Ice Maker Issue

[fixbear]

An old contour cube machine. When you reset it and it starts, is the water tank full? When was it last cleaned with Scotsman ice machine cleaner? Very important with Scotsman contour cubes to use their cleaner. You say it uses a lot of water. That means the water valve is leaking and needs to be replaced. But you may also have dirty harvest detection eyes. Then it thinks that you never had a harvest and trips on a alarm after a long period.

What confuses me is that it’s a CME. They normally had a mechanical control system. But you say that it has LED’s. So it has to have the early electronic control. In which case you’ll have electronic bin and harvest system. Each side of the grid at the bottom of the evaporator slightly below and forward of the grid will be 2 holes. Inside the holes are eyes that detect the falling ice or a full bin. Wood Q–tips will work, but it’s better to remove them and clean the faces.

[CDL]

Its Old but the pics I have found online I’m 99.5% sure a 12-2838-24 Universal Controller is the exact match to the one in this machine, as for it being LEDS I have no Idea?? Bin Sensor eye’s were replaced in April of 2023 and the water pump a few months before that. Local Shop has been very good the past few years keeping this thing chugging away. When they come out recently they said we need a new machine as they could no longer find parts. I can still find parts pretty easy so we think they just wanna sell a unit. And as I said in OP as long as I cycle it every 20 minutes it works has a been full of Ice right now. We are just curious if the Bin Sensor Control might be bad of if main controller is bad. Im no Ice machine guy but it sure acts like that old 12-2838-24 is the issue not allowing it to cycle???? I don’t know how to check the water tank?? Thanks

[fixbear]

They are giving you good information. The machine was phased out in the nineties. I don’t see you machine to evaluate it, but look at the frame for rust and corrosion. Usually the bottom rails get rusty and often get tagged by health inspections. Then look at the evaporator plate when dry. Is there flaking, chips, or a dull pitted surface? Very common if the wrong de-scaler was used.

The only CME’s that are still supported are above 1000 pound machines with multiple evaporators. But that’s because they used different sensors for the harvest. So Controllers are available, but very costly from what they were. Over $850. Last one I replaced was $160. Water valves are commonly available.

Have you pulled the trouble codes from it? That would enable us to narrow down the real problem. I’m thinking that it’s tripping on a harvest problem. But they usually try again after 50 min 3 times. Then lock out. Since they got taken over there has been a lot of changes. Last I heard Ice-O-Matic, Scotsman and Cornelius are now one. I think it was Consolidated brands. If you are looking to replace it, I’d be looking at Manitowoc or Hoshizaki. I understand it’s hard to give up the contour cube, but 1/2 dice or the Hoshi work good for drink volume percentage. All depends on your local support system.