Anyone repair appliances? GE ice maker issue

[petehall347]

Re: Anyone repair appliances? GE ice maker issue

i blame the bean counters ..

[redwire]

Re: Anyone repair appliances? GE ice maker issue

... No, that's the engineer's job -- to SELECT (specify) components that are appropriate to the design at hand.

Nah- Product management gives a design cost-target to engineering. No point in building something that costs more than your competitors.

Look at PC power supplies. Designed to the penny and every electrolytic chosen to weigh overall cost verses lifetime.

GE, Crosley, Frigidaire, Maytag, Kenmore, Whirlpool etc. are no different. These appliances are designed to the penny but don't go far past their warranty date.
GE warranty seems to be 2-5 years on select parts.

[stj]

Re: Anyone repair appliances? GE ice maker issue

these specific caps used to be considered "the best", the type of part you choose for your space program or sound studio - they wherent cheap!

[Curious.George]

Re: Anyone repair appliances? GE ice maker issue

that's an end-product question.

Components are designed with end products in mind. You don't expect every component to be "top shelf" -- even if used in a piece of disposable kit?! Hence 1000hr and 5000hr caps, e.g.

components should be made from stuff that doesnt age if possible.
you dont know if they will end up in a ships radio, or a childs toy.

No, that's the engineer's job -- to SELECT (specify) components that are appropriate to the design at hand.

In many decades of design, I've only once been tasked with a design specification that clearly specified a "30 year lifespan". Virtually everything else was left to my discretion as to the quality of components I'd choose to meet the performance and price targets (longevity not being mentioned).

[I've only recently been tasked with designing consumer kit; most prior was industrial, commercial or medical]

[redwire]

Re: Anyone repair appliances? GE ice maker issue

I sent an email to Vishay asking why they still sell these crap Rifa PME271 series.

OP's fridge should be OK as there are no X-caps on the ice-maker?
It's 50/60Hz transformer-powered (no SMPS) and I think the caps are just to snubber the triacs. So a short would just leave the water solenoid on...

[stj]

Re: Anyone repair appliances? GE ice maker issue

This brings up an interesting question: how long should things plan on lasting?

that's an end-product question.

components should be made from stuff that doesnt age if possible.
you dont know if they will end up in a ships radio, or a childs toy.

and this is not an intentional problem, they probably didnt know the resin would crack - it doesnt crack in other electronics applications.
it may be a side-effect of it being translucent.

[Curious.George]

Re: Anyone repair appliances? GE ice maker issue

maybe they didnt plan for what happens 10 or even 20 or 30 years later.

This brings up an interesting question: how long should things plan on lasting? Note that designing for a longer lifespan adds to cost -- will most folks be willing to pay that additional cost?

[Of course, this depends on the market: designing a cell phone to last 10 years would probably be overkill. OTOH, designing a kilowatthour meter to only last 10 would be totally impractical from a business standpoint.]

TV? Microwave oven? ECU? <shrug>

[stj]

Re: Anyone repair appliances? GE ice maker issue

panasonic make cheap replacements.

the problem is the clear epoxy - they may not have realised at the time that it will slowly shrink.
it was a good idea in a way, use clear epoxy and you dont need an outer plastic box = saving money.

maybe they didnt plan for what happens 10 or even 20 or 30 years later.
the real problem, is they where considered the best, and are in a LOT of high end kit.
inc a lot of test gear.
and they are INSIDE a lot of those metal line-filters with the IEC socket built in.

[caphair]

Re: Anyone repair appliances? GE ice maker issue

what happens is the resin shrinks with age and cracks.
then moisture gets into the foil wrap and shorts it out.

Good to know. Are they cheap to use? Curious why they're used especially in a moisture prone area like a freezer.

Also glad to report it's making ice again

[stj]

Re: Anyone repair appliances? GE ice maker issue

what happens is the resin shrinks with age and cracks.
then moisture gets into the foil wrap and shorts it out.

[redwire]

Re: Anyone repair appliances? GE ice maker issue

Rifa/Kemet (PME271) capacitors fail in X-cap (across the line) applications.
I'm not sure why - if it's the epoxy or paper dielectric that shorts with age, or if it's due to mains transients the caps can't handle. I see many with the clear epoxy cracked.

Your icemaker PCB I see three of 2.2nF X2 275VAC, for snubber use.
If they are Rifa and one is an X-cap, I would replace them.
Wurth makes some low cost ones.

[sam_sam_sam]

Re: Anyone repair appliances? GE ice maker issue

Are they prone to failure?

Yes when I see this no name brand I replace them on site

[caphair]

Re: Anyone repair appliances? GE ice maker issue

with those caps, the more interesting question is: how long before your engulfed in smoke!
specially in a damp enviroment!!

Are they prone to failure?

[stj]

Re: Anyone repair appliances? GE ice maker issue

with those caps, the more interesting question is: how long before your engulfed in smoke!
specially in a damp enviroment!!

[CapLeaker]

Re: Anyone repair appliances? GE ice maker issue

that takes a few hours to do so... let her rip over night. If you got ice, its good!

[caphair]

Re: Anyone repair appliances? GE ice maker issue

How long before it starts producing ice? If it’s going to work

[caphair]

Re: Anyone repair appliances? GE ice maker issue

Ok so the thermal fuse seems fine tests good in continuity mode.

I’m hoping the ice release mechanism begins jammed was the only issue. It has power now as indicated by the green light when I close the door switch.

I can hear water being entered just have to wait I suppose to see if it produces ice

[budm]

Re: Anyone repair appliances? GE ice maker issue

https://www.badcaps.net/forum/attach...0&d=1533664557
You can see that red wire which is connected to the 'T.C.O' terminal of the PCB goes to one end of the fuse, anther end of the fuse connected to the black wire of the heater unit.

[redwire]

Re: Anyone repair appliances? GE ice maker issue

It seems to be a GE IM6.

Follow red wire PCB label "TCO" to the TCO fuse then heater, check ohms-- it only goes to the heater, so the motor should still run.
I usually find the thermistor gets knocked out of place on Samsung icemakers.

Diagnostic mode
"...If the Harvest state takes more than 7 minutes, the icemaker will initiate a Harvest Fix mode. In Harvest Fix Mode, if the Harvest state is not complete within 30 minutes, the icemaker will enter the Fault state. In the Fault state, the green light will flash. This often indicates the icemaker will need to be replaced."

Good to know the Lelon electrolytic works when cold lol

[stj]

Re: Anyone repair appliances? GE ice maker issue

i see it's got the infamous film caps on it - check them for cracks or splits.