Whirlpool GI1500XH User manual

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CONSUMER SERVICES TECHNICAL
EDUCATION GROUP PRESENTS
R-91
JOB AID
Part No. 4322583
15 INCH
AUTOMATIC
ICE MAKER
KUIS155H GI1500XH
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INTRODUCTION
This Job Aid, “15 Inch Automatic Ice Maker ,” (Part No. 4322583), has been compiled to provide the
most recent information on design, features, troubleshooting, service and repair procedures of the 15
inch automatic ice maker.
Procedures for diagnosing and troubleshooting the sealed system can be found in Whirlpool Con-
sumer Services publication
R-65, Basic Refrigeration Diagnosis , Part No. 4314066, Rev. A. A com-
panion VHS video tape,
R-65, Basic Refrigeration Diagnosis , Part No. 4314079V, is also available.
Procedures for servicing the sealed system can be found in Whirlpool Consumer Services publication,
R-77, Sweep Charge Procedures for the 90’s , Part Number 4321717 Rev. A. A companion VHS video
tape,
Sweep Charge Procedures for the 90’s , Part Number 4321718V is also available.
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
The goal of this Job Aid is to provide detailed information that will enable the service technician to
properly diagnose malfunctions and repair of the 15 inch automatic ice maker.
The objectives of the Job Aid are:
The service technician will -
• Understand proper safety precautions.
• Successfully troubleshoot and diagnose malfunction.
• Successfully perform necessary repairs.
• Successfully return the ice maker to proper operational status.
WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION ASSUMES NO RESPONSIBILITY
FOR ANY REPAIRS MADE ON OUR PRODUCTS BY ANYONE
OTHER THAN AUTHORIZED SERVICE TECHNICIANS.
© 1999 Whirlpool Corporation, Benton Harbor, MI 49022
CO RP O R A T ION
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTIONINTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTIONINTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................................................
.......................................................................................... IIII
IIII
II
TABLE OF CONTENTSTABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTSTABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS ....................................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................................
.................................................................................. IIIIII
IIIIII
III
SAFETY.....SAFETY.....
SAFETY.....SAFETY.....
SAFETY..... ....................................................................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................IVIV
IVIV
IV
SECTION ONE
INSTALLATION CONSIDERATIONSINSTALLATION CONSIDERATIONS
INSTALLATION CONSIDERATIONSINSTALLATION CONSIDERATIONS
INSTALLATION CONSIDERATIONS
Location ......................................................................................................................... 1
Electrical Requirements ............................................................................................... 1
Water Connection Requirements ................................................................................ 1
Drain Connection Requirements ................................................................................. 1
SECTION TWO
THEORY OF OPERATIONTHEORY OF OPERATION
THEORY OF OPERATIONTHEORY OF OPERATION
THEORY OF OPERATION
Operating Systems ....................................................................................................... 3
Operational Cycles ....................................................................................................... 6
SECTION THREE
COMPONENT ACCESSCOMPONENT ACCESS
COMPONENT ACCESSCOMPONENT ACCESS
COMPONENT ACCESS
Component Location .................................................................................................... 9
Accessing the Control Box ........................................................................................ 10
Accessing Component in the Control Box ............................................................... 11
Accessing the Component Compartment ................................................................ 13
SECTION FOUR
TROUBLESHOOTING AND DIAGNOSISTROUBLESHOOTING AND DIAGNOSIS
TROUBLESHOOTING AND DIAGNOSISTROUBLESHOOTING AND DIAGNOSIS
TROUBLESHOOTING AND DIAGNOSIS
Water and Its Effect on Ice Making............................................................................ 15
Servicing Information ................................................................................................. 16
SECTION FIVE
TECH TIPS
Wiring Diagram ........................................................................................................... 17
Strip Circuits ............................................................................................................... 18
Cycle Charts ................................................................................................................ 20
Thermistor Operating Parameters............................................................................. 20
Circuit Board Jumpers (To Adjust Ice Thickness)................................................... 21
Optional Drain Pump .................................................................................................. 22
Model and Serial Number Deignators ....................................................................... 24
Warranty Information.................................................................................................. 25
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SAFETY
! WARNING
ELECTRICAL SHOCK HAZARD
Disconnect power before servicing the ice maker.
