METHOD FOR OPERATING A REFRIGERATOR APPLIANCE ICE MAKER
A refrigerator appliance and a method for operating the same are provided. The refrigerator appliance includes an ice maker for producing ice. The ice maker is deactivated for a predetermined period of time after the ice maker has been filled with liquid water. After the predetermined period of time has elapsed, the ice maker can harvest ice if a demand side management (DSM) status is off-peak, or the ice maker can remain deactivated if the DSM status is on-peak. By operating in such a manner, operating costs of the refrigerator appliance can be reduced.
1 . A method for operating an ice maker of a refrigerator appliance, comprising:
filling the ice maker with liquid water;
deactivating the ice maker for a predetermined period of time after said step of filling; and
determining whether a demand side management (DSM) status is on-peak or off-peak after the predetermined period of time has elapsed.
2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising harvesting ice from the ice maker if the DSM status is off-peak or keeping the ice maker deactivated if the DSM status is on-peak.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said step of harvesting comprises harvesting ice from the ice maker if the DSM status is off-peak or keeping the ice maker deactivated if the DSM status is on-peak until the DSM status changes to off-peak and harvesting ice from the ice maker thereafter.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined period of time is greater than about thirty minutes.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said step of deactivating comprises turning off power consuming components of the ice maker.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined period of time is sufficient for water within the ice maker to freeze.
7 . A method for operating an ice maker of a refrigerator appliance, comprising:
initiating a flow of liquid water into the ice maker;
maintaining the flow of liquid water into the ice maker until the ice maker has filled with liquid water;
terminating the flow of water into the ice maker;
deactivating the ice maker for a predetermined period of time after said step terminating; and
harvesting ice from the ice maker if a demand side management (DSM) status is off-peak after said step of deactivating or keeping the ice maker deactivated if the DSM status is on-peak after said step of deactivating.
8 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the predetermined period of time is greater than about thirty minutes.
9 . The method of claim 6 , wherein said step of deactivating comprises turning off power consuming components of the ice maker.
10 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the predetermined period of time is sufficient for water within the ice maker to freeze.
11 . The method of claim 6 , wherein said step of harvesting comprises harvesting ice from the ice maker if a demand side management (DSM) status is off-peak after said step of deactivating or keeping the ice maker deactivated if the DSM status is on-peak after said step of deactivating until the DSM status changes to off-peak and harvesting ice from the ice maker thereafter.
12 . A refrigerator appliance, comprising:
a cabinet defining a chilled chamber for receipt of food items for storage;
an ice maker positioned within the chilled chamber of said cabinet, said ice maker having a mold body for receipt of liquid water for freezing;
a water supply configured for supplying liquid water to the mold body of said ice maker; and
a controller being in operative communication with said water supply and said ice maker, said controller configured for:
operating said water supply to initiate a flow of liquid water into the mold body of said ice maker;
terminating the flow of water into the mold body of said ice maker after the mold body of said ice maker has filled with liquid water;
deactivating said ice maker for a preselected period of time after said step terminating; and
determining whether a demand side management (DSM) status is on-peak or off-peak after the preselected period of time has elapsed.
13 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 11 , wherein said controller is further configured for reactivating said ice maker in order to harvest ice from the mold body of said ice maker if the DSM status is off-peak in said step of determining or keeping said ice maker deactivated if the DSM status is on-peak in said step of determining.
14 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 12 , wherein said step of reactivating comprises reactivating said ice maker in order to harvest ice from the mold body of said ice maker if the DSM status is off-peak in said step of determining or keeping said ice maker deactivated if the DSM status is on-peak in said step of determining until the DSM status changes to off-peak and harvesting ice from said ice maker thereafter.
15 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 11 , wherein the preselected period of time is greater than about thirty minutes.
16 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 11 , wherein said step of deactivating comprises turning off power consuming features of said ice maker.
17 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 11 , wherein the preselected period is sufficient for water within the ice maker to freeze.
18 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 11 , further comprising a relay operable with said controller to selectively supply power to said ice maker.
19 . The refrigerator appliance of claim 11 , wherein said water supply comprises a valve operable with said controller to selectively supply liquid water to said ice maker.