Countertop Ice Maker Repair

[@williamrankin3434]

Wow, extremely well made video. Clear video and audio, no wasted time or extraneous comments. Wish they were this good.

[@metalplasticelectronics354]

Thanks again.

[@BackRoadsWine]

You are smart as hell. I took mine out in the yard and set it on fire. I feel better. I think I'll have a drink now.

[@metalplasticelectronics354]

Sometimes that is the only way to deal with an aggravation.

[@thehomewizard1]

Amen​@@metalplasticelectronics354

[@Tom-em3dv]

Please tell me the one you burned wasn’t a fridgidare also be careful with burning it because when freon burns it releases a deadly gas

[@gtatters]

Did not expect this video to be that good. Keep making these and it can only be a matter of time before all the search results start heading your way.

[@metalplasticelectronics354]

Thanks

[@dcrook525]

Well done. Great pace and focused presentation.

[@metalplasticelectronics354]

Thank you kindly!

[@richardcoleman9284]

Do you know where I can get a replacement tray that holds the water to be turned into ice cubes? Great video 🎉by the way.

[@marinachan2970]

You have a good voice. Very professional

[@gustandroide]

i'm having the opposite problem, my ice maker won't stop making ice when it's full and gets jammed, i don't know what to do.

[@metalplasticelectronics354]

It could be the photo sensor has failed. If it fails open it will think it's always full of ice and if it fails as a short then it will never think it's full of ice. If you can get to the wires for the photo sensor you can check the voltage and see if it changes when it's blocked from the IR LED.

[@imac786]

I have a question for you sir. With water pump and ice scoop motor disconnected, lid open and a fan in front of it, can this machine be used as a cheep air conditioning unit ? There will need to be two pvc hoses for air inlet and outlet for the compressor so that hot side is isolated from cold side Will it work ? Also what is that loud banging noise during the ice making cycle ? I have same machine. Will control board keep the compressor on chill cycle and running.

[@metalplasticelectronics354]

I guess it could be converted into a tiny air conditioner. You would probably have to replace the entire control system, I believe it works on time, and you would never want it to switch into defrost mode. Would be a huge amount of work for a tiny bit of cooling.

[@imac786]

@@metalplasticelectronics354 it runs on little electricity so could come handy in cooling small places. Could the machine be tricked into keeping the cooling cycle running? I assume some sensor inputs tell it to start defrost cycle. I am thinking just removing water pump and scoop motor so whatever tells control board that ice has formed will never give that input and control board will keep on running cool cycle? Or what would happen if I did this?

[@metalplasticelectronics354]

I think it is controlled by time. I don't remember any sensor for the ice being formed. You would probably have to jump out the compressor relay and make sure the bypass valve stays in the correct position. Probably would need a bit stronger fan on the condenser coil as well.

[@imac786]

@@metalplasticelectronics354 if it works on time then yes removing some components would not work. Could compressor just be wired directly with mains just bypassing control board so just supplying mains power starts the cool cycle. Micro air conditioning systems costs so much but they are basically not very different from this machine.

[@imac786]

@@metalplasticelectronics354 maybe its another video idea for you 😊 it can be hugely popular I believe. Second fan can be used to force air into compressor side from the air inlet hose

[@imac786]

Very good video. Looks like the manufacturer has made it extra difficult to open the machine. Removing the back cover should not be that hard.

[@metalplasticelectronics354]

They expect it to be thrown away.

[@imac786]

True. I have a question for you sir. With water pump and ice scoop motor disconnected, lid open and a fan in front of it, can this machine be used as a cheep air conditioning unit ? There will need to be two pvc hoses for air inlet and outlet for the compressor so that hot side is isolated from cold side Will it work ? Also what is that loud banging noise during the ice making cycle ? I have same machine. Will control board keep the compressor on chill cycle and running.

[@barbaratorres2000bt]

After I manually cleaned mine, it now won't run the self clean cycle. The lights just flash? What next?

[@metalplasticelectronics354]

I’ve never had the lights flash on mine. If you unplug it and then plug it back in does it do anything? Do you hear any motors running?

[@yxcvmk]

Very informative Video. Thank you. Question: @Min 26:45 where the ice cubes drop: What is actually happening in the machine to make the cubes come off the ice maker pins so fast?

