update on refrigerator water dispenser update

[passatdoc]

Several months ago, I posted that my Frigidaire (2004 model) ice maker was rotating but not filling with water. Several posters suggested it might be a problem with the water fill valve solenoid, and whirlcool pointed me toward www.repairclinic.com , which carried the OEM Electrolux part and had a helpful YouTube video of the repair process. I followed this stratagem and it worked.

 

My parents' c.2004 GE fridge had the opposite problem: made ice, but no water at the door. When I activated the dispenser, I heard no noise, which I interpreted as solenoid trouble. I ordered the proper solenoid part from Repair Clinic (less costly than my Electrolux because the GE is only a double solenoid, rather than a triple solenoid, hence cost was $45 rather than $68) and replaced it, but still no water! (the original solenoid looked sort of beat up and corroded, so I don't think I wasted money.

 

However, since my "fix" didn't fix it, I had them call an appliance store for repair. Turned out the water line in the door was frozen. They had to place frozen food in the fridge, turn off the freezer (this is a side by side model) and run a fan to circulate air into the freezer. Within an hour, the line had thawed and they had water in the dispenser once again. I'm really grateful that it's fixed, because San Diego tap water tastes just awful (a little bit of the Grand Canyon in every glass) and now they can enjoy filtered water, since the GE has a smart filter that can be changed once a year or so.  Makes better tasting coffee and tea as well.

 

[passatdoc]

ps

Even though I didn't fix the problem by replacing the solenoid valve, the old valve looked dirty and corroded, so perhaps it was a good idea to replace it anyway. Also, it gave me a good chance to remove the front and rear grills, clean coils with a fridge brush, and vacuum-clean underneath the fridge. Likewise, they had a steel-mesh/poly water supply hose which is approaching ten years old. I replaced it with a superior steel mesh hose. So it got an overhaul and now that the water line freeze is fixed, they have a fully functioning appliance once again. The water filter is two years old, there is no indicator light that says to change it, but it's only been used for icemaking (water dispenser didn't dispense for two years), so I think we can leave it be for 6-12 months and then change it. I think we bought two filters at Lowes two years ago and there should still be another spare filter lurking somewhere in their kitchen cabinets.