Ice maker compressor

Liberty44140

got to the boat tonight and turned on the ice maker. Checked it an hour later expecting it to be cold and it was still warm and no ice. Seems that the compressor will not turn on, it's as if it has no power. The panel switch is on as is the small switch on the front of the unit under the grill. I checked and it is getting power from behind. Has anyone had one die? Compressor? Thermostat? Fan? 

Black_Diamond

I just replaced the fan on mine. The coil
was toasted. I posted up the manual on here. Could be a relay, thermostat too b

Liberty44140

Thanks, did yours quit all together like it is getting no power? Anything that I can test to rule out major issues? Been online reading and it looks like the thermostat going bad usually is the culprit. 

Black_Diamond

Mine was getting power, the compressor would trip out from over heating. 

Liberty44140

So when I got here last night and turned the ice maker on I didn't pay attention to whether or not it actually kicked on. Then I went and started installing my new blower vents and came back an hour later to a warm, non functioning ice maker. Turned it off last night and went to bed. This morning I came up and turned it on. Nothing at first and then 5ish seconds later the ice maker came to life. The bar on the ice maker lifted half way and then went down on its own and water came in. Then the compressor and fan kicked on. I can feel the fan moving and the compressor has a light vibration to it so it must be on. Waiting to see if it cools down and makes ice and will report back. Wondering if the fan or the thermostat are just on their last legs. It was 90f and crazy humid when we got here last night. 

Liberty44140

Well so far so good for the rest of the weekend. Cold box and lots of ice. I ran in to the local marine refrigeration guy on my dock and talked with him. He said these things have timed cycles and it's likely that I turned it off while it was in an off cycle so when I turned it on it was still in that cycle. Will keep an eye on it. I've been turning it off during the week but I'm thinking that I'll leave it on this week. 

Black_Diamond

You are better off leaving it on I think. Just flip up the bar so it stops making ice. 

Dream_Inn

I just turn the fresh water pump off.  It won't continue making ice without water.  Done that for many years with no problems.  Should turn off fresh water pump anyhow when leaving boat. (I have a buddy whose boat burned up because of water pump)

Liberty44140

Have you guys ever cut a little bit of the water tube off where it enters the box to freshen the end? I am going to start leaving the ice maker on with the bar up and of course the water pump OFF along with the city water off. My hurdle is that I have a VERY slow drip where the water tube enters ice box. I was thinking that I have a crack in the ice maker but the drip is so small that its not worth a $250 ice maker YET. The puddle is 2" x 2" over the weekend and then it dries out when the ice maker is off during the week. Now I am thinking that I may just need to cut 1/2" off of the tube coming in? Has anyone ever done this?

raybo3

A couple of questions. Is the drip continuous? In other words is the water valve leaking a little bit to cause the drip? Do you think the tube is just "draining" causing the drip? Try pulling the ice maker out and just adjust the tube in the back of the unit. you do not have to cut the tube but just slide it in or out a little bit. What I did was "shave" a little bit of the tube at the top on an angle so water could not build up. 

Liberty44140

Hey @raybo3. The drip sporadically continuous if that makes sence. Sometimes over the course of a weekend I just get a very short icicle, sometimes I get a very small frozen puddle. I dont think its residual water draining out of the tube because it over flows out of the ice maker.  Not sure what the variable is. Sounds like I need to determine if its the tube, or the valve. I'll try to get a better view and some pics this weekend. If I pull the ice maker out, it will be a fall winter project. Sounds like they are glued in and it is a little bit of a project. Thanks. 

Handymans342

My water valve is mounted in the front behind access panel. Easy to get to.

Liberty44140

Ahh, so the valve in front which has the large water line coming in the back from the boat and then a smaller water line coming out to the side leading up to the ice maker is THE valve? Got it. How would I determine if that is letting a drop out?

Handymans342

Disconnect the line going up and see if water is dripping out. 