Replace all panels before operating the ice maker.
Failure to do so can result in death or electrical shock.
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CO RP O R A T ION
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SECTION ONE
INSTALLATION CONSIDERATIONS
LOCATION
The ice maker may be closed in on the top, rear and two sides. The front MUST BE unobstructed for
proper air circulation and operation.
Installation should be such that the unit can be moved forward for servicing.
The installed area should be well ventilated, with ambient temperatures above 55°F (13°C) and below
110°F (43°C). BEST RESULTS ARE OBTAINED BETWEEN 70°F (21°C) AND 90°F (32°C).
The ice maker MUST BE installed in an area protected from the elements, such as wind, rain, water
spray or drips.
Provisions for electricity, water supply and drainage should be determined prior to installation.
ELECTRICAL REQUIREMENTS
The ice maker requires an electrical branch circuit of 120 VAC, 60 Hz, single phase 15 amp. delayed
action fuse or circuit breaker.
It is recommended that the ice maker is the only appliance plugged into the receptacle. Do not use an
extension cord. Do not use a receptacle that is controlled by a wall switch.
ELECTRICAL GROUND IS REQUIRED ON THIS APPLIANCE. DO NOT, UNDER ANY CIRCUM-
STANCES, REMOVE THE POWER SUPPLY CORD GROUND PRONG.
WATER CONNECTION REQUIREMENTS
Materials needed for installation:
• ¼” OD copper tubing
• ¼” outlet, saddle-type shut-off valve
(part no. 541057)
• ¼” x ¼” tube union
(part no. 533812)
These materials can be obtained locally at a plumbing supply house or from FSP Parts Distribution by
ordering “Ice Maker Installation Kit” part no. 978567, which includes 25’ of copper tubing. Do not
use plastic tubing because it becomes brittle with age.
DRAIN CONNECTION REQUIREMENTS
The ice maker is equipped with a gravity drain or internal drain pump. The internal drain pump can be
installed separately and is available from FSP Parts Distribution (Part No. 2185528).
The ideal installation has a standpipe (minimum 1¼” diameter) installed directly below the outlet of the
drain tube.
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-- NOTES --
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SECTION TWO
THEORY OF OPERATION
OPERATING SYSTEMS
There are three operating systems in the ice maker:
•Refrigeration System
•Water System
•Electrical System
Refrigeration System
The refrigeration system in the ice maker is very similar to the system used in other refrigeration
appliances such as a refrigerator or freezer. The refrigerant used in this unit is R-134a.
There are two very important additions to the refrigeration system in the ice maker:
•Hot Gas Valve - This valve allows high pressure refrigerant gas to bypass the condenser and
flow through the condenser accumulator tube.
•Condenser Accumulator Tube -the hot gas pushes liquid refrigerant in the accumulator tube
into the evaporator, helping to evenly heat the evaporator plate so the ice slab releases quickly
and evenly.
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Water System
The water system provides the fresh water necessary for ice production and recycling this water as ice
is produced. The water system also flushes away rejected minerals and contaminates, circulates
cleaning solution during the CLEAN CYCLE and provides a means of drainage.
The hardness of the water supplied to the ice maker will affect the quality of the ice produced and may
also affect the operation of the water system. (See Chart in Section Five,TROUBLESHOOTING and
DIAGNOSTICS, page 16.)
A water softener or polyphosphate feeder will not cure all the problems associated with hard water, but
they can be used to reduce scale buildup in the ice maker. NOTE: Some polyphosphate feeders will
cause a slime buildup in the water system when the water supply has a low mineral content.
