Amana ARS2665AW water dispenser slow drip

[madkiwi]

Our Amana side-by-side has a very slow leak going on with with the water dispenser. It will leak maybe a tablespoon of water overnight. Nothing that will flood the house, but we do have to dry the drip tray every day.

I figured the culprit must be the water valve, but when I search for a water inlet valve for my model there are two different valves, one is a primary inlet valve (part WP12544001) and the other is a secondary inlet valve (part WP12544101).

Symptoms and parts descriptions don't differentiate which may be my problem. One is about $48 and the other about $75. I'd rather just replace the one that is defective, not replace both in a shotgun approach.

Any ideas?

Mark

[Rhubarb Tau]

Water flows through both valves in series. The incoming supply flows through the primary valve (energized by either dispenser paddle or icemaker fill), then to the water filter, the to the secondary valve (also two coild, disp + i/m). The secondary valve is there specifically to prevent unwanted flow if the primary valve should fail. The chances of both being faulty are slim, but non-zero.

Couple other things to check...  Low water pressure will prevent solenoid valves from closing reliably, and that would affect both valves. Minimum incoming supply pressure for this unit is 20PSI. If you have a water filter upstream of the fridge supply connection (Reverse-Osmosis systems are notorious from pressure drop), check that it isn't restricting incoming pressure or flow.

Take a close look at the icemaker, since it gets water from the same system, are there any signs of a slow drip or low supply pressure there, like a frozen fill-tube, frozen funnel , small cubes, stray ice, etc?

Also, are you sure the water is coming from the water dispenser and not the ice chute? An ice chute door that isn't sealing out warm air will drip as the ice above it melts.

 

[madkiwi]

Thanks for responding-

Water pressure is good. Ice cubes normal size and plentiful. Once upon a time we had a frozen fill tube (probably 2 years ago) and that caused all sorts of problems (water flowed everywhere BUT the icetray) but after removing, thawing and cleaning up the problem never has returned.

Water is definitely accumulating under the water dispenser side of the drip tray. Dried it up this morning, just checked and there is maybe 1/2 teaspoon and all in a small puddle right under the water hose. Surface tension is keeping it in the one spot, and the area under the ice dispenser is bone dry.

So try replacing the secondary valve and see if that solves the issue?

Thanks again.

 

[Rhubarb Tau]

Best bet is to replace both. Since they're in series, both would have to be leaking to get unwanted water at the dispenser.

[Hiroshi]

Check the water lines carefully- if the water is dripping out of the tubing ( if it is not one of the scenarios Rhubarb describes) the most likely cause is a pin-hole or tiny crack allowing air into the line behind the water... if there is no air being allowed into the system, suction would keep it from dripping.

[Rhubarb Tau]

Good call Hiroshi,  much more likely than two failed valves.

[madkiwi]

Not thinking the valves "failed" per-se, but we do have hard water/scale buildup here and it would not surprise me if there is some sort of buildup in the valves preventing them from closing properly.

I have purchased both supply valves, and they will be here tomorrow. I will install them and report back on the results.

Mark