Residential Refridge Winterization

[scusset1]

Good morning!
I have a residential fridge in my Georgetown XL. This is the third season I have winterized it. However this year I cannot get the antifreeze to advance up through the door. It simply hums as if it is trying.
Antifreeze is already through the rest of the lines, the water pump will run if I turn on a faucet but not for the refridge.
Has anyone else experienced this? Does anyone have a solution?
I thank you in advance!

[Cypressloser]

If your fridge has a water filter you'll want to remove it and if the fridge does not have a water dispenser it may take a few minutes for the icemaker to activate and fill the ice trays. That's pretty much all I can think off.

[CHICKDOE]

a couple of thoughts

many of the water lines supplying water to the residential refrigerator have an on/off valve in them that can be used to shut off water flow into the refrigerator. is yours possibly closed? were you able to get water out of the refrigerator before you winterized it? if so valve s/b open.

if the valve is open and you have water pressure (either city water of via pump) it should flow right through the refrigerator.

also, have you already taken the refrigerator water filter out? many models require a filter installed to allow water to flow. if you want to take the filter out (so it does not get antifreeze in it) you may have to install a dummy filter cartridge or bypass plug to allow water (antifreeze) through where the filter would be.

[AquaMan]

Originally Posted by Cypressloser

If your fridge has a water filter you'll want to remove it and if the fridge does not have a water dispenser it may take a few minutes for the icemaker to activate and fill the ice trays. That's pretty much all I can think off.

Depends on the fridge model. Mine must have the filter in place to run water (or antifreeze) through (if you don't have a bypass cartridge to install). I usually use the current one to flow antifreeze through and install a new one in the spring. If I know I'm going to be dewinterizing and winterizing again during the winter months (travel south), I will use an old one that I've saved for just such purpose and install the good one once I'm dewinterized.

[scusset1]

Thanks Buddy! The filter is installed yet no antifreeze will get that far.
I can see it in the clear line that goes through the bathroom closet but it doesn't come out the door.

[CHICKDOE]

do you have an in door water dispenser or only an ice maker? if you have a water dispenser and have water pressure it should flow when you activate the water dispenser. that means you have you pump set to suck antifreeze out of the bottle. if only an ice maker you need to allow the refrigerator to run a few cycles of ice while the line is sucking antifreeze. i do not know how to do that if power is not available such as in our storage lot.

[scusset1]

Hi, Thanks! Yes, I have an in-door water and ice dispenser but can't get any antifreeze to come out.

[sandcadi]

The line is supposed to be open. I used it a couple of weeks ago and it was flowing fine. I am thinking a water pressure problem from the pump? Unless I open a water line the pump only hums. When i open the faucet the pump kicks on. Possibly not enough pressure? Your thoughts...

[AquaMan]

Originally Posted by scusset1

Thanks Buddy! The filter is installed yet no antifreeze will get that far.
I can see it in the clear line that goes through the bathroom closet but it doesn't come out the door.

Are you getting anything through the dispenser? As a side note, the filter will remove all color from the antifreeze, so it will come out clear as water.

[sandcadi]

Nothing, Not even air.

[CHICKDOE]

one other thought and i do not know if this is even correct or not. is the refrigerator turned on? ours has a control panel that you can use to turn it off even though it is plugged in. perhaps, and this is just a guess, it will not activate the electric solenoid to allow water flow if it is turned off. same situation if no 110 vac power to the refrigerator. that electric solenoid has to open.

[scusset1]

Hi, yes it's on... I wonder if I run the antifreeze continuously through the faucet to keep the pump running that will allow enough pressure for the refridge to pull it up through the lines?

[CHICKDOE]

no. the refrigerator does not 'pull it up'. it is the same water pressure that causes fluid (water or antifreeze) to flow out the faucets that allows it to flow through the refrigerator and out the door dispenser. so if it is flowing out a faucet and not out the refrigerator there is some form of obstruction in the refrigerator supply line or the refrigerator itself. try to trace the supply line going into the refrigerator. many times there is a small shutoff valve in that line that is used to block fluid from flowing into the refrigerator. check the refrigerator water filter to make sure it is properly seated and latched to allow fluid to flow through it. the only other thought is that the electric solenoid in the back of the refrigerator that opens to allow water to flow to the door dispenser or ice maker has failed. possibly a kink in the plastic supply line.

[scusset1]

I just kept on trying stuff.
I checked the water line and the shut off valve. They are OK.
I am thinking an air block of some sort now.
Loosing my patience with this thing...

Thanks for all of your suggestions, I appreciate the help!!

[CHICKDOE]

so you found the shut off valve. is it one of those push-pull valves? if i remember from reading posts here it is not intuitive. i think it is push in to allow flow, pull out to stop. i'm not sure. but it isn't flowing now. try moving the valve to the other position to see if that has any effect. if not set it back the way it was.

[scusset1]

It is hard to tell whether it is on or off and no literature that I found indicates what direction on is.
So frustrating, as it will 25 degrees tonight where I live and that line is small.
Thanks for all the suggestions, I will attempt to conquer this again today.

[CHICKDOE]

i'm not the expert here. i found the valve on mine but they look fragile. only thing would be to move it to the other position to see if that works. but i do not know how much force it takes and you certainly do not want to damage the valve.

there will be a plumbing connection where that small line connects to the rear of the refrigerator. you could unscrew it to see if you can get antifreeze that far. but most likely there is no access to that connection without removing the refrigerator and that is not a viable option.

25 degrees and a small line would give me concerns also. we won't see 25 degrees for at least a couple more months.

[scusset1]

Antifreeze is visible at the valve. I am wandering if there is not enough call for pressure from the refridge to make the pump kick on.
It kicks on if I turn on a faucet though.

[CHICKDOE]

i'm assuming it is at the input side of the valve. can you see it on the other side?
no the pressure in the plumbing lines should be the same at all places when nothing is flowing. when you open a valve the pressure will drop and that is what triggers the pump to operate. opening the valve on the refrigerator water dispenser will trigger the same pressure drop and the pump will come on. once the pump comes on it will pressurize all lines to the same pressure. if tht valve was open there would be pressure in the lines within the refrigerator and water would come out the door dispenser.

it is really sounding like that shut off valve is closed and is preventing fluid flow through it. if you can see antifreeze up to the valve and not after the valve what does that tell you? have you moved the valve to the other position to see if that has any effect? just be careful.

[scusset1]

Hi! First of all let me say thanks for all your input!!!!
I have open and closed the valve but the pump does not pressurize. It hums and does not become active until I open a water line.