The short answer for this family
On the Alpha PAR RD RDBM family, an ice maker making no ice, or bad ice is usually the fill valve and the supply behind it. A bottom-mount machine breathes at floor level, so a dirty condenser is the single most likely thing behind almost any complaint on this family. The brand-generic article for this symptom ranks a compartment that is not cold enough to make ice first; on this platform it does not.
What you observe on these models
- Which of the family's models you are standing in front of — The matrix on this page is a single masked model whose family key marks it as the bottom-mount build, and that is worth reading first, because a bottom-mount machine breathes at floor level, so a dirty condenser is the single most likely thing behind almost any complaint on this family.
- The mould is dry and nothing has filled it — Water is not arriving. That is upstream of the ice maker and usually upstream of the appliance.
- Cubes are small, hollow or misshapen — Some water is arriving but not enough, or not for long enough.
- The bin holds one fused block rather than cubes — Ice that has melted slightly and refrozen has bridged, and a bridged bin stops the ejector.
Causes, most likely first on the RDBM family
- The fill valve and the supply behind it — Ranked first because a bottom-mount machine breathes at floor level, so a dirty condenser is the single most likely thing behind almost any complaint on this family.
- A compartment that is not cold enough to make ice — Second. The platform here is a cabinet whose condensing unit sits at the bottom, where it draws its air from floor level, and a compartment a few degrees warm still keeps food while producing nothing but slush.
- The shut-off arm or bin sensor left in the off position — Third. It is the first thing to look at and it is free, which is why it sits above every part on this list.
- A jammed mould, arm or ejector — Fourth. Worth clearing before parts are considered.
- A sealed-system or compressor fault — Last, and that placement is the point of the ranking: it is the least common cause and the only one that is not an owner fix.
- Body: This is not the brand-generic ranking. The fill valve and the supply behind it moves to the top of this family's ranking and a compartment that is not cold enough to make ice goes down to second place, because the platform here is a cabinet whose condensing unit sits at the bottom, where it draws its air from floor level.
Check in this order on these models
- Check that water is reaching the machine at all — Follow the line back to its valve and confirm the valve is fully open.
- Measure the compartment with a thermometer — A freezer holds food safely at 0 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 18 degrees Celsius, or below.
- Look at the shut-off arm or the bin sensor first — Arm up, or a box sitting in the sensor path, and the maker is being told to stop.
- Empty the bin completely and look at the mould — Bridged ice locks the ejector. Clear it, and see whether the next cycle produces loose cubes.
- Body: The order follows the ranking, and the access decides the rest: on these models the condenser, its fan and the compressor are all at the base, behind a grille you can reach without moving the cabinet.
Before you open anything
Safety
Unplug the appliance or switch off its breaker before removing any panel; a capacitor can hold a charge after the power is off. Turn the water supply off at its valve before touching a fitting. Never chip at ice in the mould with a screwdriver or a knife: the mould and the heater under it puncture easily, and a punctured mould turns an ice fault into a replacement.
Models in the RDBM family
Reference| Model number | Family key |
|---|---|
| RDBM191** | alpha-par-rd:refrigerator:rdbm |
Where the owner limit falls on these models
Call when water reaches the machine, the compartment holds 0 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 18 degrees Celsius, the bin is clear and the mould still does not fill or eject. Call sooner if the compartment is not holding temperature at all, because then the ice maker is the messenger rather than the fault.
Other symptoms covered for this family
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