Icemaker Not Making Ice

[rbmartiniv]

I have a 2016 Thor Challenger with a Whirlpool residential refrigerator. We are on our first trip in it (FMCA Six State Rally, Conroe, TX) and the icemaker is not making ice. Before we left home the coach was connected to city water and it made ice. At the rally we don't have city water so it's the fresh water tank and the water pump.

Trouble shooting the problem with Whirlpool's manual suggests there is not enough water pressure (it made ice on city water, not on water pump) to operate the icemaker. The Whirlpool owner's manual states that at least 30 psi is needed to operate the icemaker. The Artis water pump is rated as 40 psi so it should be enough. To check the pressure, the manual says to time how long it takes for the in-door water dispenser to dispense one cup (8 oz) of water. Whirlpool says it should take no longer than 8 seconds (I suppose that would be 30 psi?). I timed it with a stop watch and it took 10 seconds to dispense the cup of water (no other faucets were on). Two seconds doesn't sound like much but it is a 20% difference. That indicates the pump is not putting out the 30 psi required by the icemaker. Has anyone else had this problem? Is there a way to adjust the pump pressure?

Thanks

[RustyJC]

The Whirlpool fridge in our MS made ice when we first took delivery, but I accidently left the icemaker on when we put the MS into storage with 30A power hookups but no water hookup. Now it only makes small cubes which seem to halfway melt and form a blob of ice in the bottom of the ice bin that locks up the auger. When I pull out the ice bin, there's a mess of cubes frozen into a big blob of ice down around the auger. Water also drips out the door ice chute and makes a mess on the floor, so to prevent this mess I don't even turn the icemaker on any more.

I wish I could figure out what was wrong with this icemaker so I could fix it. I have a regulator and gauge at the shore water hookup with the regulator set at 55 PSIG. At most RV parks, I see water pressure at the spigot of 42 PSIG and up, so by the time it gets through the water filters and the plumbing, I don't know what it is at the icemaker supply.

On the other hand, I have a replacement icemaker assembly, so I guess I could just change the whole thing out - if I could figure out how to remove the old one.

Rusty

[rbmartiniv]

Wow. Sounds like your problem is worse than mine! At least I have no leak. Good luck.

[RustyJC]

I have no leak either as long as I turn the icemaker switch off. The "leak" is from the water that gets dumped out of or overflows the ice molds (apparently) that isn't frozen and winds up as the big lump of ice in the bottom of the ice bin.


I've done a lot of internet searching on this problem and can't really find anything that addresses it.


Rusty

[RustyJC]

Robert,


Well, I guess there are no appliance repair technicians on the forum, so I'll take a swipe at your problem. I don't know about your MH, but our 5th wheel has a water filtration system in the plumbing bay, so some people might think that the water filter in the fridge is not all that essential. If your Whirlpool came with the little filter bypass gizmo, you might try removing the filter in the fridge and using the bypass to see if it helps your water pressure situation when using the water pump.


Note if the EPA or FDA is reading this - I'm not saying that I would ever recommend removing the fridge water filter. I'm just saying that some people might do such a thing.....for troubleshooting purposes only, of course.


Rusty

[rbmartiniv]

Thanks for the response. But, miracle of miracles, the icemaker magically began working again a little while ago. Who knows? Change in pressure? Air in line? Gremlins? As long as it works.