This is a saga about a standalone Uline icemaker in my basement bar.
I bought it in 2007 and starting about 2017 it would make ice for a few days then suddenly the ice bucket would be full of water.
I paid 100 bucks for a technician to come out and look at it - he said the compressor is working fine ( which I was glad to hear!) He said the compressor shuts off while the ice is harvesting so the problem is either a) the icemaker assembly locking up or b) the temperature control module. He wasn’t sure which, and I said I’ll call him after I play with it a while.
I also looked online - A whole new icemaker was $1200. The icemaker assembly cost at least 500 bucks to replace. The temperature control module cost 40 bucks and any idiot could change it out.
So… duh
So I had the unit make some ice then lifted the arm so the icemaker assembly would no longer cycle. Three days later, bucket full of water. Icemaker assembly not the cuprit.
Therefore it must be the temperature control assembly.
$39 part. I ordered it on Amazon, and replaced it myself.
Everything’s been fine since.
But it’s actually a sad story:
I opened up the old part. It has on/off contacts - which looked like points off a ‘67 engine distributor- and they were corroded.
$1200 icemaker taken down by cheap potmetal part (look up potmetal) worth 1 penny.
I bought this Uline icemaker because a previous one I owned worked flawlessly in a boat - stored in winters and abused summers -for over 15 years and as far as I know is still working. But that unit was made in the early 90s.
I also have a refrigerator, washer and dryer from the 80s that have never broken.
I am hearing modern appliances are expected to last five years.
*sigh*