Manitowoc Ice machine taking too long to harvest..

Q-1300 series barely harvesting, sometimes not at all. Ice just hangs there, and the plate looks good. Remote condenser was cleaned, subcooling about 27-30 degrees at the ice-maker, before the heat exchanger.Pressures normal, according to the service manual.The Harvest Pressure Regulator valve frosts up, or at least gets cold, when harvesting ice, even though it's taking gas off the top of the receiver.I'm thinking it's either the HPR going bad, or it's grossly over charged.The headmaster on the condenser seems to be working, as in it doesn't seem to be bypassing, as noted by the subcoolin measurement.Also checked too see if the machine was level, and it was.No water valves are leaking by, but incoming water is about 85 degrees F.Not out of spec, but kinda close. also condenser air incoming temp is about 96 degrees F.Discharge temp at the comp is in the 180 deg F range, but getting down to 100 in harvest mode.It's a R-404 machine, and I'm gonna pull the charge tomorrow, weigh it, and probably change the HPR valve as well as the headmaster. I hope I'm On the right track here as Ive only worked on about 8-10 ice machines, none were Manitowoc.
Any suggestions would be appreciated!!

Activate the thickness stat or micro switch and see if you can hear and feel the hot gas valve working. Also is the water hard or soft I.e., a lot of lime scale on the evap plate if there is the ice sticks to it.

Is the icemaker using a well and pump to circulate the water? If it is you could try using cold water from another source, 85 seems very high to me here in england. Had trouble with bactaria build up on ice makers causing poor harvests , due to jets , pumps and filters being blocked I use miltons or anything that cleans babys bottles. dill. :

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Originally Posted by jan behnke

Activate the thickness stat or micro switch and see if you can hear and feel the hot gas valve working. Also is the water hard or soft I.e., a lot of lime scale on the evap plate if there is the ice sticks to it.

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Both hot gas valves are energizing and I'm getting about 100 deg F entering the evap plate, which I feel may be not warm enough.
Also the evap plate is very clean.

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Originally Posted by dill

Is the icemaker using a well and pump to circulate the water? If it is you could try using cold water from another source, 85 seems very high to me here in england. Had trouble with bactaria build up on ice makers causing poor harvests , due to jets , pumps and filters being blocked I use miltons or anything that cleans babys bottles. dill. :

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I live here in Florida, and the water piping is run in the ceiling, which is probably helping to heat up the water, but it has been like this since it was installed. It may cut down production, along with the 95-97 deg F air entering the rooftop condenser, but I don't think this is the cause. Also I cleaned up what little algae and bacteria already.

Hi on that type is there a push bar in the middle of the Evap plate if so check this
Jan

I think the manitowoc is a fantastic machine and a lot of major companies are changing from scotsman to manatowoc over hear I,ve had the same problem onsmaller units than your type.The fault has always been the gas charge they advise you to take pressure with guage only as the gas lost in your line is enough to cause a fault.The machine will make three atempts then throw up a fault I will try and get you a phone number for help as there tech line is good.

Regards bernard

I could use the Phone number, thanks.

As far as using a gauge only to check pressures, I understand the reasoning, but this is a remote condenser type unit, and uses 12.5 lbs of refrigerant.I don't think checking the pressures with a standard gauge and hose setup would cause the refrigerant to fractionalize very much in this unit.
I'm leaning more towards the unit being overcharged, or the harvest pressure regulator valve being bad, as I was getting frost on the tubing directly after it going into the compressor.
This valve is supposedly just taking vapor from the top of the receiver, and I don't think it should be frosting up. I would think that it would only frost if it was getting liquid refrigerant, and then the harvest pressure regulator would kinda act like a TEV. This is why I'm leaning more towards an overcharge.
I'll find out soon enough the next time I get back there.
Also this is the first time I've worked on this particular machine, so I have no idea on it's history, other than the PC board was changed out 2 months ago.

Damn I'm long-winded, huh? :D

Manitowoc USA factory support #: 800-545-5720

You don't state what discharge pressure is during harvest but that pressures are per the manual. The book you need is the Manitowoc Service Technician's Handbook for the Q Model ice machine. It provides operating pressures for ice-making and harvest cycles for a range of ambients. Harvest discharge pressure must be in the range of 140-200 PSIG for the Q1300 remote at 90F ambient.