Black_Diamond

The ice maker comes out really easy, just had mine out 2 weeks ago.  Just unplug, turn your water off and let out the pressure, unscrew the water line from behind the bottom panel (one screw on top).  Give it a lift/pull, pops right out.  At best a thin caulk line around the outside of the mounting flange.  10 minutes at most.  Easy Peasy.  Heck you can take it home to work on it and hook up a water line to it if needed.

raybo3

Water valve is very easy to change out. I think its about $40. I agree with Handy just disconnect the small line and see if the valve is "blowing" by. 

Handymans342

Finally someone agrees with me LOL

Liberty44140

Thanks guys, I think I get it. Disconnect the water "out" from the valve while the "in"'is still connected and the bar is up on the ice maker so that it won't take water. Then see if water drips out of the "out" on the valve. If it does, simple and cheap to replace valve. Thanks!

raybo3

Keep us posted on what you find

Liberty44140

Well no dice on the valve leaking. I had the output disconnected for 6 hours today and not a drop. So I'm thinking ice maker crack of some kind. Thoughts? Pics above and below 

Liberty44140

raybo3

I would pull the ice maker out and take the back off (very easy 6 screws) and check the tube that is feeding the mold. Make sure its in the proper spot. 

Liberty44140

Agree - I plan to do that. Its not the end of the world but something I'd like to fix. 

Liberty44140

Well I pulled the ice maker out (entire freezer unit) and brought it home for winter to work on. Overall it worked great this summer except for the drip I mentioned above. The valve is ok, disconnected the output for a day and not even a drip. Yesterday I removed the ice maker from the unit (was nice to do standing at my workbench rather than crouched in the boat). Had to wiggle it out of that goop but it came. No noticeable cracks in the ice maker at all that would cause the drip. The base where the cubes form look to be metal. So now I am stumped. I am wondering if it was just the tube that brings water in to the ice maker through the wall so I pulled it in to the box far as it would go. Also wondering if it could have to do with the leveling of the ice maker. That big white shelf bends down easily. So its back in and I'm going to run it at home to see where things stand. 

Michael T

Don't forget that there is a little black on/off switch somewhat hidden at the top of the white plastic grille that is at the bottom of the ice maker. If this gets tapped off or sometimes even part way off the ice maker will not work.

Handymans342

The water inlet to the valve is hose thread I believe. If so, you could hook up a hose and run it in your garage. 

Liberty44140

Yep, it's a garden hose so I have it hooked up in the basement. Hoping that some minor adjustments solve the drip. Will report back 

Liberty44140

Got it all hooked up in the basement. Made buckets of ice this weekend but still had the back wall drip. Took the ice maker back out to see if I could trace the leak while frozen but could not trace. There was a lot of ice under the ice maker. Two possible reasons I am working on. 1) the ice is over flowing a little. So I've screwed in the cube size screw almost all the way. 2) there was some ice in the hole where the power cord exits. This is interesting, uline used something like a plumbers puffy to seal the cord and tube coming in to the box which is drying out. I'm wondering if there is no leak but the issue is hot air coming in through those holes and melting frost and causing the condensation that way. I do get quite a bit of. Frost build up in the box, may also replace door gasket. So I used plumbers puddy to really seal the entries in then back of the box and we'll see if that and the cube size adjustment help. 

Handymans342

If you can catch it after the tray fills, dip your finger in and see what the water level is

Liberty44140

Water level is now very low, I've got to stick my finger in pretty far now to touch water or ice. The cube size at the smallest setting is really fine, still roughly as deep a space my home ice maker. I've also turned the water pressure way down and it still makes the same amount of ice just as fast. So actions so far are new thick seals on all of the rear openings with plumbers putty, ice size all the way down and water pressure way down. Drip is drastically reduced. I've verified that the ice maker mold heater works so I'm convinced that the ice maker itself is fine. I took the door off tonight to lube the seal as I think that is part of the problem to find a major long crack inside one of the gasket creases. I get a lot of frost so I may replace the gasket, unlike the galley and cockpit fridge the ice maker gasket should be replaceable. Making progress....

Handymans342

Good work