Fridge ice maker

[eurolarva]

I have a kenmore side by side fridge/freezer with door ice and water dispenser. A couple of months ago the water would quit working in the door and I could hear a solinoid like noise (humming like it is not working correctly) however the ice maker worked fine. Periodically the water dispenser would work and then stop working again. Now neither is working and it quit making Ice. I have visited the sears site and figured out is can be a couple of solinoids or switches. My questions is where are they and how do I get to them. There is a switch in the door that allows water to flow however I dont see how to get at that one. The one for the ice maker I assume is up near the dispenser and maybe one near the back bottom where water goes into the thing. <br /><br />Any help would be appreciated on how to find these parts and find how to dissasemble the freezer to get to these parts.

 

[fireship1]

Re: Fridge ice maker

Do you have hard water? The solenoids are prone to clogging with mineral deposits and dirt. You know when they are clogging up. The door water starts to just trickle out and the ice cubes have been getting smaller. That and the solenoid assy makes noise like you mentioned. The solenoid valve has small faucet aerator type screens in them. You could try cleaning them I have had luck with this before. But they may be prone to leakage when taken apart. Here is how you access them. Pull your fridge out. Note where the main water line enters the unit. It couples to a hard copper line. You will see it disappear behind a cardboard panel. Remove the panel. The solenoid assembly has the main water line in (copper) and two plastic lines out (the ice maker feed and the door water feed). Shut off the water under the sink and pull the power cord from the fridge. Disconnect the two harness connectors from the solenoid. Disconnect the three water line compression fittings. Remove the mounting screws and the solenoid assembly will lift out. Go to your local appliance shop and pick up a new one (about 20-40 dollars) Replace in reverse. Make sure that the wiring goes on the exact way it comes off or the ice maker will make water pee out off the door and the door water lever will make the ice maker overflow! It's a good idea to flush the water line to the fridge before you reinstall it to the solenoid. Also a good idea to eliminate the saddle valve that feeds the water line to the fridge (if you have that kind of arrangement) It cuts down on water flow when they clog (and they will!) Adding an inline water filter can't hurt either as that will keep the new sol valve from clogging. It will also make the door water and ice cubes taste fresh. Hope this helps!

 

[fireship1]

Re: Fridge ice maker

Just another quick note. You can get parts at any dealer that sells Whirlpool appliance parts. That Kenmore is actually a Whirlpool in disguise.

 

[SS MAYFLOAT]

Re: Fridge ice maker

euro, first check your water supply. It would be unlikely for both solenoids to go out at the same time. I know you haven't had any lightning this time of year! so I don't think they blew out. With both not working, look for a clogged filter, or screen. Also Fireship is right on about the line tap valves clogging. Sometimes just turning the line tap valve on and off can temporaily dislodge the clog. <br /><br />BTW, don't let gonfishn talk you into hooking up a keg to your water in the door. The beer goes flat to soon.

 

[eurolarva]

Re: Fridge ice maker

Thanks for the help guys. A water softener was added to the house in November. House went 13 years without one and if dishwasher is an indicator I believe it is clogged. The fridge has a built in filter which is still showing a green light. I will change that first, order solinoid parts then do the disassmbly. <br /><br />Oh yeah. Copper infeed hose sprung a leak about a month ago. I had to cut the copper and put a new compression fitting on it. I will let you know what I find when I get it apart.<br /><br />Mayfloat. I dont believe anything gonfishn says unless I have tried it on my own. When I went to his place two years ago I could have sworn I heard banjos playing in the background <br /><br />Thanks again.

 

[KaGee]

Re: Fridge ice maker

The water solenoid/valve is a known trouble source. It's located in the back near the water inlet.

 

[eurolarva]

Re: Fridge ice maker

I have the part located at a parts store. Now the problem is getting to the store before it closes at 5:30. Part is only 27 bucks and sears wants 37 plus shipping for it. Hopefully I can sneek out tomorrow from work and get it.

 

[eurolarva]

Re: Fridge ice maker

Well that was easy enough. The part was actually 56 dollars. It has a new type of hose fitting and the wires plug in different. The guy at the parts store warned me it would be different. I took the old one apart and could see no problems with it. No funk, or specks of crap and the screen was pretty clean. Maybe the magnets in the solinoid was getting weak. Damn thing decided to work today. Must have known it was getting fixed.

