Technical > Home Improvement > Tray of ice maker won't fill with water

Tray of ice maker won't fill with water

Check to see if the tube at the back is iced up. If it is, then water can't flow to the tray.

A simple way to fix the problem is to remove the ice bucket and use a turkey baster to spray hot water into the tube. It may take 15 or 20 minutes to unclog the tube.

reply to Hodocka
I had a similar problem recently. Although my water tube was clogged with ice, I think that was just a symptom of the problem. Because my water is heavy in minerals, the solenoid valve appeared to be clogged (thus the it sounded like the solenoid was working, no water was getting through). I tried cleaning it out, but probably did no more damage than good. I instead bought a new water pump off ebay for about $20 and it works like a charm (fixed my clogged cold water dispenser too). I did end up using a hair dryer (on low heat) to melt the clog.

reply to Hodocka
I checked the water tube and it is not clogged or frozen. I have checked the solenoid with a direct cord and all it does is hum but no water comes out. When I turn on the ice maker after being off for awhile, nothing happens. No humming. Unlike the water to door side, its hard to test because under normal operation, water only releases to the maker for a short time at the start of the cycle. You don't know if the solenoid is bad or if its not getting power from the circuit board.

reply to Hodocka
I also recently had a similar problem with a Whirlpool. Ice maker just quit working, no sounds at all. Turned out to be a piece of ice stuck on the ejector mechanism, that prevented the ice maker from completing the cycle. Removed the ice from the ejector mechanism and all is well.

reply to Hodocka
As fate would have it, I have the same exact problem ... If I didn't know better, I would have thought that my wife started this thread
Anyway, not to Hijack the OP's thread, but I'm in the same boat. I have a 8 year old Kenmore/Whirlpool brand refrigerator and I'm positive there are no clogs in the line and I'm sure that the water gets to the solenoid with great pressure. So I might just try to see if I can pick one up on ebay. This is what mine looks like
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Good judgement comes with experience...Experience comes after bad judgements

reply to Hodocka
Stupid question:
In my online search, the solenoid is being called the water valve ... I assume that its just different terminology for the same part.
Is there a way to physically test the solenoid to verify that it is the culprit?
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Good judgement comes with experience...Experience comes after bad judgements

Yes, its the same part. It's actually a solenoid on top of the inlet valve. The solenoid opens and closes the value upon receiving elec current from the circuit board.

reply to Hodocka
I think I found the answer to my own question and how to test the solenoid/water valve. I'll post it below for posterity...

The ice maker will not fill with water :
There are a few things to check for...one is a ice blockage in the fill spout tube, this is the hose that caries the water into the freezer section and to the ice-maker. If the elbow & tube has a ice blockage, it is usually best to replace the fill valve and the shut off valve. A very LARGE problem in the last few years has been the self piercing shut off valve clogging up with calcium and junk! Replace the self piercing shut off valve with a drill type shut off valve. You drill a 1/4" hole into the pipe and install the shut off valve the same way you would with a self piercing valve. If the fill spout hose is clear of ice, possible the fill valve has failed. You can test the fill valve coil several ways, ohm test - check coil on fill valve for continuity - no continuity = bad valve, volt test - cycle ice-maker and check for 100-110 volts to fill valve....proper power to the valve and no water usually = bad fill valve. You can also make up a test cord and put 110 volts to the fill valve alone to see if it is capable of passing water in to a bucket. If the water supply lines are ok and the fill valve is functioning properly, you probably have a ice-maker problem and may need a new one. This test cannot be done to all refrigerators, if any doubt post your full model and serial #'s in the Q&A section and we will check on this for you.

Information derived from www.applianceaid.com
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Good judgement comes with experience...Experience comes after bad judgements

reply to Hodocka
Well I hope the OP is getting through with the icemaker because I hit another hurdle with mine. I decided to test test my water-valve before I purchase a new one. I ran a 110v cord to it and it worked ?!?! So my problem is either the icemaker itself or somewhere between the icemaker and the water-valve.
I was hoping for the cheapest way out ... sigh
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Good judgement comes with experience...Experience comes after bad judgements

When I originally had my problem, I tested the solenoid and it seemed to work, so I then replaced the icemaker itself (about $50 on ebay). Unfortunately the problem persisted, so I went ahead and replaced the pump (about $20 on ebay). To ensure the pump was working, I just disconnected the ice line and let the pump spray into a bucket. After confirming water was going through the pump, I hooked it up to find the line in the freezer was blocked with ice. A few minutes with a hair dryer on low, and everything was working great and still is. Moral: it could still be the pump even though a direct voltage worked.

reply to djm2k2

I'll put in my 2c. as I had this problem as well.
What resolved my issue was very simple solution.
I used hair dryer for few minutes on filling tube ( who knows how far from opening was ice) 3-4 minutes later my Ice Maker was working fine.

Gr

reply to Hodocka
Just replace the seloodid valve system. End

reply to Hodocka
If you have a new solenoid valve and it doesn't work buy the ice maker. $100 or less.

How may hours is this worth?

reply to Hodocka
The most common problem is the valve, and that is what I thought I had. I never bothered to fix it. Okay, 5 years later something occurs to me- the feed to the ice maker WAS off of a "bite" fitting on my cold water pipe at the sink. Last summer, we had most of the pipes in the house replaced with Pex, and while the plumber was under the sink, he replaced the bite valve with a ball valve. We never turned it on, as I figured the ice maker was valve was broken. Well, you know where this is going...

The first batch or two of ice was brown, so I let 24 hours worth of cubes run, then i threw them out and started over. Now I have more ice than I need. Moral of the story- if your feed is off one of those bite things, check that first.

reply to Hodocka
I finally solved my problem. I tested the ice maker first by switching the water to the door line to the ice maker. Then I could manually fill the tray by pushing in the water dispenser. The ice maker worked fine as long as I kept filling it up after it dumped. My refrig has water filter so it has 4 total solenoids. I ordered just the ice maker/ water in door 2 value add on which can be taken off the rest of teh value assembly with 2 screws. This part was only $24 compared to about $60 for the total 4 valve assembly. Part came yesterday and I put it all back together and all it good. Thanks for all the help!