- Area
- South Tampa
- Unit
- Scotsman ice maker, SCN60PA-1SU
- Symptom
- Drain pump running continuously, black specks in the ice bin
- Found
- Faulty drain pump pressure switch and a damaged graphite auger bearing, caused by heavy mineral buildup
- Outcome
- Quoted a new pressure switch and auger bearing, plus descaling
Report by Sam Ralin, owner and senior technician
A Scotsman SCN60PA undercounter ice machine had its drain pump running all the time. Inside, the technician found black specks throughout the ice bin.
The black specks were bits of the graphite auger bearing, which had worn and was coming apart. The drain pump was running nonstop because its pressure switch had failed. Both problems had the same root cause: the machine had not been descaled regularly, and heavy mineral buildup had collected in the drain tubing and the internal water passages.
The quote covered a new graphite bearing, a new pressure switch and the labor to install them.
Why descaling matters on nugget ice machines
Machines like this one make soft nugget ice with an auger, and minerals in the water wear the auger and its bearing. Descaling every six months, more often with hard water, is far cheaper than a bearing. If you see black specks in the ice, stop using the ice and have the machine checked.
