u/Floravon0

Your comments on my previous post inspired me to investigate further. Proper tools. Meticulous photographic documentation at every step. Timestamps intact.

Gearbox accessed.

I expected yellow lubricant. Maybe brown. Coffee-colored at worst.

Negative.

The failure-state sludge (black/grey metallic marbled appearance) was significantly darker than anticipated. If it weren’t observed in a food-and-beverage appliance contamination event, I’d almost call it pretty.

Is water ingress through a failed seal the likely mechanism — water breaches first, lubricant follows the same path upward into the auger zone, and abnormal wear begins from there?

Or does lubricant breach first, with the appearance change occurring after water exposure and mechanical breakdown?

Sample submitted to an independent laboratory today.

I also received communication from the company again. They stated I should receive a report by the 22nd. I hope so.

When I first registered what I was seeing, my immediate thought was:
“Dear Saruman, I found your Mordor Nutella. Looks delicious. Tysm.”

I’m trying to understand the failure analysis logic here, not litigate anything.
I have a countertop nugget ice maker (Euhomy IM002-NSI-USEH, Ningbo Hicon gearbox assembly) that after ~10 days of use developed dark reddish-brown oily foam pooled in the water reservoir — greasy, foamy, doesn’t separate from water.
-Throughout operation I only used distilled and store-bought bottled water.
During a limited visual inspection with side panels removed:
• Reddish-brown oily residue visible at the gearbox housing seam
• Yellow oily residue on the gearbox housing exterior
• Reservoir contamination visually similar in color to the seam residue
• Exploded diagram shows a water seal/barrier between the gearbox and water system
The manufacturer initially acknowledged the gearbox assembly was involved and said they were compiling SDS documentation for the lubricant used. They later shifted to saying lubricant contact with the water system is “impossible by design.”
My question is purely mechanical: is that claim defensible for a system with a rotating shaft, dynamic seals, thermal cycling, and vibration? Or are there plausible failure modes — seal degradation, manufacturing residue expression, pressure differential, seam porosity — that would make “impossible” too strong a word?

Photos of reservoir contamination and gearbox housing residue attached

Happy to share the relevant section of the exploded diagram if helpful.

Following up on my original post documenting espresso-colored contamination observed in the reservoir of the EUHOMY IM002-NSI-USEH nugget ice maker.

The Safety Data Sheet (SDS) for the gearbox lubricant has still not been provided despite multiple requests and missed deadlines over the course of 11 days.

Using the exploded parts diagram provided by the manufacturer, I conducted a limited visual disassembly of the unit (removed side panels) and identified the gear motor assembly as a Ningbo Hicon International Industry Co., Ltd. unit, Model RY-CJY-816330-0008L, with a 667:1 gear ratio.

Findings during inspection included:
• Yellow oily substance visible on the exterior of the gearbox housing
• Red/brown oily substance along the gearbox housing seam, consistent in appearance with the espresso-colored contamination previously observed in the reservoir
• The manufacturer’s own exploded parts documentation does not identify any lubricant associated with the gear motor or gearbox chassis

The manufacturer has responded with water flow diagrams and food-contact material certifications under normal operation, but has still not provided the SDS for the lubricant used in the gearbox assembly.

A formal product safety report has been submitted to Amazon.

The manufacturer has also offered to send a technician to inspect the unit at my home. I have indicated that I am open to this contingent on receiving the SDS first.

Photos attached.

I will continue to update as communications move forward.

I wanted to share a safety/quality issue I encountered with the EUHOMY IM002-NSI-USEH nugget ice maker. As someone who works in Risk Evaluation and Mitigation, the failure mode here is particularly concerning. The Issue: After 10 days of using only distilled/bottled water, I found a dark, oily, "espresso-colored" liquid pooled in the reservoir. It was greasy, foamy, and did not separate from the water. The Danger: During active use, the ice appeared completely clear. Until the lubricant settled into the reservoir . this failure was faster and more obvious than the reviews that mention brown substance, dark residue, etc., The "Alphabet Brand" Connection:I previously had a Kismile that worked great. These machines (Euhomy, Kismile, and others) are often virtually identical and manufactured in the same facilities. If you own any of these countertop nugget makers, check your reservoir for a greasy film or dark discoloration immediately.Manufacturer

Response: I am currently in a documentation battle with Euhomy. To their credit, they acknowledged in writing that the leak is from the internal gearbox. However, they have missed their own deadlines (multiple) to provide the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) for the lubricant. I am trying to determine if it is NSF/ANSI H1 (food grade) or H2 (industrial). Current Status: Amazon refunded the unit. Physical sample and photos retained. Manufacturer is currently "compiling documentation" with a 1-week delay cited. If you have a medically sensitive household like mine, please be cautious with these units. I will update this if they produce the SDS.