ice maker issues....

[vacuumfreeeke]

Hey everyone.... I don't have an ice maker so I'm still doing things the old fashioned way with ice trays (but I couldn't live w/o the dishwasher!), but I have a friend who is having ice maker issues and I thought I'd post here and see if any of you knew what might be going on. He has a five year old Whirlpool side by side 'fridge. He told me that the ice maker only fills about halfway with water and then the rest of the water runs down the side wall of the freezer and leaves a puddle puddle at the bottom that has frozen. Anyone know what could be causing this?

Thanks as always, you are the best!

 

[panthera]

There are a few simple possibilities

Which can be easily checked.
One, are the molds completely clear after cycling?
Two, the plastic water line which runs up the back of the fridge to the well insulated spigot can easily get pinched or pulled back a bit, resulting in the stream not quite reaching the molds. Easier to see in GE/Hotpoint than Whirlpool, but same problem can arise.
Three, if there is any debris in the line or filter or the solonoid controlled valve, this can happen.

I'd check it in that order. If that doesn't help, I'd see whether the unit itself has shifted in the freezer. My parents' last (not current) side-by-side had a similar problem with the unit itself shifting just a bit. KA has a recent batch of those, too (Whirlmorepoolaide, regardless of how much or little you pay, it's all the same innards).
Maybe this will help. My money is on something in the line.

 

[iheartmaytag]

I think this is a Whirlpoolism

We have the same problem with the S/S at work. Service has been out three or four time, and replaced the control board.
Does the dispenser quit operating or operates sporadic as well?

We've just resorted to about once a week removing the lower basket and popping the ice block out of the bottom.

Still think this is a Whirlpoolism that is a design flaw.

 

[panthera]

iheartmaytag

I vaguely recall Sears offering a special mold for difficult water conditions back in the 1970's - we had trouble with two icemakers, then they installed this "special" mold and everything worked fine for the next 20 years

Funny, really:
1952 Kelvinator ran until 1982 when trashed, not broken.
1958 Frigidair ran until 1971 when freezer door died.
1971 Sears (Whirlpool) ran until 1992 when the compressor died in a brown out
1992 Sears died in 2000
2000 KA died in 2006
2006 Sears now repaired twice, limping along sufficiently, mom thinking of replacing with vintage refrigerator...
Sheesh.

 

[lordkenmore]

The way things are going, soon appliances will die BEFORE you even buy them!

 

[panthera]

Don't

even think it - there are in-duh-vi-duals from Whirlpool who read this site. Just give them ideas.

 

[sudsman]

OH how I DO

have a few ideas for them!

 

[toggleswitch]

Quote. The way things are going, soon appliances will die BEFORE you even buy them!

oh but they do!

My 2nd MOL GE DW was purchased because I was lucky with my basement GE Triton DW. Quick, water-hog, intuitive controls (but electronic *FEH*). It loaded nicely and was, overall, a great machine. Got it from Homo Depot for $75. It was just a dusty and dirty floor-sample.

The MOL GE that was purchased for upstairs (to replace a KithcenAid that was less than 5 y.o.[by WP] tall-tub model). It was one of the first tall-tubs and loved to leave yibbles and bits on everything. Even grosser was that this residue was sticky/gunky and could not be easily rinsed off.

Anyhoo.......

The GE worked like a charm all through the cycle/programme. After a heated dry, instead of shutting off it went berserk with a "light show" and beeps of the electronic control-board. Getting it to start again was intermittent at best.
I felt I had to hard-wire in a switch (located under the sink) to cut power off to the machine; I could not trust the control board.

It took GE 5 replacements of the control board, until I went ballistic and got a new machine sent to me. I went through hell and many months to get a new machine.

So yes, they do now come defective-- right out of the box.

A friend was gut-renovating/remodeling his kitchen and made the mistake of buying a DW on sale and storing it for a year. Well the machine, once hooked-up, would only do a normal cycle. No other options worked. So, lesson learned, don't buy and store. Your guarantee/warranty will expire and you will be S.O.(O)L.


In all fairness to manufacturers the (retail)price of machines relative to salaries is a much lower percentage, all things considered, than it was decades ago. One can only expect so much for so little.

But good customer service is good customer service. You can call it "Customer-care" all you want (that name BTW is designed to appeal to the mentality/emotions of women-- stroking kitty (Add an "L" after the "K"), but MEANINGLESS if your reps are idiots reading a script in horrible English from overseas, and can't get the issue resolved quickly quietly and efficienlty, without a "scene" on the part of the consumer.

And yes my control-boards WERE made in China!

There is no excuse for how I was treated and how long it took to get my new out-of-the-box machine repaired, or a new replacement machine. [this post was last edited: 5/6/2010-08:58]

 

[whirlcool]

Oh, I have made that mistake before, buying something electronic and then storing it for a year. Of course it wouldn't work when I unpacked it and started to use it. It was a printer that was my mistake.

Our Whirlpool side by side has been good for two years now. Up to two years ago every year we had to replace something on it.
We've more than paid for it again in repair costs.

Since our refrigerator is white, and all our appliances are SS, we have been looking for a new one. We are not in a hurry since the WP is still working. We looked at HD last week and all they had was 25 cu ft models and up. There was even a Maytag 29.5 cf model. We think a 22cf model would fit fine. Our WP is a 24.5 CF model and just barely squeaks in the designated spot in our kitchen.

 

[passatdoc]

sounds familiar

I have a 2005-vintage Frigidaire side by side counter depth model. About two years ago, some ice cubes from the bin jammed ABOVE the shut off arm. As a result, there was insufficient clearance for the tray to rotate fully. It became stuck and water came out the front of the freezer section. Fortunately I was home when it happened and corrected the situation. It has never happened since then, but I am more cautious now and keep the icemaker turned OFF unless I am home. Right now the bin is full. When it starts to empty as the weather warms, I will turn it on on a weekend (or evening I am home), then I shut it off 6-8 hours later (as the bin approaches full). When the bin is half empty, I turn it on again, but only long enough to fill the bin. I am afraid of the same issue with spare cubes jamming the tray rotation.