How To Clean Water Valve For Refrigerator

The majority of refrigerators today are equipped with an automated icemaker. The water valve supplying the icemaker is a key component of the icemaking organisation, and it should be the first matter you check if the icemaker's functioning is erratic or if the icemaker stops working.
When the icemaker calls for water ice, its switch closes an electrical circuit and energizes the solenoid-operated water valve. This allows water to menstruum through the valve and into the ice cube tray. The h2o is frozen into cubes, and the cubes are dumped into the ice bin.
Equally time passes, strange things may happen to the refrigerator'due south icemaking adequacy. The cubes may exist small-scale or there may be a solid clamper of water ice instead of individual cubes. Information technology'south also possible that the icemaker will stop working. These are all signs of a malfunctioning water valve.
The valve is equipped with a screen on its inlet to remove minerals and sediments in the water supply. Over time, minerals and sediment build up on the screen and restrict catamenia through the valve, or even block it completely. Minerals that get in through the screen can cause the valve to stick in the open position, overfilling the ice cube tray in the process. This is a common problem in areas with hard water, but information technology can happen only about anywhere.
Some other malfunction that will cause the icemaker to cease working is a pause in the solenoid coil winding. This is known equally an open curl. The coil winding generates a magnetic field every bit current passes through information technology, and this magnetic field opens the plunger valve that controls water period. A interruption in the curl winding stops current flow and this prevents the valve from operating.
Test And Inspect
The icemaker'due south valve is easy to audit and exam. Outset, gently pull the fridge abroad from the wall, and unplug information technology. Turn off the h2o supply to the icemaker past closing the shut-off valve in the copper waterline leading to the valve (Fig. 1). Apply a screwdriver or nutdriver to remove the rear lower access panel from the refrigerator's back.
Next, remove the make full tubing from the water valve. Apply a wrench to loosen the flare nut on the brass fitting on the inlet side of the valve (above). Place a container nether the valve to grab the pocket-sized amount of water that will spill from the valve and tubing.
Now use a screwdriver or a nutdriver to remove the spiral holding the valve's mounting bracket to the refrigerator cabinet (Fig. ii). Pull the valve out of the compartment and remove the tube on the valve'southward outlet. Then, remove the solenoid'south electrical contacts (Fig. 3).

To test the solenoid valve, utilise a multimeter (as well called a volt-ohm meter). Set up the meter to the RX-100 calibration. Bear upon the probes to each last on the solenoid roll (Fig. 4). The meter should read in the range of 200 to 500 ohms.
If the meter needle does non move, the curlicue is bad. You may be able to purchase the curlicue separately from the valve. If not, you will need to replace the unabridged valve. An icemaker valve costs virtually $30 to $fifty from the manufacturer or an appliance parts distributor.
If the curlicue tests okay, the inlet filter is probably clogged. To clean the filter, first remove the large brass nut on the inlet side of the valve. Then gently pry the screen out with a small-scale screwdriver. Clean the screen using an quondam toothbrush (Fig. v). Rinse the filter clean, reassemble the valve and install it.
Before installing the back console on the refrigerator cabinet, test run the icemaker. Expect for leaks, and tighten whatsoever leaky connections. If necessary, use Teflon record or a similar production to ensure tight connections. Discard the kickoff ice cubes that are produced because they are likely to have sediment in them.