Water Dispenser On GE Side by Side Broken

[JohnnyLarue35]

Hi All,

I have a G.E. side by side refrigerator

Model ESH25XGPACC.

The Ice Maker works, when you push on the dispenser the light goes on, and you can here the usual clicking sound before water came out. I thawed the water storage reservoir coil on the refrigerator side, and the water is in there, not frozen, but still no water. And the ice maker works fine. You can hear water running into it.

Could the water inlet valve cause this? I am pretty handy, but I have never taken a freezer door apart so i would need a little help with that, as well.

Thanks in advance for any help you can provide!

[Dan O.]

The water valve on the back of the fridge opens when powered, allowing house water pressure to flow through the internal tubing to the door dispenser and then out. The water valve not opening would prevent that water pressure from moving the water though the appliance's tubing, yes.

A blockage anywhere in that internal tubing could stop the flow even if the valve on the back of the fridge was opening. Besides a frozen water reservoir and maybe a frozen filter, the water line running through the freezer door can (on GE electronically controlled fridge models like you appear to have) also freeze.

Someone might want to check to make sure water is getting to the door or not when the dispenser is activated. Water flow there but not out the dispenser should point to a frozen water line in the door itself.

JMO

Dan O.
www.Appliance411.com
The Appliance Information Site
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[JohnnyLarue35]

Thanks Dan!

I am looking to save some money and do this repair myself. It looks like I can replace the valve fairly easily, (i think ?). GE will take the part back, no questions asked for 30 days, so I would only be out shipping. I did put the filter bypass plug in, and then a new filter as it was time to change anyway, and still no go.

I have seen a part that actually heats the water dispenser tube. behind the ice dispenser chute area. that may freeze. You just tape it down with foil tape, (it appears in a pic that way). And it plug in somewhere on the fridge.

I was thinking of opening the freezer door, remove the light bulb, and tape plastic over the entire door opening. I could run a hair dryer over the area, or just leave it open overnight.

If it worked, I would know my problem.

But is there a step by step, or general way to take the door apart only if I need to get in there? i have seen the GE Website PDF of my freezer door with all the parts in a diagram, but it does not tell you how to get inside the Ice/ Water dispenser area. I assume you have to come at it from taking the door apart, but it would be great if it came apart from the front of the door.

Thnaks for your help, advice, and time. I appreciate it. If i can do this myself, it would really help my family save some money.

[Dan O.]

is there a step by step, or general way to take the door apart

The door does not come apart. Both inner and outer panels are foamed together by the door insulation.

it does not tell you how to get inside the Ice/ Water dispenser area.

You can only get minimally into the dispenser area, and from the front by removing the fascia. The following link might help:

LINK > GE fridge door dispenser

I could run a hair dryer over the area, or just leave it open overnight. If it worked, I would know my problem.

Or the water line could be disconnected at the base of the door to see if water squirted out when the dispenser was activated?

JFYI

Dan O.
www.Appliance411.com
The Appliance Information Site
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[JohnnyLarue35]

Thanks Dan!!

Water did come out of the line when I disconnected it, and pressed the dispenser lever down. I took the front panel apart, and tried a hair dryer in the area, but no luck of course. And i did not want to melt anything

So should I keep the door open and let it thaw, (for 12-24 hrs., or less IYO?) while taping the opening over with plastic to keep everything in the freezer from going bad?

Or is there another way to solve this issue via part replacement, etc.

FYI the freezer was set way too cold by a house guest (brother-in-law) and read almost minus 15 below zero, on a fridge thermometer, when we came back from an out of town funeral.

Thanks again for all your efforts!

John

[Dan O.]

So should I keep the door open and let it thaw

That's probably the only way it is going to get thawed.

while taping the opening over with plastic to keep everything in the freezer from going bad?