Discharge temperature will not help you, you must have discharge pressures correct, per the manual, for the given ambient or your harvest will be too slow. I have had to replace a couple of HPR valves since they stopped using Sporlan valves. Interestingly, the replacements they ship out are Sporlan.

There is also a trouble-shooting section that allows you to analyze system performance. I have found it helpful in the past.

Good luck,

Rog

Hi Guys,
Manitowoc ice machines are OK until they go wrong and then try getting parts. :eek:
UK source for parts is Cross Refrigeration in Ireland. Nothing standard, even condenser fan motors are OEM as universals don't fit on the brackets.
For my money you cannot beat a Scotsman, parts avilable same day near Ipswich.Best technical helpline i have ever phoned and fairly straighforward.
Phillips/whirlpool machines are also very easy to work on and parts readily available from NRS

As with all machines they need a filter/softener on them as limescale soon screws things up on them.

Regards

Fatboy

If you contact Manitowoc by phone ask for Randy DeBauch. He is terrific tech rep and nice fellow. His e-mail is rdebauch@manitowocice.com
He answerers you really fast

Silly simple question: Is the machine level? the angled lower edge of each 'cup' allows the ice to slip off the evaporator and if the machine is leaning to the rear even a little bit it can compromise harvest times.

Is the water curtain on the machine ?

It will not go in to harvest with the curtain removed.

So...It's been 5 months, making ice yet?:D

I am having a similar problem but my unit, Series 100 is freezing up and will not drop the ice. Does anyone know where to get a manual for this series 100?

Email is woodykirby@comcast.net.
Thanks

Go to the Manitowoc website. Download service manuals.
Their trouble shooting section has always worked for me ( with a little imagination). I have worked on 30-40 Manitowocs' and have always been able to solve the problems.....Good luck

sounds like the thinkness stat is faultly
( serious 100)

Worked with almost every ice maker out there. I am partial to Manitowoc units because they put engineering thought into improvements and there is room to get to what you need to. Check time out of board and verify you are getting full harvest time. Had problem with short cycle . Changed board and that's that. Also, fact. support is one of the best in the business. Just have ALL THE INFO they want when you call. The checklist is in tech book or online. Their time is valuable to them and don't like to waste it. FEISTY

try this ... I guarantee it will work

clean the machine well , then turn it off let it dry, and then spray it with non stick cooking spray like PAM or similar.
flip the switch to ice
first two ice making cycles --throw them away -- after that ice machine will make ice and harvest like new--believe me it works

well never mind about the guarantee lol
but it worked for me
let me know how it works for you!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by nyTroX

Q-1300 series barely harvesting, sometimes not at all. Ice just hangs there, and the plate looks good. Remote condenser was cleaned, subcooling about 27-30 degrees at the ice-maker, before the heat exchanger.Pressures normal, according to the service manual.The Harvest Pressure Regulator valve frosts up, or at least gets cold, when harvesting ice, even though it's taking gas off the top of the receiver.I'm thinking it's either the HPR going bad, or it's grossly over charged.The headmaster on the condenser seems to be working, as in it doesn't seem to be bypassing, as noted by the subcoolin measurement.Also checked too see if the machine was level, and it was.No water valves are leaking by, but incoming water is about 85 degrees F.Not out of spec, but kinda close. also condenser air incoming temp is about 96 degrees F.Discharge temp at the comp is in the 180 deg F range, but getting down to 100 in harvest mode.It's a R-404 machine, and I'm gonna pull the charge tomorrow, weigh it, and probably change the HPR valve as well as the headmaster. I hope I'm On the right track here as Ive only worked on about 8-10 ice machines, none were Manitowoc.
Any suggestions would be appreciated!!

