Troubleshoot Manitowoc Ice Machine February 09 2014, 154 Comments

The harvest is good but the compressor is off then after 5 to 10 mins it comeback same operation

@Charlie, do you mean the ice does not come off of the evaporator? If the ice does actually come off the evaporator, but the machine never goes back to making a batch of ice, check your bin switch. This can be done by OHM’ing it out and looking for consistency.

The correct bin switch for that ice machine is a 000007888.

I have manitowoc model SD0602A after harvest the machine was off even not falls

@Luis, that is not a complete model number, but I will assume it’s a newer Indigo series. That said, the water level probe should be sending a signal to the board whether or not to fill. If the probe is dirty, it will tell the machine that it always has enough water, therefore not sending a signal.

Try removing and thoroughly cleaning the water level probe, on the metal prongs, and the white plastic. Then, make sure it’s completely dry before plugging back in.

I believe you can also test to see if this is your problem by completing disconnecting it directly from the board, then turning the machine on. The ice machine should just continually fill and never shut off if the probe is the problem.

Hello, I have a monitowoc model IY00A. The machine is not getting inlet water; it seems the board does not send the signal to open the selenoid. but if i bypas the board the selenoid valve opens. and if I troubleshoot the board and activate the relayas; they work. I assume that it is a problem with the board because when I follow the complete cycle everything works, but it does not send the signal to the water inlet to provide water to the unit. Please help.

@Eric, it’s possible you are having a refrigeration problem then, which would be beyond the scope of my help. I would recommend contacting a trained refrigeration tech to come out and look at it. Perhaps you have a leaking TXV, causing the issues you described, but someone will have to put gauges on to diagnose.

Yes, the air filter and coils are very clean. No ice is forming even after an hour. The level of the water is is just below the syphon tube as well, so it isn’t that the water is continuously draining out.

@Eric, it’s possible. It is normal for the fan motor to shut on/off during the freeze cycle, depending on pressures. I would recommend making sure your condenser coil is clean, along with the air filter. This would be step 1, next, what does the ice look like on the evaporator after about 10 minute sin the freeze. Is there any ice forming?

We have a Manitowoc QY0214A. Just recently it stopped making ice. The safety indicator light blinked once after reseting the start switch, signifying the freeze cycle exceeded 60 min. Normally when the ice machine is in the freeze cycle, the evaporator fan motor is always running. When observing it running now, the fan only kicks on once and a while, and the machine never produces ice. Do you think it is linked to fan cycle pressure control?

@Greg, have you fully cleaned your evaporator, with nickel safe cleaner? This is typical of a dirty ice thickness probe and a dirty evaporator. A thorough cleaning is typically required and recommended every 3-4 months. These under counter ice machines are more susceptible to bad water conditions than larger machines.

I wouldn’t recommend changing any parts until you can confirm that the machine has been thoroughly cleaned, along with the probes.

Manitowoc Ice Machine Model # QD0132A— Machine makes 4 or 5 batches upon start up, about 18 minute average, then all subsequent batches the harvest starts too soon. i can see ice start to form then harvest melts it away, nothing falls. the 18 minute cycle goes down to about 6. Not enough time to fully form cubes. the trough fill component is making noise. unit is clean and circulation pump was changed, thinking that was where the noise was coming from.

@Mike, typically running 3 cycles and shutting down is due to a long harvest. This could be caused by something as simple as having a dirty evaporator. When was the last time the ice machine evaporator was thoroughly cleaned, as in scrubbed with a soft nylon brush and nickel safe cleaner? It’d be a good idea to help with diagnosis if you timed the cycles of the ice machine, how long in freeze, then how long in harvest.

@Jenelle, your ice thickness control may need to be replaced. Over time they can get scarred or dirty, causing it to sense improperly. I would replace it if you are sure that the brackets the probe mounts too is not broken, nor the distribution tube. Last, make sure the ice machine is sitting dead level from to back and side to side.

I have a Manitowoc JD0602A 600 series, it starts up no problem, runs 3 cycles and then shuts down. what could it be?

manitowoc qyo455w ice is to thick and is in useless chunks when i try to set the adjust screw the red harvest light comes on . so it will only set to the thick chunks what can i do ?

bryan, I'm very sorry to hear about your frustration. Please note, that we are not Manitowoc, just a Manitowoc parts dealer. That said, I'll help you if I can and you can email me directly at salesicemakerpartsshop.com if you wish.

