What are some common ice machine problems?

[Inches of Mercury]

So far I've done mostly PMs on ice machines. I did one service call that was freaking nasty and the water distribution tube was all plugged up. But I'm wondering what are some of the more common problems? Issues regarding water flow, maybe?

It'd be nice to have an idea of some things to look out for.

[Tech Rob]

Evap curtains sometimes don't close properly when the machine goes into harvest and drops the ice. This will always create a call, and is usually one of the first things I check when I arrive. I've found this to be a problem more with Manitowoc than any other brand.

Float switches in Hoshis have a way of accumulating more gunk on them that also prevents them from closing.

Water pumps fail indicriminately and universally. They're usually the parts made by 9 year old girls in Calcutta.

Potential relays will fail just like any other relay, except when they do, they take the compressor start cap with them. The drop out and cut in ratings are almost never marked on the relay itself, so you always have to go back to the manufacturer to find out.

I've never worked on a flaker machine, so I couldn't even begin to tell you about those things.

[dngtig]

Filth is the most common problem. Get yourself some manuals from the different manafactures. Manitowoc has a dozen or so. Hoshozaki you can get online as well has some of the others. Don't adjust anything till you know whats going on.

[Inches of Mercury]

Thanks for the replies fellas! I've found some manuals too. Should keep me busy for awhile!

:)

[scottsacavsfan]

I also am just starting to do the ice machine thing
I have found that dirty anything will cause a problem
Keep me posted on what training materials you find I would like to do some more reading on this.

[ar_hvac_man]

Dirty and greasy condensors are common too. Ice production goes way down.

[icehouse]

So far I've done mostly PMs on ice machines. I did one service call that was freaking nasty and the water distribution tube was all plugged up. But I'm wondering what are some of the more common problems? Issues regarding water flow, maybe?

It'd be nice to have an idea of some things to look out for. FILTERS,FILTERS,FILTERS get these morons to install a water filter.

[dmarshall24]

So far I've done mostly PMs on ice machines. I did one service call that was freaking nasty and the water distribution tube was all plugged up. But I'm wondering what are some of the more common problems? Issues regarding water flow, maybe?

It'd be nice to have an idea of some things to look out for.
water valves go out and wont allow water fill.

With manitowoc machines, I have found (S-Models) have a condensate tray under the evaporator to drain condensate from behind the evap. Sometimes the thumb screw isn't tightened all the way and the condensate trickles to the water probe causing premature shut off of the water fill. Remembe, the trough fills totally and then, after freezing, it fills for 10 seconds and thats all the water it gets. If it doesn't get enough water it will freeze a sheet of ice but run out before water touches the thickness probe. Also, check ice thickness probe for the same reason explained above.

[atozsvc]

check#1water
#2water'
#3water

[DoctorIce]

70% or so it is said of ice machine problems are water related.
1) Water fill
All the cube ice machines re-circulate eventually ice cold water. The incoming water is either supplied by a float valve or a water solenoid valve. If the incoming water doesn't stop you get a classic ice thin on the top of the evaporator and thick at the bottom or if the water is really blasting in no ice at all. This is easy to check by turning off the power and seeing if the water fill continues. This is the #1 problem for Kold-Drafts and in the top 5 for the other major brands.
2) Water circulation
After the initial fill water has to remain in the system of water solenoid valve systems or the ice will be too thin and may not harvest at all. Water can be
lost through the dump valve, leaking hoses, bacteria creating pathways, holes in the sump, misaligned curtains, sump not aligned correctly, ice build-up, etc.
3) Ice pattern
On vertical evaporator ice machines it is very important for the ice to be uniform. Blocked holes on the water distribution system prevent an even sheet of ice from forming. Look for milky or irregularly shaped cubes. (BTW
make sure the ice machine is level Manitowocs especially have trouble harvesting if the ice machine isn't level)
4) Cleaning
Make sure you use nickel safe ice machine cleaner on most brands. Kold-Draft and older Hoshizaki cubers can use cheaper acid. Be sure to
clean the ice thickness control on Manitowocs but DON'T use an abrasive to clean it. Also you have to really rinse any sensor that uses continuity as the acid makes the water super conductive.

[icehouse]

70% or so it is said of ice machine problems are water related.
1) Water fill
All the cube ice machines re-circulate eventually ice cold water. The incoming water is either supplied by a float valve or a water solenoid valve. If the incoming water doesn't stop you get a classic ice thin on the top of the evaporator and thick at the bottom or if the water is really blasting in no ice at all. This is easy to check by turning off the power and seeing if the water fill continues. This is the #1 problem for Kold-Drafts and in the top 5 for the other major brands.
2) Water circulation
After the initial fill water has to remain in the system of water solenoid valve systems or the ice will be too thin and may not harvest at all. Water can be
lost through the dump valve, leaking hoses, bacteria creating pathways, holes in the sump, misaligned curtains, sump not aligned correctly, ice build-up, etc.
3) Ice pattern
On vertical evaporator ice machines it is very important for the ice to be uniform. Blocked holes on the water distribution system prevent an even sheet of ice from forming. Look for milky or irregularly shaped cubes. (BTW
make sure the ice machine is level Manitowocs especially have trouble harvesting if the ice machine isn't level)
4) Cleaning
Make sure you use nickel safe ice machine cleaner on most brands. Kold-Draft and older Hoshizaki cubers can use cheaper acid. Be sure to
clean the ice thickness control on Manitowocs but DON'T use an abrasive to clean it. Also you have to really rinse any sensor that uses continuity as the acid makes the water super conductive.
Read this http://www.nucalgon.com/nucalgon/nucalgon_products.nsf/All/6AA08BDDA02957668625643A006F3C62?OpenDocument

