Four things decide whether an undercounter ice maker is working: the water coming in, the water going out, the unit's ability to shed heat and the scale that builds up inside, and a technician usually checks them in that order. Knowing whether the ice is thin, slow or missing altogether, and when the unit was last cleaned, points the technician toward the right stage.
Before the visit
- •Model and serial number. Often on a label inside the door or behind the lower grille; a photo is enough.
- •What the ice looks like. Thin, cloudy, small, slow to appear or none at all.
- •Water. Any water on the floor, in the bin or backing up at the drain.
- •Drain type. Whether it drains by gravity to a floor drain or uses a drain pump.
- •Cleaning. When the unit was last cleaned and whether a cleaning light is on.
- •Location and access. Indoors or in an outdoor kitchen, and clear access to the front and to any shutoff valve.
Safe pre-checks:
- Make sure the unit is switched on and the water supply valve is open. Sub-Zero's undercounter ice maker guide also says the drain line shouldn't be kinked or looped.
- If the unit was just installed or restarted, give it time. Sub-Zero notes that ice makers may not cycle until 24 hours pass.
- Check the room. KitchenAid's guide for its freestanding ice makers says the room must be above 45°F, and Sub-Zero says high room temperatures or direct sun can melt ice quickly.
The checks, in the usual order
| Step | What's tested | What it rules in or out |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Power, the on switch and any cleaning indicator | Rules out a unit that's off or waiting for a cleaning cycle |
| 2 | Water supply valve, pressure and filter | Low pressure or a clogged or unlocked filter can stop production |
| 3 | Drain hose, drain pump and drain run | A drain that can't empty can stop or flood the unit |
| 4 | Water pan and its drain cap | A loose cap lets water escape and causes thin ice or none |
| 5 | Condenser and the air path through the grille | A dirty condenser cuts production to little or no ice |
| 6 | Room temperature and heat sources nearby | Too cold can shut the bin control off; too hot melts the ice |
| 7 | Scale on the freezing surface and water parts | Heavy scale slows freezing and harvest |
| 8 | Water valve, pumps, harvest parts and the sealed system | Tested once the basics above check out |
KitchenAid's page puts numbers on several of these. It says to clean the unit when the cleaning light comes on after nine months or when production drops significantly, to replace the water filter every nine months or sooner with very hard water, and that a filter not locked into its housing stops ice production. For units with a drain pump, it says the drain line shouldn't rise more than 9 feet above the pump outlet or run more than 30 feet from the pump, and that a garbage-disposer connection needs its knockout plug removed.
Tools you may see
- •Thermometer, for the room and the bin.
- •Multimeter, for the water valve, drain pump and bin control, with power off.
- •Flashlight and a small container, to check the water pan, drain cap and drain flow.
- •Ice machine cleaner, if the technician runs a cleaning cycle as part of the visit.
Questions you'll probably be asked
- •Is the ice thin, slow or missing completely?
- •When was the unit last cleaned, and when was the filter last changed?
- •Is it in an outdoor kitchen or a room that gets very hot or cold?
- •Does it drain to the floor or through a pump?
- •Have you seen water on the floor or in the bottom of the bin?
- •Was the water turned off recently, or was any plumbing work done?
What the findings usually mean
- •Supply or filter problem: the unit is starved of water, often from a clogged or unseated filter or low pressure.
- •Drain problem: a kink, loop, failed pump or disposer plug keeps water from leaving.
- •Loose drain cap on the water pan: a simple fit issue that explains thin or missing ice.
- •Dirty condenser or a hot space: the unit can't freeze water fast enough.
- •Heavy scale: a cleaning issue first; San Antonio's hard water adds to it.
- •All of the above check out: a valve, pump, harvest part or the cooling system, which Sub-Zero says needs service to diagnose.
A wine cooler sharing the same bar space is covered in what a technician checks when a wine cooler won't turn on.
Sources
- •Undercounter Ice Maker 315I Troubleshooting, Sub-Zero
- •Not Making Ice, Has Power, Freestanding Ice Maker, KitchenAid Product Help
Good to know: Thin ice and no ice usually have different causes, so describe which one you're seeing.
Call TrueFix San Antonio at (210) 401-3007 to book ice maker repair.