It can be incredibly confusing when the ice maker or the water dispenser in the fridge stops working. There is no need to worry here though, you can check whether the problem is due to the water inlet valve or not which in most cases is the culprit.
Let’s take a look at how you can diagnose and fix this issue.
How Do You Know If Your Refrigerator Water Valve Is Bad?
You can check your refrigerator for both mechanical and electrical issues. Locate the valve which is usually located at the lower side behind the fridge.
Disconnect the pipeline and check if it has good pressure or not, if yes, then there must be some blockage in the valve itself. You can test it with a millimetre to test if it is alright electrically or not.
What Does The Water Inlet Valve Do?
The Water Inlet Valve is responsible for transporting water to a refrigerator’s water dispenser or the ice maker.
A problem with this component is mostly reflected in the appliance’s ability to make or dispense ice.
Where To Locate the Water Inlet Valve?
Before checking or locating the water inlet valve, make sure to switch off the fridge and unplug it from the electrical socket. Your food items will be okay for a few hours at least without power.
You can usually find the valve towards the bottom rear of the fridge. You might have to unscrew some screws to remove a panel to gain access to it, but this depends on the fridge model you are using.
Shut off the water supply to the fridge before trying to access the inlet valve. When you are removing the water supply line, place a few towels or a small bucket beneath the connection point to take care of any spillage.
You will have to loosen a nut which hold the water line in place. If the connection is a c cup then push it in while at the same pull it out to remove it.
How to Check the Water Inlet Valve For Electrical Issues?
You will need a multimeter to check for any electrical issues once you have gained access to the inlet valve at the back of the appliance. You can use either an analog or digital multimeter for this job.
First, disconnect the water supply line which is connected to the valve, you will also need to disconnect the wires from the terminals located on the solenoid coils. The total number of these coils will differ from company to company and model to model.
Make sure the multimeter is calibrated properly and set it to the lowest ohm settings. After this, place the probes on each of the terminals.
If the multimeter shows an infinite reading, or if the digital meter does not show anything or if the analog version’s needle does not move, it could show that the valve has no continuity and is faulty.
How to Check the Water Inlet Valve for Mechanical issues?
To check for any mechanical issues, first remove the water supply line from the fridge, place a bucket beneath this pipe and turn the water on again.
If the water supply out of the pipe is strong and clean, then it means that the water supply is in a good condition.
But this could also mean that the water inlet valve is dirty, clogged or simply faulty.
Before you go, you may enjoy these articles as well:
- How Do You Know If Your Refrigerator Needs Freon?
- How Long Does It Take A Refrigerator To Get Cold Once Plugged In?
- Refrigerator Won’t Cool But Freezer Works
Conclusion
Locate the water valve behind the fridge, usually towards the lower area. Disconnect the power line from the valve and check the pressure of the pipeline itself.
If the pressure is good, then the issue must be with the valve. You can also check for its electrical issues using a millimeter.
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