First, did you put an OEM compressor back in the machine? Even if the compressor is 1 digit off or close to the same model of Tecumseh, Danfoss, or Copeland, it will not work properly in harvest, which is what you are describing. I would confirm that you have an actual OEM compressor from a Manitowoc parts dealer.

Next, yes, it’s entirely possible that the evaporator could be causing the issue. Even if the nickel is not coming off, fins can separate and cause ice to not fall. Lastly, cleaning is very important, especially after sitting that long. Let the evaporator dry out completely, look for any white or discolor in the cavities of the evaporator. Then use a soft nylon brush, with nickel safe cleaner, and clean out each little cavity.

Hope this helps.

I am working on a Manitowok machine that has a condenser coil section located on the roof of the building. It is in a convenience store. I have been working on this for off and on for two weeks. Originally it had been sitting idle for 6 or 7 months. Did a pretty thorough cleaning. turned it on and found the compressor to be faulty. replaced the compressor and weighed in a factory charge of 6 lbs of 404A refrigerant. Now the machine makes ice but will not lets the ice go from the cuber while in harvest. It will time out of harvest and proceed to ice again. I have been on the phone with manitowok tech. support numerous times. for hours actually including hold time.(very frustrating) The bridge thickness has been adjusted several times, no matter the bridge thickness, it still will not drop the ice off the cuber. Could there be some scale build up still on the cuber causing this problem. Also is it possible for the cuber to need replacing? The nickel plating doesn’t seem to have been damaged? Just need some real help here. Ive got a frustrated customer, and quite frankly so am I. I will be at this location tomorrow morning by 9:30 here in North Carolina. My no. is 704-662-2580 . my name is Bryan and the reference no. from Manitowok is 3077414. Thank you.

@Ramon, is every light on the board off once it shuts down? If so, this could be an indication that your magnetic bin switch is failing or the water curtain is missing it’s magnet. If there is no power, then it could be shut down as a safety due to high head pressure.

Lynn:
we have a manitowoc SD0302A, The machine start perfect and make 1 or two cycle of ice production complete, start the new cycle and never make ice again , the water pump is ok, not red light are on or blinking.

@Julio, your fan motor should be running during the freeze cycle, however it is normal for it to shut off or cycle during the harvest and startup. Is your machine making any ice or just low ice?

Manitowoc SD 10002A low presión stay on cero but the high stay normal also fan go off machine stop

@Jon, a few things you could check. First make sure the Ice Thickness Adjustment Dial is set to 0, as a starting point, this is where it should be from the factory.

To check your liquid line thermistor, you will need to check the Ohms rating, based on temperature. For example, at 70 degrees, the K Ohms (x1000) should be between 11.88 -9.29.

I have a Manitowoc Ice Machine Model: QM30, Serial Number: 040452866
It has been in storage for a few months where before it was working and we hooked up the water and power and performed a through clean. Now the power light turns on and the water starts up but it never seems to freeze. I believe the ice machine is going through its cycles because you can hear the fan turn off then after some time the water will start up again and the cycle continues. I think it can be a problem with the thermistor, is there anyway I could confirm this or is there something else that could be causing the problem?

@Billy,

I’m sorry, but the machine you have is extremely old for ice maker standards. There could be a number of issues causing the problems you mention. I would recommend having an experienced service technician look at the machine to check the refrigeration components.

I have a Manitowoc ice machine model ED0402A that when cut on within 3 seconds Harvest lite comes on. When I raise Bridge Gap the unit will run but no ice and when put down Harvest lite comes on and what little ice melts

@BigJohn, sounds like the ice machine is still in clean mode. Note that simply switching the machine back to ice will not terminate the clean cycle. Anytime you toggle the switch it also resets the timer on the clean cycle. The best thing to do would be to put it into clean, then switch to ‘ICE’ mode, then walk away and wait 45 mins to 60 mins for it to complete. It should then go back to making ice.

What model number is your ice machine?

ice maker stopped running. Ran the clean cycle twice. Still doesnt come on after i flip the switch to on position. There are no lights flashing and the green light under the clean light is only one that is on. Any Idea Thanks.

