Saturday, August 31, 2013

GE PSDS5YGXSS Profile 24.6 Cu. Ft. Stainless Steel Counter Depth Side-By-Side Refrigerator - Energy

GE PSDS5YGXSS Profile 24.6 Cu. Ft. Stainless Steel Counter Depth Side-By-Side Refrigerator - Energy Star
  • GE
  • GE Profile PSDS5YGXSS 246 cu ft CounterDepth SidebySide Refrigerator with 3 Glass Shelves LED Lighting and External PreciseFill IceWater Dispenser Color LCD Controls Stainless Steel
  • PSDS5YGXSS
  • GE - PSDS5YGXSS

We bought this fridge when our previous GE Artica side by side failed (unrepairable) after 10 years. At the time I seriously considered going with a different brand, but the feature we have become addicted to is the custom-cool drawer. If you are not familiar with this feature, it's basically a drawer that will chill wine and beer to 37 degrees in 15 minutes. There is no other fridge on the market with this feature, and in fact GE seems to be abandoning this feature as well since this is one of two fridges that still have it.

The nice things about this fridge that we enjoy:

1) The custom cool drawer

2) The sealed beverage pocket in the door that keeps drinks extra cool

3) It's nice looking

4) Digital temperature controls and monitoring (in C/F)

The things we don't like:

1) It died 7 months after we bought it. We lost a fridge full of whole-foods items. It took me two days to get hold of a person who could schedule repair, and it will take 2 weeks to fix it. Requires some special parts. The repair person told us to expect to perform the same repair every 2 years because it's prone to failing in this humid climate (austin, tx). The part is some sort of heater that prevents the cooling distribution from icing up. So in summary, I bought a fridge that will break every 2 years as designed.

2) It's noisy, and I think this may have something to do with the icing up of the fans in the cool air distribution system. The fans sound like they are rubbing on something. It did this from the day we bought it (off and on).

3) The controls are aimlessly designed. In our old fridge, to turn on the custom cool drawer, you pressed a button once. In this new interface it takes 7 button presses. Home->options->refrigerator Options->Custom Cool->Express Chill->More time->OK. The person who designed this used engineering logic to organize the controls, they did not use any user interface design principles, and probably didn't test it with users.

Overall this would be a wonderful fridge if it didn't break down on us and ruin several hundreds of dollars of fresh food. If GE knows there are issues with the fridge, then it should be quick and easy to schedule an emergency appointment and that repair shop should have the parts in the truck. That would make it tolerable. Our current solution to this problem is to buy another fridge and place it in the garage as a backup fridge for when this happens again (and the GE repair man asserted that it would).

In Summary: Look elsewhere in you are in a humid climate.

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Haier HUM013EA 1-2/7-Cubic-Foot Compact Space-Saver Upright Freezer

Haier HUM013EA 1-2/7-Cubic-Foot Compact Space-Saver Upright Freezer
  • Compact upright freezer with 1-2/7-cubic-foot capacity holds up to 46 pounds of food, with running amps of 1.4A
  • Full-width coated wire shelf slides out for easy access or removes for storing taller items
  • Adjustable thermostat for customized temperature control; manual defrost system
  • Reversible door with recessed handle for convenient placement almost anywhere
  • Measures approximately 19-3/4 by 19-3/4 by 20-2/7 inches; 1-year limited warranty

I needed a small freezer for storing excess frozen blueberries from a bulk purchase so after researching different makes and models, I finally decided to purchase the Haier mini-freezer from Amazon. Amazon offered free shipping and the price of the unit was $20 cheaper than my local walmart and target. It was very good customer service for Fedex sending two employees to deliver the mini-freezer so it arrived in excellent condition even though the way the mini-freezer was packaged from Haier was the worst I've ever encountered. There was absolutely no foam or packing material to protect the unit and after cutting one plastic strap the card board box fell apart.

After inspecting the unit for damage, I found one small dent near the top-right of the freezer door (See the images that I've posted above). I proceeded to follow the instruction booklet and plugged it in. I filled the mini-ice tray (Included with the unit) with water and left it in the freezer. Two hours later I checked to make sure the unit was still working and noticed the water had already frozen so now I have mini-ice cubes ^_^

I thought it would be helpful to include the mini-freezers interior measurements for usable space: I've measured the freezers interior top half at 15 inches wide with a depth of 12 inches, while below the removable wire shelf the bottom half measures 15 inches wide with a depth of only 7 inches (Usable space is lost due to the units motor).

Pros-

The unit is very quiet.

It looks nice and the handle is built into the top of the door.