DISTRIBUTOR
EVAPORATOR
FREEZING PLATE
CUTTING GRID WATER
RECIRCULATING
PUMP
OUTLET TUBE
WATER
RECIRCULATING
PUMP
DRAIN
OVERFLOW
TUBE
BIN
RESERVOIR PAN
WATER INLET
TUBE
(From Cold
Water Supply)
WATER INLET
VALVE
(flow rate:
.31 gpm)
FROM WATER
SUPPLY
TO BIN
DRAIN
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ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The ice maker’s electrical system provides power for the refrigeration and water systems to operate,
and controls the operational cycling of the ice maker.
Wiring Diagram shows unit in Ice Making Mode
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OPERATIONAL CYCLES
There are three operational cycles of the ice maker:
•ICE MAKING CYCLE
•HARVEST CYCLE
•DIAGNOSTIC/CLEAN CYCLE
In addition, there are two operational OFF cycles of the ice maker:
•OFF CYCLE when the bin is full of ice and the service control switch is turned “ON”.
•OFF CYCLE when the bin is full and the service control switch is turned“OFF” while power is
still supplied to the unit.
Ice Making Cycle
Electrical System
In the electrical system, power is supplied through the service control switches to the primary side of
the voltage step down transformer (120VAC to 8.7VAC for the cutter grid and bin light) and the elec-
tronic control board. The electronic control board in turn supplies 120 VAC to the water recirculating
pump, water inlet valve, hot gas solenoid, condenser fan motor and compressor.
Refrigeration System
Intherefrigerationsystem,thehot gas refrigerant, under high pressure, is forced through the condeser
into a liquid, and flows through the drier and capillary tube into the evaporator. Under low presure in
the evaporator, the liquid refrigerant absorbs heat from the water flowing over the evaporator. The
refrigerant evaporates into a gas and passes into the accumulator. As a low-pressure gas, the refrig-
erant flows back through the suction line of the heat exchanger to the compressor.
DuringICEMAKINGcycle, some of the hot gas that is in the condenser accumulating tube condesnses
to a liquid and remains in the accumulating tube.
During the later stages of the ICE MAKING cycle, as the ice slab forms on the evaporator freezing
plate, some of the refrigerant passing through the evaporator will not evaporate into a gas, but will
remain a liquid. This liquid refrigerant will settle in the accumulator while the refrigerant vapor is
sucked off through the suction tube at the top of the accumulator. This accumulated liquid refrigerant
will eventually be evaporated by the warmed refrigerant gas passing through the accumulator during
the HARVEST cycle and during the beginning of the next ICE MAKING cycle.
NOTE: It is very important the accumulator is not tilted out of a horizontal position.
Water System
In the water system, the water recirculating pump moves the water from the reservoir pan up to the
distributor, where it flows out over the evaporator freezing plate.
Water that does not freeze on the evaporator plate runs off the front edge and falls back into the
reservoir, where it is recycled back to the distributor.
As the ice slab forms, the minerals in the water are on the surface of the ice. The water flowing over
the top of the ice slab washes these minerals back into the water reservoir pan. The water continues
to recycle until the ice slab reaches the desired thickness.
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Harvest Cycle
Electrical System
In the electrical system, when the set temperature of the evaporator thermistor is reached, the evapo-
rator thermistor terminates power to the condenser fan and water recirculating pump, and supplies
power to the hot gas valve solenoid and the water fill valve solenoid.
Refrigeration System
In the refrigeration system, the hot gas valve opens, allowing high pressure refrigerant gas to bypass
the condenser and flow through the condenser accumulating tube. The hot gas pushes the liquid
refrigerant that has accumulated in the accumulator tube up into the evaporator. The hot liquid refrig-
erant evenly heats the evaporator plate so the ice slab releases quickly and evenly.
The ice slab, when released, slides off of the evaporator plate onto the cutter grid.
