Marine ice maker problem

The most likely cause is the fill valve is leaking and causing the ice maker to overfill. Try a new fill valve. Usually located on the rear of the appliance. (where you hook the water line to).

Sometimes the water inlet gets clogged. This happens a lot if u are using well water. Take the water line loose from back of fridge. fold the tube to stop water from leaking on floor if it is a plastic tube. have a bucket handy and put line in bucket let the water flow. It should come hard and fast. If not go to water valve where it pirces the main water line. check the hole and make sure it is large enough to supply the water. I had to take a drill bit and make the hole a little larger. That fixed mine. If that is not the problem then I would replace water inlet valve on the fridge.

Hi and welcome to FixYa, I am Kelly.

You made this statement:

I have to manually make the ice dump. 2) I now have a slight build up of ice under the ice maker where it appears the water from the ice tray is leaking and the inside of the freezer also has a slight build up of frost on the walls.

From my 40 years of experience that statement is telling me that the freezers' evaporator coils are blocked with ice. (i.e frost on the walls) When the coils become blocked or built up with ice everything APPEARS to be working fine but the actual freezer temp is above 17 deg F. An ice maker will not initiate an ice-harvest cycle until the temps are between 14 - 16 Deg F. I.e it is not cold enough to automatically make ice because the ice maker thermostat is not closing at 14 - 16 deg F to start the ice harvest.

So I will pose these questions for you and answer them:
Q? What causes the ice on the walls
A: The unit is not defrosting properly.

Q? What causes a refrigerator to not defrost properly?
A: There are several; reasons that a refrigerator will not automatically defrost
1. The defrost control has failed (Most common failure)
2. The defrost heating element has failed
3. The defrost thermostat has failed
4. A wiring problem in the defrost circuit

Now.... you also made this statement:
I now have a slight build up of ice under the ice maker where it appears the water from the ice tray is leaking
You may have a leaking ice tray but it is quite rare. What usually causes an ice build up directly under and ice maker is the inlet water valve leaking / bypassing water when it is supposed to be shut off. An inlet water valve will bypass water when the internal diaphragm fails or debris is blocking the needle seat of the diaphragm. Either way the only remedy is to replace the inlet water valve because the valves are NOT repairable.
Reach inside your freezer and squeeze the rubber tube that fills the ice maker with water. If there is a problem with the inlet water valve the rubber tube starts freezing up with ice. Eventually when the rubber tube is totally frozen the plastic tube on the back of the refrigerator that connects to the rubber tube either leaks or separates from the rubber tube and ports water onto the floor.

If you really want to prove that there is a problem with the inlet water valve turn the ice maker OFF. Remove the plastic tube from the rubber ice maker fill tube (Just pulls out) and place it in a bucket overnight. IF you note water in the bucket the next day then the inlet water valve has for sure failed. Sometimes they LEAK intermittently when the failure first begins so the bucket test may not reveal a leaking inlet water valve. The key here is you said you have water UNDER the ice maker and you suspect a tray leak.

Here is what I recommend you do after the overnight plastic tube in a bucket leakage / bypassing test:
1. Reinstall the plastic tube on to the rubber fill tube.
2. Turn the ice maker ON
3. UNPLUG the refrigerator and so a manual defrost by removing the freezer contents then directing a fan into the freezer compartment for just over 2 hours. (Makes a water mess)
4. Return the unit to normal service
5. Check for ice production 6 - 8 hours after you performed the manual defrost.
If you have automatic ice production you most likely have and automatic defrosting problem... BUT.... there can be a problem with the freezer door / light switch. The door light switch is a 3 contact switch. One contact is a common power wire and the other 2 contacts turn on the light and provide power to the ice maker (and some times the evaporator fan also depending on unit design)
Test the door light switch amd make sure the light will go off when the door is closed. (depress the plunger) If the light stays on the door switch is bad.

Hopefully you have enough information to understand what is happening with your refrigerator and what the causes of the symptoms you have are.

I think in the end you will have to repair the automatic defrost problem and replace the inlet water valve. Do not forget about testing the door light switch.

Thanks for choosing FixYa,
Kelly

Hi and welcome to FixYa. I am Kelly

Often ice maker issues are a symptom of an automatic defrosting problem OR a leaking (dripping / bypassing) ice maker water valve.

