I finally learned why my ice machines kept failing after 6 months

I was at a parts counter in Phoenix last week complaining about ice machines dying on me every 6-8 months. The guy behind the counter, Tom, he's been doing this 20 years, said "you're not cleaning the condenser coils monthly are you?" and I admit I was doing it every 3 months. He showed me the math on how a dirty condenser bumps up compressor heat by 40 degrees and kills the system. I went back and checked my last 3 failed machines and they all had caked up coils. Has anyone else learned a basic maintenance step way later than they should have?

3 comments

3 Comments

michael66924d agoProlific Poster

Did you try checking the drain lines too? I had a similar issue where the machines would freeze up and I finally realized the drain was clogged with slime after about 4 months. Once I started flushing it with a vinegar solution every 6 weeks, the machines lasted over 2 years with no problems.

linda_dixon4924d ago

Oh man, that's a good catch. I've been fighting with mine for months and never would have thought to check the drain lines for slime buildup.

jakejones24d ago

Phoenix is brutal on ice machines man, people don't realize the dust and heat out there just cakes everything up. I had the same thing happen with three machines in a row before someone finally told me to blow out the coils with compressed air every month and it was night and day, went from replacing them every six months to two years easy.