@Diana, sounds like a tough position. The flashing red light is telling you that your machine is shutting down on a safety limit. It is most likely flashing once or twice, then repeating. It would help if we knew what safety limit this machine is shutting down on.

When was the last time the machine was thoroughly cleaned? This includes removing the ice thickness control, soaking in some nickel safe cleaner and scrubbing with a soft nylon brush. It’s pretty common for the IT probe to get scale build up, not read properly, and the machine shuts down before a batch of ice can be made.

We have a Manitowoc QY0804A—live in a rural area so getting a serviceman is almost impossible. Unit is powered and water is running. No ice is being made. Flashing red light at the harvest on the board. Any ideas?

@Bruce, Are there any lights on your board when it shuts down after a few seconds? If it was the high limit, it would kill the power to your board and there would be no lights. Are you sure it’s not going into a premature harvest?

If you give me the serial number I can tell you how old the unit is, depending on how old, would tell me if it’s worth putting money into. Over 10 years old and I’d be very careful how much money I spent replacing parts or having a service tech look at it.

I have a QDO 212A that has been around the garage for a while never did anything with it but am now wanting to donate it but wanted to make sure it was working. I connected the water and turned it on. The fan and compressor run,and the water pump operates. The problem is the pump runs for about 10 seconds and shuts down with the compressor and fan.Is there a low pressure switch that would cause this problem. I am sure that when the machine gets to where it is going they will have it looked at, just wondering if it is worth the trouble.

@Dan, you are definitely doing a good thing cleaning your ice machine. However, it’s necessary to use a soft nylon brush to clean your evaporator as well. Simply running a cleaning cycle in your ice machine is not enough.

The model number you provided is actually for your storage bin, do you have the model for your top ice maker?

I thought I was doing a good thing by trying to clean my Manatowoc C700 by turning it off, using up the ice over several days, turning it on, setting it to clean, pouring in the cleaner, running the clean cycle, which took the expected 25 minutes, running another clean cycle with just plain water and changing the switch back to making ice. I should have left well enough alone. Now, I have large clumps of ice at the bottom of the grid with very slow thin ice slowing forming at the top. By the time it is ready to dump, an hour or more, I have huge, useless lumps of ice, instead of half inch cubes.. What did I do and how do I undo it?

@Deidre, it could be a few things. The first thing to check would be to see if you have voltage to the water inlet valve at all times. The valve should not be getting power when the water level touches the water level probe and the light comes on in the control board. Another way to test would be to turn the machine off, if water keeps coming through the valve, then replace the valve. It’s either got trash in it holding it open or the plunger is shot and needs replacement.

If you are always getting power to the valve, you may have a control board issue, with a sticking relay. Let me know what you find.

Having a problem with the Manitowoc QR0280A – Water is overflowing out of trough. Red harvest light blinks a lot, green water level light is lit and water overflows from the trough. Ice will produce as long as water is cut off at the wall as soon as trough fills with water. I can’t figure out if its the water fill valve or solenoid.. Any help would be appreciated!! Need to fix asap!!

Thank you!!!

@John, is it going into harvest? How long is it in the freeze cycle? Manipulating the bin switch is only going to terminate the harvest cycle, not start it. It could take up to 20 mins to freeze a nice solid sheet of ice on your evaporator, so are you waiting this long?

Also, simply removing the IT probe from the evaporator is not enough, you will need to unplug it directly from the board to achieve diagnostic results. If it’s going into harvest too soon, this could be your problem.

QD0212A starts to create ice but then never completes. It just shuts down. I am tricking it by opening the bin switch as soon as I see it starting to warm up to restart it into ice production but it still never finishes a complete cycle of ice. I am now eliminating the ice thickness probe by taking it out of the way while it is trying to freeze but still not a complete freeze. Any suggestions? I have run a clean cycle with the nickel safe cleaner 3x already.

@David, the first thing I would make sure of is that your ice machine and bin are 100% level. Next, make sure your sump trough is snapped into place properly and not out of wack. These are the most common causes for the problems you are having. Also, verify that it’s not condensation, instead of water actually coming out of the distribution tube.