First off you should try and prove that there are no un-necessary water leakages by doing the following:

1. Turn the icemaker OFF
2. Remove the plastic line where it connects to the thru the cabinet water tube by pinching the clamp and pulling down on the plastic tube.
3. Place end of the plastic tube into a bucket for about 12 hours. At the end of 12 hours check the bucket for ANY water. If there is a noticable amount of water (more than 1 oz) the water valve is leaking water by the valve diaphram seat. The only remedy for this is to change the units water valve assy.

As far as a possible automatic defrosting problem..... soft ice cream is a symptom along with that of low ice production.

The evaporator coils get a substantial amount of ice build up on them and then the airflow in the freezer compartment is restricted resulting in a change in the freezer comprtment temp. If you do have an automatic defrosting problem you will soon notice noise from the evaporator fan as the ice build up encroaches into the fan blade path. Additionally the fresh food compartment will warm up.

The ice maker will not cycle until it reaches 16 to 15 deg F. The ice maker harvest cycle is started when the ice maker thermostat closes and advances the ice maker module.

Do the water in the bucket test and then look for signs of ice build up on the evaporator coils.

If neither of the above manifest / present then download this manual and follow the troubleshooting procedures:

http://adcxns1.whirlpool.com/Service/SrvTechAdm.nsf/2cd44500d572193285256a45004fd9d6/8527f904cc8ea8cd85256b5800672333/$FILE/4322658A.pdf

Thanks for choosing FixYa.

Kelly

Hi and welcome to FixYa I am Kelly.

The ice maker suddenly no longer making ice can be caused by many things.

1. The freezer section is above 16 F.
a. Usually the cause is ice buildup on the evaporator coils as a result of an automatic defrosting problem.
b. The evaporator fan is not turning at full speed

2. The ice makers thermostat has failed. When the tray reaches 16F temp is closes the circuit and starts the ice maker harvest cycle.

3. The ice maker drive motor has failed.

4. The ice maker heating element has failed.

5. The inlet water valve is allowing water to drip into the ice tray during the freeze period of ice making.
a. You would note that the water fill area of the icemaker would have ice build up. Also in the very back of the ice make tray ice would build up and prevent the sweep fingers from rotating.
b. Usually when the above happens the rubber water inlet tub that goes from the back of the unit to the ice maker is frozen solid internally.
c. You can test this by removing the plastic hose from the rear top area of the unit and placing the upper end of the tub in a bucket for several hours. (ICE MAKER OFF) If you note water in the bucket the water valve is leaking water past the diaphram when the solenoid is supposed to be closed and must be replaced
6. The inlet water valve solenoid coil has failed.

Most appliance parts sources do not sell piece parts for this ice maker. They only sell the complete assembly. Here is one source of many on line sources for just the icemaker.

http://www.appliancepartspros.com/part_details.aspx?part_id=4345120

Should the water valve be leaking water by it is item 800 of this link that is also one source of many online sources: http://www.appliancepartspros.com/partsearch/model.aspx?model_id=5203104&diagram_id=24933031#d24933031

Thanks for choosing FixYa.

Kelly

Hi,
Here are some basic tips for ice maker troubleshooting...

Ice Maker Problems and Ice Maker Troubleshooting
http://www.fixya.com/support/r3876071-ice_maker_problems_ice_maker

heatman101

Follow this link. This should help with your uline not making Ice.

line ice maker model ULN B12115 not making ice

probably the water valve is not shutting of completly . this will flood the tray and then run over into the bucket. try // i would replace water valve . if this does not correct prob. replace the ice mker head as it time's the fill..

Good day,
First, measuring the coil Resistance doesn't work. A valve can measure fine, but refuse to open.
First, shut the water off to the house at the meter. remove the line from the valve, put the line into a bucket, and have someone turn the water valve on full for a 15 second or so count. The water must come out and strongly.
Unlike an automatic washer, the ice maker is a time fill. 7 seconds period.
Second, it is not unusual for the file tube that runs from the back of the machine and into the back of the ice maker to ice up.
Common problem, and is caused by the water valve on the back rear of the machine to leak slowly on the off cycle. Water valve must be replaced with new.
Remove the ice maker to inspect that fill tube. If iced, thaw out.
Beware of hair dryers. Too much heat can cause serious problems if plastic and/or vinyl parts get melted.
I don't recommend heat. A pain, but unplug the machine for 12 hours with the freezer door open.

The temp should be around 5 degrees.