Pipe to the compressor keeps freezing with baseball size ice around the valves. Why is this happening?

Hi, first make sure the switch is not in the clean position but to on. If it is in the on position and the water is circulating over evaporator plate and is running back into the water sump tray and compressor is running as you stated then check to make sure the hot gas valve is not letting hot gas leak through during freeze cycle, the way you can check is after start up wait about 5 minutes and check the temp entering the hot gas valve and the temp on the other side of the valve if temp is the same then valve is bad. The next thing to check is the refrigerant level this only can be done by adding service valves and weighing out the charge to see if it is low, if low then there is a leak. The freeze cycle is as follows. The compressor, fan motor and water pump are all operating and stay in a freeze cycle until the evaporator thermistor reaches 6.5 deg F. That signals the control board to place the unit into a harvest cycle.

1. Possible cause. Water leak. Check purge valve, water curtain, sump, sump hose.
2. Air filters clogged. Clean air filters.
3. Dirty condenser. Clean condenser.
4. Restricted location, intake air to hot. Have machine moved.
5. Ice thickness sensor dirty or disconnected. Check ice thickness sensor probe.
6. Water distributor dirty. Remove and clean water distributor.
7. Inlet water valve leaks through during freeze cycle. Check water inlet valve.
8. Connected to hot water. Check for bleed through from missing check valve in building water supply.
9. Incomplete harvest. Check harvest system.
10.High pressure cut out opened. Check fan motor pressure control, check fan motor, check controller using test mode.
11. Fan motor pressure control open. Check fan pressure control.
12. Fan motor not turning. Check fan motor, check fan blade,check controller using test mode.
13.Water pump not pumping. Check pump motor,check controller using test mode.
14. Pump hose disconnected. Check hose.
15. Compressor not operating. check compressor contactor, check controller using test mode.
Check compressor start components, check PTCR resistance and temperature, check compressor voltage, check compressor windings.
16. Low refrigerant charge. Add some refrigerant and restart unit. If cycle time imporves, look for a leak.
17. Hot gas valve leaks through during freeze. Check hot gas valve for hot outlet during freeze.
18. Thermostatic expansion valve bulb loose. Check bulb.
19. Thermostatic expansion valve producing very low or high superheat. Check evaporator superheat, Change TXV if incorrect.
20. Compressor inefficent. Check compressor amp draw, if low and all else is correcy, change compressor.

Sounds as if the tray is running over. Are the cubes oversized? If you remove the cover (front, usually) from the icemaker you'll probably find a fill adjustment -- a screw with + and - markings. Rotate the screw 1/2 turn in the - direction and see if you notice a reduction in cube size. If it's running over, you may need to make more than one 1/2 turn adjustment.

You need to replace the water valve. The valve is most likely not closing all the way and allowing water to weep into the ice maker and will eventually freeze the supply tube closed.

maybe too much water going in to the ice maker

it sound like your unit has a bad sensor on it or a leak. you should never have to add refrigerant to a unit unless theres a leak then it has to be repaired firdt the recharged.

The machine is suppose to start filling, then after 45 seconds or so turn on in the harvest mode then when the temp gets where the sensor says its suppose to be it starts to freeze.

If water keeps coming out the over flow the water valve may be stuck open and this is why you can't make ice its letting in warm water all the time. Try turning the water off to it and see if it freezes a batch. If so replace the water inlet valve or remove and clean it

u can replace the plAstic one with a copper one

www.u-lineservice.com the main temp control or possibly a shorted mold heater. Not a DIY type of repair.

Low freon charge will cause the compressor to run continuously, as it never reaches the set temperature. This will also cause excessive ice buildup as well. I am assuming this little fridge doesn't have an automatic defrost. If it does look at that next. You didn't say, but does it reach proper temperature? Go to the back where the compressor is. Feel the lines coming out of the compressor. the low pressure, or larger one, it may have insulation around it, should be cold. If you cant tell (sometimes these small compressors they look the same size) its the line leading inside the freezer. Feel about 1 foot away from the compressor, if possible. Next feel the high or small pipe, this one is going to the outside coil. This should be very warm, but not cool and not real hot. This goes for the compressor too. A 134A system sometimes is very hot when low on freon.