[@metalplasticelectronics354]

A hot gas bypass valve sends hot refrigerant to the evaporator(ice maker pins). That melts a bit of the ice and it falls off.

[@yxcvmk]

@@metalplasticelectronics354 Thank you, that makes it clear. By the way: My ice maker, with a new IR-Diode and a bit craftsmanship, works like a charm again! A good feeling, and triple good if I think that I did prevent unnecessary waste and unnecessary spending (including the taxes for the ever more hungry bureaucratic monsters around the world).

[@metalplasticelectronics354]

I agree with you there for sure.

[@christinelaughlin7894]

does it show how to get the lid all the open in any of your videos? I am afraid to break it.

[@metalplasticelectronics354]

I take the case completely apart in this video. If you are thinking about the part of the lid that covers the water tray. It just lifts up from the front, it is a bit tight.

[@kelvinghabriel5378]

I have an issue with my ice maker portable, when i press the ‘ON’ button, the synchronous motor doesn’t move, so it doesn’t touch the switch, is it my synchronous motor broke or maybe something wrong with PCboard? Thankyou before.

[@metalplasticelectronics354]

It could be either. I would check and see if the motor has any resistance to the windings.

[@TonySGuo]

Mine seems to be cycling the ice tray and dumping the water before ice forms (but the element is getting cold), any recommendations on what to look for?

[@metalplasticelectronics354]

Make sure the coil with the fan on it is clean. There is no air filter, so if dust builds up too much on the coil, it will hurt the cooling. Make sure the fan is running as well.

[@TonySGuo]

@@metalplasticelectronics354 thanks, found the culprit...seems like the solenoid is always allowing warm coolant to run through even when it's not supposed to, so only the side nearest to the coil freezes enough but the rest of the element stays at above frozen temps. Seems like too much trouble to replace as it may require re-soldering those tiny copper pipes

[@metalplasticelectronics354]

@@TonySGuo Yes, if it's not an electrical signal keeping it open. probably not worth fixing. And those tiny pipes have R600a refrigerant in them, and it is flammable.

[@samrafferty3599]

Thanks, very helpful

[@metalplasticelectronics354]

Glad it was helpful!

[@m.m.radiochannel1969]

You can get them cheaper than that.

[@DarianSimons]

No testing the switches, just swap parts till it works? You need to give some kind of diagnosis, not just change parts till it works. That is a waste of money, testing components saves money and time waiting on parts.

[@arbit3r]

Did you even watch the video?

[@richardbruno201]

Dude, I love your voice

[@metalplasticelectronics354]

Thanks

[@polized123]

shaky hands

[@juandelospalotes3823]

Subscribed 👌 This video ☝️ should be in appliance repair technical schools 🏫

[@metalplasticelectronics354]

Thanks

[@Tom-em3dv]

Sadly thats the problem with all icemakers mostly the switch breaks and wont tell the motor to stop

[@Tom-em3dv]

Your knowledge about repair instead of other videos where the flip it up and over

[@Tom-em3dv]

I really appreciate you helping us really helped

[@BuyTrustpilotReviews-vn8bu]

Harris Ronald Thompson Kenneth Moore Larry

[@Tom-em3dv]

Does this work for a fridgidare countertop? They have pretty much have all the same parts

[@metalplasticelectronics354]

I think most of the very cheap ice makers are made by the same company. So most of these are going to be a lot alike. I know some don't have a float for low water. They use a sensor to detect when the pump is not pumping water.

[@Joe_Blo]

On my countertop fridgidaire ice maker, the pump flow became weak so that the water wasn't going into the tray. So I replaced the motor. It worked at first, then, same issue. As it turns out, the seal between the motor & ice box was allowing a slight air leak (but not a water leak) so that the pump was sucking a little air which reduced water pressure. The mounting ears in the pump are designed such that they do not push the pump tight into ice box when the screws are tightened. You have to push the motor in tight against the ice box with your hand or an object while tightening the mounting screws. I also added some food safe grease to the seal to ensure an air tight fit. Problem solved. Note: The new motor was noisy when sucking air, and quiet when not. Tip: Use ice cold water, add ice from the freezer to the water reservoir, or remove the ice catch bin for the first few ice making cycles to allow some ice to cool the water, and the ice cubes will turn out larger, more solid, last longer in the bin and melt less in drinks.