@Jackie hard for me to say for sure, it’s possible you’ve got a few problems. Diagnosing an SM50 is different than any other ice machine, but I’m leaning towards a problem with your bin stat. Try unplugging that directly from the board, turning the machine on and seeing if it continues to fill. With the bin stat unplugged, it should run non stop until turned off.

Hello Lynn, I’m sorry if I am posting this in an inappropriate area, but I am having some problems with the Manitowoc ice machine here at work. The model number is SY1474, and it is on top of a B970 ice storage bin. The problem I am having at the moment is excessive dripping into the ice bin. The water curains do not appear to have any defects, but water consistently splashes out through the gap between the water curtains and the bin switchs. Water seems to be pooling at the front of the machine above where the bin door hinges are. Any help would be appreciated.

We have a under the counter SM Manitowoc. Most recently it stopped making ice and I noticed behind the shutters that there was a huge ice buildup. We powered it down and let the ice melt. after we ran a clean cycle and heard the first batch of ice pop; then it stopped. The power is on and water running. I did notice that 2 days before it made so much ice that it filled the entire space to max. please advise

@Bryan, it could still be your ice thickness control. If it were to be scratched or broken, it would need to be replaced. To test, unplug it directly from the board. When you turn on the machine, it should continue to freeze, past the 1 minute mark that you mention. If it does and freezes solid, shut down and replace probe.

Your part number will be 7601603 and can be found at the link below:

http://icemakerpartsshop.com/products/7601603-manitowoc-ice-thickness-control

I have a undercounter QY0274-A that keeps going into harvest after about 1 minute of run time. I cleaned the probe but didn’t help. What else could it be?

@Curtis, what is the model number of your ice machine and the temperature around the condenser?

what is max. head pressure in freeze cycle? Water cooled condenser 404a refrigerant ice machine Manitowoc.

when in freeze cycle head pressure rise to 450psi to 475 psi. Can there be air in system? Customer turns ice machine
off for winter months. Turns machine back on last week in may, is this high head pressure normal?

@Glenn, sounds like you are having some serious issues. This could be caused by just about anything. If you wish, please gather more information for me and I’ll try my best to help. I would need model number of your ice machine, is the control board showing it has power, have you confirmed water supply to your trough, and the last time the unit was cleaned.

Have water to unit and power but not making ice

@Carlton, I’d start with cleaning the unit. Most commonly the ice machine will initiate a premature harvest, because of scale build up on the IT probe.

I have an ice machine that just stopped all of a sudden freezing. What should I check?

@Chris, this could be cause by a few things. You didn’t leave your model number, but I can tell you some general things to look for. First of all, make sure the machine is completely clean, this means ensuring that the cavities of the evaporator are scrubbed out with a soft nylon brush. This will typically help with the long cycle times, 22 mins is really too long for a Manitowoc ice machine, assuming that it’s in a temp controlled environment.

As for the oddly forming batch of ice every so many cycles, this could be caused by warm water coming in, if you have a float valve. Or, this problem can also be caused by a leaking expansion valve or low on charge.

About every 10 cycles the ice machine makes a bigger(thickness very large bridge) than normal batch. Its like the bottom half of the try fills and and freezes where the top half with the bridge senor doesn’t. this cycle also takes twice or three times as long to make and drop. So this is slowing the recovery time.
Do you recommend anything?
Also each cycle takes 22 mins is this normal or slow?
Thank you for your time and help.
Chris

will K, what is the model number of your ice machine? Also, are you positive you are getting a safety limit #1. Depending on the model number of your ice machine, this could be a thermister problem, which would have been found in older ice machines.

The company I work for Graham Ent owns several manitowok ice makers. I order parts all the time. I have one in Wauconda IL that goes straight to a one flash harvest light and is locked out. Replaced board same thing. Help

There is nothing that Manitowoc recommends to coat your evaporator. The best thing you can do is to thoroughly clean the evaporator with nickel safe cleaner. If the nickel is flaking or missing(showing copper) then the evaporator needs to be replaced.

That said, there are some chemicals out there available, but could potentially ruin the nickel plating even further(so i would not recommend). I’m not sure where you would find such a spray.

The ice cubes don’t fall out of the nickel plated holder easily. Is there something to spray on the holder to make it smooth again so they will slide out nicely again?