The hinge can be moved to the opposite side depending on which way you prefer the door to open.

It has a switch in the back which allows temperature adjustment from 1-7 (I have it set on 4).

It has a removable wire rack inside the freezer.

Cons-

Some of the space in the lower section of the freezer is lost to the units motor.

I'm very happy so far with my purchase and recommend this mini-freezer to anyone that needs a little additional freezer space, but keep in mind there is a high percentage chance it will arrive with a dent >_

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AquaFresh Replacement for Whirlpool 8171413/NL200 Filter, 3-pack

AquaFresh Replacement for Whirlpool 8171413/NL200 Filter, 3-packEasy to replace filters are an excellent way to keep filtered/cold water available 24-7. Best price that I could find. Performs as well as OEM filters.

Happy with it. Installs the way it should and works the way it should. Seems to be a good product.

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Loved the idea of saving money on the filters but these were a big mistake! We absolutely hated the taste of the water with these. It was a big mistake and we couldn't wait to get the actual Whirlpool ones. I will say the seller was great about the return. I'd buy from the seller again but not this product.

Read Best Reviews of AquaFresh Replacement for Whirlpool 8171413/NL200 Filter, 3-pack Here

I bought this thinking I could save a buck! it takes about 2 weeks of use before the water is just "ok" better than tap water but not clean and fresh as the name brand.

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Works well for the cost. Can't tell a difference between these and the OEM. Would buy them again in the future.

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Supco Replacement for UKF8001 Refrigerator Filter, 3-Pack

Supco Replacement for UKF8001 Refrigerator Filter, 3-PackI researched the net and Amazon for the best value in a water filter for my Maytag refrigerator. The best value by far was the Aquafresh WF 295 water filter that is a replacement for the OEM Maytag UKF8001. I was able to purchase the Aquafresh filters in a three pack through Amazon from DeepDiscountco. The cost of the three pack was the best value by far and the cost per filter was less than half of the UKF8001. DeepDiscountco shipped for free and there was no tax applied. What a deal!!! The filters arrived quickly and I was surprised at how easy it was to change the filter in my Maytag. The Aquafresh filter fits and works just like the original UKF8001. The owner of DeepDiscountco sent an email thanking me for the purchase and telling me to contact him if there were any issues (there were none) with a promise of a quick resolution by make me satisfied. What more can you ask for in customer service? I don't usually take the time to write reviews but I was so very happy with this purchase I could not help but share this info with others. Aquafresh Replacement for UKF8001 Refrigerator Filter, 3-Pack

Very disappointed, less than a week after first installation I can already taste clorine in our water and ice. The original PUR filter went through 3 300 gallon cycles before I finally bought these filters and I never tasted clorine whatsoever. Live and learn, I was turned off by the cost of the PUR filters and tried to save some money. Next time I'll buy the PUR filters, but I guess I'm stuck with the clorine for two more filter replacements.

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Best price, good quality filters, perfect fit and arrived very quickly!! I liked the fact I could get a 3 pack, also.

Read Best Reviews of Supco Replacement for UKF8001 Refrigerator Filter, 3-Pack Here

I bought these instead of the OEM to save some money. The water just does not taste the same as the OEM Maytag brand. Nice product, fits nice, but I would spend the extra money and get the OEM Maytag filters instead.

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I guess what you pay for. I ordered this off brand of filter and now you can't stand the taste of the water or ice. I will be getting the Maytag brand which i have NEVER had a problem. I even have 2 extra filters that I can't use!!!!!

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WAECO CF-25 COOLMATIC 24 QUART 12/24 VOLTS PORTABLE REFRIGERATOR / FREEZER WITH COMPRESSOR

WAECO CF-25 COOLMATIC 24 QUART 12/24 VOLTS PORTABLE REFRIGERATOR / FREEZER WITH COMPRESSORBBought this fridge for 7.00$ at a second hand store because the previous owner didn't know about the low battery shut down and thought it was broken. This unit actually cools to a set temperature unlike thermo-electrics that only cool to 40' below the outside temperature. That means if you leave a t-e in 100' car your food is 60'. This one uses a real compressor which means it is the same as your home fridge in operation. It also uses less power than a t-e because it reaches temp and stops unlike a t-e which runs constantly. The turbo function gets it cold nearly as fast as ice so its ready to go fast. I sometimes run mine on a 12 porta power pack which makes it useable for outside use. Yeah its expensive but i drive a truck and it saved me 500$ easy in first year instead of eating out on road or buying ice. Hope that helps.

