Tweet
I noticed yesterday that my icemaker is not making any ice. I also noticed that the chute where the water comes in was frozen up. I thawed the plug of ice and filled the icemaker manually to see if the icemaker was working properly. It did freeze and dump the ice but didn't fill back up. I have an in line water filter and disconnected it to see if any water was going to the fridge. Its not and my husband was concerned that maybe an animal had chewed the line under the house, so I went under the house and didn't find any leaks but I did notice that the line that goes to the fridge was not tight, indicating to me that there is no water going to it either. No one has been under the house to turn it off. So, my dilema is, how do I find out where the problem is. I do have water to the rest of the house, no problem. Please help me.
-
-
I am assuming for the moment that you have a standard inline cartridge type water filter.
There should be a shutoff valve where the water line is tapped into the house water lines. Turn that valve off, then disconnect the water line on the input side of the water filter and put the end of the line in a container. Now turn the water valve on and see if you are getting water to the filter. If not, there is a problem in the line tap valve. If you are getting water to the filter, reconnect the supply line to the filter and disconnect the line coming out of the filter to the refrigerator. Put the filter in the cantainer and turn the water again to see if water is going through the filter. If not, replace the filter. If water is coming through the filter turn the water off and replace the line.
Now locate the water line where it attaches to the ice maker solenoid valve. To locate the valve just follow the line to the back of the refrigerator. Disconnect the line from the solenoid valve and put the end in the container, then turn the water on to see if water is getting to the valve. If there is no water coming out of the line at the refrigerator there is a problem with the water line from the filter to the refrigerator.
If you are getting water to the solenoid valve check the line from the solenoid valve that goes up to the back of the freezer. Sometimes those lines crack near the back of the valve and the water will spill into the defrost evaporation pan under the refrigerator. If the line is ok the problem is either a defective solenoid valve or a problem with the ice maker control head.
First check the freezer temperature with a good quality thermometer. Most ice makers have a parafin expansion thermal sensor in the head to insure the freezer is cold enough to make ice. Most of the thermal sensors are set at 10degF which means the temperature in the freezer must be 10degF or colder before it will allow the solenoid valve to open. If the freezer is not 10degF or colder adjust the freezer temperature.
If you have an ohm meter, disconnect the electrical plug from the refrigerator solenoid valve, then using a high ohm scale touch your test probes on the two electrical contacts of the solenoid valve to see if it shows continuity through the coil. If it shows continuity the solenoid coil is ok, if not, the solenoid is burned out.
If these steps do not resolve your problem post again and there may be one more test you can do to check the ice maker head and the solenoid valve.
Comment