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you already checked the hot gas valve? for my evaluation maybe the diameter of hot gas valve getting small if the new hot gas valve design is 42 bar the valve diameter of valve is enough to entering.the hot gas it should 90 to 110 psi if lower than 90 there will have a problem in deforsting

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Originally Posted by beh25

you already checked the hot gas valve? for my evaluation maybe the diameter of hot gas valve getting small if the new hot gas valve design is 42 bar the valve diameter of valve is enough to entering.the hot gas it should 90 to 110 psi if lower than 90 there will have a problem in deforsting

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this thread was started in 2004

Quote:

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Originally Posted by nyTroX

Q-1300 series barely harvesting, sometimes not at all. Ice just hangs there, and the plate looks good. Remote condenser was cleaned, subcooling about 27-30 degrees at the ice-maker, before the heat exchanger.Pressures normal, according to the service manual.The Harvest Pressure Regulator valve frosts up, or at least gets cold, when harvesting ice, even though it's taking gas off the top of the receiver.I'm thinking it's either the HPR going bad, or it's grossly over charged.The headmaster on the condenser seems to be working, as in it doesn't seem to be bypassing, as noted by the subcoolin measurement.Also checked too see if the machine was level, and it was.No water valves are leaking by, but incoming water is about 85 degrees F.Not out of spec, but kinda close. also condenser air incoming temp is about 96 degrees F.Discharge temp at the comp is in the 180 deg F range, but getting down to 100 in harvest mode.It's a R-404 machine, and I'm gonna pull the charge tomorrow, weigh it, and probably change the HPR valve as well as the headmaster. I hope I'm On the right track here as Ive only worked on about 8-10 ice machines, none were Manitowoc.
Any suggestions would be appreciated!!

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If you head and suction pressure are lower that published in the tech hand book, replaced the HPR solenoid and HPR valve. It is not the headmaster and in temps above 70F ambient outside it is not the headmaster.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by nyTroX

Q-1300 series barely harvesting, sometimes not at all. Ice just hangs there, and the plate looks good. Remote condenser was cleaned, subcooling about 27-30 degrees at the ice-maker, before the heat exchanger.Pressures normal, according to the service manual.The Harvest Pressure Regulator valve frosts up, or at least gets cold, when harvesting ice, even though it's taking gas off the top of the receiver.I'm thinking it's either the HPR going bad, or it's grossly over charged.The headmaster on the condenser seems to be working, as in it doesn't seem to be bypassing, as noted by the subcoolin measurement.Also checked too see if the machine was level, and it was.No water valves are leaking by, but incoming water is about 85 degrees F.Not out of spec, but kinda close. also condenser air incoming temp is about 96 degrees F.Discharge temp at the comp is in the 180 deg F range, but getting down to 100 in harvest mode.It's a R-404 machine, and I'm gonna pull the charge tomorrow, weigh it, and probably change the HPR valve as well as the headmaster. I hope I'm On the right track here as Ive only worked on about 8-10 ice machines, none were Manitowoc.
Any suggestions would be appreciated!!

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Troy,
Assuming you verified the charge, and you have the tech handbook and suction pressure at end of freeze is per the lowest value for end of freeze. Yor headmaster will hot bypass in ambients above 70F unless the condender coil is getting wet. With that said look at your harvest pressures. In harvest they should be higher that lowest numbers listed for harvest. If they are both lower your suspicion of the HPR valve not working is correct. BUT if the head is higher than published and suction is lower that published you have one of the hot gas valves not opening all the way. Both outlet could still be hot but watch how the melting is. You have two refrigeration circuits on that evap left and right just like the TX valves.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by tetovari

well never mind about the guarantee lol
but it worked for me
let me know how it works for you!

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thanks, it really worked. the ice fell.:D

Can anybody help me ? I have a fairly new Manitowoc Ice Maker S series cubed Ice version.

I moved it to another location, now when I turn it on it goes through the cycles but the water in the tray just gets warm !

Any Ideas ??

Thanks for your help .

Mick

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Originally Posted by MrPhoto

Can anybody help me ? I have a fairly new Manitowoc Ice Maker S series cubed Ice version.

I moved it to another location, now when I turn it on it goes through the cycles but the water in the tray just gets warm !

Any Ideas ??

Thanks for your help .

Mick

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Sounds like you forgot to put refrigerant in. Lol.

Sorry couldn't resist.

This thread is from 2004. You might have better luck if you start a new thread with this issue. :o