Hopefully this isn't too far off topic. I've acquired a Kitchenaid ice maker (model KUIC18PNZS0). It makes ice, but the water fill cycle runs for several minutes when it only takes about 30 seconds to fill the reservoir. The extra water just drains out, but it melts a lot of ice on its way. I don't see a float switch or a fill sensor, so I'm at a loss for how this thing is supposed to tell when it's full. Is anyone familiar with these, or have any idea which part might be bad?

 

If the water valve stays on far to long, it may be that there is supposed to be a pressure regulator in the water supply line. That regulator often gets left behind when ice maker devices are removed. With a correctly adjusted pressure regulator the longer fill time with the much slower fill rate will not be a problem. If the previous owner did not have the regulator that may be why you have the system now.

 

Thank you very much for the reply. I was able to find the tech sheet for it and figure out how to run the self diagnostics. It looks like there's a water fill sensor that isn't working. Apparently this brand sometimes integrates the fill sensor into the recirculation motor so I've got to take it apart to determine if this one has a separate sensor or integrated, but I think this sensor must be the problem. Wish me luck!

 

Thank you very much for the reply. I was able to find the tech sheet for it and figure out how to run the self diagnostics. It looks like there's a water fill sensor that isn't working. Apparently this brand sometimes integrates the fill sensor into the recirculation motor so I've got to take it apart to determine if this one has a separate sensor or integrated, but I think this sensor must be the problem. Wish me luck!

OK that there should be a water fill sensor. That makes sense, but holding a pressure thru an orifice is also a proven method that is cheaper. So I still suggest checking the data sheet for a supply pressure recommendation. And I wish you success! please give us a report on what you discover.

 

OK I will report back. The hold up now is schedule and having time to take it apart. It's completely computer driven, so I guess that's a double edged sword.

 

Adding an all-plastic in-line pressure regulator would allow you to set the actual fill time to match the preset fill time. AND probably make the whole thing quieter.

 

Adding an all-plastic in-line pressure regulator would allow you to set the actual fill time to match the preset fill time. AND probably make the whole thing quieter.

For this particular machine, it's more complicated. There are 3 pumps and the water inlet turns on and off at various times during the cycle. It makes "clear ice" by running a laminar flow of water over a cold plate that's at about a 20 degree angle, to freeze it from the bottom up. When the sheet of ice is thick enough, the compressor turns off and the ice sheet drops onto a grid of wires that heat to "cut" the sheet into cubes. If I've figured it out correctly, when the machine first turns on the water reservoir is filled, the recirculating pump runs for about a minute, then the first drain pump empties the reservoir, then the water fills again and it starts circulating water over the cold plate. Then as the water freezes on the plate, the water inlet comes on again to keep the reservoir full. The water inlet has a safety that turns the water inlet off after 3 minutes, so this is what stops the water from running forever with the bad sensor. The reservoir drain (pump outlet) and overflow drain both fall into the bottom of the ice bin, about an inch over from the main bin drain. Unfortunately this means that as the excess water flows down the drain, it melts some ice on the way out. Hopefully my description makes sense.

 

So have you found where the sensor is?

 

OK, not by any means a typical refrigerator ice maker. Then typical refrigerator advice is probably not applicable.

 

So have you found where the sensor is?

Not yet, I've been buried with work and haven't had the time to take it apart.

OK, not by any means a typical refrigerator ice maker. Then typical refrigerator advice is probably not applicable.

Correct, very much different from a refrigerator ice maker. This is a stand alone unit, a little bit smaller than a dish washer.

 

It might still be an acceptable work-around to reduce the inlet pressure so that there is no overflow. Not by any means the correct fix, but a functional alternative.