Friday, August 30, 2013

Danby DCR88WDD Energy Star 3.2 Cu. Ft. Designer Counter-High Compact Refrigerator - White

Danby DCR88WDD Energy Star 3.2 Cu. Ft. Designer Counter-High Compact Refrigerator - White
  • Energy Star 3.2 cu.ft. capacity refrigerator with independent freezer section
  • Manual push button defrost
  • 1 full shelf and 1 half shelf for maximum storage versatility tall bottle storage and CanStor beverage dispensing system
  • Smooth-back design for flush fit against walls

Bought this as a replacement for a Frigidaire that's thermostat wouldn't work (and Frigidaire wouldn't do anything about it even tho it was a very common problem). Really like this Danby much better. Able to put quart of milk IN refrig instead of just in the door like old one. Very happy with this product!

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A perfect addition to our tack room. Plenty of internal storage and handy can dispensers. The dispenser allows you to select any can, I have a different brand mini fridge in my workshop which requires you select the bottom can in a stack of eight, this dispenser allows you to select your drink, any drink. A full width freezer compartment is not typical, and was a welcome find on this fridge.

Transport of mini fridges is always going to be difficult, because they do not have substantial packaging. I ordered this one using prime next day to minimize the time in transit. It had minor dings which is fine for a tack room. You may consider buying one locally if you want this to arrive blemish free. The packing of this and all other mini fridges is not designed for carrier transpiration. You will have some damage, even if that damage is a small ding on the back.

It keeps the contents nice and cold, even when set on the middle area of the thermostat.

The energy star rating is a plus.

I would buy again.

Read Best Reviews of Danby DCR88WDD Energy Star 3.2 Cu. Ft. Designer Counter-High Compact Refrigerator - White Here

Very good fridge. It has plenty of space for the typical dorm room and the drink rack in the door is nice. Freezer section makes ice fine but won't keep ice cream frozen. I have it located under my bed in college and noise is not a problem, it has never woken me up despite being 3 feet from my head.

The door did come with a slight dent in the door but this has not affected functionality at all, I'm not sure whether Amazon or the shipping company was responsible for this but it isn't a big deal.

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The refrigerator arrived in quite cheap packaging. When I opened it, I found many large dents on all sides of it. It seemed to be alright for the price, except I didn't like the door arrangement. Too many places for cans and not enough for anything else. I can't say anything about how it worked, as I never turned it on. Amazon was great about returning it. They picked it up and credited my credit card right away. Great company, but they should check the shipping boxes to make sure they are strong enough.

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We receive the first one with a big notch in the door but Amazon change it only 3 day after this one came and work like all other product made by Danby. ( we have tho other fridge and freezer from Danby) Very good product .

Amana Water Valve D7742204 R0175017 W10245167

Amana Water Valve D7742204 R0175017 W10245167
  • R0175017 replaces D7190103, D7208403, D7261613, R0175009, Y627403, Y627431,
  • Y627580, 627403, 627431, 627580, D7190103, D72084-3, D7208403, D7261613,
  • AP4247661 , 2818 .

The Amana replacement icemaker water valve was/is advertised as a "universal" replacement for the manufacturer's original equipment. The replacement, however, has different water line fitting connections. This required substituting parts from the old valve to make the new valve operable. Fortunately, the old valve failed due to electronics. Had the failure been in the physical water line connectors, the "universal" replacement would have been a completely useless, and somewhat falsely advertised purchase.

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The water valved I received was perfect and customer service was FANTASTIC in helping me find the correct part! They saved me 60.00-200.00 by carrying this part which allowed me to fix the repair myself!

Read Best Reviews of Amana Water Valve D7742204 R0175017 W10245167 Here

All I can say is it fits, it works and I had no trouble with installation. My ice maker and water dispenser works again and the wife is happy. That means I am happy.

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Took the old one out, new one in without changing anything. Shipped on time and arrived on time with no damage to product.

Fixed the ice maker no fill problem. Factory part fit perfectly so repair was easy. The original part was color coded to the electrical connectors to keep ice maker filling and drinking water dispenser connected properly to the correct valve. This repair part does not have the color coding but if you are at all careful removing the old part this is not a problem. That's the only think to watch out for.

Samsung RFG297HDRS 28.5 Cu. Ft. Stainless Steel French Door Refrigerator - Energy Star</n

Samsung RFG297HDRS 28.5 Cu. Ft. Stainless Steel French Door Refrigerator - Energy Star
  • 5 Tempered Glass Spill Proof Shelves
  • Twin Cooling Plus System
  • CoolSelect Pantry With 3 Level Temperature Controls
  • Dimensions: (WHD): 35 3/4" X 69 3/4" X 35 5/8"

I am very big on Samsung...We now had the RFG297HDRS for almost 3 weeks. Our previous fridg is also a Samsung side by side.

