I have a GE side-by-side refridgerator with a ice maker and water dispenser. In the last 3-4 months the water dispenser shuts off intermittently, but comes back to life on its own. I have changed the water filter as well as cleaned the water line, but haven't been able to identify the problem. The ice maker works fine.
Any thoughts?
Thanks

Davek01

Same proble with our and then it started working consitantly. But NOW, it started dripping when we went to bed and did $2000+ damage to out subfloor and floating laminate on top of the subfloor. In addition to mold issues.

Our valve started leaking. GE REFRIDGERATORS SUCK!!! I wonder if they made any improvements with this double-valvue, or if someone sells a better double valve that can take its place? Its only 120vac solenoids that run that valve. Surely a better part can be adpated in?

I found out this monring that here at work (GE btw) three other people have had floor damage due to this leaky valve. Has anyone thought of a class action law suite against GE Appliances?

Davek01

Same proble with our and then it started working consitantly. But NOW, it started dripping when we went to bed and did $2000+ damage to out subfloor and floating laminate on top of the subfloor. In addition to mold issues.

Our valve started leaking. GE REFRIDGERATORS SUCK!!! I wonder if they made any improvements with this double-valvue, or if someone sells a better double valve that can take its place? Its only 120vac solenoids that run that valve. Surely a better part can be adpated in?

I found out this monring that here at work (GE btw) three other people have had floor damage due to this leaky valve. Has anyone thought of a class action law suite against GE Appliances?

kenw00d

I experienced the same problem with the water dispenser not working at all. The problem is a frozen line in the door. I'll skip the hassle of dealing with GE. Based on all of the other postings you should know by now that GE does not stand behind their product and that you should never purchase a GE appliance.

That said, I purchased an electric heater kit specifically designed to fit the GE side by side refrigerators with the water dispenser. I purchased it from repairclinic.com for $42.50 plus $6 for shipping. The item # is 1381601.

Installation was pretty easy and took a total of 15 minutes. On a scale of 1 to 10 for difficulty (10 being the most difficult), I would rank it as a 4. The instructions that came with the heater kit were VERY helpful. The heater kit should not cost $42.50, but it beats dealing with GE. You can install this yourself. I installed mine at 9pm and by morning the dispenser was working again.

Steps:

1. Pry off plastic frame.
2. Lift control board out.
3. Disconnect the 3 wire harnesses from circuit board.
4. Unscrew the dispenser unit. (4 Phillip Screws).
5. Peel and stick the heater in the recesses area. See instructions from heater kit for picture on where the heater should go.
6. Splice wires according to instructions that came with the heater kit. Splices are provided. Very easy to do. Just follow the directions. Splice one heater wire to the harness red wire (position 2) and the other heater wire to the (black&white) harness wire (position 6).
7. Plug in the just the one harness to the control board and in 60 seconds you will start to feel the heater area getting warm. That's how you know it's working.
8. Put everything back together and you are in business.

NoviceFixer

MacGyver (1/8" foil duct insulation),
davette59 (a foam insulation board about 3/4 " thick and blue in color), and
chem-prof (cheap foam sleeping bag mattress (~1/3 inch or 1 cm thick) made of a polyurethane foam),

Are your interior insulation fixes still working as of today, 7/15/08?

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kenw00d,

You mentioned that the instructions came with the heater kit but I'm not sure if I have the same model refrigerator that you have. My model number is GE side by side model TFH24PRSBAA.

When you installed your heater kit item #1381601, in step-1 you say "Pry off plastic frame". Which plastic frame is that? Is it on the exterior or interior of your door? The inside of my freezer door is one complete molded unit so I'm guessing that the plastic frame you pried off is on the outside of the door. If that's right, could you clarify what the plastic frame you pried off looks like and what it includes? Thanks!

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To everyone,

I have an idea if I can get into my freezer door. Instead of installing a heater, why not use the ambient room temperature as the heater? What if we drill a hole or two through the outside of the freezer door right below or near the water dispenser nozzle? Maybe this could let ambient room temperature into the door at the right places to keep the tube above freezing temperature.

If someone can tell me how to open up the water dispenser assembly, I'll see if this idea can work.

Thanks,
NoviceFixer