Business

Why Does My Commercial Ice Maker Suddenly Stop Working

A commercial ice maker is one of the most crucial kitchen appliances when it comes to running a food business. Customers mostly prefer drinks being served chilled and the last thing you would want is your ice maker suddenly stop working. However, sometimes, you cannot prevent it from happening and immediately seek ice dispenser repair. But what you can do is get the machine running back to normal by following a few tips. Let’s begin!

Check The Water Supply

Sometimes, you might observe that your commercial ice maker is running perfectly fine but suddenly stops making ice. In this case, either the machine is turned or off, it won’t make any difference, since you won’t be getting any ice from the machine.

In this case, the first thing to check is the water supply. Most of the time, the water supply is not enough for the machine to produce ice. It might also be that the supply is blocked. Run your hand along the supply line and look for any leaks or clogs. If the pipe happens to be clogged or leaking, you will need to replace it and regularly clean it to prevent it from clogging in the future.

Check The Internal Thermostat

The internal thermostat is like the brain of the commercial ice maker. Keep in mind that commercial ice makers tend to be very sensitive to temperatures and can easily get affected by even a slight fluctuation in the temperatures. Therefore, if you notice that the machine is running but producing no ice, you will need to inspect the thermostat.

If the internal thermostat shows readings that are either too high or low, it will affect its ability to produce the proper amount of ice. With that said, it might need a readjustment or replacement. Furthermore, if the thermostat comes out to be fine, you will need to check the ambient temperature surrounding it.

If the ice maker is placed too close to other machines that produce heat, the thermostat will catch up on that and will increase or decrease the temperature of the ice maker accordingly. In simple words, the thermostat will get tricked into thinking that the actual temperature outside is high.

Check All The Filters On Your Ice Maker

Commercial ice makers come with water filters that keep the contaminants away. Just like air filters in air conditioners that keep the toxicants away and need to be cleaned or replaced after some time, the water filters in ice makers play the same role.

If the water filters tend to be choked, the machine will struggle to produce proper ice and the water supply will decline. Therefore, you will either need to thoroughly clean the water filter or replace it. Neglecting cleaning or replacing the ice maker water filters may cause the ice to smell, which is the last thing you would want your customers to be served.

Check The Electronic Components

If none of the tips above help solve the issue, you might be looking at an electrical problem. If the control arm is switched on and the ice maker is not making ice, you should check the power connection.

Unplug and reinsert the machine while checking the connections to ensure all are secure. If the machine still fails to turn on, you should check the circuit breaker and fuses. It might be that there is a blown fuse that is not allowing the machine to turn on. Replace the fuse and check if the machine works.

Should I Consult An Expert?

As a business owner, you must keep a lookout for unusual sounds or activities with your commercial ice maker. You can try determining the problem but when it comes to replacing or repairing, you should consult an expert.

Commercial ice makers are not cheap and can easily end up damaged if you play around with their internal components. Plus, you can end up injuring yourself as well. Therefore, it is better to pay an expert to solve the issue rather than saving some and putting yourself and the machine at risk.

Final Word

To sum it up, some commercial ice maker issues are inevitable. While you cannot stop them from taking place but can surely fix them within minutes and get the machine running normally. However, you will need the help of a commercial ice maker repair Fairfax technician to repair or replace any faulty components.