Note the rate and flow of the water. If slow and low replace the solenoid.

Next the mirco switches in the machine should probably be replaced for assured life of the machine. This is simple.... unscrew them noting the position and such. Go to the computer and type into a search engine the micro switch number and maker. This will bring up parts suppliers and the switches should be less than probably $3.00 each to replace.

This is a lot cheaper to rebuild this icemaker than to replace it. Generally MOST icemakers can be rebuilt. Most have a cover on the front that either pulls off or comes off with a few screws. I recommend that you remove the icemaker from the frig in order to maintain the temp inside the freezer section and to make working on it easier. Generally a 1/4 drive socket set works very well when working on these units. I find it easier to rebuild it on the kitchen table than inside the freezer section still mounted. While its out you can perform resistance readings of the heating coil and price replacement parts costs. Generally most units can be repaired. One must check the heating coil to make sure it isn't open before proceeding any further. Sometimes the heater elements are costly and its simply easier and cheaper to purchase a new unit.

At any rate a few minutes of your time may save you some money in the long run. Its worth a try..