I have a defective Countertop Icemaker made in China for Frigidaire. It quit working after less than a year. The problem is the "Ice Full" light comes on and it won't cycle. I believe it has an LED on one side and a Light Detecting Resistor on the other side. When the tray fills up, it blocks the light beam, stopping the cycle.
At first i was able to shine another light source on the sensor and it would work. Now it doesn't. I tried jumping across the sensor wires on the circuit board but that didn't work. Since it's apparently had 2 different problems already I think the problem is it's just poorly made Chinese crap.
Anyway I thought it might be a fun project to design my own circuit using an arduino Nano and relays. It has a compressor, pump, fan, a motor that rotates the ice shovel and 2 limit switches that stop the ice shovel at both ends of it's travel. There is also a sensor that tells it when it's out of water and a solenoid valve on the refrigerant line.
I think I can work through most of this but I don't know what purpose the refrigeration solenoid valve serves. I don't know when it should activate. I think the compressor and fan should come on together but should the solenoid valve operate at the same time or at a different time?
Anyone know what the solenoid valve does and when it should cycle?
At first i was able to shine another light source on the sensor and it would work. Now it doesn't. I tried jumping across the sensor wires on the circuit board but that didn't work. Since it's apparently had 2 different problems already I think the problem is it's just poorly made Chinese crap.
Anyway I thought it might be a fun project to design my own circuit using an arduino Nano and relays. It has a compressor, pump, fan, a motor that rotates the ice shovel and 2 limit switches that stop the ice shovel at both ends of it's travel. There is also a sensor that tells it when it's out of water and a solenoid valve on the refrigerant line.
I think I can work through most of this but I don't know what purpose the refrigeration solenoid valve serves. I don't know when it should activate. I think the compressor and fan should come on together but should the solenoid valve operate at the same time or at a different time?
Anyone know what the solenoid valve does and when it should cycle?