Kitchenaid: intermittent, slow icemaker

Refrigerator & Freezer Repair
1

Hello,

My KitchenAid (photo of info label attached) ice-maker works intermittently (maybe two cycles/day).
[LIST]

  • After ice-eject, tray fills with water, water freezes, but doesn’t eject for several hours. I get about three cycles per 24hrs.
  • When flapper is closed, light blinks twice between one-second pauses.
  • I removed & thawed ice-maker module overnight; no change.
  • When in doubt, wiggle stuff! Oddly,giggling the ice-making module seems to induce an eject-cycle.[/LIST]I’m a retired electrical engineer so I’m capable of make any diagnostic voltage measurements.

Thanks in advance. You guys helped me fix my electric stove for about $75 when two local yokels quoted me $700.

..
Joe


photo.jpg (55.1 KB)

2

Hi.

According the info you provided it’s a bad optic ice level control.
When you close the flapper door the light should be steady on.

The optic control kit AP5956767

Here are the breakdown diagrams and Replacement parts for Whirlpool KSCS25INSS00 REFRIGERATOR | AppliancePartsPros.com

Thank you.

Simon.

3

I’m sorry, but I misread the sense of the question about the light. In fact, it pulses twice followed by a one second pause when the flap is OPEN.

When the flap is closed, it is steady on.

Sorry about the false start here.

..
Joe

4

If the freezer temperature is OK (-2 to 2*F) then most likely

it’s the ice maker AP3182733

Thank you.

Simon.

5

[quote=Simon / APP Team;749175]If the freezer temperature is OK (-2 to 2*F) then most likely

it’s the ice maker AP3182733

Thank you.

Simon.[/quote]

Simon,

Things are curiouser and curiouser. Notice I used the word intermittent in the title of my post?

After I received your first reply (tellilng me that the indicator light should be off), I went down and checked and indeed it was off. When I did that, I noticed that the machine had made three successful ice cycles. (I put a paper towel in the ice bucket to detect successful cycles.)

Three hours later, I checked the ice bucket again and there had been no ice cycles. Moreover, the indicator light continued to blink when the flap was closed. So something is intermittent on one of the two boards.

When I order the kit, does it contain instructions for gaining access to the two boards?

..
Joe

6

Hi.

I don’t thing it does, but it’s a pretty much straight forward job. Just don’t forget to unplug the unit.

Simon.

7

Well, I replaced both boards–but no joy. The visible red LED still blinks even when the flapper door is closed.

I see no way I could have gotten either Molex connector reversed because of the plastic interlocks.

Since the detector LED is not in the visible spectrum (or if it I can’t see it), I have no way of knowing whether the transmitter or the receiver board is defective.

On the remote possibility I got one or more bad board, I’ve asked for replacements. I’d be very surprised if the current replacements are defective, though.

Any thoughts?

8

I would like you to redo this test. Make sure the optics lenses are clear, the slide switch is On, the flapper door is closed, there is nothing blocked the optic beam and the door switch is untouched.

After you will do it, I would like you to do the next test. The instructions are attached to the reply.

Post the results of both tests please.

Gene.
MANUALLY STARTING AN IDI ICE MAKER.pdf (44.4 KB)

9

[QUOTE=Gene;752381]I would like you to redo this test. Make sure the optics lenses are clear, the slide switch is On, the flapper door is closed, there is nothing blocked the optic beam and the door switch is untouched.

After you will do it, I would like you to do the next test. The instructions are attached to the reply.

Post the results of both tests please.

Gene.[/QUOTE]
I’m among the several million people who lost electrical power about 10 days ago. For seven days I stayed at a motel, ate out, and was generally miserable in 100-plus daytime temps. When it became clear that the power wasn’t coming on soon, I emptied my fridge, gave it a DEEP cleaning–then flipped its breaker to OFF. (During this week the new optical boards arrived.)

Yesterday was my first day with power restored. Before turning on the breaker to the fridge, I replaced the two optical boards. (I’m a retired EE, so I have confidence that I installed them correctly.)

After replacing them I made sure:
(1) the optics lenses are clear (in fact, they’re new)
(2) the slide switch was On, the flapper door was closed, and nothing was blocking the optic beam."

Under these conditions, the red LED would blink regardless of the position of the flapper door; the diagnostics I’ve read here (and those that came with the boards) indicated that the LED should remain steadily ON. Nevertheless, the ice maker has, in fact, make some ice–about a half a bucket full in the approx twenty hours since I replaced the optical boards.

I just now noticed your final test condition: “and the door switch is untouched.” I had never closed the door switch as part of any of my earlier tests, so I just now went down and retested with the door switch taped in the OFF position. The internal light bulb goes dark, as, of course, does the LED. After an hour, no new ice has been made.

With respect to the instructions for “Manually Starting an IDI Ice Maker,” I assume that since my unit has been making ice–albeit slowly–this test may be unnecessary. If you still wish me to perform the test, I’ll need a diagram showing where test-points T and H are located.

Thanks,
Joe

10

Hi Joe,

Per the wiring diagram (attached to the reply), power to the optic boards supplied by the control board (#19 at the diagram). Verify the proper voltage and make sure it is not fluctuating. If this control board is the cause of the problem then unfortunately, this part is no longer available.

The warmer (above 10°F) temperature in the freezer will cause slow ice production too.

Gene.
KSCS25.pdf (739.1 KB)

11

Despite the LED not behaving as documented (i.e., it never stops blinking), I woke up this AM to a full ice receptacle, and the optical system detects that it’s full. Comment?

Also, after I replenished the freezer with food, and let the freezer cool to zero, the added thermal mass causes the freezer to return to zero degrees almost immediately after the door is open.

WRT to the control board at #19 on the diagram: could you please tell me how this board is labeled on the schematic?

..
Joe

12

Hi Joe,

Looks like everything works fine. I can not explain such LED behavior but I don’t think that you should do anything as long as the fridge performs fine.

This control board is labeled as “electronic control” on page 2.

Gene.

13

Gene,

I don’t think that you should do anything as long
as the fridge performs fine.

I don’t intend to; a spooky fix is better than no fix at all. Thanks for your help.

14

You are welcome. Good luck with your fridge!

Gene.