[idontgetit]

1 Water related problems
2 Techs who don't know what they are doing problems
3 Dirty condenser
4 Electrical problems
5 Refrigeration problems

2 and 3 can sometimes change places, you can also exchange tech for owner/manager/moron in charge/ or any other idiot who tries to fix them without at least doing a lot of reading, more recommended get some training from someone who does fix them.

Many very expensive lessons are taught through the sacrafice of destruction of perfectly good equipment!

[fitter638nyc]

:cool:

[fitter638nyc]

Step 1. keep all your gauges with hose's away the machine. Make a set of gauges with core depressor fittings on them.

Step 2. Water start from the outside of the machine and work your way from there valves, filters, water line.

Step 3. CLEAN THE MACHINE !!!!


Get some book's UR will give them to you for Manitowoc machines. Manitowoc has a one day class the was good as well. Other thing to look for is air flow, Water flow if it is water cooled, Ask question: Has any one been hear to service this? Have you added more sitting ie More ice, ect.

[Inches of Mercury]

Keep me posted on what training materials you find I would like to do some more reading on this.


Ok, here's some stuff I've found so far:

http://www.manitowocice.com/service/ServiceLit.asp

http://www.scotsman-ice.com/general.asp?article=manualdownloads.xml

http://www.hvacrinfo.com/ice_machines.htm

http://www.hoshizakiamerica.com/tech.asp?

http://www.calmac.com/downloads/

[scottsacavsfan]

Ok, here's some stuff I've found so far:

http://www.manitowocice.com/service/ServiceLit.asp

http://www.scotsman-ice.com/general.asp?article=manualdownloads.xml

http://www.hvacrinfo.com/ice_machines.htm

http://www.hoshizakiamerica.com/tech.asp?

http://www.calmac.com/downloads/


Nice find!
You got (what I consider to be) the 3 best and most popular name brands in there.
I will be up all night reading this stuff :D

[wkfldal]

both manitowoc and hoshizaki have great one day classes that you want to keep looking out for -- if you gotta pay it out of your own pocket,, GO -- they will run you thru operation of the latest machines, run you thru most problems that can come up, and more literature than you can use -- ive taken mani's 6 or 8 times, hoshi about 6, got pocket manuals on every machine they make -- they also come in handy on other brands, because all ice machines operate on basic principles

these guys are all right -- water first, refrigeration second -- dont forget that they like to put little screens in water lines in the damndest places and they get dirty too -- they are critically charged which means use no hoses to diagnose -- dirty water makes unhealthy ice, and not much of it

[yotaman16]

water valves go out and wont allow water fill.

With manitowoc machines, I have found (S-Models) have a condensate tray under the evaporator to drain condensate from behind the evap. Sometimes the thumb screw isn't tightened all the way and the condensate trickles to the water probe causing premature shut off of the water fill. Remembe, the trough fills totally and then, after freezing, it fills for 10 seconds and thats all the water it gets. If it doesn't get enough water it will freeze a sheet of ice but run out before water touches the thickness probe. Also, check ice thickness probe for the same reason explained above.


Theres a kit manitowoc has that has a larger screw to eliminate this problem if it happens..
http://hvac-talk.com/vbb/attachment.php?attachmentid=385&d=1169428569

[Inches of Mercury]

On vertical evaporator ice machines it is very important for the ice to be uniform. Blocked holes on the water distribution system prevent an even sheet of ice from forming. Look for milky or irregularly shaped cubes. (BTW
make sure the ice machine is level Manitowocs especially have trouble harvesting if the ice machine isn't level)


So if the sheet is 1/8" thick at one end and very thin at the other, could this be due to the machine being not quite level? This happened on the one I saw today. It was an older Manitowoc. I could post the model # later. Everything else looked ok aside from it being kinda dirty.

[yotaman16]

if its "kind of " dirty clean it before u do anything.. ALot of ice machine calls are dirty machines. After that then check the basics

[Inches of Mercury]

Oh yeah, I should have wrote that. I cleaned & sanitized it. Was there doing a PM...

[whec720]

If the ice maker has a water filter, (they all should but not always the case), when replacing the cartridge, put a light coat of vasoline on the gasket. It makes a better seal and also makes it easier to replace at the next pm.