How to clean an ice maker

[z28jimi]

I have a U-Line ice maker / frig in the salon, and the automatic ice maker part works fine, but it looks like there is some crud in the ice cubes that I can't figure out how to get rid of. Appears to be from having it sit for who knows how long, but I can't see a way to get the ice making tray out to clean/bleach it, and every time I use it, then turn it off to leave the boat for a few days, the water melts, sits in it, and the cycle starts again. Anybody have any suggestions for a good cleaning and then a way to deal with ice that's been made but not ejected?

 

[GJH]

Not sure about your U-Line, but I just did the bi-annual maintenance on my Scottsman. See if you can get your manual on line. There is stuff called ice maker cleaner you can get at hardware stores that descales the ice making mechanism. You can also use distilled white vinegar. I went ahead and bought a bottle of the cleaner, for 13 bucks it will last me four years easy. There is a definite process involved; follow U-Line's directions or those on the bottle.

While I was at it I vacuumed the condenser vanes (which needs to be done more frequently) and sanitized the bin. Everything's nice n icy now. The cubes seem modestly clearer, they were fairly clean to begin with.

Edit by the way here is a good thread from another forum on the workings of U-Lines.

http://www.boatered.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=99443

Edit 2:

http://www.u-line.com/customer-service/specs/#1

 

[magnawake]

Good Topic....Mine is dirty also. I poured some lime away into the tray and let it set for a while then rinsed it out. Nothing doing. Same ole thang. My ice maker works somewhat, then quits. It looks like the ice cubes get stuck in the tray and for some reason wont dump. I can feel a rough residue in the tray area, so I thought it was dirty. Since the ice cubes stays in the tray, the water just runs over the top of the tray and makes a long icicle hanging from the tray. I wish I knew the answer. Someone speak up please.

 

[GJH]

Good Topic....Mine is dirty also. I poured some lime away into the tray and let it set for a while then rinsed it out. Nothing doing. Same ole thang. My ice maker works somewhat, then quits. It looks like the ice cubes get stuck in the tray and for some reason wont dump. I can feel a rough residue in the tray area, so I thought it was dirty. Since the ice cubes stays in the tray, the water just runs over the top of the tray and makes a long icicle hanging from the tray. I wish I knew the answer. Someone speak up please.

When you run the ice maker cleaner through, you actually run the ice maker and it will spit out these very ugly cubes. There is a definite process required. If that doesn't work, the maker's troubleshooting guide is often helpful. Fortunately, i have the manual for our Scottsman. Another point of weakness can be the gasket seal of the door. That thread on U-Lines has some good info as well if that's your maker.

 

[z28jimi]

George,
Thank you. Great information. I looked for info, but didn't run across these sites somehow. I will go get some of the cleaner and give it a go.

 

[spcoolin]

WAIT !!!!....DO NOT USE ICEMAKER CLEANER IN a U-LINE Type machine...

It's Ice mold is not Stainless Steel & Nickle like a Scotsman & the acid in the cleaner will attack the metal.

Those Nickle Safe cleaners are for machines that circulate water & intended to remove hard water scale (minerals) that are left/removed by the process of that water circulating...It's why icemakers that circulate water make clear cubes...

U-Lines do not circulate water & the metal is Zinc, so the acid cleaner will stay in the mold until the harvest cycle ejects the frozen acid/water mixture...This will damage/pit the Zinc mold surfaces & compound your problem.

The best thing to do with a U-Line that sits on occasion is just not use the first few harvests of ice after a re-start....Dump the bucket & go on to other chores....

Steve~

 

[z28jimi]

Once again Steve, you saved my bacon. Thanks for the warning.

 

[magnawake]

So maybe someone else, before me tried to clean mine and made it worse. I know it didnt help mine when I cleaned it with CLR. So how do I get rid of the scaley stuff in the trays?

 

[spcoolin]

I'm afraid when the coating on the zinc metal is gone...It's gone

CLR is a scale removing acid too & should not be used in a U-Line.

If you get black flecks in your cubes after a few harvests then the mold is pretty much history & you will need to replace the whole thing...Which is not really an easy DIY job...

I guess you could continue to use the machine for cooler ice but I wouldn't put the ice in drinks or anything else that might get consumed.

Probably best to consider a new machine...Sorry...Wish you would have asked first

Steve~

 

[Canuck Dennis]

The "grid" on mine s heated by a transformer and that's what drops the shapes the cubes then drops them into the big "bucket", make sure the grid is warm after the ice forms to it's proper thickness.

 

[spcoolin]

OK...Here is the chain of events for a U-Line...

