In an ice making machine having a water plate pivotally supported by a support shaft in such a manner that the water plate is raised to an ice making position just below an ice forming evaporator unit during the freezing cycle of operation and lowered to a discharge position during the harvest cycle of operation, and a suspension mechanism which is arranged to suspend the water plate in place and is operated by an electric motor assembled therein to raise or lower the water plate, an electric control apparatus for the ice making machine is arranged to measure lapse of a first period of time during which the water plate is lowered by activation of the motor from the ice making position to the discharge position, to measure lapse of a second period of time during which the water plate is raised by activation of the motor from the discharge position to the ice making position, to determine as to whether or not each lapse of the first and second periods of time becomes more than a permissible period of time, to produce an output signal therefrom when each lapse of the first and second periods of time has become more than the permissible period of time and to deactivate the motor in response to the output signal.