FIXED Help! Kenmore Coldspot Side by Side (106.51783412) No Ice during heat wave!

[aircomba]

Model Number

106.51783412

Brand

Sears Kenmore

Age

1-5 years

I am trying to diagnose why my Kenmore Coldspot side by side is not producing ice. We are experiencing record high temps here this week so it has finally come to a head and I haven't been able to get a solid action plan together. Currently the ice maker just seems dead. It does not fill with water nor does it seem like it even attempts to (nothing can be heard). I am pretty certain the black water inlet is clear and not frozen or anything. I prodded with some wire and it seemed to only hit more rubber. I think I have a Sankyo Twist Tray Ice Maker and a voltage tester reads power in the wires going to it (I havent used my multimeter to get full readings) so It is powered as far as I can tell but the bail arm movement has no change whether raised or lowered.

Currently also the ice dispenser is not working as well. This has happened before and I found it to be a poor design in the wiring at the door hinge. Found and respliced the wires to get it working. Now when I check I don't see any wires severed but havent undone every inch electrical tape to fully know (I have a feeling at least this part is a wire issue).

I could really use the wiring diagram for my Kenmore Coldspot 106.51783412 but cant seem to find it anywhere. I found one that seems very close but there are a couple wires not matching up so I think it must be for a different model. That or anyone who knows how to troubleshoot the ice maker I'm fairly proficient if given good direction/steps to take. The fridge is only 3-4 years old with the initial home wire repair happening about 2 years into it's life cycle.

Oh and the water dispenser still works fine, I know those feeder tubes are separated but just thought I should mention.

Any and all help is greatly welcomed.

Thanks!!

 

[rickgburton]

Check the wires where they go thru the lower hinge. Look for any broken or almost broken wires. The back and forth movement of the door can cause the wires to break inside the wire casing so you need to look close. You might need to cut thru the black sheath around the wires to check them. This is very common issue with this model.

 

[aircomba]

Yeah I already had to repair those once so I figure it might be there just last inspection it looked ok. First time it was obvious. I'll look closer in the morning. Was hoping to find a wire diagram or schematic for this model so I could narrow down which to look at, I know I found one the first time but can't seem to this time. When I repaired them the first time I spliced them with extra length for the give and take and piled on the protective wrap so gonna take a bit to locate if is the cause.

 

[rickgburton]

I checked for a tech sheet but no joy. Did you look behind the lower panel or taped to the bottom on the right side?

 

[aircomba]

All 3 bundles come under the freezer door side about 4" away from the hinge. Looking at the fridge from the front would make this the left side. You have to remove the grill plate to get to them. Also both the water service tubes are with them. From what I have gathered on other posts the larger of the two is my in door water dispenser and the other is the feeder to the ice machine.

I saw a couple posts that made me think I should find out how to test the valve because that could be the issue but my brain keeps saying that we would hear something if it was trying to fill and just water wasnt coming out meaning that it couldnt be the valve. But then I have power to the machine as well so that sorta makes me think the wires are fine.

One of those schools has got to be incorrect though and in either scenario I think I would need a little direction to know im doing it correctly.

 

[Jake]

I couldn't locate your tech. data sheet either, but I did locate your ice maker tech data sheet that has troubleshooting in it: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1cM55ONghMG_V99Hdd-ysfueTDjV9Uvsq

Page 6--->Troubleshooting Paths
Complete the preliminary checks prior to troubleshooting. Then proceed down the appropriate path.
Path 1 - If there is ice or water in the ice tray, proceed to Path 1.
Path 2 - If the ice tray is empty, or ice cubes are extremely small proceed to Path 2.
Path 3 – If Path 1 and 2 reveal no issues, proceed to Path 3.

Here's the ice maker for your model:
W10873791 Ice Maker


Let us know what you find.

Jake

 

[aircomba]

I have t he diagnostic sheet. Would running any of these tests help me out? I have never puta fridge in diagnostic mode before.

Oops thought I had sent that earlier but found it just now sitting in my reply box. Anyways now I see Jakes response and am going to go run through that document and give her a go.

 

[aircomba]

Oh I found this document yesterday and it is what prompted me to write about the diagnostic sheet above. Because the steps it took me too required me to run #45 or #44 etc. Guess I'll be trying to get into that and will advise. Thank you both for your help so far!