I wouldn't suggest you leave the fridge running unless you can insulate... well, the opening. If you make the freezer work too hard you'll likely run into a defrost problem which can come with its own perils on those GE models. I suggest you move any refrigerated items elsewhere and turn the whole fridge off to be safe.

the freezer was set way too cold and read almost minus 15 below zero

That could do it.

JMO

Dan O.
www.Appliance411.com
The Appliance Information Site
=D~~~~~~

[JohnnyLarue35]

Dan,

Thanks for all the great advice! I put a hair dryer on the front chute area last night aroung 7PM, (after removing the control panel. etc.). I put it on low, and kept it far enough away so it wouldn't melt anything. I kept it around 100-110 degrees for 20 minutes, using a thermometer.

Guess what, it worked!!

Thank you so much. You are the man!!!

John

[Dan O.]

I put a hair dryer on the front chute area last night. Guess what, it worked!!

Often the frozen point is somewhere inside the door (anywhere between the top and bottom) rather than just up near the dispenser but glad to hear you got yours thawed. Thanks for the follow up.

Dan O.
www.Appliance411.com
The Appliance Information Site
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[JohnnyLarue35]

Thanks Dan,

One more issue I have now realized.

This 5 year old Fridge's digital temp. settings go from 1 being warm, to 9 being the coldest. They were both set at 5 for a long time. And the temp always varied, a bit, in tandem, on each side. If I noticed the fridge side was a bit warm, the freezer was as well. But they always went back to normal together.

Well since things froze about a month ago, I have been slowly lowering the number down, and both are at 2 now, but the store bought temp gauge I've had for 5 years, reads minus 10 freezer, & 36 degrees in the fridge. I know they aren't the most accurate This is after 4 days at both of them being set at 2.

I realize the temp will vary when defrosting, summer vs. winter, etc. but is there a part that fails on this particluar model like a temp sensor in the freezer? Or is it usually the Motherboard?

Thanks!!

John

[Dan O.]

Temperatures too cold

is there a part that fails on this particluar model like a temp sensor in the freezer? Or is it usually the Motherboard?

I don't know about on that particular model but generally on GE electronically controlled fridges any of the 2-3 thermistors (all the same ) or a failure of the main control (aka 'mother') board could result in temperature stabilization problems.

LINK > GE ESH25XGPACC Main Control Board

LINK > GE ESH25XGPACC Thermistor

If the original thermistors have a rounded, bullet-shaped tip, they could be suspect. Newer designed thermistors have a blunt (flat) tip (see the link above) which distinguishes them from older, more problem prone thermistors. The latest designed ones fail too though.

There could also be a possibility of an air damper problem being the cause of the fridge section temperature.

LINK > ESH25XGPACC Damper & Thermistor Asm

JMO

Dan O.
www.Appliance411.com
The Appliance Information Site
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[JohnnyLarue35]

Thanks Dan,

I think I'll try the Freezer Thermistor's first. The one I can see easliy is round tipped. It looks like there is one visible in the freezer lower left side, and one hidden behind the evap panel cover, is that correct?

http://genet.geappliances.com/IPCNet/Dispatcher?REQUEST=IPCNETGETPDF&file=00000000/00022200/00022229.p03.pdf

On the fridge side it appears to be part of the Damper Control.

http://genet.geappliances.com/IPCNet/Dispatcher?REQUEST=IPCNETGETPDF&file=00000000/00022200/00022229.p06.pdf

I guess I'll start with the cheapest part first

Thanks Again Dan!!

I'll let you know what happens either way.

[Dan O.]

The one I can see easliy is round tipped.

Than they all likely will and as such be suspect for premature failure or malfunction.

It looks like there is one visible in the freezer lower left side, and one hidden behind the evap panel cover, is that correct?

There should be one attached onto the evaporator coil. I do not know the exact location of the other on your model.

On the fridge side it appears to be part of the Damper Control.

They are sold as an assembly although the thermistor itself can sometimes be replaced separately from the rest of the damper.

I'll let you know what happens either way.

Please do.

Dan O.
www.Appliance411.com
The Appliance Information Site
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