 

[fireship1]

Re: Fridge ice maker

Thats what usually happens. Things fix themselves when they know you're about to give them an attitude adjustment. When you opened up the sol valve did you see the large black gasket that fits in between both halves? That can swell up and block the small passageway that the water flows through. So is it all fixed now?

 

[eurolarva]

Re: Fridge ice maker

Yeah all fixed now. I saw that oring you mentioned. I guess I dont know what it was. Hopefully this will last a few years. I am getting tired of major appliences going on the fritz in this house. First dishwasher then washer and dryer now this. Thanks for the help. It was sure cheaper then getting a service guy in.

 

[fireship1]

Re: Fridge ice maker

Glad to help euro. I go through the same stuff here at home. oven ignitors, washer couplers, dryer timers. I have gotten very good at fixing major appliances. The repair guy must hate me!

 

[eurolarva]

Re: Fridge ice maker

Well it was not the solinoid. It is intermittent like it was before. It worked for a couple of days and now it isnt working again. Right now the problem is just the water dispensor at the door. When you push the switch to get water you can hear a hum but no water comes out. At least that tells me the switch in the door is working correctly. Does this switch go all the way to the solinoid? Or is there another solinoid in there I need to go after?

 

[KaGee]

Re: Fridge ice maker

Is there possibly an electrical drawing in a pouch on the back or underneath?? If not, you might try to procure one on-line. My guess is that the solenoid in the door also trips the one in the back. Without a schematic, it's hard to say.

 

[aspeck]

Re: Fridge ice maker

Does your model have a filter on the water supply? It sounds like the GE that I got - it wouldn't make ice or run water (started out periodically). The tech brought out a new unit for the door (all electical part included) and it still wouldn't work. GE sent me a new fridge and told me to dispose of, or keep the old one. They just would not cover any warranty work on it. Got to poking around and changed the water filter on it. Both of my fridges work fine now! 2 for the price of 1 plus a new filter. Good deal!<br /><br />Anyway, don't forget to check the filter.

 

[crazy charlie]

Re: Fridge ice maker

Dont know if it has been mentioned before but mine did the exact same thing and it was the tap in valve to the water supply.Replaced it with a little bigger one and it has been fine for years now.I have always had luck with trouble shooting when starting at the source.

 

[eurolarva]

Re: Fridge ice maker

I replaced the filter about a week ago. That was 40 bucks. Charlie? When you say water tap are you talking about the 1/4 inch copper tubing? I had to replace the compression fitting going to the solinoid cause it sprung a leak. Not Sure How I would get the next thicker size tubing attached. The water line is coming out of the floor and is not real accesible. Kagee. Didnt see a schematic in baok but will look again and also on iternet. Could not see for the life of me how to get at the electircal stuff in the freezer door. Didnt see any screws or anything. May have to call a pro.

 

[SS MAYFLOAT]

Re: Fridge ice maker

Does yours have a water tank that is located inside the fridge compartment? How cold do you keep it? I know on my unit, if someone turns it down too cold, the water will freeze in the small line and not let the water come out of the door. It will hum like you described. You might want to put a thermometer down close to the resevior/tank to see how cold it is down there.<br /><br />Just another thing that has happened to mine.

 

[fireship1]

Re: Fridge ice maker

Euro, Try disconnecting the supply tubing to the sol valve. Put it in a large pail and open the line. See if the pressure that comes out is adequate. The sol valve that you replaced should be the only one in the unit. The saddle valve that supplies the unit can clog up because it uses a needle type piercing assembly. Better to install a fitting or adapter to a undersink cold water valve. This will give you full flow without clogging. Let us know how you make out if you decide to mess with it some more.

 

[KaGee]

Re: Fridge ice maker

The liner screws are often located underneath the door seal. I have a Whirlpool SxS. There is no "water tank". The hose is coiled thoughout the door and the water cools radiantly.<br /><br />Never had mine apart, but like you, I hear what sounds like a solenoid in the door when the water lever is depressed.<br /><br />If your icemaker works, then the water supply line is most likely NOT the problem.<br /><br />You need the schematic at this point, or a pro. It's your call.

 

[fireship1]

Re: Fridge ice maker

Schematic is located underneath where the condenser coils are. It's usually in a small paper pouch pinned to the front grille or behind the front grille. Some have it as a large sticker on the rear of the unit.