Amana refg Model SSD22NBW - N/A cold water dispensor problem

[jJim McLaughlin]

Side by Side Amana Model No.: SSD22NBW - N/A

22 cu ft. refrigerator / freezer with ice / cold water dispenser

Installed in 1999.

In line filters changed religiously every January 1 and July 4, so I don't there are any major clogs.

For last three years, water dispenser stops working intermittently. Some times its off for two days, no water coming out when the lever is pushed in, then comes back on for no readily apparent reason. Water dispenser then works fine for 6 -

8 weeks, and goes out again.

This time its been out almost 3 weeks.

Again, the ice maker works fine, lots of clear clean ice, so the frig itself and at least half the interior plumbing is gettng water just fine.

I have the install documents and the operating manual. No clues and no diagrams in either of those.

Anybody here got any ideas for first, finding a water line diagram for this unit and second, fixing it?

[Jerry]

That sounds like more of an electrical problem than a plumbing problem. When it's in ice mode and the lever is pushed, does the ice always dispense reliably? If so, the lever switch is probably OK. The next thing to suspect would be the valve that dispenses the water in the door - might have a loose, intermittent connection there, or the valve could be failing. Don't know how you would check that without getting into the door. Never had mine open, so can't help you there.

The other possibility that occurs to me, usually the water for the dispenser runs through a holding tank in the refrigerator section, keeps the water cold. If the fridge section is too cold near the holding tank, it might be possible that the dispenser water is frozen. Check your fridge temperature setting.

Now if you had asked about changing a POS icemaker in my previous fridge, the POS Amana 26 CF side-by-side, now deceased, no problem. I was on my 4th icemaker when that fridge died after only 9 years.

Jerry

[Norminn]

Amana's website has some Q/A for refrigerators, not specific to model. It mentions water pressure for the issue of not dispensing water. Next step is to call serviceman.

[Oren]

(snip)

The model number seems to come up as Maytag.

Some images are here, but not sure if you have the same.

Click the Maytag link and then _Ice and Water Cavity_

Click the IMAGE link too the right or -

(1000x1000)

HTH.

-- Oren

"I don't have anything against work. I just figure, why deprive somebody who really loves it."

[jJim McLaughlin]

Two different levers. One for ice, has a selector fo cubes r crushed, always works fine.

DSecond lever, about 3 - 4 inches to right of ice lever, for water only.

The

Yeah. Iv'e never opened up the guts of the door, either, and don't really see a readilt accessible way to do that.

I'll look at that.

Thanks for the hint.

[jJim McLaughlin]

SNIP HAPPENS

Water pressure here doesn't change. Its constant. Not a likely source of intermittent operation of water dipenser, especially as icemaker works flawlessly.

No. Thats the last step.

[jJim McLaughlin]

Actually on the first page to which you link, the Model number is described as Maytag/Amana

Dead link.

really loves it."

[Oren]

One part there is interesting (I'm not an appliance repairman).

1) - 10533002 SWITCH, LIMIT (WATER DISP)

[Click the IMAGE link too the right]

Sorry!

-- Oren

"I don't have anything against work. I just figure, why deprive somebody who really loves it."

[jJim McLaughlin]

SNIPS

So at 6:00 PM local, after reading various osts and doing various chores, I go to check the fridg temperature as a poster suggested.

I try the water lever before I open the fridg door.

Water, clear, cool, clean water, flowing copiously from the water dispenser spout.

Cue the "Twilight Zone" theme:

"Dee, dee dee dee, Dee dee dee dee......"

I think the machine is afraid of you guys......

[Colbyt]

Since you are a regular here you should understand why the machine should be afraid of this bunch.

[jJim McLaughlin]

True.

I'm thinking it is an electrical problem, probably with the soleoid valve on the water line. I've learned that there is a dual pair of solenoid valves buried somewhere in the guts, that both valves are fed from the water line that comes in from the wall, and that one of the pair feeds the ice maker (which works fine) and the second of the pair feeds the cold water dispenser.

[Colbyt]

I did not see your initial post.

On most units those two valves are at the back of the unit at the bottom. Usually near where the water line enters the unit. The two valves are identical. You could switch them for a test.

At the time that I had a problem where I got water and no water to the ice maker, the problem was within the icemaker. After some research in this group and other places, I concluded buying an entire new unit was the best course of action as repairs are usually not worth the time and effort..

Shopping online by model number of the fridge, I found that there was only a few $ (less than $5) difference between the cost of a kit which included 2 new valves and the cost of just the icemaker. I spent less than $100 delivered for the kit. I installed the icemaker and have the two valves in the basement for backup.

Google or froogle for icemaker+(brandname)+(model#). Insert your brand and model, delete the () and use the +signs.

Colbyt

[hallerb]

my icemaker quit working, because the kit was cheaper than buying parts I bought the entire kit, found the solenoid valve was bad as I suspected and have the ice maker guts in reserve.

solenoid valves appear failure prone, at least for me:(