Hot gas valve coil (Zhongbao)

When an ice machine freezes normally but the slab won’t release, focus on the hot gas circuit. The Zhongbao hot gas valve coil (1854703320) energizes the valve during harvest so warm discharge gas can flow and loosen the ice. A failed coil shows up as “ice not dropping,” extended harvest attempts, or a unit that times out and alarms even though refrigeration looks fine in freeze. During diagnosis, listen and feel for a distinct valve actuation when the controller calls harvest. If you’ve got proper voltage at the coil leads but no movement, the coil may be open, shorted, or too weak to pull the plunger. A quick resistance check, a clamp-on amp reading, or swapping a known-good coil can confirm the fault without opening the sealed circuit. With coil 1854703320, check for voltage drop at the connector during harvest; low voltage can make a good coil look bad and cause slow release. Replacing the coil fixes the issue by restoring magnetic force at the exact moment the board requests hot gas. That means the valve shifts cleanly, the evaporator warms evenly, and the slab breaks free instead of hanging. It also prevents nuisance callbacks where the machine “works sometimes” depending on coil temperature and line voltage. If the coil is open or intermittent, the controller may extend harvest until it alarms, which customers describe as “ice not dropping” or “no ice.” After replacement, run a full freeze-to-harvest cycle and watch the release behavior. You should see a smooth transition into harvest, consistent slab drop, and normal cycle times no more “not cooling” misdiagnoses when the real problem was harvest control. After replacement, confirm the valve body isn’t mechanically stuck; a working coil plus a stuck valve will still produce the same symptoms.