Question for Vic Willman

T

tmal2

Member
Joined
Jan 18, 2004
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12663
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Vic, I've read many of your posts here regarding Raratin ice makers and I have not seen my issue addressed yet so I'll ask here.

I've got a late 80s Raratin ice maker that's in pretty good shape since it's in my cabin and not outside. A few years ago I had the ice making mechanism replaced because it was broken.

The problem I'm having now is that although the unit is still making ice, It's doing it very slowly. It appears to me that only half the tray is being filled with water so only 8 cubes (I think the total available is 16) are made at a time. I'm not positive this is what's happening but that's what it seems like

Have you ever heard of this problem and do you have any idea of what the problem may be?

Thanks in advance. It's great having someone like you here to help others with problems like this.
 
FYI Vic, I never knew that anti freeze should never be used to winterize ice makers so my new ice making mechanism has had antifreeze in it the last 3-4 years since I had it replaced. Could this be part of the problem? DOH!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
With a unit that old, the screen on the water valve may be plugged up. Turn off water, remove lower grille and inside, on the right-hand side, you'll see a garden hose connector that screws onto the water valve. Remove the connector and clean off the screen. Then carefully replace the garden hose connector, being careful not to cross-thread it. Once you're sure it is going on straight, tighten it securely with pliers.

If that doesn't solve the problem, remove the cover from the front of the icemaker unit inside the machine. On the bottom of the cover are two slots that you put a screw driver into, then twist it to pop the cover loose. Then inside, on the top-right side of the metal plate is a horizontal screw that is spring-loaded. You'll see a plus and a minus stamped into the metal plate. Adjust the screw about two turns in the plus direction to increase the amount of water coming into the ice mold. If the water level is correct, when the cubes come out, they should be "just" joined together in the rear, then they should break apart when they drop into the ice bin. You can back off the adjustment screw to add more water until it hits the screw "stop" that restricts how far it can be adjusted, DO NOT remove that screw, or water will come in continually and flood the area.

Regarding anti-freeze for winterizing, the ice mold is lined with a smooth epoxy coating to aid in removing the formed ice cubes during the ejection cycle. If the anti-freeze gets into the mold, it attacks this epoxy coating, and over time, the coating comes off. Then you get flecks of the aluminum mold included with your ice cubes - not a good situation!

Depending on the age and model, the machine will produce either 8 cubes or 12 cubes at a time. Most of the U-Line units produce 12 cubes per load, with each cube approximately 1/4" wide. The older U-Line units (mid '80's and before) and the current Raritan units all produce 8 cubes per batch, which are roughly 5/8" wide.
 
quote:
Originally posted by Vic Willman

With a unit that old, the screen on the water valve may be plugged up. Turn off water, remove lower grille and inside, on the right-hand side, you'll see a garden hose connector that screws onto the water valve. Remove the connector and clean off the screen. Then carefully replace the garden hose connector, being careful not to cross-thread it. Once you're sure it is going on straight, tighten it securely with pliers.
Click to expand...


Thanks for the input Vic. I'll check that out but I don't think that's the problem since I replaced that valve last year.

quote:
If that doesn't solve the problem, remove the cover from the front of the icemaker unit inside the machine. On the bottom of the cover are two slots that you put a screw driver into, then twist it to pop the cover loose. Then inside, on the top-right side of the metal plate is a horizontal screw that is spring-loaded. You'll see a plus and a minus stamped into the metal plate. Adjust the screw about two turns in the plus direction to increase the amount of water coming into the ice mold. If the water level is correct, when the cubes come out, they should be "just" joined together in the rear, then they should break apart when they drop into the ice bin. You can back off the adjustment screw to add more water until it hits the screw "stop" that restricts how far it can be adjusted, DO NOT remove that screw, or water will come in continually and flood the area.
Click to expand...

The cubes do come out joined already Vic so should I disregard this step?

quote:
Depending on the age and model, the machine will produce either 8 cubes or 12 cubes at a time. Most of the U-Line units produce 12 cubes per load, with each cube approximately 1/4" wide. The older U-Line units (mid '80's and before) and the current Raritan units all produce 8 cubes per batch, which are roughly 5/8" wide.

Click to expand...


FYI, I mentioned in my first post that I had the ice making mechanism replaced a few years ago. I realized this weekend that the repair shop actually installed a U-Line unit into my Raritan. I don't know if this makes a difference or not.
After observing the machine this past weekend the problem seems to me that the machine takes a very long time to eject the cubes and this is why it takes so long to fill the bucket.
I had the machine running for almost 3 hours today and only had 11-15 cubes in the bucket after all that time.

What would cause the ice maker to run so slow and what can I do about it?

