Ice maker line keeps freezing

[kjablon]

We have replaced the water valve twice because the line in the freezer keeps freezing. We get two trays of ice and then the line freezes up again. If we manually fill the ice maker everything works great. We have checked the water line outside the fridge and there is no problem. We can hear the ice maker run and we can hear it attempt to get water to fill the tray. The fridge is a Kenmore Bottom Freezer Fridge Model number 78571304012. We had a professional come out and he checked everything. He unclogged the frozen water line and all went well. 12 Hours later the line was frozen again. He told me that if it freezes up again we need to replace the water fill valve. WE have replaced it twice in 6 months and we still have the same problem. The actual water line to the fridge is a dedicated line and is NOT self piercing. We have checked the water pressure and it is fine too. We do not have hard water. We think there is something causing water to stay in the line and then is freezes up. We have checked the temp of the fridge and tried adjusting that. No difference. All other parts of fridge are working fine.

[Dan O.]

We have replaced the water valve

Which water valve? the one on the fridge or the one on the house plumbing?

We have checked the water line outside the fridge and there is no problem.

How exactly did you check the water line?

What type of water valve is used to connect the fridge supply line to the house water supply?

Dan O.
www.Appliance411.com
The Appliance Information Site
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[kjablon]

Ice maker line freezing

Which water valve? the one on the fridge or the one on the house plumbing? Both have been checked. The valve that is in the fridge has been replaced twice.


How exactly did you check the water line? To see if there is a kink but also the water pressure.

What type of water valve is used to connect the fridge supply line to the house water supply? It is not the piercing kind, I forget what it is called. It was installed by a plumber and is a dedicated line.



Dan O.



We can hear all the appropriate noises like the ice maker cycling and then even the noise that shows that water is trying to go in the line. If we manually put water in the ice maker it will make and dispense the cubes. If I clean out the line, remove the froze water, it will make 1 to two cycles of ice but then freezes up again.

[Dan O.]

[Checked] To see if there is a kink but also the water pressure.

What was the pressure?

The water valves on home appliances require 20 to 120 PSI to stay closed tightly when off, 35 PSI minimum if your fridge model has an internal water filter.

Insufficient water pressure to the fridge's water valve can allow trickles of water to seep through it while in the closed position. Those trickles freeze bit by bit until the whole fill tube to the icemaker gets frozen closed.

Since you say the fridge's water valve has been replaced and did not correct the condition, my guess is there is insufficient water pressure to the fridge.

Other possibilities (although I think extremely unlikely) might be freezer temperature too cold or food packaging, etc., directing cold air flow directly at the icemaker fill tube. But as I stated, I think those are very unlikely to be the cause.

[the water valve] is not the piercing kind, I forget what it is called. It was installed by a plumber

Any water valve can collect sediment and reduce water flow through it. While a self piercing water valve is most susceptible because of its small diameter aperture, any valve (especially one mounted on the underside of a water pipe!) might need more scrutiny.


BTW. The model number you posted (78571304012) is not correct. It may actually be 795.71304012

JFYI

Dan O.
www.Appliance411.com
The Appliance Information Site
=D~~~~~~

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[kjablon]

Thank you so much for these suggestions. I will check these.
You are right about the model number.

[HayZee518]

I have a side by side fridge with an icemaker in the freezer compartment. My inlet to the ice cuber is up high and comes through the back wall at an angle to the ice cuber tray. The physical valve is at the bottom of the appliance, so the line running up the back wall of the fridge to the inlet pipe is always filled with water EXCEPT for the last foot. When the water valve shuts off, whatever is in the line AFTER the loop, drains out by gravity. You might check out how yours is run, see if there is a final loop in the poly tubing to your inlet pipe [plastic]

[kjablon]

I did. That doesn't appear to be the issues. Thanks for the suggestion though,

[awakening]

Are you sure that you did not knock something loose when trying to clear the fill tube.


Unplug the unit and then the ice maker connector.
Then reconnect and see if it works.


Does sound like an electrical problem but I cannot see how it is related to your original problem.