19 replies to this topic

[allowingtoo]

I'm tired of listening to my husband whine about not being able to get ice from the icemaker.  I don't use it.  So when I got the Samurai Newsletter this morning I thought DUH!  Why haven't I remembered before now? 

I went through the ice maker FAQ's.  Searched my model numbers.  Found the Motherboard recall.  Maybe? 

Thought I would post a picture first to see what you think.  I don't do wires and testing.  I can replace anything but I don't know how to do the testing. 
Every day it ices up and the bin the ice drops down into freezes up and you either have to pour water down it or chip it away.  It usually looks much worse than this - he must have just cleaned it last night. 

Yes - we pulled the Fridge out and vacuumed the coils :)

I know - it's a GE.  Won't do it again. 

TIA

Attached Files

•  ICE.jpg   6.13KB   95 downloads
•  ICE.jpg   6.13KB   94 downloads

[Samurai Appliance Repair Man]

Let's start with the simple stuff: door gaskets. Good seal all the way around both doors? Door closing reliably every time?

[allowingtoo]

Yes - Yes. 

[Samurai Appliance Repair Man]

Awwite den, you may have bad thermistors or, indeed, a bad muthaboard, maybe both! Check the thermistors first and lemme know what kind you have.

[RegUS_PatOff]

looks like frost for some reason ..
 

Try the George Wa$hington test.

Close the Door on George and take him for a ride around the Door Gaskets
and check to be sure he stays snug.

[appl.tech.29501]

Don't forget to check the flapper door...might not be closing all the way.

[RegUS_PatOff]

PSS265GPA  :ooo:

maybe
PSS26SGPA

MB recall for that model dependant on serial number

GE_Refrig_Board.pdf 

[allowingtoo]

We actually have 2 of those ice buckets (if that makes any difference) and I have tried both of them to no avail.

I will have to wait until DH gets back from the golf course to check the thermistors as I can't pull the fridge out by myself to unplug it. 

I did try the dollar bill check first thing before replying to the first post (yes yes) but the door DOES look a little higher than the refrigerator side but then it always has since it's been installed.  It's been in for 4 years and this just started about 3 months ago. 

Would the charcoal water filter effect this?  I haven't changed it lately.  I just pushed the reset button. 

The first day after vacuuming the coils it made a difference and then right back to the frosting over the day after.....

Funny thing is you can't vacuum UNDER the coil. 

[kdog]

You need to purchase a coil cleaner brush that you can stuff into those hard-to-clean coils

RepairClinic part #12859

[allowingtoo]

Is this where I need to look?  I searched and searched and this is all I could find:

http://fixitnow.com/...r_location.html

And I did use my dryer lint removal brush but I bought it Walmart

http://www.asseenont...emover_kit.html



 

[Samurai Appliance Repair Man]

The thermistor is in the behind the freezer back inside wall, item 241 in this diagram. You'll have to tear the whole insides out of the freezer, all food and shelves. Not as bad as it sounds.

[allowingtoo]

oh GE it pays to buy an extended extended warranty with you.....

This will have to wait until tomorrow - I'm busy programming my new Phonak hearing aids that just arrived today  :) 

BUT I will get right on this too!!!  DH is not mechanically or electrically inclined.    

[delawaredrew]

[user=27301]appl.tech.29501[/user] wrote:

Don't forget to check the flapper door...might not be closing all the way.

Did you check the door flapper?  shine a flashlight up from outside and see if it is closed...  frost like that will usually form where warm/moist outside air is hitting the cooler interior airmass. 
Is the box cooling properly? Is the icemaker making ice?

[jim1872003]

I agree, ice door flapper is the first thing to check. Look inside of your water dispenser.

[allowingtoo]

Ok - where's the flapper?  "look inside the water dispenser". 

However - I can tell you everything you want to know about installing or uninstalling and getting Widcomm bluetooth to work on your computer as that has had me tied up for DAYS.  Finally got it to work.  I had a conflict when I installed one bluetooth on top of another :(  Widcomm owns the world of bluetooth drivers so you don't want to do that.  It's a nightmare getting it out of your computer without formatting your hard drive. 

I tried going to the Sears site and looking a the exploded view but they don't like my model number and they used to let you just choose to start from scratch - choose appliance etc etc. but I can't get that to work.  Maybe it's me.  I haven't had much luck with electrical things the last week or so. 

[RegUS_PatOff]

[user=12336]allowingtoo[/user] wrote:

... I tried going to the Sears site and looking a the exploded view but they don't like my model number...

[user=3641]RegUS_PatOff[/user] wrote:

PSS265GPA  :ooo:

maybe
PSS26SGPA

[KurtiusInterupptus]

no exploded view necessary, to see your flapper door merely look down the chute your ice falls down on its way to the glass...right below the area accumulating the frost. flapper is round and made of rubber. sometimes it doesnt close completely (solenoid issue) more often rubber is worn and mis-shapen and wont seal properly. see delaware drews suggestion...flashlite from inside out will tell the tale

[allowingtoo]

so if I'm looking up from the outside of the fridge into the freezer and I can see a clear path - is that a good thing or a bad thing?  it's full of frost but a clear path - so does that mean I don't have a flapper door or it's not working? 

[delawaredrew]

That's bad, and probably the source of your issue.  there should be a flapper that opens and closes in there when you try to dispense ice.  Normally closed.  That is the source of the problem then.  If you can pull the dispenser board off behind it is a solenoid that opens and closes the flapper, that probably has failed.
[line]
Taking it apart:

 Be very careful if you decide to remove that dispenser board assembly, the little plastic tabs that hold it in are often very fragile, look under the bottom lip for releases for it.  Might be 2-3  little screwdriver slots, might be a few holes for a small screwdriver to release it.  It'll have a few wires connections on it too.

Behind that you'll need to remove the plastic assembly that holds the cup cradle, a few screws and it is out, note the wire positions before you yank it out.

At this point the solenoid will be visible.  You might be able to move it gently or see if the linkage for the flapper is stuck or off.  If you can get the flapper closed that'll solve the frost issue, but until it works normally no ice is gonna come through that door.
 
Don't be surprised to see mold or mildew up in there, if it has been wet and warm for a while it can be kinda nasty.  It is possible that the plunger that moves inside the solenoid is frozen in and can be resurrected, but the solenoid is cheap and pretty easy to replace, might be worth getting one to have on hand so you don't need to take it apart twice.  You can get one here and always return it if not needed. 

Also inspect the flapper itself, if the rubber part is distorted, cracked or in anyway damaged, replace it too... that flapper is also cheap and a source or warm air intrusion that'll frost up that chute.

Good Luck!!

[delawaredrew]

flapper looks something like this:
http://www.repaircli...&PartID=1032671

solenoid looks something like this:
http://www.repaircli...390&PartID=2390

Not as cheap as I remembered...