Log in

View Full Version : Ge water freezes


jdubya
Jan 10, 2011, 09:53 PM
This is about GE refrigerator with frozen water dispenser. I have a Hotpoint by GE side-by-side on which the water dispenser freezes regularly. The other Question with a long set of answers has a solution from GE for the GE and Hotpoint refrigerators which includes a heater that might work for awhile until the insulation fails more completely. The real problem is deteriorated insulation that allows the water pipe to be exposed to the cold from the freezer through the freezer door's backside plastic. The water dispenser tube can be thawed out using a blow dryer on the back of the door or at the water dispenser in front - just be careful to not overheat the plastic parts. However, these are not fixes. They only put off the real problem, the deteriorated insulation. A few methods are offered to add insulation; one is to drill a 1.5-2 inch hole, remove the old insulation and insert new. This is the best solution except for the drilling part. (Cover the hole with white RV roofing tape.) Another way is to put insulation on the outside of the door's backside. Use 3/8" Styrofoam (or similar) and use that white RV tape around the edges of it.
These are fixes. If you are interested in a means to overcome the problem without fixing it, the best method is to use a piece of wire like a wire tie with the coating removed or some copper wire about the size of the wire tie and about 6 inches long. Insert the wire into the dispenser tube, leave about 0.5 to 0.75 inches hanging out of the dispenser. This will keep the water from freezing with the refrigerator set to 2 in the winter and 3 in the summer. If the water freezes, just heat up the wire sticking out until it thaws out the blockage. If this starts freezing every day, you might have to use one of the fixes mentioned above. Whatever the case, I wouldn't bother with the "heater" provided by GE - it is stop-gap at best. The real solution is to not buy the GE or Hotpoint when they won't stand behind their products that are poorly designed.

jdubya
Jan 11, 2011, 09:05 AM
Another point about the freezing dispenser is that chances are the setting for the refrigerator is too low. Mine was set to 5 both freezer and refrigerator. A better number to use is 3, or better yet 2 in the winter and 3 in the summer. (This is for a Hotpoint side-by-side.) This will get the refrigerator to about 35-40 and the freezer around 2-0, which should be acceptable.