• Machine is turned on & starts to chill.
• Machine runs until thermostat senses a mold temp of about 18 degrees F.
• T-stat sends mold into harvest cycle where the ejection motor starts, fingers start to rotate, a mold heater element is actuated, and the compressor/condenser fan is stopped.
• Fingers continue to push on ice until the heater has warmed the mold enough for the fingers to be able to move the ice.
• Toward the end of the finger movement a microswitch is energized to open the water valve & fill the mold.
• The heater is cycled off at the same time.
• The mold ejection motor is stopped & the compressor starts again.

The thermostat senses mold temp not box temp, and is the sole item that starts a harvest cycle.

The t-stat can fail in two ways....Either it won't cycle into harvest, or it may fail in the harvest mode.

If it fails in the harvest mode the fingers will continue to rotate continuously and the machine will keep filling with water every time the fingers get to about where they are supposed to stop...Thus over filling & flooding the deck or floor.

Setting the thermostat warmer will make ice quicker (Huh you say ?) Yes....You don't need 18 degrees F to make ice...A warmer t-stat setting will send it into harvest sooner...Just don't set it so low that the ice melts in the bucket...

The machine should harvest about every 20-30 minutes depending on inlet water & ambient air temps
Anything longer than that...Suspect a compressor getting weak...Usually from being closed up in a hot boat, or not having good air flow across the condenser IE: Dirty condenser coil or a door blocking hot air exhaust, or causing that hot air to recycle right back to the condenser.

You can send it into a harvest cycle manually (effectively testing everything except comp & t-stat) By removing the white cover that faces you on the end of the mold...Under that cover will be a Small & Large gear...So not touch the large one but the Small one should have a 5/16" nut on the end...Turn that nut (and gear) CCW until it takes off by itself...Then watch for all the above events.

Did they give you all this info on BoaterEd ???

Steve~

 

[spcoolin]

The "grid" on mine s heated by a transformer and that's what drops the shapes the cubes then drops them into the big "bucket", make sure the grid is warm after the ice forms to it's proper thickness.

Dennis...You may be describing a GE, Frigidaire, or Whirlpool machine...

They circulate water as does a Scotsman...Scotsman sprays it up into refrigerated cups...But they pump the water over a flat slab of refrigerated metal until a Slab of ice is formed to a set thickness...When that machine goes to harvest (with hot gas defrost) the slab of ice slides down onto a wire cutting grid...The wire melts the slab into cubes that fall into the bin.

The machines that circulate water do make clear cubes but use a ton of water & require a drain...The bin is also Not refrigerated...Thus the drain for melting ice...

U-Lines require no drain, use much less water & usually make more ice...They can also keep that ice frozen...But it is cloudy for cocktails...

There are advantages & disadvantages to both types of machines...

Steve~

 

[GJH]

OK...Here is the chain of events for a U-Line...

• Machine is turned on & starts to chill.
• Machine runs until thermostat senses a mold temp of about 18 degrees F.
• T-stat sends mold into harvest cycle where the ejection motor starts, fingers start to rotate, a mold heater element is actuated, and the compressor/condenser fan is stopped.
• Fingers continue to push on ice until the heater has warmed the mold enough for the fingers to be able to move the ice.
• Toward the end of the finger movement a microswitch is energized to open the water valve & fill the mold.
• The heater is cycled off at the same time.
• The mold ejection motor is stopped & the compressor starts again.

The thermostat senses mold temp not box temp, and is the sole item that starts a harvest cycle.

The t-stat can fail in two ways....Either it won't cycle into harvest, or it may fail in the harvest mode.

If it fails in the harvest mode the fingers will continue to rotate continuously and the machine will keep filling with water every time the fingers get to about where they are supposed to stop...Thus over filling & flooding the deck or floor.

Setting the thermostat warmer will make ice quicker (Huh you say ?) Yes....You don't need 18 degrees F to make ice...A warmer t-stat setting will send it into harvest sooner...Just don't set it so low that the ice melts in the bucket...

The machine should harvest about every 20-30 minutes depending on inlet water & ambient air temps
Anything longer than that...Suspect a compressor getting weak...Usually from being closed up in a hot boat, or not having good air flow across the condenser IE: Dirty condenser coil or a door blocking hot air exhaust, or causing that hot air to recycle right back to the condenser.

You can send it into a harvest cycle manually (effectively testing everything except comp & t-stat) By removing the white cover that faces you on the end of the mold...Under that cover will be a Small & Large gear...So not touch the large one but the Small one should have a 5/16" nut on the end...Turn that nut (and gear) CCW until it takes off by itself...Then watch for all the above events.

