Troubleshooting Safety Limit #1 On Koolaire Ice Machine July 08 2015, 13 Comments
Koolaire, like other Manitowoc made ice machines, come with a built in safety limit feature on the control board. This is a feature that shuts the ice machine down, if certain limits are reached, to protect the ice maker and its individual components. If the machine were not to shut down with these limits, you could potentially damage your compressor, evaporator, or electronic board. Although frustrating when the ice maker goes down, these safety limits protect your investment. This article will discuss the checklist and things you should check if your Koolaire were to shut down on Safety Limit 1.
What Does Safety Limit #1 Mean
Safety Limit #1 is activated whenever the ice machines freeze time exceeds 60 minutes for 3 consecutive cycles. If your ice machine has not made ice with 60 minutes, it's not going to. The typical freeze time should be 12-15 minutes max. Anything taking longer indicates there is a problem, or your ice machine needs to be cleaned. Either way, a shutdown is warranted after 3 cycles in a row.
Causes For Safety Limit #1
Improper installation can affect the freeze times on a Koolaire. This means, make sure you followed the installation use and care manual, while installing your new ice machine. If it cannot breathe properly, have proper sized water lines, or proper power supply, it could cause the machine to shut down on Safety 1.
Water System
It's possible your float switch is not activating properly or you are losing water out of your water trough. Check to ensure proper installation and no cracks in the plastic trough. Also, low water pressure, under 20 psi, or high water pressure, over 80 psi could affect the freeze cycle. If you are unsure, install a regulator and gauge on the water line coming to your ice maker.
Dirty and clogged distribution tubes could be limiting the amount of water flowing over your evaporator. Check for debris and clean if necessary, it takes water to make ice. Which also leads us into the water inlet valve and water pump. Ensure you are bringing water into the trough and the pump is pushing it up and over the evaporator. With low or no water, the machine will not freeze a batch of ice and shut down.
Electrical System
The freeze cycle is terminated by the harvest switch, if it's not functioning properly the control board will not know to stop freezing and go into harvest mode. Even though you may have a great batch of ice, it'll keep freezing because the probe is not telling it to switch modes. Check the list of other ice machine parts below, if one were to fail it could cause a long freeze, shutting the Koolaire off on long freeze cycle.
- contactor
- condenser
- fan cycling control
- fan motor
Before replacing any of the above components, make sure that the Koolaire has been cleaned thoroughly. This means both the food zone, where the ice forms and the air condenser on the outside, for Air-Cooled and Traditional Remote models.
If you have any specific questions about a Koolaire safety limit or need help troubleshooting, feel free to contact Ice Maker Parts Shop at sales@icemakerpartsshop.com.
Refrigeration System
Refrigeration components could also be the culprit when diagnosing or troubleshooting a Koolaire ice machine on safety limit #1. We do not recommend untrained professionals working on the refrigeration side of commercial equipment, but below are the items that can be checked.
- non-OEM components
- improper refrigerant charge
- defective compressor
- TXV starving or flooding
- non-condensible in refrigeration system
- plugged or restricted high side refrigerant lines or components
- defective harvest valve
Ice Maker Parts Shop recommends trained technicians diagnose and troubleshoot the refrigeration system on any commercial ice machine.
Comments
Ice Cube time water not coming but clean time water coming machine contractor to be not working
Jeff on August 13 2026 at 02:24PM
Machine makes ice goes into harvest then 1min 54 sec defrost it returns to freeze cycle again with dumping ice or curtain.
Simon on August 13 2026 at 02:23PM
Comment changer le compresseur sur machine à glace koolaire kdf0250
Hugo J Guzman on August 13 2026 at 02:23PM
CoolAire Mod kdt1700a-261 SN1120387564
Water pump went bad, replaced it, turned back on now compressor keeps running during 3 cycles but harvest switch did not responded, big batch of ice now, what could it be the problem?
i will appreciate it, thanks!!
Hugo J Guzman on August 13 2026 at 02:23PM
Hello good afternoon,
I been troubleshooting a Cool Aire ice mkr Mod kdt1700A=261, SN 1120387564
this machine stop producing ice going on Y2 flashing code, i reset it to try to star it up, found a water pump, i replaced water pump, started up again and start running normal, noticed water inlet pressure at 100 psi, i let the machine runs, at 15 mins cracking sounds began like advising harvest time but that did not happened, compressor continued running for another cycle, i still let it run one mor cycle until made a batch of ice, i shouted down till now.
can you please tell were is located the harvest switch and give to me some tips to troubleshoot control board ??
i’ll appreciate it, thanks in advance.
Buddy Wright on August 13 2026 at 02:23PM
Have a koolaire and done all I know. Makes VERY thick ice. Adjusted float, still thick . What next. 229-221-3945
Buddy at Buddy’s Repair Service
Kiran Boddapati on August 13 2026 at 02:23PM
CHARNNARONG PUMPETCH on August 13 2026 at 02:23PM
Koolaire K570 model is not making ice, water runs, fan and compressor are not coming on. However, the compressor was making buzzing sound every few minutes. If I could get some troubleshooting guide.
What do I look for?
Thanks
Derek on August 13 2026 at 02:22PM
I have a koolaire freezing that I’m working on. Shutting off on safety limit one. I believe it’s because my evaporator fan is not running. My question is , should that fan come on the same time the compressor comes on? It runs sporadically or may not even come on.
Gene Patterson on October 27 2021 at 06:28AM
We have a small ice machine at one of our schools that keeps going out on safty one. We found coil very dirty but have cleaned it checked both goats and water pressure.. Water had some rust in it but plenty of pressure. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thx
Christie on October 27 2021 at 06:28AM
Ice machine leaking water not making ice and the water just keeps running
Geoff havens on October 27 2021 at 06:28AM
Koolaire kd0270a; ser. No. 310394765. Had about six months, used two months, back to Mi. Now is Florida keys. After about 3 dumps, green light on and red blinking, Float Ok, could it be dirty lines already? Ok to call 734-673-0069 please help
will on October 27 2021 at 06:28AM
I am working on a ice machine, Koolair MOD#KD500A-161 it will run just fine for about 10 min. or so then go into harvest cycle. I got plenty of water flow and it’s real cold water, it starts to freeze then go’s into harvest cycle before it makes ice.please help! thanks
charie melton on September 11 2015 at 08:55AM
My ice maker is only making ice on the bottom and shutting off the 60 minutes cycle it makes ice on top but olny if i adjust ice thickness probe way out i need help!!!!!!