Icemakers have found their application on an industrial scale and in everyday life. These installations’ main purpose is to produce ice of various shapes, for example, scaly, cubic, or conical. The breakdown of the icemaker can lead to serious consequences, such as damage to seafood in a restaurant or other products. A malfunction occurs due to various factors and requires prompt elimination.
What to do if the icemaker breaks down?
Often the icemaker’s repair becomes a very important test, even for an experienced specialist. Therefore, it is highly undesirable to repair such a device yourself.
What does the repair of the icemaker include? Often it is the cleaning of the filter, condenser, nozzles, and drainage system, as well as diagnostics of the tightness of the refrigeration circuit and monitoring of all work processes, washing of condensers, compressor, replacement of components: pump, solenoid valve, thermostat, programmer, capillary tube, desiccant filter, refueling with freon and so on.
The cause of the breakdown
In order to do repairs, it is important to identify the cause of the breakdown. Among the possible causes of breakage of icemakers, it is possible to note malfunctions of fan motors, control units, thermostats, and solenoid valves since limescale is formed from water, and so on. The principle of operation of all ice production machines may vary depending on their performance and the shape of the ice at the outlet. But in general, it consists of the ingress of drinking water into the evaporator, where it immediately freezes on the walls and separates from the molds by cutting with special knives or hot steam.
Types of breakdowns of icemakers
- Failure of the refrigeration compressor of the ice maker
- Failure of the controller, electronic module, control unit
- A leak of freon in the icemaker system
- Failure of the condenser blowing micromotor on the ice maker
- Failure of the automatic protection of the ice maker
- Electrical circuit failure
- Clogging of the throttling device
- Thermostat failure
- Failure of the timer, programmer
- Failure of the gearbox or gearbox motor
Classification of malfunctions in the operation of icemakers and the causes of their occurrence
- Ice cubes have an opaque cloudy appearance. The main reason for this factor is the presence of calcium in the system.
- There was an unusual noise for the normal operation of the ice maker. Often, the problem lies in the breakdown of the condenser engine or compressor.
- Water accumulates in the ice bin. The cause may be a blockage of the sewer or drainage.
- The evaporator does not freeze completely. In this case, it is necessary to check the installation for clogging of the capillary tube or leakage of freon.
- Ice cubes have irregular shapes. Common causes are a problem with the pump or a clogged filter or injectors.
- Absence of defrosting, freezing of ice with a piece on the evaporator. This situation arises due to a malfunction of the solenoid valve, the evaporator thermostat, or programmer problems.
- The ice maker is leaking. The main cause is damage to the solenoid water valve.
- The installation does not turn on for about half an hour. No ice. The main reasons may be failure of the hopper-filling thermostat or the disconnection of the pressure switch.
- The ice maker is not turned off. The malfunction is due to the incorrect operation of the ice level sensor monitoring.
The repair of the icemaker is associated with three types of malfunctions: water, electricity, and freon. Light repairs, as a rule, are associated with a water supply or drainage system. Complex repairs and repairs of moderate severity are associated with the hydraulic part, that is, with the freon system and the electrical part, when some element in the electrical circuit is to be replaced.
Stages of icemaker repair
- Diagnostics of failed equipment — identification of the causes of malfunction of the ice maker by a specialist.
- Determination of the need to transport broken equipment to a service center or the possibility of eliminating the breakdown on the spot.
- Calculation of the cost of repairing the ice maker and spare parts.
- Forecast of the terms of restoration of broken equipment to working condition.
- Repair or replacement of failed equipment components.
- Commissioning for the repaired equipment, which is carried out by a specialist of the company (connection of the ice generator to utilities: electricity, water supply, sewerage)
How and who will repair the icemaker
It is worth attracting professionals exclusively to repair ice makers, who will be able to diagnose the breakdown in time and correctly and simultaneously offer optimal ways to eliminate it. Experienced specialists will not prescribe unnecessary procedures and announce the real work terms and costs. At the same time, they will have a warehouse of spare parts that will not have to wait for weeks or even months.
Most often, the repair of ice generators provides for the following:
- Cleaning of the installation elements (can be carried out in different ways with water and detergent or a brush);
- Individual parts are replaced only after thoroughly diagnosing the installation itself and its elements separately.
The ice maker is in demand in industry, trade, and catering outlets. The ice generation plant is a complex technique consisting of various components, aggregates, and parts that require regular maintenance and maintenance. But even with the right service, such equipment can fail.
The breakdown of the icemaker most often occurs at the most inopportune moment. Since it is often impossible to work normally without such equipment, emergency repairs are required to minimize losses as much as possible.
Because the icemaker is professional equipment, manufacturers do not provide for self—troubleshooting and, in some cases, restrict access to internal components by installing branded bolts that cannot be opened with standard tools. This is because the equipment is expensive, and an attempt at self-repair without the availability of specialized skills, knowledge, and spare parts can only aggravate the problem and sometimes make the ice maker repairable.
Thank you for reading!