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Help needed for a Portable Dometic Ice Maker


Al F

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I have this small Dometic portable ice maker which does not make ice on all the ice making fingers.

The way this ice maker works is, it pumps water up into a shallow tub that has metal fingers sticking down into the tub.  The compressor turns on running the Freon through the tubing and the fingers that stick down into the water.  The Freon chills the fingers so that ice forms on the fingers.  After a certain amount of time, about 8 minutes or so, the water drains out of the tub and the cooling part reverses into a heat pump for long enough to make the ice drop off of the fingers.  Then a mechanism pushed the ice out into a bin.  Kind of a neat little operation.  When it was new it made about 10 pounds 4-6 pounds of ice in about 1.5-2 hours hours.  (on edit corrected the amount of ice it makes)

The problem is, a while back (last spring), the rear set of fingers (there are two rows of fingers) only had a small amount of ice on the fingers when the dump cycle started.  The front set of fingers look like they have the normal amount of ice on them.  As time progressed the rear fingers have less and less ice on them.  The ice making cycle time has not changed from when it was new.

The compressor runs and sounds normal.  The condenser fins are not blocked or dirty.  The cooling fan runs normally.

QUESTION:  Would this indicate low Freon?  Or what could be the cause.  Any suggestions on where to go get it fixed. 

I called the Dometic 1-800 number for service and the recording gave me a couple of RV dealers to go to (Camping World).  I seriously doubt RV dealers have the capability to work on a tiny appliance like this.

I really like this ice maker.  It doesn't use much electric so I use it while boondocking. 

Edited by Al F
correction

Al & Sharon
2006 Winnebago Journey 36G 
2020 Chevy Colorado Toad
San Antonio, TX

http://downtheroadaroundthebend.blogspot.com/

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I have a similar type (looks identical, off-brand) that has worked well for several years, but I only use it maybe once/twice a year at the house. Sounds to me like a restriction in the freon flow to the back fingers, and I don't think these units are serviceable. Too expensive to be a throwaway, tho. And, CW would probably kill the other row, also.

Perhaps turning it upside down for a period and see if it gets any better after that. I would think any refrigeration service company could take a look at it, but that cost will come close to a new unit cost. Have you looked online for a Dometic manual?

Sorry can't help any more...

Joe

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That does sound like alack of refrigerant flow. Do you know if this unit has a capillary tube or an expansion valve? If it has an expansion valve then it could be a valve problem. Turning it upside down won't do anything to fix it, in fact it may cause some oil in the compressor to sneak past the piston and possibly break the reed valves rendering the compressor useless.

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Because these units are very simple and inexpensive, they use a cap tube to regulate flow. Yes, it does sound as though it is LOW on refrigerant. Size doesn't matter to a good refrigeration mechanic and I am sure that most of the Camping World locations who service RV equipment should be able to repair this unit. However, I doubt that the expense of a repair will be less than the price of a new unit. These babies are basically more of our disposable appliances from China.

Rick & JoAnn MacDonald
High River, Alberta Canada

2015 Ford Lariat F450
2012 Montana 3402RL

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We used to have one, sold it to a neighbor when we bought MH; anyway, when we turned it upside down to empty all water out for traveling it would not work again until it sat overnight, then worked again.

Are you sure the water tray is filling completely? The pump may be partially blocked with deposits over time if it's older, that can be solved by running a vinegar/water solution through it until the water is used-up making ice.

 

2000 Winnebago Ultimate Freedom USQ40JD, ISC 8.3 Cummins 350, Spartan MM Chassis. USA IN 1SG retired;Good Sam Life member,FMCA ." And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country.  John F. Kennedy 20 Jan 1961

 

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Thanks for the replies and suggestions. 

Everyone pretty much confirmed what I suspected, low freon, or reduced freon flow, and cost of repair may be close or the same as a new unit.  I bought the ice maker when Camping World had it on sale for $166, regular about $260.  Amazon & Camping World have the new units for sale for about $260.

