Home › Commercial Refrigeration Guide › Ice Machine Guide › Follett Ice Machine Repair and Troubleshooting
Updated October 14, 2026
Quick answer
Follett is best known for Chewblet nugget ice and for ice and water dispensers used in hospitals and offices. Most Follett problems come back to mineral scale on the auger and evaporator, a dirty condenser, or a sensor that cannot see the ice. A HI AMPS light points to the auger working too hard; HI PRESSURE points to a heat-rejection problem.
How a Follett nugget machine works
Follett's Chewblet ice is made by an auger turning inside a refrigerated cylinder. Ice scraped from the cylinder wall is pushed up and compressed into soft, chewable nuggets, then carried to a bin or dispenser. Because the auger runs continuously under load, scale and wear show up as noise, motor strain and wet ice. See how flakers work.
What the main lights mean (owner level)
| Light | What it points to | What you can check |
|---|---|---|
| HI AMPS | Excessive auger motor load: scale, a jammed auger, a gear motor or connection problem, or a control fault | Note the light, then turn the machine off. Do not keep resetting it. |
| HI PRESSURE | Heat is not leaving the condenser: clogged air-cooled condenser, no water to a water-cooled condenser, room above 100°F, poor ventilation, fan problem | Clean the condenser grille; clear vents; check room temperature |
| TIME DELAY / other | Varies by model; see the full list | Follett error lights |
Source: Parts Town's Follett troubleshooting guide. Light meanings differ between Follett model families; your model's manual is the authority.
Scale: Follett's number one enemy
Mineral scale on the auger and evaporator wall adds drag, causes squealing or grinding, and can trigger HI AMPS. In the South Bay, groundwater averages over 250 mg/L hardness per Valley Water. Filtration and a regular descale with Follett-approved products are the best prevention. See Bay Area hard water.
Empty bin, machine idle
If a Follett machine stops while the bin or dispenser is low and no fault light shows, the ice-level sensing may be the cause. Scale or slime on a sensor can make the control think the bin is full. Cleaning on schedule prevents most of these stops. See bin control problems.
Resetting a Follett
Write down any lights or messages first. On units without a front-panel screen, holding the power button until the light goes off and on resets the unit; on units with a screen, the reset is on the control board behind the panels, per Parts Town. If HI AMPS returns, stop resetting and call for service: running a jammed auger can damage the gear motor.
Follett lines you may have
| Line | What it is | Where you find it |
|---|---|---|
| Horizon Elite (e.g. 710, 1010, 1410 series) | Chewblet nugget ice machines that feed a bin or dispenser; the 710 series is now discontinued but widely installed | Hospitals, offices, foodservice |
| Maestro Plus | Countertop and wall-mount ice and water dispensers with a built-in ice machine | Nurse stations, break rooms |
| Symphony Plus | Ice and water dispensers in several sizes | Hospital nutrition rooms, cafeterias, offices |
Check your model number on the data plate before looking up a light or ordering parts; procedures differ between lines.
Owner checks, in order
- Record the lights. Follett's guidance is to record warning lights or messages before resetting.
- Water. Confirm the supply valve is open and the filter is in date.
- Condenser. On air-cooled units, clean the grille. Follett lists monthly condenser cleaning for air-cooled units.
- Drain. Check the drain and drain pan; Follett lists them weekly. A backed-up drain overflows dispensers.
- Transport tube. On remote-bin setups, ice travels through a tube; a kinked or disconnected tube stops delivery.
- Reset once. If the same light returns, stop and call.
What the findings usually mean
| Finding | Usual meaning |
|---|---|
| White crust on the auger or evaporator | Scale: descale before it causes HI AMPS |
| Wet, soft nuggets | Scale or low refrigeration capacity |
| Dispenser delivers water but no ice | Ice level, transport tube or dispense mechanism |
| Water in the drain pan backing up | Blocked drain line |
| HI PRESSURE in summer only | Condenser airflow or room heat |
Follett cleaning schedule
| Item | Follett minimum |
|---|---|
| Ice machine, dispenser and components, transport tube, storage bin | Semi-annually (clean, descale, sanitize) |
| Drain line and drain pan | Weekly |
| Air-cooled condenser | Monthly |
| Exterior | As needed |
From Follett's Symphony-era cleaning schedule; Follett treats these as minimums and advises more frequent cleaning in harsh environments. Follett names its own sanitizer and says cleaning should be done by trained staff or an authorized service agent. Check your current model manual. See ice machine cleaning service.
Healthcare installs
Follett dispensers are common in hospital nutrition rooms and nurse stations. Downtime there means staff carrying ice from elsewhere. See Follett and ice in healthcare.
We repair Follett Horizon Elite machines and Maestro Plus and Symphony Plus dispensers across Santa Clara, San Mateo, Alameda and San Francisco counties; repairs carry a 1-year parts and labor warranty.
When to call a technician
Call a technician if HI AMPS or HI PRESSURE returns after the condenser is clean, if you hear grinding, or if the machine stops with an empty bin after cleaning. Auger, bearing and gear motor work needs a trained tech.
Open 7 days, 8 AM to 5 PM, with emergency service until 9 PM. CA Lic. #776244.
Frequently asked questions
What does HI AMPS mean on a Follett?
The auger motor is drawing too much current, usually from scale, a jam or a mechanical fault. Turn the machine off and call for service if it returns.
What does HI PRESSURE mean on a Follett?
The refrigeration system cannot reject heat: a dirty condenser, blocked airflow, a hot room or no condenser water.
Why is my Follett making wet or soft ice?
Often scale on the auger or evaporator, or a refrigeration issue. Descaling is the first step.
Is the Horizon Elite still made?
Follett lists the Horizon Elite 710 series as no longer in production, but many are still in service and can be repaired.
Related guides
- Ice Machine Guide
- Follett Ice Machine Error Lights (Horizon Elite Chewblet Machines)
- Ice Machines and Dispensers in Hospitals and Healthcare
- Flaker Ice Machines: How Flake and Nugget Machines Work
- Ice Machine Scale and Hard Water in the Bay Area
- Ice Machine Bin Control Problems: Won't Stop, or Stops Too Soon
- Ice Dispensers vs Ice Bins
- Commercial Ice Machine Repair & Service | Bay Area
Sources
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