How do I force my ice maker to cycle?

Forcing a residential refrigerator automatic ice maker into an immediate harvest cycle to test its mechanical operation involves accessing the module and triggering its test modes. Depending on your specific refrigerator model, you can often jumpstart the ice maker by locating the metal test terminals inside the module head and bridging them momentarily with an insulated copper jumper wire to bridge the circuit. Alternatively, many modern electronic ice makers feature a physical optical test button or a diagnostic mode accessible via the digital control panel. You can troubleshoot mechanical movement easily by watching the harvest rake. You can verify that your forced cycling procedure was successful when the internal electric motor engages, the metal harvest prongs rotate through a full cycle, and the water fill valve opens to replenish the mold tray.