Polar T316 Ice Machine Fault

[j_kitch4]

Hi All, Wondered if any one could help. i have had a Polar T316 Ice Machine for around a year. Worked fine untill the cold spell back in December. Now it doesnt seperate the ice before dropping it, so you get one great big ice cube, made up of 25 smaller ones. Any ideas. (it worked fine for a couple of hours the other week, but then started doing it again.

Thanks

[davros]

Hi I am having the same problem as j_kitch4 any help and advice pease

[install monkey]

adjust the ice thickness stat-u want a thin film of ice so the slab drops as one then with the thin film of ice it will break into the desired cubes

[Mr_Burger]

Hi
We're having the same issue as well. How the hell do you adjust the ice thickness??

Where is the ice sensor? Is it the water temp sensor on the agitator flow pipe, is it the twin level sensor or something else..?

I recently had to tighten the tray nut to prevent the tray falling under the weight of the water, which was no big deal, but I'd like to stop it making blocks of ice...

Thanks

[charlie patt]

there is no ice thickness stat on this machine

[Mr_Burger]

So how do you stop it making blocks of ice, can you adjust something to reduce the time before the ice is dropped?

Cheers

[Andy AC]

You need to replace the water temp sensor.

Andy

[Mr_Burger]

Is that a known fix?

Are you saying that the machine guages the thickness of the ice, with a sensor strapped to the back of the agitator 'return flow' pipe...?

I initially thought the 'twin pin' level sensor might be involved as it touches the ice once they're ready to drop...The water sensor is nowhere near the ice..

How can the machine use just the water temp to know the ice readiness, surely the ambient temperature would upset that mechanism??

Cheers

[monkey spanners]

Hey MrBurger,

Just had a look on the spare parts list such as it is for polar ice makers and they list a evap temp sensor, so i expect this is what controls ice thickness, might need a new sensor, or an adjustment made on the thickness thingy tweeker where ever that is. (not had the pleasure of working on one of these)

[Mr_Burger]

Isn't the evap sensor only there to prevent the evaporator from freezing up by cutting out the compressor?

This thing does make ice, but if it dropped 5mins earlier each time, it would be fine :)

[al]

There is no thickness sensor, just the as andy said the temperature probe. Some quick fixes you can try, check that the water tray is free to close up fully, if not loosen all retaining screws and gently move it so when coming up it isn't obstructed.

Make sure the condenser is clean, one of my customers has one and it broke my heart for 3 months, replaced tray motor, water solenoid and evap temperature sensor, working fine now and out of warranty:)

i got good back up from Nisbets though.

al

[Mr_Burger]

ok, thanks for that..

BTW, that's the part strapped to the agitator return pipe yes? (not the level sensor)

[al]

Yep, i think so:) never got a parts diagram for it and memory is fading fast!

The two prongs are only to control water level, so make sure machine is absolutely level, you can adjust amount of water in tray by moving this part.

al

[Mr_Burger]

Thanks for all your suggestions :)

Where's the best place to get the sensor? (I think I saw it for under £10 somwhere)

I can't believe it actually measures the water temp in order to conclude when the ice is ready...

(chances are, once the sensor has been replaced, it'll do the same thing as it's only wrong by about 5mins lol, but it's worth a shot)

Cheers

[chemi-cool]

If there is a timer for defrosting [as in ice-o-matic], simply increase the time.
You could have also lost some of the refrigerant charge causing the defrost to be too cold.
It runs on R134 so I would expect some restriction in the drier, replace the refrigerant and drier.

http://www.nisbets.co.uk/downloads/T316%20Exploded%20Parts.pdf

[Mr_Burger]

Hi
If their was a timer, I would be reducing it in order to trigger the drop 5mins earlier :)

I don't have any reason to suspect the refrigerant as the unit chills and heats swiftly enough, it's just that it waits too long before it triggers the defrost cycle to drop the ice :(

I suppose if the unit was 'too' efficient at making ice (causing it to freeze into a block) then a modification to the gas level (to reduce that) would work, as long as it is a timer circuit..
(& yes I know that sounds stupid, but if you can't mod the timer....)

Perhaps I should call the company up and ask them what the official trigger is for the ice..

Does anyone have a number for them?

Cheers

[monkey spanners]

Try here,

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=polar+t316

MS

[charlie patt]

the ice level is controlled by the sensor in the tray yes the sensor sits in the water and registers the resistance sending a signal to a pcb, what useually happens is it build to much ice then the nut runs lose on the motor and the tray sticks due to sensor fault, then by next month the pcb will go then in about month 15 the braising on the condensors go and if yours had fs control expect burning one day

[Mr_Burger]

Which sensor :) the temp or the level sensor?

Cheers

[Andy AC]

The temp sensor, forget about the level sensor

[Mr_Burger]

Thanks guys.

I'll get one of these (http://www.nisbets.co.uk/products/productdetail.asp?productCode=AA244) then...

Am I reading the price correct there, I've seen that sensor at £10...

I'll also look and ensure the tray is deffinately level (and the machine, again) as more water would be dispensed into the tray if it's too low, affecting the sensor no doubt..

Cheers

[Andy AC]

I'd get a couple while you are at it, they don't seem to last long.
yes they are cheap.

Andy

[Mr_Burger]

ok. I'll also be getting some other items for it as prevention is better than cure with these things no doubt :)

Thanks

[Mr_Burger]

Quick update (in case any1 else Googles this)

I took the ice bin probe and swapped it with the water proce (as they're the same) and it made cubes perfectly fine, although obviously it wouldn't stop as it filled up so ordered a few probes and the problem was history..

Thanks guys

[better]

ice thickness dependson icing time

[Odd Job Bob]

Hi.
Have just fitted new motor and tray to one of these machines and can not stop it from faulting.
It appears that when the machine harvests the tray lowers till it hits the edge of the stainless steel mounting base at the top of the machine, waits, then returns to 'normal' position, however, it is not raising all the way up to the correct position causing the water level to be lower than the sensor when the tray fills.
This is NOT a sensor problem. I then undo the nut on the motor shaft, hold the tray up as far as it goes, re-tighten the nut and it does the same again!...... Ideas Please! Thanks

[charlie patt]

motor is shot i now its a new one you have fitted but dont be suprised when the motor goes down.... they are not very strong did you get just a motor or the motor with the modified housing .... its on a timer then when it returns up it hits the hall effect transmitter and terminats its the one with the white paint on i have fitted new motors and heard them strip the teeth on the way down then the bin does not sit level make sure the hall effect transmitter is correct way around and check there is also no play in the alan key if there aint the motor is gone the only other thing you can check is you have the correct speed motor if there is any play in the bin check the shaft and the key if tight get a new modified motor