Pros:

1) love the fridg....roomy fridg section

2) LED lighting

3) look and feel

Cons:

1) Not holding temp correctly. Tech was out today and they are replacing the temp sensors. Hopefully this will help.

2) Got eggs? Normally we store our eggs on the top right shelve on our side by side. The dozen standard size egg carton does not fit on the top door shelve of our new refrig. I thought that was annoying. We actually had to put the eggs on the regular shelve.

3) buzzy sounds when power cool is on. The tech checked the compressor, fans, condenser and was unable to find the issue. I just happen to touch the back of the fridg near the freezer section and the sound stopped. I remove my hand and the buzzy sound is back. did that 5 to 8 times and it was consistent. We looked inside the freezer and the tech tighten a few screws from the inside back of the freezer and the buzzy sound is solved.

4) Ice maker: The good: Fast production and ice is great! The bad: Each time it pops an ice get ready to cover your head! You think someone threw a rock at your window. It is loud, really loud! My side by side is whisper quite when it comes to making and popping the ice out. This was just amazingly very loud and I am not over saying this. We have a large house and I can hear it all the way in bed across the entire house. At least your Samsung is making a statement that I just popped out ice ready for you...Maybe voice notification of a pop!

I am happy with the fridg. Hopefully once the sensors are replaced it fixes this temp drift I am facing. I noticed if I unplug the Refrig, wait 10 mins and turn it back on it will display the correct temp then later in a few day the temp drift. I had it set at 34F but the thermo is actually 48F inside.

Buy

Bought this during last year black Friday at $1599!! I guess I don't have the right to complain at that incredible price! I have been using this for a month. So far so good! I have read numerous compliant about this fridge on Bestbuy and other website. Yet, I still risked and bought this model (coz I like its size and look). I believe either I am lucky getting a good one. Or, others did not do what it's suppose to do. Per Lowes technician's advice, you gotta dump the 1st 2 gallon of water in order to avoid dripping. Also, after 24 hrs, you should dump the 1st bucket of ice cubes as well. I did those and I don't have any problem.

Also, if you feel the fridge is not cold enough. Press 'Power Cool' or 'Power freeze' for 3 secs...and adjust to the desire temp...something like this. Hope this will help the others! This is a nice LARGE fridge!

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Letter to Consumer Reports:

I bought this SAMSUNG RF266ABRS fridge because it was recommended by Consumer Reports in August 2009. This fridge and other SAMSUNG fridges should be taken off the recommended list because there is an inherent design defect that causes ice buildup on the evaporator coils.

First there is a rattling noise as the fan hits the ice buildup.

Then the noise stops when the ice completely blocks the fan but then there is no more cooling happening.

There is even a class action lawsuit against SAMSUNG fridges:

Please look into this Samsung ice buildup problem. The Samsung fridges should definitively not be on the recommended list but put on the "do not buy" list. The ice buildup issue occurs about 1 year after purchase. SAMSUNG is not acknowledging the problem and does not help its customers.

Letter to SAMSUNG:

I am deeply unsatisfied on how SAMSUNG handled the warranty policy with my SAMSUNG Fridge French Door Model RF266ABRS. This fridge was defective starting Year 1 and was not repaired appropriately the 1st time. All was done on the 1st service visit was to defrost the evaporator not fixing the problem itself.

Of course, the problem reoccurred 1 year later and every year after that. Since the technician explained the problem, how to solve it and SAMSUNG customer service gave me a hard time because it was a few days over the 1 year purchase date, I dealt with it personally by unplugging the unit and let it sit unplug for 24 hours. Not a satisfactory resolution, just a quick workaround, until I got fed up with losing food and asked for SAMSUNG to resolve this problem once and for all.

First this problem should have been resolved the 1st visit. Secondly I learned recently from numerous complaints and videos on the web that this is a defective design in SAMSUNG fridges that causes the ice buildup on the evaporator.

Here is a video showing the defrost sensor modification kit to fix evaporator ice buildup. This is for the SAMSUNG RSH1 fridge but it is the same modification that was done on my fridge by the repair technician who came to my house:

Many SAMSUNG fridges have the same cooling design thus sharing the same ice buildup issue.

I was charged $104.68 to fix SAMSUNG own defective design! This is outrageous and no decent company would shift the cost from itself to their customers . It shows utter disrespect for its own customers, not counting the monetary damage. Sir, should I remind you that your customers are your most important assets and should be your priority number one!

