Refrigerator Crushed Ice Dispenser

I have a side-by-side refrigerator/freezer with an ice and water dispenser built into the door. The ice dispenser has worked well over the years but r ecently my wife started making smoothies, crushed ice blended with fruit an d other healthy stuff, and has been dispensing crushed ice. The crushed ice tends to clog the discharge tube and freeze into a solid mass.

She's started using only cubes and spending a couple extra minutes at the b lender but I wondered if there's some magic trick to dispensing crushed ice without clogging.

The machine is a Whirlpool and is at least 12 years old. The kids brought i t when they moved in with us for a while and left it as a thank-you present .

Paul

Reply to
Pavel314
Loading thread data ...

She may do better if dispensing crushed, before done switch it back to cube for the last bit and see if it clears the chute.

Reply to
Ed Pawlowski

I don't know about clogging, but when I first got my refrigerator and tried the crushed ice dispenser I found that it dispensed the crushed ice all over the kitchen. I immediately quit using it and just use cubes. They mostly come out better. Well better than the crushed ice.

The ice dispenser seems to work just the same as at fast food restaurants convenience stores. It cranks and cranks and then suddenly fills the glass with more ice than I want. Just like the professional dispensers.

Bill

Reply to
Bill Gill

I too, have a WP side by side, only 5 years old. The ice distribution system, in the door, is just horrible. Funny thing, in the summer, there are no clogs. In fall through spring, we sometimes have to clean it once a week, chiseling out huge chunks of ice. We do keep the AC running during the "good" times, however, the humidity is usually higher in the summer than winter ... go figure. I normally don't do extended warranties, however, I took one on this unit because of all the trouble I've had in the past. The service guys just say, yeah that's the way they are! They've tried everything, including a complete new door. The last guy said that all of the units with the ice bucket in the door do that ... and that I should only use cube! Well, I bought this model so I could get crushed ice and I feel I've been duped. One of the service guys told me that the WP tech person on the phone told him something that he wouldn't tell the customer. I squeezed it out of him and he reluctantly told me they said that is "was up to the customer to keep the chute clean." BTW, when it ices up, the entire bucket freezes to the base, so removing it is quite difficult. When it finally breaks loose, there's ice all over the kitchen, resulting in a major wipe up. One time when the service guy was here, he had to beat on it sooooo hard, that plastic pieces flew out in different directions. He said it just came apart, but I think he actually replaced some parts which were broken, when I was looking the other way.

Reply to
Art Todesco

ser built into the door. The ice dispenser has worked well over the years b ut recently my wife started making smoothies, crushed ice blended with frui t and other healthy stuff, and has been dispensing crushed ice. The crushed ice tends to clog the discharge tube and freeze into a solid mass.

he blender but I wondered if there's some magic trick to dispensing crushed ice without clogging.

ht it when they moved in with us for a while and left it as a thank-you pre sent.

IDK, my Kitchenaid works great, it's never clogged. The motor did burn out though, after about 3 years..... I really like the crushed ice a lot. It cools down room temp drinks instantly and the crush iced is more uniform in the glass when you're drinking, where ice cubes tend to slide around, come at you all at once, etc. This problem sounds like a design issue with the particular unit.

Reply to
trader_4

Make sure the exit door is sealing up when you take your cup away from the actuator. There may be a bind in the linkage.

Reply to
gfretwell

I just talked to my son in Chicago. He has a friend that has a very expensive SubZero unit that has the ice bucket in the freezer door. He says that the friend has the same identical problem. And in addition, my service tech said that all units, no matter what brand, which have the bucket in the freezer door are subject to this problem. He also said that when he buy a refrigerator he looks for one with non electronic controls, although he admits they are becoming fewer and farther between.

Reply to
Art Todesco

GE / Hotpoint put a circuit board in the back of many models of refrigerator. They had a run of bad boards, and those boards are expensive. $150 or more, just for the board.

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.