Ice Maker Shutoff Valve

[joemar1112@yahoo.com]

Help!!!!! I'm new to motorhoming, and thank goodness I am patient, cuz I have had more trouble in 2 months with one motor home than I have had in 3 houses I have lived in, in the last 10 years.

I am starting with my small projects first.

I have a self-contained ice maker. Here's the problem: After repairing a leaky compression valve and turning on the water, water started to pour out of the ice maker into the ice holding tray. It seems as though there should be a shutoff valve to prevent that from happening.

Any thoughts or suggestions?

[dalltop]

My friend says every time you drive a motor home is like your house being in an earthquake and when it is raining you can add a hurricane to the mix. It will take a few months to make the unit your own. Once you get through the initial issues you should be down to basic maintenance and be able to have a lot of enjoyment.

On my unit there is an electric solenoid like you would find on a washing machine that fills the tray and then shuts off the water. There should be a board that controls the time that device is open filling the ice tray. Mine is located outside behind the access panel for the refrigerator. I would guess that either the solenoid is stuck or that the board has failed. I would check the solenoid first. It should be an easy check. You will need to research the best way to test the solenoid.

Keep at it and good luck.

[joemar1112@yahoo.com]

Help!!!!! I'm new to motorhoming, and thank goodness I am patient, cuz I have had more trouble in 2 months with one motor home than I have had in 3 houses I have lived in, in the last 10 years.

I am starting with my small projects first.

I have a self-contained ice maker. Here's the problem: After repairing a leaky compression valve and turning on the water, water started to pour out of the ice maker into the ice holding tray. It seems as though there should be a shutoff valve to prevent that from happening.

Any thoughts or suggestions?

Thanks, Dall. I think you're right about the solenoid. I guess I'm gonna learn what one looks like and how to change it.

The good news is that I got my plumbing up an running and tanks sanitized, etc. Of course, leaving me with a new problem, of the toilet fill not stopping.

[dalltop]

I googled ice maker solenoid and found this photo. It may be a different color or shape but this will give you some place to start.

[MuckSavage]

That's what the solenoid looks like in mine. I know because I had to replace it last spring. Freezing overnight temps snuck up on me before I could winterize.

[joemar1112@yahoo.com]

That's what the solenoid looks like in mine. I know because I had to replace it last spring. Freezing overnight temps snuck up on me before I could winterize.

Tim, you have just hit the nail on the head. I have two solenoids that are bad. the one in my toilet and the one on the icemaker. I purchased my coach from a friend in Atlanta in mid January. It was not winterized, and although there was no water in any of the lines, i bet there was enough in the switches to cause damage when the small amount of water in them froze.

Lesson learned.

What do you suggest to prevent this from happening in the future. As a skiing family, in the northeast, we intend to use our coach in the winters.

[MuckSavage]

For the icemaker, I disconnected both the line in & out of the solenoid. (Closing the petcock on the "in" (feed) line first). The line out of the solenoid gravity drained. I hope that with both lines disconnected, any water that remained in the solenoid can expand with the freeze. I'll let you know in a week or so (when I de-winterize) if my assumption was a success. There is an offical winterizing procedure for the icemaker, but it's pretty thorough. if you want me to copy the procedure from my O&M Manuals, let me know. As far as the toilet, while mine isn't electric, I camp overnight on New Years Eve. In order to not break full winterization, I simply use jugs of water when flushing the toilet. Then, I empty the black tank.

[joemar1112@yahoo.com]

For the icemaker, I disconnected both the line in & out of the solenoid. (Closing the petcock on the "in" (feed) line first). The line out of the solenoid gravity drained. I hope that with both lines disconnected, any water that remained in the solenoid can expand with the freeze. I'll let you know in a week or so (when I de-winterize) if my assumption was a success. There is an offical winterizing procedure for the icemaker, but it's pretty thorough. if you want me to copy the procedure from my O&M Manuals, let me know. As far as the toilet, while mine isn't electric, I camp overnight on New Years Eve. In order to not break full winterization, I simply use jugs of water when flushing the toilet. Then, I empty the black tank.

Thanks Tim. I would like to know how it works out.

And have concluded that winter usage involves a little roughing it.

[Roodriver]

From experience I've learned to cover the open lines and solenoid openings with plastic bags and seal with rubber bands (easy to get off). Spiders tend to like solenoid valves and the right kind of web will cause some interesting troubleshooting problems.

Ward

[MuckSavage]

Ha Ha Ha! I can just see it now....fast forward to May 2nd, 2010. Me & DW are at Bluewater Key. The sun is shining, a gentle island breeze is blowing, there's some mellow steel drum music playing. DW looks into her glass to raise a toast, Ahhhh, Life is good! Suddenly, she realizes there's a spider in the middle of her ice cube!!!!!!!!

[joemar1112@yahoo.com]

good news . . . solenoid fixed. next job, solenoid in the toilet. On order & should be an e-z fix.

Winter 2 - Joe 0

I hope the dummy that sold it to me & did not tell me to watch for these issues, knew enough to drain water heater at the end of last season.