I obtained a GE Opal Profile 1.0 Nugget Ice Machine on OfferUp. It was a package deal that included an all-in-one coffee machine. Two $400 machines for $50 was too good to pass up. After filling and rinsing, I found out why they wanted to be rid of it: it sounded like a wailing banshee! There was also a grinding noise. And it leaked. What had I gotten myself into?
I’m hoping what I learned will help you keep yours running too. Be sure to reach out if you have any questions or comments: dan@danlearnsstuff.com
Models
The pictures in this thread refer to what is colloquially known as Opal 1.0. It is listed on the back as OPAL01GEPSS. It has a 9-hole Cap where the ice exits the auger channel.
A 2.0 model has a broadly similar construction and disassembly procedure, but it may require different tools and parts than what is listed here.
Problems
Below are the types of issues that I have personally fixed on my machine:
- Have a fast leak? If it can’t hold water at all, replacing the auger seal will stop the worst leaks.
- Does it screech or whine after water has begun to freeze? Replacing the bottom seal will help this.
- Does it screech or whine immediately after starting, but it goes away once it gets cold? Replacing the upper auger bushing will help.
- Have white particles in your ice? Do you use tap or filtered water? Descaling will help. Switching to distilled or Reverse Osmosis water will extend the life of your machine greatly.
- Have black particles or sludge that are not mold? Replacing the upper auger bushing will help too.
- Have black particles that may be mold? A chlorine wash will help.
This page captures images and step by step directions for fixing the above auger-related issues. They are mostly centered within the auger chamber itself, but disassembly instructions can help you diagnose and treat a variety of problems. There are other tutorials online that can help you swap the drain lines and diagnose fan and pump problems that are separate from auger wear and tear.
Parts
Throughout this guide, I refer to replaceable parts that can wear down over time and can be replaced using various sources online. Most commodity parts and supplies can be found on Amazon. Some were specially engineered for this machine, and the community has people that are machining replacements you can purchase to keep our babies running well past their original lifetimes.
- 3/4” Auger Seal
- Auger Bushing
- H1 Food-safe Grease
- Distilled White Vinegar
- Ice Machine Cleaner
Disassembly for Auger Maintenance
Getting into the auger is a bit more difficult than the water pump and other areas. You'll need the following tools:
- Phillips head screwdriver (with long shaft for deeply inset screws)
- Electric screwdriver with phillips head bit for lots of tiny screws
- Spudger or pry-tool
- 10mm deep socket with extension
To help clean out the auger shaft and reseat auger seals, you may also need:
- Long flat-head screwdriver
- Large and long socket extension tool
- Long hooked pick or long and narrow needle-nose pliers
Start by UNPLUGGING THE UNIT. I cannot stress this enough. Make sure it is not plugged in before starting!
Then, drain the unit completely. No water should remain.
You can now begin to tear into the unit by removing the top lid. 4 screws hide under rubber caps. A spudger or sharp steak knife can help remove them. Beware: If they hit the counter, they will bounce everywhere.
Disconnect the wi-fi card cable that hides right under the lid.
Remove all screws from the back panel. Move the drain hoses off the panel, and set the entire panel aside.
Remove the screws from the side panels. This is to expose the screws holding the upper tank to the chassis, and to give you more room to maneuver things. You don’t need to completely remove the surround from the chassis! Just shift it up and out of the groove in the base. Careful! It’s got sharp edges!
This transparent cap is held on by 3 screws and weather-stripping-like insulated moulding. Carefully remove the moulding and unscrew the cap.
Having unscrewed the upper water tank in a previous step, shift it off the black chute. It doesn’t have to move very far.
After the black chute is removed, this styrofoam cap can be removed as well. Carefully wiggle it free. To free up space, you can move the water tank farther away. It might also help to unplug the connectors for the front panel and fullness sensor (black and white, squeeze to separate). Remember to reconnect them!
And now you can see directly to the bottom of the auger chamber. The seal rests on the bottom between the metal body and the ceramic ring/bushing. NOTE: This picture shows the auger seal seated incorrectly!
Congratulations! You have disassembled your ice maker.
General Maintenance: Descale and Sanitize
If you don't use distilled water or that from a reverse osmosis unit, descaling monthly will keep your unit in tip-top shape.
Clean-out and Regrease
While you have it open, take a moment to check other parts that can get gunked up.
- If your machine is whining, the auger is being eroded and scraped off in the chamber. This can lead the upper and lower tanks getting a dark sediment. Wipe it out and rinse.
- Check the lines for white sediment. The descaling process can knock these loose, but the pump won’t be able to move it into the tank. You can detach and rinse these pipes as well.
- If you have lots of scale, it may be faster to chip it off with a brass tool. Just don’t scratch the surface of your parts by using anything harder than that.
- Vacuum off fans and grilles to keep your cooling system in top shape.
- Look for leaks and calcium deposits. These are harbingers of bigger problems.
Replace the Auger Seal
A grinding that goes away until the machine cools down or fast leaks from below the chamber through the gear case are most likely due to a bad seal at the bottom of the auger. This multi-part pump seal keeps water in the chamber, and it has rubber, ceramic, and metal parts. It is way over-built for this application, but you need to handle the parts carefully. Order matters, and cleanliness matters.
The ceramic ring sits within the round rubber seal. The other half is a metal seat, spring, and rubber seal. The seat fits on the auger shaft against the helix. The rubber seal on the spring fits against the ceramic ring when properly fit into the chamber. The ceramic is sensitive to oils on your skin. It can degrade faster and affect the seals. Clean it with isopropyl alcohol if you touch it. The rubber seals can use a tiny bit of H1 food-safe grease to help seat them properly.
To replace the pump seal, pull the auger and then use a dental scraper or hooked tool to remove the bottom seal and ceramic ring. Seat the new sitting seal on the auger with the rubber towards the socket.
It can be difficult to seat the new bottom seal in the bottom of the chamber without touching the ceramic. Slip it around a long screwdriver or socket extension, sit the tip of the tool onto the crank, and drop the seal into place. Clean off the tool and press the ceramic down into the crank cavity. If this doesn’t seat well, it will leak immediately and vigorously once you seal it back up. Note: The picture below is wrong! The seal is on the wrong side from the ring! If you have better pictures, please send them my way.
When you reset the auger, ensure the spring is not stuck in its compressed state. It will have some bounce when you put the cap back on.
Replace the Bushing
Is there an unholy banshee haunting your machine? The tell-tale wail is probably the bushing at the top of the auger. It keeps the auger centered in the chamber, but it wears down over time. This leaves the auger to scrape against the sides of the chamber. This causes black sludge and a gradually eroded auger.
eBay seller gweedoh machines his own new bushings from material that it’s much stronger than the stock ones. But from him and buy for life. You can see the size of the worn out bushings versus a new one below.
Each one comes pre-coated with food safe H1 grease as well.
Just pop the old one out and the new one in. The wailing is gone!
Note: I’ve included affiliate links to parts and products that helped me get my machine back in working order.
