Melted Ice Block Inside Ice Maker


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Old 03-05-18, 12:27 PM
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Melted Ice Block Inside Ice Maker

The ice maker in my Whirlpool side-by-side hasn't been working properly for the past few months. It makes cubes, but they eventually melt together and form a huge block inside the tray. I cranked up the freezer temp to 4/5 and it is still happening. Only thing I can think of is a bad door seal or perhaps the ice cube dispenser flap in the door is not sealing. Thoughts?
 

Last edited by mossman; 03-05-18 at 12:42 PM.
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Old 03-05-18, 01:15 PM
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When the cubes are harvested.... are they ok ? Not some cubes and water.

If the tray isn't filling all the way up with water..... the ice tray freeze sensor doesn't sense frozen water but instead the inside freezer temp and dumps early.
 
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Old 03-05-18, 01:43 PM
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I honestly haven't looked too closely. This is a rental property, so I don't live there. I'll take a closer look. I didn't realize there was a sensor. I figured it was just a timer. What is the remedy if the tray is not filling up with water completely? There's a sensor for detecting frozen water, but not for detecting water level?
 
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Old 03-05-18, 02:08 PM
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The water enters the rear of the tray and travels to the front. The sensor is under the front of the tray. It harvests the ice when it gets to around 15F. If the sensor doesn't monitor the actual ice temperature... it will harvest early. If the tray isn't filling it can be a shut-off valve not all the way open, a clogged saddle valve, a clogged filter screen on the fill valve.

The water fill is a timed function. Usually from 5-6 seconds.
 
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Old 03-06-18, 08:09 AM
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The water enters the rear of the tray and travels to the front. The sensor is under the front of the tray. It harvests the ice when it gets to around 15F. If the sensor doesn't monitor the actual ice temperature... it will harvest early. If the tray isn't filling it can be a shut-off valve not all the way open, a clogged saddle valve, a clogged filter screen on the fill valve.

The water fill is a timed function. Usually from 5-6 seconds.
I checked this morning and it is making full size cubes. There is a layer of cubes on the top that are fine, but a block of ice underneath where the others have melted together. I checked the ice door flap and I can see a small sliver of light on the bottom edge. Could this allow enough warm air in to melt the ice? Everything else in the freezer is fine. I may go ahead and replace the door/flap to rule it out. I read somewhere that there's a plunger that slows the closing of the flap. The recommendation was to remove this plunger and/or score the sides of it to reduce its resistance.
 
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Old 03-06-18, 04:41 PM
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Since it's making full sized cubes..... that would indicate the ice maker is functioning normally.

Some of the doors are opened by a solenoid and close by gravity.
I'd need the model for your unit.
 
 

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