GE Opal Ice Maker Troubleshooting
There are certain expectations when it comes to the food service industry, and a chilled beverage is one of them. You certainly can’t get away with serving a warm soda or a cocktail without ice, so when your ice maker goes down, your profit margin goes with it. If there’s a big event on the horizon or you’re running a business, the pressure is on to get it back up and running as fast as humanly possible. That’s why we’ve created this guide to help walk you through GE Opal ice maker troubleshooting.
GE Ice Maker not Making Ice
You bought an ice machine thinking you’d never again have to suffer through another room-temperature drink but, alas, you open the ice bin only to find it as empty and as dry as a keg during prohibition. Or maybe your machine is taunting you by making ice at the rate of two cubes an hour, and you’ve had enough. Whatever it is, we’ll get to the bottom of it!
Let’s go through a few troubleshooting points to see if we can’t figure this out.
- Blocked ice chute – One of the primary causes for little to no ice production is ice buildup in the chute. If this is what’s causing the problem, you can simply turn off your machine and wait for the ice to melt.
- Note: a blocked ice chute will also cause your Opal to falsely indicate that its ice bin is full.
- Not enough water – Your ice maker can’t make ice if it doesn’t have its most important ingredient. Check the reservoir. Sometimes it’s as easy as adding water.
- Ice bin is out of place – The Opal won’t make more ice if it thinks there’s nothing to catch its hard work. Jiggle the bin and see if it snaps into place.
- Blocked sensor – If ice or mineral deposits have built up on the sensors, they’ll misread the bin as being full and not produce any more ice. Get a vinegar-soaked cotton swab and gently scrub the sensors and see if this doesn’t solve the problem. (They’re located within the ice chute).
Still Not Working?
If after you’ve checked for the above problems, and your ice maker is still not working, fear not! There are still two more things you can try.
- Clean your machine – Using regular tap water in your ice maker can cause hard water deposits to build up on critical parts. Try cleaning your GE Opal ice maker with vinegar.
- Try a reset – Everyone hates the question, “Have you tried turning it off and on again?" But, hey, computers need their sleep, too. Unplug your machine and wait a few hours before plugging it back in.
GE Opal Ice Maker Making Noises
It’s normal for a new ice machine to make noise and is usually not a cause for major concern. If your ice maker is whirring, buzzing, rattling, gurgling, humming, clicking, squeaking or is in any manner speaking to you, don’t be alarmed. Check out the following list of GE Opal ice maker noises and their accompanying explanations.
Ge Ice Maker Making Loud Noise
Loud pumping noises might be the result of system flushing. If this is the case, you can add more water to try dampening the noise, but it should resolve within the first 5 minutes of operation.
Whirring Noise
When you first turn on your ice maker, you might hear the condenser fan whirring away. These are all healthy operating noises that just means your machine is working the way it was designed to.
Buzzing Noise
When first starting up, the water pump is dry, so it’ll take a few seconds before it fills with water, creating a constant flow and eliminating any unwanted noises.
Rattling Noise
This lovely sound is caused by the refrigerant flowing through the condenser. These are just your average of the mill growing pains that will resolve on their own once the refrigerant system has a chance to stabilize.
Gurgling Noise
A gurgling noise might occur when the refrigerant system shuts off. When the refrigerant suddenly stops moving, it disrupts the air flow through the piping, causing that telltale gurgle that we all know and love.
Humming Noise
If your ice maker is issuing a low tone humming sound, that'll be the condenser. It’s like any other motor–they make a little noise in their daily operations, but it’s nothing to worry about.
Clicking Noise
Clicking noises are the name of the game and means that your ice maker is doing its thing! If you’re hearing clicking noises shortly after booting up, that’s the nuggets filling up the ice bin. It’s a little worse in the beginning because they have a longer ways to fall, but it’ll get less noisy as it fills up.
Squeaking Noise
If you’re hearing a persistent squeak from your ice maker, it’s likely that the Opal needs to defrost the excess ice that’s built up from its natural operations. You don’t need to do anything about it, though–it’ll start its defrosting cycle all on its own. During the 30-45 minute period where it’s unfreezing itself, be aware that you won’t be able to use the front button. This is totally normal and does not mean your ice maker is broken. You’ll regain the ability to use it once it's finished.
Note: If you’re hearing a frequent squeaking noise, you should clean your GE Opal ice maker with vinegar to remove any excess hard water deposits that could be clogging your machine and causing it to squeak.
Opal Ice Maker Side Tank Not Working
Issues with the Opal side tank not working can usually be traced back to hoses either being incorrectly attached or positioned.
- Improperly attached – The Opal has two hoses. One is labeled A, and the other B. Make sure hose B is hooked up to the side tank and hose A is attached to the main unit. The side tank will not work if they are switched.
- Improperly positioned – The tubes need to lie flat for water to flow freely. You can also try tilting the tank towards the hoses to help the process along.
Opal Ice Maker Keeps Shutting Off/Turning On by Itself
It might seem like your ice maker is possessed when it suddenly jumps to life, cranking out ice cubes at two in the morning when you thought you had turned it off. Or maybe you have the opposite problem, and your Opal is happily spitting out nuggets when, tragically, it dies. Here’s a few reasons why this might happen and what you can do to fix it.
- Suddenly turns on – It’s scheduled in the SmartHQ app. If the schedule is enabled in the app, it will produce ice during selected hours. To disable this feature, go into the app and turn off “schedule” or unplug the ice maker for a few seconds before plugging it back in.
- Suddenly turns off – The Opal will automatically turn itself off after 5 minutes if the ice bin isn’t properly seated.