[@metalplasticelectronics354]

Very nice tips, thanks.

[@ucanthavemysn]

Your ice maker seems super clean. I’ve been nervous to buy one because of how dirty I heard they get.

[@metalplasticelectronics354]

The lid opens on this one so I can clean it regularly.

[@westsenkovec]

Oh man, am I glad I found your video after dozens of bad ice maker repair videos. Your video is great! I thought my problem were the micro switches, but they work. My ice maker would turn off after one load. Now after cleaning everything and testing the switches, it doesn't work at all! I suspect the IR sensor is bad. My PCB is a bit different, so I'm not brave enough to look for the voltage drop with a multimeter. Could I measure the voltage on the leads of the photo diode? One more thing, did you use a phone camera to check the IR diode? That's a nice trick to check an LED diode since cameras display IR light.

[@metalplasticelectronics354]

I didn't , I made up an IR light source to test it. And you should be able to check the voltage at the photo transistor.

[@gphilipc2031]

Yeah I opened my HZB - 12/H Model Ice Maker. No luck on findin' the reason it will not work. SO, mine may wind up in the dump sorry to say. I got about a year out of it. It's back to ice trays in the freezer for me.

[@metalplasticelectronics354]

The thought of ice trays sends a shiver of horror up my spine.

[@dr.mahmoudismail4658]

Thank you for all

[@mokupilot]

Different brand, same ice maker (Kisimile), same broken switch. Thank you for the video and the link!!!!

[@metalplasticelectronics354]

I really think almost all the little ice machines are made by the same company; at least they look so much alike.

[@ikotjh4709]

Agreed with the rest, what a nice informative video. You deserve more subs, and likes. Keep them coming.

[@metalplasticelectronics354]

Much appreciated!

[@williamrankin3434]

Most phone cameras can see the infrared coming from the ice full led. Works on remotes too.

[@metalplasticelectronics354]

Thanks. I'll have to try that with the phone camera, that could come in handy.

[@Tom-em3dv]

Thank you for sharing this this helped me a lot

[@metalplasticelectronics354]

You are so welcome!

[@pawpatrol42gamer39]

What if the water doesn't pump to the tray for it to make ice?

[@metalplasticelectronics354]

If it sounds like the pump is running, then the pump is probably bad. If you can't hear the pump running, it might be an electrical problem supplying voltage to the pump, or the pump could be bad.

[@gustavoalfredocarrilloorue2449]

es muy comun que marque add wather y lo mas probable es que tenga falso contacto en el panel donde se conecta ka bombita de agua

[@metalplasticelectronics354]

Does yours have a float to detect the water level or use the pump load? If a float it might be going bad or a bad connection.

[@Army_THE_TACSOP]

I just want to live with you for like a month 😂. I feel stupid listening to you!

[@metalplasticelectronics354]

Thanks for the comment and for watching.

[@YourEdge]

Um, unfortunately, the part where unscrewed white apparatus is removed is missing from the video, so I am at a loss as to actually remove it after removing the screws..

[@metalplasticelectronics354]

Can you describe the white part? I can see if I still have any footage of it.

[@YourEdge]

The beginning of the video after you you remove the screws, the video skips to working on the inside of the unit. We need to see the next step at the beginning of the video after you remove the screws.

[@davemaicong7389]

I love your video. Mine got a stucked synchronous motor. I ordered a replacement and tried it but still does not work. Based on my multi meter reading, the motor does not get 220v. Is it the relay that should be replaced or anything else? I am not good at pcb diagnosis.

[@metalplasticelectronics354]

I think there is a relay that turns the motor on and off. But if the motor shorted out there could be a fuse open.

[@davemaicong7389]

@@metalplasticelectronics354 Thanks for the reply, I appreciate it. If it's an open fuse I think the unit will not turn on, or will it still? Because If I push the micro switch, the whole thing works and it produces ice. But I have to do everything manually lol 😆. I wonder what's the culprit.

[@metalplasticelectronics354]

There could be a small fuse or resistor just for the motor.

[@davemaicong7389]

That is for sure my friend since the motor was grounded by water. Hope I could find it. Thanks for the reply.

