Furrion 20 Cubic Foot DC Refrigerator - Ice Maker Winterization Issue

[TucsonJim]

Our new Solitude has the 20 cf Furrion FCR20DCAFA refrigerator with ice maker. As this model refrigerator becomes more prevalent, I'm expecting we'll get questions about how to winterize the built in ice maker. The manual comes with the following directions:

"Ice Maker Winterization
During the winter months, you need to ensure that the water connection to the refrigerator is not freezing up otherwise this could lead to burst waterpipes, or damage to the refrigerator.
1. Turn on your refrigerator and ice maker, and make sure the ice bin is below.
2. Winterize your RV per the manufacturers instruction which should include filling the water system with antifreeze that is safe for potable water systems.
3. Let the ice maker purge anti-freeze through the icemaker system
4. Discard any ice or water that accumulates in the ice bin, and turn off your refrigerator.
Note: only use RV antifreeze for potable water applications.

To un-winterize: In addition to following your RV manufacturers instruction:
1. Turn on your refrigerator and Icemaker.
2. Purge freshwater through the ice maker with several rounds of ice production
3. Continue ice production until ice is clear, and antifreeze has been purged.
4. Discard ice."

Question - How do I accomplish step #3 for winterizing and step #2 for un-winterizing if the ice maker is full of anti-freeze. The only way to cycle liquid is for the ice maker to make new cubes, eject them, and then take on new liquid. There is no apparent way to force clean water through the system without making cubes. Since antifreeze won't "freeze" into ice cubes, this appears impossible. I'm not sure I could blow out the icemaker with compressed air without damaging a valve or diaphragm.

I've sent the question to LCI/Furrion to see if they can answer it. But I'm hoping someone here may have encountered this issue with other versions of ice makers.

Jim

[Country Campers]

Does the ice maker actually sense "hard" ice or is there just a timer or temp probe on the ice cube maker tray?

This is certainly an interesting issue.

Brian

[TucsonJim]

Does the ice maker actually sense "hard" ice or is there just a timer or temp probe on the ice cube maker tray?

This is certainly an interesting issue.

Brian

I'll have to take a raincheck on examining it for another week or two. But it uses "fingers" to push the finished ice out of the maker and into the tray. If the ice maker is full of antifreeze, I don't believe it will be able to extract the unfrozen liquid in order to make room for a new batch.

Jim

[NoPeeking]

... or winterize with a quart of vodka and negate the second 4 steps. Springtime happiness!

Mike

[TucsonJim]

... or winterize with a quart of vodka and negate the second 4 steps. Springtime happiness!

Mike

Great idea! But the same problem. How do you purge the vodka out of the icemaker in springtime?

Jim

[Jlawles2]

If you can see the finger, cut up a sponge and use it to absorb the antifreeze from the tray. Otherwise try a towel.

Last resort, just let it run the course. I don't think the ice maker has a level indicator to tell it the tray if full.

[TucsonJim]

Here's the latest.

I contacted LCI for support. They responded to "follow the directions". And if that won't work, the alternative is to remove the ice maker....
I'm working with GDRV management now to try and get clarification.

BTW, I took another look at the ice maker. The way it's constructed, it's covered while making ice. So you can't access the bottom to suck out any antifreeze with a sponge or other method.

One method I'm looking into is using a compressor to blow the antifreeze out of the ice chamber and catching it with a rag. I'll experiment and see what I can do.

Jim

[Tadlur]

I don't have to winterize my ice maker as I live in Central Fl in the winter but I do have an ice maker in the same model fridge that is currently not making ice so I will be taking it back to the dealer for warranty service in 2 weeks. I will see if I can get some intel about how this systems really works. I do know that there are two enable circuits for the ice maker to function: the freezer door sensor has to indicate the doors are closed and the freezer temp has to be well below 0 degF (I forget the exact value). I ASSUME there is a water supply solenoid in the warm section of the fridge that flows supply water to the tray via a timer and then the fingers eject the ice into the bin after another timer expires. When my ice maker was functioning it would form a large clump of solidified cubes in the bottom of the bin that had to be cleaned out every 4-5 days. I deduced that the ice tray was probably overflowing (timer adjustment?) with supply water and flowing down to the bottom of the ice bin and forming the big clump at the bottom of the bin.
Anyway, if I needed to winterize the ice maker I would probably break into the water connection under the kitchen slide and drain the water. Don't know if I would try to purge it with compressed air as that may damage what is apparently a very sensitive and unreliable component. This fridge was the major reason my wife wanted to upgrade from our '21 Reflection that had a gas/ele absorption fridge with this residential style 12VDC solar system in the Solitude. I call it her $50K fridge (after trade in). The fridge works great and keeps my wife happy but I'm disappointed with the ice maker design and reliability.