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m500sesp  
#1 Posted : Saturday, February 11, 2017 10:26:41 AM(UTC)
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m500sesp

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Joined: 2/11/2017(UTC)
Posts: 2


  • I First checked the fill tube and line for ice blockage.
  • I tested the inlet control valves ohms and it was getting continuity.
  • The water valve for the water dispenser, in the door, works just fine.
  • So I figured the ice maker valve portion of the Water Inlet Valve was bad mechanically, regardless of the continuity or not.
  • I replaced the water inlet valve....Same result. :(
  • I then switched the wires from the water dispenser over to the ice maker valve. Hit the dispenser button...and the ice maker valve opened and spit water out.
  • So at this point I'm not sure what to test or how to test. It has the older style mechanical gears that does not have the holes where you can put in the jumper wire.
  • I did also try advancing the gear to initiate the cycle..Does not spit out any water.


Also it would help if I knew the timing of the rotation of the ice maker so I could put a voltmeter on the wires to try and see if it is sending a signal to the valve to open. Or however you would test that.

Thanks,
Sam
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PNWDrew  
#2 Posted : Saturday, February 11, 2017 6:37:30 PM(UTC)
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PNWDrew

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Posts: 422

Does it cycle the ejector arm and bale? As if it was harvesting a load and checking to see if the bin was full?
It probably looks like this:?
UserPostedImage

You've mentioned that you saw the gears. I'm not trying to doubt what you've tried but just covering all bases. Unless it has been changed it should have the jumper holes, they did from the factory. I've actually never seen an older one that didn't and some still do. If you pull the white front cover off are there 2 gears there? A little and a big?
If so, the little gear may have a slot in the middle. Stick a slothead screwdriver in it and turn gently counter clockwise a few degrees. It should proceed into a harvest cycle from there. If not turn it a little more. It will not try to fill until the end of the cycle. And you may hear the usual hum as the valve opens.

The next computer controlled generation did not have any way to jump the thermostat but would initiate harvest if the bale arm was lifted and returned fully 5-6 times in rapid succession. Try that.

You may have to hold the door switch in to power the IM.

Beneath that white cover should be something like this. This is a whirlpool version but GE were similar. Neither manufactured their own. Yours should have a small gear on top left of the large one.

UserPostedImage

In this one you cannot turn the gear manually but you can jump the thermostat. It's the holes labeled T and H. You'll need a fairly thin long wire to reach the internal contacts, and it must be insulated where you hold it or you may get shocked. When you make the circuit it'll begin to turn the ejector. Hold that jumper in until you hear a click, after that you can remove it. You may have to hold the door switch in for this too.
As a last resort you can forcefully lift the ejector fingers to the rotate the head and sometimes get it started that way.


Finally is the freezer actually cold enough? The thermostat will not initiate a cycle until 15 degrees or lower. If your ice cream isn't firm it may not be cold enough. Also ejector fingers can get stuck or jammed.

If you can get it to try to harvest you can use your meter to see if it is supplying 120v to the valve at the end of the cycle. Just probe to connector at the valve.

Try all that applies and if not post a pic of what is beneath that front cover. or at least the whole unit.

Good Luck
PNWDrew  
#3 Posted : Saturday, February 11, 2017 6:47:36 PM(UTC)
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PNWDrew

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Joined: 2/2/2017(UTC)
Posts: 422

I'm going to start at the beginning though you seem to have covered a little of this.

Does it cycle the ejector arm and bale? As if it was harvesting a load and checking to see if the bin was full?
It probably looks like this:?
UserPostedImage

You've mentioned that you saw the gears. Unless it has been changed it should have the jumper holes, they did from the factory. I've actually never seen an older one that didn't and some still do. If you pull the white front cover off are there 2 gears there? A little and a big?
If so, the little gear may have a slot in the middle. Stick a slothead screwdriver in it and turn gently counter clockwise a few degrees. It should proceed into a harvest cycle from there. If not turn it a little more. It will not try to fill until the end of the cycle.

The next computer controlled generation did not have any way to jump the thermostat but would initiate harvest if the bale arm was lifted and returned fully 5-6 times in rapid succession. Try that.

You may have to hold the door switch in to power the IM.

Beneath that white cover should be something like this. This is a whirlpool version but GE were similar. Neither manufactured their own. Yours should have a small gear on top left of the large one.

UserPostedImage

In this one you cannot turn the gear manually but you can jump the thermostat. It's the holes labeled T and H. You'll need a fairly thin long wire to reach the internal contacts, and it must be insulated where you hold it or you may get shocked. When you make the circuit it'll begin to turn the ejector. Hold that jumper in until you hear a click, after that you can remove it. It'll proceed from there. You may have to hold the door switch in for this too.
As a last resort you can forcefully lift the ejector fingers to rotate the head and sometimes get it started that way.


Finally is the freezer actually cold enough? The thermostat will not initiate a cycle until 15 degrees or lower. If your ice cream isn't firm it may not be cold enough. Also ejector fingers can get stuck or jammed.

If you can get it to try to harvest you can use your meter to see if it is supplying 120v to the valve at the end of the cycle. Just probe the connector at the valve. A final thought; is the freezer door switch functional? Turns light on and off, fan also?

Try all that applies and if not post a pic of what is beneath that front cover. or at least the whole unit.

Good Luck
m500sesp  
#4 Posted : Sunday, February 12, 2017 4:08:32 AM(UTC)
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m500sesp

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Here is a picture of the end. I did read somewhere that you can turn the little gear counter clock wise to initiate a cycle. Which I've done and the mechanical part starts and works correctly. But it does not spray water into the tray.
Thanks,
Sam
UserPostedImage
PNWDrew  
#5 Posted : Sunday, February 12, 2017 8:05:34 AM(UTC)
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PNWDrew

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Joined: 2/2/2017(UTC)
Posts: 422

You have a rare one there. So jumping the thermostat is out of the question and you've already forced a cycle by turning the small gear counterclockwise until it runs on it's own.

When you say it "spit" out water do you mean it came out up at the IM? Or did you have the tube disconnected at the valve at that point? Just to be certain I'd switch the valve wiring again and try getting water, if it comes out in the freezer you know the valve and all tubing to the IM is ok. The only thing left is a wiring issue.

I'd guess you have a bad IM module. Maybe a contact inside has burned off.
Not much else you can test unless you want to pull the IM module (the guts) out of there. As for the whole IM it'll hang on 2 screws above the ice mold and out it comes. The replacement is easy.

Stumbled across this and it applies to your IM specifically:
GE Icemaker Repair
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