Water System
In the water system, the water valve opens, allowing water to flow into the water reservoir pan. As the
reservoir fills, the mineral-laden water from the previous ICE MAKING cycle is flushed out the overflow
tube.
As a result of the hot gas flow and the and the ice sliding off evaporator plate, the temperature rises,
and the evaporator thermistor switches the unit to the ICE MAKING cycle. This cycling, between the
ICE MAKING cycle and the HARVEST cycle, continues until the ice bin is full.
Table 1-1 shows how the electronic control board controls the various components and systems in the
ice maker for each of the ICE MAKING CYCLE and HARVEST CYCLE.
When the ice maker’s service control switch is in the “ON” position, and the bin is not full of ice, the
evaporator thermistor determines whether the unit will be in the ICE MAKING CYCLE or the HAR-
VEST CYCLE.
ON CYCLE
SECONDS
WATER VALVE
CONDENSER FAN
HOT GAS VALVE
WATER RECIRC. PUMP
COMPRESSOR
POWER ON START UP ONLY
120120 60 ICE MAKING HARVEST ICE BIN FULL *ICE BIN NOT FULL
OPERATION
>6.5°F <52°F <35°F >41°F
Table 1-1
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Table 1-2 shows how the electronic control board controls the various components and systems
during the DIAGNOSTIC/CLEAN CYCLE.
Table 1-2
The first 25 seconds of this cycle will operate each one of the electrical components for five (5)
seconds each.
CLEAN CYCLE
SECONDS
WATER VALVE
CONDENSER FAN
HOT GAS VALVE
WATER RECIRC. PUMP
COMPRESSOR
LED
DIAGNOSTICS
5
CLEAN CYCLE
47 MINUTES
5555
Clean Cycle
Electrical System
In the electrical system, power is supplied to the water recirculating pump through the service control
switch.
Water System
In the water system, water recirculating pump circulates the cleaning solution that has been added to
the reservoir up to the distributor, across the evaporator, and back into the reservoir where it is recir-
culated while the service control switch is in the “CLEAN” position.
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SECTION THREE
COMPONENT ACCESS
COMPONENT LOCATION
Low Voltage
Transformer
Light
Switch
Electronic
Control
Board Push-Button
Switches
LED
Evaporator
Plate
Cutter
Grid
Water
Recirculating
Pump
Compressor
Condenser
Fan
Water Inlet
Valve
Condenser
Hot Gas Valve
(Behind condenser)
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ACCESSING THE CONTROL BOX
Models with Full Length Doors (KitchenAid)
The control box is located behind the door on automatic ice makers with full length doors. (Fig. 3-1)
Control
Box
Fig. 3-1
Models with Shorter Length Doors
(Whirlpool)
The control box is located behind the control box es-
cutcheon above the door on automatic ice makers
with shorter length doors.
(Fig. 3-7)
Removing the Control Box Escutcheon
1. Disconnect the Ice Maker fro the electrical
power supply.
2. Remove the two (2) Phillips-Head
screws securing the control box escutch-
eon to the mounting plate. (Fig. 3-8) Re-
move the control box escutcheon from the
mountingplateanddisconnectthewires from
the switch assembly terminals. Set the con-
trol box escutcheon aside.
3. Remove the four (4) Hex-head screws secur-
ingthe escutcheon mountingplatetothe cabi-
net.
Control Box
Escutcheon
Fig. 3-7
Two (2) Screws
Fig. 3-8
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Wiring Harness Plugs
Fig. 3-2 Fig. 3-3
2.
Disconnect the three wiring harness plugs from the connectors at the bottom of the control
box.
(Fig. 3-3)
3. Remove the Hex-head screw securing the
cutter grid mounting bracket to the right
side of the cabinet liner.
(Fig. 3-4)
4. Loosen, but do not remove the Hex-head
screws securing the cutter grid mounting
bracket to the left side of the cabinet liner.