Thanks again Vic. You're an asset to boatered.
 
tmal2, find the cold adjustment. It should be on the right-hand side, behind the lower grille. Adjust it as far counter-clockwise as it will go - to the warmest position. If the cold control is good, that should speed things up. Contrary to popular belief, adjusting it to a warmer setting will actually speed up the rate at which the cubes are ejected. As long as they're good and hard when they come out, you can leave it at the warmest setting forever.

For general info: setting it for a colder temperature will actually slow down the rate at which the cubes are ejected. The cold adjustment controls when the refrigeration system shuts down and the ejection cycle begins, as well as controlling the overall box temperature.

So, as long as the box is cold enough to freeze the ice, it's cold enough! There's no good reason to make it any colder, as that will only postpone when the ejection cycle begins. The thing to do is speed it up - and that is done by setting it for a warmer temperature.
 
quote:
Originally posted by Vic Willman

tmal2, find the cold adjustment. It should be on the right-hand side, behind the lower grille. Adjust it as far counter-clockwise as it will go - to the warmest position. If the cold control is good, that should speed things up. Contrary to popular belief, adjusting it to a warmer setting will actually speed up the rate at which the cubes are ejected. As long as they're good and hard when they come out, you can leave it at the warmest setting forever.

For general info: setting it for a colder temperature will actually slow down the rate at which the cubes are ejected. The cold adjustment controls when the refrigeration system shuts down and the ejection cycle begins, as well as controlling the overall box temperature.

So, as long as the box is cold enough to freeze the ice, it's cold enough! There's no good reason to make it any colder, as that will only postpone when the ejection cycle begins. The thing to do is speed it up - and that is done by setting it for a warmer temperature.

Click to expand...


Thank you Vic. You're a wealth of information. I'll do that tomorrow and let you know how it goes.

You say that the cold control will be behind the grill on the right hand side. That's where my water valve is and I don't remember seeing anything else in that area. It that where I should be looking?
 
It should be along the top edge, above the water valve. It should have a sticker there with an arrow, saying "COLDER." It's a simple screw driver adjustment.
 
quote:
Originally posted by Vic Willman

It should be along the top edge, above the water valve. It should have a sticker there with an arrow, saying "COLDER." It's a simple screw driver adjustment.

Click to expand...


Vic, There was no label but I think I found it. Is it the screw circled in red in this pic?

cid__0728091514.jpg


FYI, Based on an old post of yours to me last year that I stumbled across I realize that my unit (Raritan 48 or 49. Can't remember the number) was actually made my U-Line but branded Raritan.
 
tmal2, yes that's the cold control adjustment - turn it counter-clockwise as far as it will go.

Before 1991, Raritan icemakers were actually built by U-Line, with the Raritan name on them. There was a private-labeling agreement in place at the time. All through the '70's and '80's, Raritan Icer-ettes were actually built by U-Line. Some time around 1990, there was a falling out between the two companies, leading to a "divorce." Beginning with the 1991 models, Raritan Icer-ette units were actually built by Raritan.

Note: From when Raritan began building their own units (1991 models), all the way to the present day, they only built them in two sizes 14" wide X 24" tall and 14" wide X 18 3/8" tall. These are the actual cabinet sizes; any mounting flanges are not included in the dimensions.

U-Line's models 48 and 98 are somewhat larger in overall size (approx. 15" wide x 27" tall). Raritan does not manufacture a model in that size.
 
Hey Vic, Just got back from the boat and I gotta tell you, I'm losing faith. I turned the temp all the way down yesterday and 24 hours later I only had 1/2 a bucket of ice. I did manually put the unit into harvesting mode as you mentioned in another thread and what I observed was that the cubes seemed to be frozen in place and the fingers could not get them out. I know you mentioned something about a heater at one point and wondered if you think that may be the problem.
As I mentioned earlier, the ice making mechanism is only 2.5 years old so I hope it's not something broken in there.

One other thing, the one time I was able to see the cubes eject, only 10 cubes came out instead of 12. Other times I've seen 8 come out. Any thoughts?

Thanks again for all your input

Capt. Tim
 
Tim, check to be sure the machine is sitting level while the boat is docked. It may be tilted one way or the other, causing water to accumulate at one end of the mold, with none at the other end. This will slow it down when it is trying to eject the cubes, as the cubes are too thick in that area. You may have to shim up one side of the machine or the other.

Beyond that, I don't know - new machine???
 
quote:
Originally posted by Vic Willman

Tim, check to be sure the machine is sitting level while the boat is docked. It may be tilted one way or the other, causing water to accumulate at one end of the mold, with none at the other end. This will slow it down when it is trying to eject the cubes, as the cubes are too thick in that area. You may have to shim up one side of the machine or the other.

Beyond that, I don't know - new machine???

Click to expand...


Thanks again for all the help Vic. I'll check that out
 
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