I have been having intermittent low water flow issues to both the ice maker and the water spigot. The water flow to the dispenser is getting very slow, once in a while it is not so bad, but it is getting worse. The water flow to the ice maker seems low also as the ice cubes come out very small and almost hollow. I removed the filter and inserted the plug to see if the filter was the problem, it was not. I then replaced the main water inlet valve (P/N AP4009066). I thought this worked, as the water immediately started to flow properly again, bu it only lasted one day. The next day, it was flowing very slow again. All the water lines coming to the refrigerator are good. Does any one have any advice?
So the problem is still very intermittent. It often seems to flow ok in the morning for the first few uses, then slows to almost a trickle. Does this sound like the lines could be freezing? If so, is there a way to check and/or remedy this issue. I have not changed the temperature recently or been doing anything different.
It doesn’t look like I’m getting too much help on this issue, so I suppose I will have to call someone out to look at it, even though I hate to do that. Does anyone know of a good reputable repair company in San Diego? I have always fixed my appliances myself, so I’ve never had the need before.
Of course, i’m still open to any last minute repair advice that I can do myself!
Thanks for the reply, Gene. That is an interesting thought. I don’t have any filtration anywhere in the house, but this weekend, I was washing my car and the hose pressure seemed a little low. I hadn’t noticed anything anywhere else in the house, but maybe the pressure is off just enough to affect the refrigerator and not be noticed elsewhere too much. I’ll try to check the pressure and see what I can find.
I tested the water pressure at the hose bib in my garage, right after it comes in. The pressure was between 96 and 100 PSI! This actually seems too high for a residence, exactly the opposite of what I was expecting. I actuated the refrigerator with the pressure gauge still attached and pressure dropped to about 92 PSI. SO it seems low pressure is not the problem. The high pressure does seem like a problem that I now need to address, but seems to be a separate issue. Any new thoughts on this situation.
One new observation I have noted is that if the water does not flow well on the first attempt, repeatedly actuating the press button to dispense water sometimes gets the water to flow ok on the third or fourth try, but not always. Seeing as how the inlet valve is new and didn’t seem to be the problem, could there be an electrical issue? Perhaps whatever voltage is supposed to go to the inlet valve is faulty? Can anyone give troubleshooting help on this, if they think that could be the problem? There are two small solenoid valves on the inlet valve, each with two wire terminals. What should the voltage be on these terminals during proper operation and/or at rest?
The only way to figure out if there is correct voltage is to measure it.
One of the solenoids with the 1/4" tube connected to it is for the ice maker and, the other one with the 5/16" tube connected is for the water dispenser. The normal voltage reading on any of the coil should be about 120 VAC. You have to remove the wire plug from the dispenser coil and measure the voltage between the wires in the plug while someone else depressing the water release lever.
What i find many many times is that the shut off valve is a piercing type to shut the water off to the fridge. Just change it or drill out the center of it but if it is a saddle valve more then likly its a pircing type valve and the hole is to small sounds like thats it bang on. leave the fridge alone its a pluming problem
So I thought I had fixed this problem months ago. I replaced the pressure regulator to my house (since I found the pressure to be too high ~100PSI) and dropped the whole house pressure back down to ~50PSI. This instantly caused the refrigerator to start working properly (good water flow on ice and water dispenser). After about four months of no problems, the water filter light came on, so I replaced the filter, as I do regularly. Somehow, this brought the water flow problem back. Now I am right back where I started from where the water starts to flow ok, then tapers off to a trickle or stops completely. I tested the pressure in my house again to make sure that wasn’t again the issue somehow and it is fine. Someone please help. This problem is very odd and frustrating.
Hi Gene, thanks for the response. Yes, I did “attempt” to dispense the 2-3 gallons, but the flow went to a trickle after about ¼ gallon. I pressed on for the better part of 30 minutes and got maybe about 1-2 gallons in that time. The flow is REALLY slow. I also tried removing the new filter and put the plug in to make sure I didn’t have a bad filter, but the flow was still awfully slow.
leave the fridge alone its a pluming problem