(Fig. 3-4) Then, lift the front of the cutter
grid up to release the Hex-head screw
from the key slot in the left side mounting
bracket and pull the cutter grid from the
cabinet.
5. Remove the four (4) Hex-head screws
securing the control box to the top of the
ice maker cabinet.
(Fig. 3-5)
NOTE: The screws at the front of the
control box are recessed.
Three (3) Screws
Fig. 3-4
Remove
This
Screw
Loosen
This Screw
ACCESSING THE COMPONENTS IN THE CONTROL BOX
(This procedure is the same for long and short door units.)
Removing the Control Box
1. Remove the three (3) Phillips-Head screws securing the cutter grid cover to the cutter grid.
(Fig. 3-2)
Fig. 3-5
6. The control box can now be lowered into
the service position.
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Removing the Electronic Control Board
1. With the control box in the service position, disconnect the three (3) wiring harness plugs from
the connectors on the electronic control board.
(Fig. 3-9)
2. Remove the two (2) Hex-head screws securing the electronic control board to the mounting
stubs in the control box.
(Fig. 3-9)
Wiring Harness
Plug
Wiring Harness
Plug
Wiring
Harness
Plug
Fig. 3-9
Removing the Push Button Switch Assembly
The push button switch assembly can be removed with the control box remaining in the service posi-
tion.
1. Disconnect the wires from the switch assembly terminals.
2. Remove the decorative overlay from the front of the control box.
(Fig. 3-10)
3. Press in on the four locking tabs at the back of the switch assembly and push the entire switch
assembly.
NOTE: If the push button switch assembly must be replaced, the service replacement
assembly must be ordered by using the specific model number of the ice maker. The
service replacement switch assembly comes with a new decorative overlay.
Fig. 3-10
Decorative
Overlay
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Removing the Condenser Fan
1. Remove the two (2) Hex-head screws securing the condenser fan assembly to the condenser
and the two (2) Hex-head screws securing the condenser fan assembly to the component
compartment base.
(Fig. 3-16)
2. Remove the three (3) hex-head screws securing the fan motor to the fan bracket. (Fig. 3-17)
ACCESSING THE COMPONENT COMPARTMENT
1. Open the ice maker door and remove the
four (4) Phillips-Head screws securing the
component compartment front cover to
the cabinet.
(Fig. 3-14)
2. Pull the ice maker from its installed
position. It may be necessary to disconnect
the water supply line and drain line from the
ice maker.
3. Turn the front leveling legs out until they
disengage from the cabinet.
(Fig. 3-14)
4. Remove the two (2) front bolts securing
the component compartment base to the
cabinet.
5. Tilt the entire ice maker cabinet back far enough to gain access to the component compart
ment.
(Fig. 3-15) Be careful not to kink any of the sealed system tubing or pinch any wiring
while tilting the cabinet backward.
NOTE:Secure the cabinet to avoid any possibility that it will tip back any further or fall
forward while repairs are being performed.
Screws
Screws
Fig. 3-14
Fig. 3-15
Fig. 3-16
Screw
Screw
Screw
Screw
Fig. 3-17
Leveling Leg
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Removing the Water Valve
1. Disconnect the wiring harness connector
from the water valve solenoid terminals.
2. Disconnectthewatersupplylines from the
inlet and outlet of the water valve.
3. Remove the two (2) Hex-head screws
securing the water valve to the side of the
cabinet liner.
(Fig. 3-18)
NOTE: Watermay be presentintheselines.
Have a small pail available to bleed
lines.
Fig. 3-18
Removing the Hot Gas Solenoid
The hot gas valve can be serviced with the unit tilted back in the service position.
1. Disconnect the wiring harness plug from
the solenoid terminals.
2. Remove the hex-head screw securing the
solenoid to the mounting bracket.
(Fig. 3-19)
Fig. 2-19
Screw
Solenoid
The water valve can be serviced with the unit in the installed position by removing the component
compartment cover.
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