Did they give you all this info on BoaterEd ???

Steve~

If you looked at the link, Steve, you'd know the answer to that. I referred the OP to the U line documentation and the BE thread for a very specific reason, and I tried to be careful about noting my experience related to my Scottsman.

By the way, I though you were treated sophomorically badly at BE, they could have really used your help over there, and I have spoken to that a few times on that forum. Just a symptom as to why BE is dying a slow death.

 

[spcoolin]

If you looked at the link, Steve, you'd know the answer to that. I referred the OP to the U line documentation and the BE thread for a very specific reason, and I tried to be careful about noting my experience related to my Scottsman.

By the way, I though you were treated sophomorically badly at BE, they could have really used your help over there, and I have spoken to that a few times on that forum. Just a symptom as to why BE is dying a slow death.

Sorry George...I guess that's why I am a bit bitter....

I did try to look at the link you posted but can't get in to BE to read it...I guess that butthead that runs the place has blocked me...So I really don't know the answer to my question...

Still Don't know why...All I tried to do over there is the same thing I do here...Even asked permission to link my forum...But it's his place...Guess I gotta respect that too.

Steve~

 

[GJH]

No need to respect it, because it is a failing strategy Steve. By making it such a closed forum in a lame effort to "protect" BoatFix, coupled with the little clique of eighth grade mentality self appointed hall monitors, it keeps fading. Too bad was pretty good once upon a time for the mid tier powerboat sector. Your presence would have brought tremendous value and more traffic to the site. There are days when there are more posts here than there. Something to keep in mind.

 

[spcoolin]

No need to respect it, because it is a failing strategy Steve. By making it such a closed forum in a lame effort to "protect" BoatFix, coupled with the little clique of eighth grade mentality self appointed hall monitors, it keeps fading. Too bad was pretty good once upon a time for the mid tier powerboat sector. Your presence would have brought tremendous value and more traffic to the site. There are days when there are more posts here than there. Something to keep in mind.

Now if I could only get my site to have as many posts as this one...

Questions like the one asked in this thread would help...

Steve~

 

[gasan30]

WAIT !!!!....DO NOT USE ICEMAKER CLEANER IN a U-LINE Type machine...

It's Ice mold is not Stainless Steel & Nickle like a Scotsman & the acid in the cleaner will attack the metal.

Those Nickle Safe cleaners are for machines that circulate water & intended to remove hard water scale (minerals) that are left/removed by the process of that water circulating...It's why icemakers that circulate water make clear cubes...

U-Lines do not circulate water & the metal is Zinc, so the acid cleaner will stay in the mold until the harvest cycle ejects the frozen acid/water mixture...This will damage/pit the Zinc mold surfaces & compound your problem.

The best thing to do with a U-Line that sits on occasion is just not use the first few harvests of ice after a re-start....Dump the bucket & go on to other chores....

Steve~

Great reference... Mine is filthy as well. I added some lime juice to the tray, gave it some time to set, and then rinsed it. It's not working. same old same same My ice maker first functions, then stops. The ice cubes appear to become trapped in the tray and refuse to dump for some reason. I assumed it was unclean because I could feel a gritty residue in the tray area. Water simply drips from the top of the tray because the ice cubes are still inside it, creating a long icicle that hangs from it. I wish I had the solution. Please let someone speak publicly.

 

[jim rosenthal]

He's gone. Thanks for the tip btw.

 

[Hatteras58]

The ice maker part of my Raritan Icer-ette died recently and I just received the replacement. Several times over the past few months I was seeing the black flecks in the ice which I assumed were mold. I did the required cleaning but the problem really never cleared up. When I removed the old part I noticed that the teflon coating on the inside of the ice tray had eroded in several places and the pieces I was able to collect are identical to the 'gradoo' I thought was mold. It looks to me that two manufacturers make most, if not all, of these icemakers (not the whole unit) and both appear to use teflon in the ice tray to help release the frozen cubes. Something to consider.

 

[Fanfare]

My old friend, my U-Line icemaker, had been my source of comfort for many years. Then the black specks began to appear in the cubes (actually half-moons). These specks were metal particles, probably either aluminum or zinc from the casting. I found a replacement casting on line and had it installed but the new one lasted only about two years before the particles reappeared. The old compressor also seemed to be gradually failing as the formerly hard-frozen cubes were getting watery and diluting my martinis. I had read online here that finding a same sized replacement for the Hatteras built in bar was difficult. Turned out U-Line makes an updated model that just fits. I just hope it will last the probable 20+ years of its predecessor.