About the water level.  I have watched the tub fill up and it is full.  Also the ice made by the front fingers is the normal size.  The ice just gets smaller and smaller the farther you go on the fingers sticking down into the water. 

I need to take the ice maker to a small appliance/refrigerator repair shop and see what they have to say. 

Edited by Al F

Al & Sharon
2006 Winnebago Journey 36G 
2020 Chevy Colorado Toad
San Antonio, TX

http://downtheroadaroundthebend.blogspot.com/

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If you're in the market and looking for a decent deal, you might check out air-n-water's clearance section for the "scratch n dent's". I picked up a NewAir AL-100 from them a year or two ago. Never could find the "scratch" noted in the description and works like a champ. Looks like they have the same one I have for $124 (free shipping) and a couple of others right around hundred.

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AL, the instruction manual's troubleshooting section has a few recommendations as to why your unit is making unequal size ice "cubes".

 

2000 Winnebago Ultimate Freedom USQ40JD, ISC 8.3 Cummins 350, Spartan MM Chassis. USA IN 1SG retired;Good Sam Life member,FMCA ." And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country.  John F. Kennedy 20 Jan 1961

 

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I went through 2 of those portable Ice Makers that make soft Ice that watered down drinks fast.

For a few more $$ I put in a true Ice Maker that made Ice that stayed hard and I didn't have to keep adding water to it.

 

Full Time since Oct. 1999
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19 hours ago, Ray,IN said:

AL, the instruction manual's troubleshooting section has a few recommendations as to why your unit is making unequal size ice "cubes".

Thanks.  I read the manual and saw that info.  You would have to have the unit so seriously off level to see a really significant difference in the ice cube size I don't believe any any reasonable person would try to operator it that way.  

Al & Sharon
2006 Winnebago Journey 36G 
2020 Chevy Colorado Toad
San Antonio, TX

http://downtheroadaroundthebend.blogspot.com/

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On 4/7/2017 at 9:05 AM, Biker56 said:

I went through 2 of those portable Ice Makers that make soft Ice that watered down drinks fast.

For a few more $$ I put in a true Ice Maker that made Ice that stayed hard and I didn't have to keep adding water to it.

 

A dedicated standard home style works well if you have and/or want to dedicate the room to install and plumb it to a water source AND if you have electric available all the time. 

As far as the ice goes, I always take the ice out and put it in zip bags in my refrigerator freezer so it is no longer soft.  Granted the ice doesn't work as well in drinks as the ice from the kind of ice maker, but it makes ice much faster than the dedicated ice makers.

We do lots of dry camping or boondocking. Last year our trip to AK was 139 days with 2 days with hookups.  The style of ice maker I have/had makes about 4-6 pounds in about 1.5-2 hours.  We run the ice maker once every couple of days.  This allows us to turn on the inverter for a couple of hours, make the ice, and turn everything off. 

Edited by Al F

Al & Sharon
2006 Winnebago Journey 36G 
2020 Chevy Colorado Toad
San Antonio, TX

http://downtheroadaroundthebend.blogspot.com/

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I'm in the same boat as Al and run mine pretty much exactly the same. Not every other day, but on days when I have surplus free energy production, I'll run a batch for an hour or two, bag em, and toss them in the freezer. I'm never without these days. Granted... they aren't as good as ol "brick" style cubes, but when I haven't touched a shore power cord in months, or had to visit "civilization" in a couple it weeks, it still makes me chuckle to myself having a few clinkers in my drink.

You learn to adapt with these hollow round cubes... drink faster!! :P

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  • 2 years later...
1 hour ago, termight said:

hello our ice maker stopped making ice what could be the problem

Welcome to the Escapee forums. You didn't give us any information to diagnose with but I'll give you some things to check. First make sure that both the electric supply and the water supply are both good. If then are, is it getting cold inside? Is the freezing tray full of ice but not emptying? Have you tried defrosting the unit? If you would tell us more about it, like the make and model and any other symptoms, we may be able to help.

Good travelin !...............Kirk

Full-time 11+ years...... Now seasonal travelers.
Kirk & Pam's Great RV Adventure

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