 

[Jake]

Ok, sounds good, let us know what you find.

Jake

 

[aircomba]

So Starting on Path two it requires running diagnostic 45. When running diagnostic 45 it goes no where. Stays on 01 which is supposed to be the ice tray returning to HOME position after which I should be able to use the change setting key to initiate a water fill but it doesn't get there. It keeps displaying 01 in which case the change setting key is ignored. It doesn't say what to do if it never returns to HOME and becomes state 2 where you can change the setting key.

Does this signal a power issue? I am not sure where to put my leads to test the power up there I just know that the voltage detector registers power in the lines. I have my multimeter but would need guidance and where to put the leads to get a proper reading at the ice machine. If it doesn't signal this do you have any further insight?

Thanks!

 

[rickgburton]

Sounds like a broken wire in the harness. The tech sheet would be nice. I’m still looking.

 

[aircomba]

Sounds like a broken wire in the harness. The tech sheet would be nice. I’m still looking.

I found the service sheet but haven't been able to locate the wire diagram as of yet. I know I had it when I fixed the wires in the harness but it wasnt with the rest of my documentation which isn't really like me.

 

[aircomba]

Ok I am pretty sure the issue deals with my wires at the base of the freezer door and I just can't see where they are frayed or damaged. All my splices from the previous time look good and solid so I'm guessing it'll be just before those where they are all wrapped up. Prob rubbed themselves a part just like before. Going to separate them all and hopefully find the bad ones and replace maybe this time with a longer section so I can tuck them all away deeper/further away from the hinge. Still wasn't able to figure out how to properly test the power switch and the switch harness, I know it's simple and gonna hate myself when it does finally kick in and make sense.

meanwhile I think I also found the wiring diagram/schematic which calls out specifically which colored wires are going to what. Think it should help.

 

[rickgburton]

Still wasn't able to figure out how to properly test the power switch and the switch harness,

On the main board P7-5 (- red) to P7-6 (+ black) should be 14 VDC when the ice maker is in a harvest cycle. If the voltage is correct at the board, recheck at the ice maker connector. Red is (-) side of the motor and the black is (+) side of the motor. The black (+) wire goes through the bucket switch and the on/off switch. If there’s 14V at the board and not the ice maker and the two switches check good, broke wire. Here’s a different way to check the wires. Unplug the machine and disconnect the ice maker connector and the P7 connector on the board. In the ice maker connector short/jump the black wire in the connector to the red wire in the connector. At the main board P7 connector check for continuity between the red wire and the black wire. The on/off switch must be on and the ice bucket installed.

 

[aircomba]

Yeah I turned my brain on last night when I was messing with this in the early morning hours. I did not however go to the main board so I'll check that as well but right now I def confirmed my switches are working and I don't have 14VDC at the ice maker. I was getting not a clear reading at the P connector under the fridge and need to pull the fridge out from the wall to get a better angle but I am pretty certain its those wires again. Since the ice dispenser went out as well but the dispenser chute still opens. That was the thing that went out the first time that prompted me to repair the wires. Going to have to be careful and hope the break isnt on the door side of my splices because im pretty much at where they enter the door and Ive heard that once you into the door there is no fixing it, only replacing it and that means the whole door. Unless I am wrong it's sealed with foam and whatnot and not accessible.

 

[rickgburton]

That’s correct.

 

[aircomba]

Ok so here is an update:

Found the severed wires. Just so happens to be the small bundle I did not repair during the first time. So I set out to repair them the same way I did the first bundle however this time they were severed extremely close to where they enter the fridge door. Luckily I got them all completed and everythiong is working as it should..... for the time being.

It is only a matter of time before one of those repairs fail and when that happens it new fridge or replace the entire door. The shortest being the tan wire which I somehow made a connection with had less than a qtr inch sticking out from the door, Made it hard to get properly shrink the wire wrap/ Fingers crossed

Big thanks goe out to Jake and Rick for their continued support and in helping me work oiut this

 

[rickgburton]

I haven’t had the opportunity to work on one with broken wires in the door but even foamed in there’s got to be some way of replacing a wire instead of a door.