Scary Refrigerator Problem - this ever happen to anyone?

[Scott269]

So tonight I had an unrelated electrical problem and was playing with the breakers to see what was going on. I flipped off and on the refrigerator breaker, and 15 seconds later go into the kitchen, and my GE Refrigerator had the chilled water coming out the door on its own! (model # GSS25IFRWW, have had it for about a year). I flipped the breaker off and on about 20 more times and was able to get it to do it once more. This really bothers me, what if while I'm gone a storm causes the power to go out and the water ends up flooding the place? Anyone ever heard of this problem before? How in the world could a switch that's off suddenly be turned on by having the power go out on it?

[VM]

Could be some type of circuit fault in the refrigerator itself, not correctly handling the surge when the power comes back on. Try putting the fridge into another wall socket if you have one on a different circuit breaker and see if the same thing happens. If it does, rather than dig much deeper, I'd contact GE or the vendor about warranty service.

In the short term, if you're planning to go away for any length of time, I'd unplug the water line or empty the water reservoir depending on how the fridge gets its supply.

[David L. Martel]

Scot,

Cycling the power to your fridge as you describe may damage the compressor. When you turn the fridge off let it sit for a few minutes before you turn it on.

Dave M.

[Stormin Mormon]

Call a priest. Do not go back in the house until the house and land are properly exorcised, incanted. Make sure the priest uses incense and sprinkles with holy water.

[Stormin Mormon]

Might. But more likely to cycle the overload protector on the compressor.