Operational Modes - Kenmore 106.89592100 Technical Education

Operating Systems (Cont.)

OPERATIONAL MODES

During the Freeze mode, some of the hot gas
There are four main operational modes for the
that is in the condenser accumulating tube,
ice maker (more detailed operation is found in
condenses to a liquid, and remains in the ac-
the fl ow chart on page 6-5):
cumulating tube.
During the later stages of the Freeze mode, as
• Freeze
the ice slab forms on the evaporator freezing
• Harvest
plate, some of the refrigerant passing through
• Clean
the evaporator will not evaporate into a gas, but
• Service (Diagnostics)
will remain a liquid. This liquid refrigerant will
ICE MAKING CYCLE
settle in the accumulator, while the refrigerant
vapor is sucked off through the suction tube at
In addition, there are two possible "Off" cycles
the top of the accumulator. This accumulated
for the ice maker. They occur when:
liquid refrigerant will eventually be directed to
the evaporator to quickly warm the evaporator
1. The bin is full of ice and the LED is il-
plate during the Harvest mode.
luminated "ON/OFF" (Idle mode).
NOTE: It is very important that the accumulator
2. The "ON/OFF" button has been
is not tilted out of a horizontal position. If moved,
pressed. The ON/OFF LED will go out.
it could cause compressor failure.
Water System
Electrical System
The water recirculating pump moves the water
Line Voltage is supplied to the electrical control
from the reservoir pan up to the distributor,
switches and the primary side of the step-down
where it fl ows out over the evaporator freez-
dual transformer. The dual transformer reduces
ing plate.
120 VAC to 9.4 VAC for the cutter grid, 14
Water that does not freeze on the evaporator
VDC for the bin light and 12 VAC for the drain
plate runs off the front edge, and falls back into
and recir-culating pumps. The electronic
the reservoir, where it is recirculated back to
control board directs 12 VAC to t he water re-
the water distributor.
circulating and reservoir drain pumps, and
As the ice slab forms, the minerals in the water
are on the surface of the ice. The water fl ow-
120 VAC to the hot gas solenoid, condenser
fan motor, water valve, and compressor. An ing over the top of the ice slab washes these
minerals back into the water reservoir pan. The
evaporator thermistor supplies temperature
water continues to recirculate until the water
information to the electronic control to determine
level in the reservoir drops to the bottom of the
when to terminate the harvest cycle.
water level sensor. When the water level in the
reservoir drops below the sensor, the control
Refrigeration System
terminates the freeze mode and initiates the
The hot gas refrigerant, under high pressure, is
harvest mode.
forced through the condenser, where it changes
The control signals the water valve to fill to the
into a liquid, and fl ows through the drier and
selected water level setting. The touch sensor
capillary tube into the evaporator. Under low
is used to accurately fill to the correct volume.
Depending on the ice thickness setting the fill
pressure in the evaporator, the liquid refrigerant
absorbs heat from the water fl owing over the
level is calculated by the amount of time it
takes the water to reach the touch sensor with
evaporator as the refrigerant evaporates into
a max time of 3 min. Thin Ice uses 35 ounces
a gas. As a low pressure gas, the refrigerant
(1035cc), Normal Ice 38.9 ounces (1153cc),
fl ows back through the suction line of the heat
and Thick Ice 40.9 ounces (1212cc).
exchanger, to the compressor.
OPERATIONAL MODES
During the Freeze mode, some of the hot gas
that is in the condenser accumulating tube,
condenses to a liquid, and remains in the ac-
cumulating tube.
During the later stages of the Freeze mode, as
the ice slab forms on the evaporator freezing
plate, some of the refrigerant passing through
the evaporator will not evaporate into a gas, but
will remain a liquid. This liquid refrigerant will
settle in the accumulator, while the refrigerant
vapor is sucked off through the suction tube at
the top of the accumulator. This accumulated
liquid refrigerant will eventually be directed to
the evaporator to quickly warm the evaporator
plate during the Harvest mode.
NOTE: It is very important that the accumulator
is not tilted out of a horizontal position. If moved,
it could cause compressor failure.
Water System
The water recirculating pump moves the water
from the reservoir pan up to the distributor,
where it fl ows out over the evaporator freez-
ing plate.
Water that does not freeze on the evaporator
plate runs off the front edge, and falls back into
the reservoir, where it is recirculated back to
the water distributor.
As the ice slab forms, the minerals in the water
are on the surface of the ice. The water fl ow-
ing over the top of the ice slab washes these
minerals back into the water reservoir pan. The
water continues to recirculate until the water
level in the reservoir drops to the bottom of the
water level sensor. When the water level in the
reservoir drops below the sensor, the control
terminates the freeze mode and initiates the
harvest mode.
The control signals the water valve to fill to the
selected water level setting. The touch sensor
is used to accurately fill to the correct volume.
Depending on the ice thickness setting the fill
level is calculated by the amount of time it
takes the water to reach the touch sensor with
a max time of 3 min. Thin Ice uses 35 ounces
(1035cc), Normal Ice 38.9 ounces (1153cc),
and Thick Ice 40.9 ounces (1212cc).
THEORY OF OPERATION
n
3-5