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My GE ice maker isn't making ice. The shut-off arm keeps raising up to the shut-off position all by itself, in other words, there is no ice being made lifting it. I gently brought the arm down to the on position (MT ice tray position) when I come back to check on it, the lever is half way raised, with no ice. I was feeling around where the arm connects and got burned from the housing. What do you think the problem is?
Thank you,
Rudy:rolleyes:
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Rank: Member
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This is not a bona fide reply. I'm just adding a little more info from my original post and wasn't sure how else to do that. I now realize that there is a heater element in the ice maker that explains how I got burned. Also the shut-off arm raises with out ice pushing it up, but it doesn't raise it to the shut off point. If the empty bin position for the arm is 6:00 o'clock, the arm will raise by itself to about 5:00 o'clock. I shut the ice maker off for a while by raising the arm to the shut off position. After turning it back on and waiting 1/2 hour I see that there is a row of cubes sitting on top of the dispenser, hopefully ready to drop in the bin. Is there any way the timing of the motor and cam can be off so that evrything is a little out of sequence?
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There is a spring inside the icemaker that pulls the arm back down after the cam lifts it up. Typically that string will break causing the problem you are having here is a link to the part. Part Details - GE Spring, part number: AP2068436 You have to take the front cover off the icemaker then unscrew the next panel (that holds the motor on) to access the spring. GE Icemaker Repair Guide
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Rank: Member
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Hi Thanx for the reply. Today, while waiting for a reply I tested the coil for the water supply valve and the coil tested good. 200 ohms. I then plugged the unit in and with the shut off arm down all the way to the on position there was no voltage to the water fill valve solenoid. Does this change your diagnosis? I was wondering if the switch to activate the solenoid is NG. I cab't take it apart now, have company over. Will look futhe tomorrow, but would appreciate any thoughts you have.
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In your first post I thought you were talking about the wire arm is that correct? If so does that wire feel like it is spring loaded? See that wire get lifted up during each cycle and the spring pulls it back down unless ice is blocking it. If ice is blocking it the icemaker will not cycle again until the ice is out of the way. If the spring is not pulling it back down it would be just like ice were blocking it therefore the icemaker will only cycle one time. After it cycles that one time it will not cycle again until someone pushes the arm back down. If this doesn't seem to be the problem post back. There no need to take the icemaker apart if that wire arm seems to be spring loaded.
If you are saying the white arm (the one that ejects the ice) is not moving all the way the gears on the front of the icemaker may be stripped out.
The water valve receives voltage at the end of the cycle just before the icemaker stops turning. From you first post I don’t think the water valve or the water valve switch is bad unless I misunderstood you.
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Hi again. Yes I was refering to the wire shut-off arm, not the plastic fingers that push the ice into the bin. Believe it or not I think we are getting somewhere. There is no spring tension in the shut off arm I can move it manually up to the off position and I can move it manually down to the on position. The cam lifts it up to about the five o-clock position and that's where it stays unless I manually push it back down to the on position. It appears, as you mentioned in your last post that the icemaker makes one cycle and stops. When I checked it this morning there was a row of ice cubes sitting on top of the dispenser and the shut off arm was at 5 o'clock. I pushed the shut off arn down and the motor activated and the fingers pushed the ice into the bin and then everything stopped again. So, what I see is: The solenid and water supply must be o.k. as I do get a row of cubes every now and then. I feel no spring tension in the shut off arm, and I probably didn't get a voltage reading at the solenoid because I did not know when in the cycle it is supposed to get voltage. Your post says at the end of the cycle, I had assumed it was the first think that happened so thus I got no voltage reading. I will open the unit up today to see if I see the srping you referred to and see what the status of that is. Thanx again for your guidance.
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Rank: Member
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I opened up the cover of the unit and I found the spring was indeed broken. I ordred a new one. Hopefully I'll know how to attach it properly as I wasn't able to see it when it was working correctly. I see that the short end was hooked on to the end of the shut off arm, but the long end of the spring was hanging free as the spring was broken. I assume the long end justs hits the housing of the unit and starts its torsioning of the spring as the shut off arm moves. Also not sure if I have to apply any pre-turns before "locking in the spring". I am going to open the GE Ice Maker Repair Guide link you provided me maybe that will help. Of course I'll contact you again if I can't get the spring on correctly. Thanks
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Rank: Member
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Maybe this picture will help! applianceman attached the following image(s):
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Rank: Member
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As they say, a picture's worth a thousand words. One question. Do you put any pre-tension on it before connecting it to the shut off arm, i.e. do I twist it around any before letting the large end lay against the casing? Thanx.
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Rank: Member
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No you dont have to twist it or anything like that.
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