Ice Maker - No Water?

[Brent Hohlweg]

Hi everyone,

Our first post!

My wife and I (Sandra Hinder & Brent Hohlweg) are new RV'rs with a 42' 2004 Beaver Marquis - Amethyst. We're loving it, and working on getting our Marquis back into the shape she deserves to be in. These forums have been so helpful and it's really nice seeing such a great community online and offline!

Today I'm tackling getting the ice maker going again. Couple notes:

1. It was fully disconnected behind the Norcold 4door fridge.
2. Cleaned entire area up and I've sanitized and re connected the water lines (see attached photo).
3. I've test the GFI plug (full power).
4. Freezer is ice cold and running well. (We're hooked to shore power).
5. Ice maker unit has arm in the down position to make ice.
6. Water at main manifolds on other side of coach are all on. (Coach getting water to all taps/sinks etc).

In all my reading it seems one must turn on a valve to get the ice maker water. I see no valve... Does anyone have an idea why water might not be reaching the connection behind the fridge to allow water flow up to the ice maker?

PS: Looking forward getting to know everyone better!

Best Regards
Brent

[Karl Welhart]

Brent,

Welcome to BAC..  There should be a ice maker water supply line shut-off valve near your water pump.  It is normally a very small brass valve with a "t" shaped stem.  Turning it counter clock wise should open the water to your ice maker.  You should also have a small ice maker water filter on this line before it goes into the water pump.  This filter should be changed regularly....

Karl

[Joel Ashley]

Karl is correct, Brent.  If you know where your water pump is, you should find near it the on/off valve in line with a small replaceable filter going to the ice maker.  It is a typical 90 degree valve that is on when the handle is in line with its tube and off when it's perpendicular to it.   Ask here if you need help finding the box with the pump and related components, as its location can vary with coach year and model.

There is a slight chance you have a faulty solenoid valve (the light blue plastic device in your photo), but I doubt it.  It could also be a lack of 12v voltage to the valve, but you'd have to check that at the right time during a cycle, and that gets more involved.  If there's no water in the plastic tube entering the solenoid from the right, it's more likely the shutoff Karl talks about is off.  For now, find and make sure that little pump compartment valve is on, then be patient for a cycle to complete and see if it works.

Joel

[Keith Oliver]

The valve for the ice maker in my fridge is behind a carpeted door, on the aft side of the main storage bay.  When you remove the door you will see 1/2" pipes, a small filter and a single 1/4" white plastic pipe.  This is the water line that you want to turn on and there will be a tiny T valve that you will need to turn counter clockwise to open.

[Brent Hohlweg]

Karl, Joel and Keith...

Thank you gentlemen!

Location has been found on other side of coach behind a carpeted panel behind all my nicely packed camping gear - I of course fully blocked the access to even see the panel. Not a hope I would have found it. Could not have done it without you :-)

Brent

[Bill Sprague]

Something is not right in that picture.  It appears the feed to the icemaker has been disconnected from the outlet side of the filter.

[Karl Welhart]

Brent,

I guess you noticed that your water supply line is completely disconnected from your ice maker water filter....  The shut-off valve may be open and the PO may have just disconnected the supply line for winterization purposes.

Karl

[Brent Hohlweg]

Hi guys,

Yes I saw the lines were disconnected and the filter definitely needs to be replaced as you guys pointed out :-)

Couple quick follow questions:

1. Has anyone used an inline water filter other than the "AquaCity AIM-1" filter that is in the photo now, and most likely supplied by Beaver originally. I found the AIM-1 online at $32 http://www.aquacity.com/cgi-bin/shop/sc_search2z.cgi?user_id=42156&database=dbase1.exm&template=results_prod2.htm&0_option=1&0=10002

Was wanting to use this bit bigger unit WATTS 20,000 gallon inline filter from Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000E77I0Y/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1373863166&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX112_SY192

2. In the photo you will also notice a pressure gauge showing 80psi on the needle. This caught my eye, as I had read in manuals that the Beavers have a built in pressure valve capping at 45psi (plus for safety I had put on my own Valtera 50psi pressure valve at the water source). Any cause for concern, or does anyone know what this water gauge in the photo is monitoring?

Brent

[Joel Ashley]

As long as the diameter of the Watts is similar to the AquaCity so it will fit in the holder, it isn't too long, and the adaptive fittings will work, I don't see why not.  Note that one reviewer found the same unit at Home Depot (3 years ago) for a little less money.  I think though that I recall finding "generics" for the AquaCity model that were even less.  Remember this is an ice maker;  it doesn't pump very much gallonage through.  The larger unit may be overkill.  If you do order through Amazon, be sure to enter through the Amazon portal off the BAC Home page (the link isn't on this Forum), so the club will get credit from Amazon.

As to the pressure gauge, I don't have one so will defer to others on that.  If its on what appears to be the city line inbound, I don't know why it would read 80 if you have a 50 lb. limiter at the park faucet.  From what I've read here, 65 psi is about as much as you should ever allow a regulator to stress the system components with.

By the way, you should unscrew that mesh pump filter (between the pump and the white elbow) and check the screen.  If it's been awhile, it could have calcium buildup or just need cleaning to allow optimum pump performance.

Joel

[Bob Jae]

I put Omnnipure K23AC from espwaterproducts.com this spring and seems to be working fine.

[Bill Sprague]

Home Depot has filters that are a little longer, but the same diameter and thread sizes to match.  I think they are "Frigidaire" branded.  I can get the part number later today if needed.  They are about $15.

[Brent Hohlweg]

Fantastic information everyone!

Joel I buy LOTS from Amazon (scarily with 1 click right from my iPhone app), so are you saying that as I can get BAC credit if I start my search from the BAC Amazon portal site. Do you know if BAC would still get credit if I bought items it did not have in it's store?

Here is the link to the BAC Amazon store - http://astore.amazon.com/beavambaclub-20/?_encoding=UTF8&tag=beavambaclub-20&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325

Bill I'll pop by Home Depot and look at that Fridgeaire filter you mentioned - Thanks for the tip in that one.

Cheers Brent

[Joel Ashley]

As I understand it, Brent, as long as something is purchased following access to Amazon's site via the BAC Home Page portal (link), Amazon kicks back an amount to the club which helps with our bottom line as an effective organization.  The "store" you refer and link to is just a compilation of Amazon-sold items recommended and thought particularly useful to our members;  you can buy anything whatsoever at Amazon via the club portal and the club will benefit - it doesn't have to be something from the "BAC store".  Others here involved with the instigation of the Amazon affiliation could speak to details, but if you read your quarterly Beaver Tales newsletter you will note references to its benefits.  It and the procurement of more club sponsors recently have helped ameliorate the effects of the economic downturn.

I think we all could use a kick in the rear to remember to use that portal;  Treasurer George Morlan says we haven't been using it as much as expected.  Come up with a creative way to do it, such as a shortcut on your desktop to the BAC Home page (www.beaveramb.org/) that's labeled "Amazon Access".  I don't think you have to sign in to the club site to have the portal access benefit the club's coffers.  One might go to the BAC home page, add it to one's Favorites, but then rename that Favorite, "Amazon Access";  this in addition to your actual club home page labeled "BAC Home" elsewhere on your Favorites list.

   Joel