GE GSH25JGDDWW Side by side refrigerator- Water line freezes repeatedly within short period of being thawed

[Mister Fix it]

So as the title says, GE GSH25JGDDWW Side by side refrigerator- Purified water line freezes repeatedly within short period of being thawed.
It has happened in the past infrequently, like every 6-12 months or so. But now it freezes everyday, I put everything in the door in an ice chest, turn it off and open the door. Within a couple hours all is good again. Run some water 1 quart or so to make sure the line is clear, put everything back, and within 6-12 hours, it's frozen again. I've done this 3 times now in as many days, in between fixing the sinks and toilets which 
all seem to be failing at the same time in this 30 year old house. I'm getting pretty good at this sh_t!
So, a litte more info. This started taking place after replacing the water filter with a fresh one, same as the one that was in previously. 
I wondered if there was a correlation to my problem, so I replaced the filter AGAIN after thawing out the line, ran 2 gallons through and 
same problem again some time later or the morning. Nothing else has changed in this freezer. It's pretty stocked with meat and veggies 
but the same as before this started. The only other thing different is that I did not empty the whole freezer these last few times, just ice cream and the stuff in the door, mostly veggies. But the water was flowing as I said after a couple hours, so what the heck?
Why does it keep freezing? The tap water tastes like shite here, wifey not happy!
 

[citizenX]

Ok, if this is the problem I think it is, the water line inside the freezer door to the water dispenser is freezing up just behind the dispenser housing. It is a well known issue and there is an inexpensive heater kit available that you need to install in the dispenser housing that will (or usually will) stop the line from freezing. Part number is WR49X10173 and it's about 10 bucks on Amazon. 

The easiest way to defrost that line is to use a squeeze bottle with hot water and just squeeze hot water up into the water line at the top of the dispenser. It gets frozen a few inches back from there so it doesn't take much to thaw it out. I use a "zoom spout oiler" bottle for this as the tube is very small and fits perfectly up inside the dispenser line. Only takes a minute and you don't need to unload the freezer. 

Also, make sure your freezer temp is not set too low as this can also lead to the line freezing inside the door, but the dispenser heater is more than likely the fix here but you do need to verify the line is frozen just behind the dispenser first. That is where a squeeze bottle with a narrow and long spout will come in handy.  

https://www.amazon.com/WR49X10173-AMI-PARTS-Compatible-fridge-Replaces/dp/B07VNPVCDM

Edited September 29 by citizenX

[Mister Fix it]

Thanks for the info. There's a plastic doohickey inside the tube at the output point.
Like a flow restrictor. I don't have a nozzle small enough at this point, I will need to seek one out. I put the temp at the highest it would go for the freezer, 5F degrees.
I haven't messed with it anymore. So this heater kit.
It came with the fridge and failed, or it's an add on solution to the problem?
Are there instructions anywhere on the install?

[citizenX]

It's an add on kit. 

 

[Mister Fix it]

citizenX Thank you for the info.
I'm just trying to confirm that this part fits GSH25JGDDWW?
Not seeing it on GE parts diagrams, and the part you mention isn't listed in regards to the model I have, so is it correct? Also, just want to make sure the part on Amazon is safe. I worry about anything that gets hot and sits unattended for years on end. I almost purchased a dryer heater element off Amazon until I read of the reviews of the damn things either not lasting more than a month or catching on fire! And I sure wasn't going to pay the $260 GE wanted for it. 
I eventually got the OEM direct replacement from a place called highway61 parts
for a very reasonable price of around $60 with shipping. 
So can you tell me how you determined the compatibility fo this part with my fridge? Anxious to get this resolved!!!
 

[citizenX]

You usually won't find special parts like this that come out afterwards on a parts look up. Manufacturers will issue a service bulletin later on for stuff like this, and this has been a very well known issue for a long while on these units. And yes, that is the correct part for your unit that starts with GSH model number. Serial number range is shown on the bulletin but I've had units that were not in the serial number range still freezing and this heater kit fixed it.  

That said, as I noted earlier, you can still have a tube freezing issue deeper inside the door unrelated to what this heater addresses. That's why I said you need to use something like a thin tube spout from a zoom spout oiler and squirt hot water up into the dispenser tube to verify the ice blockage is directly on top of or a couple inches behind the dispenser housing. This heater will address ice blockage within a few inches of the dispenser housing. If your dispenser line is freezing deeper inside the door then this kit will not help and the fix was to replace the entire freezer door. I'd say 95% of the time though the line is frozen at the dispenser for which this kit will (or should) fix. 

As far as the kit, you can pay $80 for it at GE if you want but I've installed dozens of these over the years that I got off of Amazon for ten bucks or less. It's a pretty low wattage heater so it's not going to melt down your refrigerator. 

[Mister Fix it]

Wow., thank you! Wow great info.
Ha, I'll have to post another post on our GE Profile washer...
Was going to replace the transmission, but it seemed like that all the replacement ones available were junk (or risk a used one?). But the wifey LIKES this dang washer because it has a hand wash feature.
Well, I'll post that another day.
Thank you!