[ponyboy]

I have a Whirlpool side by side, model # ED 22PE that has just quit making ice. I have checked the lines to makes sure there are no frozen or broken lines.
About a week before it quit it started making random "hollow" ice cubes. Some of them would be solid, some hollow.
Nothing happens when you flip the coat hangar wire.

Bad water inlet valve? Or maybe mold thermometer? Or solenoid? (suggestions from local appliance guy I called)

I am quite new to appliance repair, was hoping I could get some help. I called locally and was told to check if the ice maker would "go into harvest mode" (?). What is harvest mode and how to I make it do that?

Thanks for the help from a dummy that misses his crushed ice.

Pony

[MikeThomson]

I'm a newbie to repairs on my fridge too and I'm here to get information similar to yours, but it would seem that after reading my book, hollow, small or otherwise deformed cubes come from a poor or under-pressurized water supply. Has anyone messed with the tap that supplies your fridge with water? Have you tried removing the filter and running it without one until you can get a replacement (according to the manual the dispenser will work without the filter installed)... they're just a few suggestions, but the cycling thing is prolly an important dodad to be investigated

[AppRepair]

There could be a problem with the valve but it is only one of a few things it could be, or even a combination of troubles. Depending on the age of the water lines and fill valve there may be build up that is decreasing your water supply to the ice maker cells that form the ice. If your ice maker is not working at all, it sounds like it's not getting water. I would start with the valve cleaning or replacement and see if that fixes the issue. If not, consider checking the thermostat to the freezer. It should be kept at zero degrees.

Personally, I don't think harvest mode is your problem. Harvest mode is when the ice has been formed and is ready to be dumped from the cells into the holding container. A small amount of heat is applied to the cells to allow the ice to "pop" out before the cells are refilled to freeze the next batch.

[ponyboy]

Thanks for the replies guys, It's nice to know that there is help! I removed and replaced the filter, it was very heavy, I don't know much about refrigerator filters, but I know it was 3 times heavier than the new one I replaced it with.
But, still no water to ice maker, I tried it with and without the filter. The water dispenser works fine, pumps out cold clean water like a champ, but no water to ice maker.

I found a mom and pop appliance place that have a water inlet valve assembly for $44, so I think I may try to go get one tomorrow and replace that to see if it helps.

Is it possible that there is something in the ice maker itself that is not working properly to tell the water inlet to "pump" water to the ice maker? A solenoid or micro-switch? Or am I way off base? Or is replacing the water inlet valve the first step in the icy direction?

Thanks again,
Pony

[okbobcats]

one way to check the water valve is to switch the electical connector on the water valve. open door and hold door switch in and press your water dispencer in. if you get water to your ice maker water valve is working. or you could also ohm out he coil on the water valve. to test ice maker pull the cover off the front. you will see two little holes on the module about 1/2' apart. put a jumper wire in these holes. ice maker will go into harvest mode. after dial starts to move on ice maker wait 5to 10 seconds and pull jumper wire off. water should come into icemaker when the little arms that eject the ice. are at about 12:00.

[ponyboy]

OK, so after a few days of trial and error I think the ice maker itself AND the water inlet valve are bad. Lucky me.
I filled the tray with tap water, let it freeze and waited. The tray seemed to "heat" and melt, re-freeze, repeat. No ejection of cubes.
I popped the front cover off the ice maker and "jumped" across the 2 holes, nada.
I reversed the connecters on the water inlet valve, nothing. Question, can just one coil on the water inlet valve go bad, the door water seems to be working like a champ.

So, I'm thinking need to replace both the ice maker and the water inlet valve, Am I on the right track here guys?

Thanks for the help,
Pony

[spidermonkey]

my icemaker was not working either, I found that the ice maker was frozen, I took a hair dryer and warmed up the ice maker and little by little you could see the wheel in front of the icemaker moving, I`m pretty sure the wheel was not in the right sequence when it froze up the paddle where stuck in the ice,I did move the wheel manually slowly and if it don`t move don`t force it, keep applying heat, and it will break loose, that how I got my icemaker to work.

[spidermonkey]

make sure your paddle are in the up mode when it makes ice if there at the bottom of the tray then it`s most likely froozen good luck I hope this this works for you.