[@davemaicong7389]

Finally, it is the resistor that has been causing the problem. I replaced it and it works like a charm. Thanks for the ideas.

[@michaelscott5483]

I ordering the LED ice full sensors. My Ice maker almost identical made by Roswill model RHIM-15001 is 9 years old and the sensors failure are one-step away from dumpster future. thank you for your presentation.

[@metalplasticelectronics354]

9 years, wow, that is amazing. You got a good one.

[@raymonmanuel5148]

Thank you sir, I have the same machine but when I turn on the water pump it does not work. I disconnected the pump wire and applied 12 volts to it, and the pump started. Do you have information about that? Thank you.

[@metalplasticelectronics354]

If it's not showing out of water, then it's probably an electrical control problem. Have you pulled the control board out and looked to see if anything looks burned?

[@GlenTruelove]

Excellent

[@metalplasticelectronics354]

Thank you so much 😀

[@persimonsen8792]

Great video, and great explanations. I don't get it, how can they make them at that pricepoint. plasticparts, pcb, pumps, compressor, assembly and shipping to the USA. And Home Depot still makes money on it.

[@metalplasticelectronics354]

I don't see how they can either.

[@hdezvlogs4829]

Hi! My machine doesn't want to automatically move the inner tray so that it senses to make ice. I can make the whole cycle happen manually but it doesn't work without me moving it all myself. Is that still a sensor problem even though it all technically works?

[@metalplasticelectronics354]

I doubt it’s a sensor problem. Take a look at this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hF6wY2uimZllo7ssi=PXcfYJhK2R_v8ho- . If it’s not the plastic broken, it may be the motor that drives the tray.

[@reanorr2286]

Fantastic video! Really helpful. I was able to repair my unit after watching. Limit switch was my problem.

[@metalplasticelectronics354]

Glad it helped!

[@marinachan2970]

My ice maker machine only works one cycle then stops working whenever I turn it on.Later on, ice full light on but nothing in the ice box.

[@metalplasticelectronics354]

Can you tell if it has an infrared sensors to detect the ice full? If so it could be either the LED or the photo diode going bad.

[@leighannekimbell]

we have a Frigidaire Counter top Ice Maker we have water in it but but win we turn it on it go off and say no water. we don't know what going on with it

[@metalplasticelectronics354]

This one in the video has a float switch in it to tell the microcontroller if there is water in it. But I think some models check if water is running through the water pump. If it has a float switch, then the first thing would be to make sure it is moving freely. If it is, then you would have to check the voltages back at the control board to isolate the problem. I haven't torn apart the pump type, so I'm not sure how they work.

[@CarlosPhilpot]

thanks

[@pablitozm1]

I fix mine becasuse your video Thank you Limit switch problem

[@metalplasticelectronics354]

Very nice.

[@cynthiabostick7036]

I misplaced my tray where can I buy one ablucky

[@metalplasticelectronics354]

Ebay is about the only place I saw any parts for these things.

[@marksperling1514]

Nicely done, some of it is definitely out of my knowledge comfort zone. I was hoping you’d address the pump and associated hoses. Ours is making a lot of noise with each pump cycle.

[@metalplasticelectronics354]

Mine makes a lot more noise pumping water than it used to. But it was still pumping fine until the ice shovel broke again. The pump is buried way up in the thing, so it is not easy to get to. I doubt there is much that could be done to make it pump quieter.

[@marksperling1514]

@@metalplasticelectronics354 Fortunately, I did the 10-1 Water/Vinegar mix, ran it thru the “self-clean” mode and it quieted down, good as new. Thanks for your response.

[@metalplasticelectronics354]

Very nice. Cleaning didn't help the noise with mine. When I get it going again, I'll have to try with a bit stronger vinegar mix. Thanks.

[@danimal0974]

Great video! I especially appreciate your attention to detail. Thank you

[@metalplasticelectronics354]

Very glad you enjoyed it. Thanks

[@onenite2nite]

I broke my lid how to replace

[@metalplasticelectronics354]

If it can’t be glued back. I did find some Ebay listing for some of the parts. But I wasn’t able to find any parts from the manufacture. I didn’t try calling the company and see if they had any replacement parts. If all else fails could try that.

[@ag358]

👍good video, everything very clear.

[@metalplasticelectronics354]

Thanks