SAMSUNG should have done everything in its power to help its loyal customers by fixing its defective fridges FREE OF CHARGE.

The technician explained that he had to move the defrost sensor away from the evaporator in order to let the defrost cycle run longer and completely defrost the evaporator from any ice buildup. He also put a wider drain clip. The older clip was too small. It would get iced up and not let water drain away from the evaporator. There is also a new metal clip that attaches to the heating element and goes inside the drain clip to heat any ice there if needed so the drain cannot get clogged. In addition, a new seal kit put on the market by SAMSUNG 3 months ago was used to seal the evaporator compartment to prevent moisture to get in and improve circulation airflow provided by the fan.

Want

This is a really good refrigerator. Shop around and you can find these a thousand less than regular price...

External:

This refrigerator barely fits in my cabinet frame in my kitchen. My previous fridge (25cf side-by-side) had about an inch of space on the sides and about four inches from the top to spare. I measured the cabinet space prior to buying the Samsung but was sure surprised at the size of it when it was installed.

The back of the fridge is very flat... completely sealed off. It does not have space to tuck/hide away excess water lines. Samsung provides a flat three pronged wall plug (more on that in a bit) but the waterlines was a small issue for me. Initially, the Samsung fridge stuck out two inches more than the previous model. After coiling the excess water line and inserting the excess into a small hole in the drywall (with a nice wall plate) all is well.

I read in couple places online that the "motherboards" in these new high-tech fridges can get damaged by power spikes/surges and are extremely expensive to replace. So I ordered an inexpensive single surge protector (made by Belkin) and a flat extension cable to go with it.

[IMHO, the only real alternative (size and space) to this fridge are counter-depth refrigerators (priced a grand more).]

After two days, I noticed a lot of reddish/brown streaking on the stainless steel face. At first, I thought it was dirt from the cloth/sponge I was using to clean the surface. It looked like rust, smelled like rust (very metallic odor) and stained a white diaper cloth like rust. I quickly googled "rust streaks on my stainless steel appliance" and found a simple solution: baby oil/mineral oil. That took care of all the streaking.

The stainless steel is only on the doors, not the sides or the back. The sides are dark grey and glossy similar to most refrigerator surfaces.

Last interesting note about the exterior: The stainless steel on this fridge does not attract magnets magnets only stick to the sides. We used to have magnets from all around the world on the fridge... not any more. Funny thing is, some of my other ss appliances do allow magnets to stick...

Interior:

I think a 29c ft refrigerator says it all for space. The doors have ample storage space and are very solid. Even with four gallons on milk on the door shelves, the door still feels light and solid.

Lighting is perfect. External lighting is also nice. At night it can illuminate the entire kitchen floor.

Operation:

The "Super Freeze and super cold" options work great. Moving from the old fridge to the new one was quick and easy and nothing spoiled in the process.

(This model is a single ice maker.) No issues with ice, crushed or cubed. Makes ice from filtered water.

Fridge temp is 2 degrees colder than the door computer display reports. I guess this is better than if it reported the opposite.

About 2 1/2 yrs ago we bought all brand new home appliances, all SAMSUNG (unfortunately!) from LOWES in Hawaii. Planning to sell our house we didnot buy the extended warranty...After 2 years the refrigerator developed problems:the bottom freezer section, it became all frozen, the technician said it is a COMMON PROBLEM with SAMSUNG, the gasket needed to be replaced++. Also the light went out in the freezer as well as on top, the LED, above the water/ice spout...obviously we got a lemon! the estimate for the repairs was $ 600.00 ++, LOWES said after 7 days they do not accept any returns ( after spending 0ver $ 5,000.00++ we will NEVER shop at LOWES again!) SAMSUNG said sorry, YOU SHOULD HAVE BOUGHT THE EXTENDED WARRANTY!!!...what an expensive piece of junk! besides the refrigerator the microwave also died, the technician ordered a piece that was still under warranty, but still it didnot work, the repair estimate came to over $ 350.00!!! another piece of junk! bad luck indeed, but honest-to-God truth! we paid almost $ 200.00 to technician ($ 75.00 + tax /visit) for nothing!...now we worry about the stove, the dish-washer etc...

12 Volt Portable RV Refridgerator 12v Freezer Truck Fridge Car Portable Electric Boat Fridge (2-Yea

12 Volt Portable RV Refridgerator 12v Freezer Truck Fridge Car Portable Electric Boat Fridge
  • For use in Use in boats, RV's, camping and off-road vehicles.
  • 12/24 V DC & 110 V AC with auto switch.
  • UL and CUL approved
  • Volume: 40 Quarts
  • Two Year Warranty

I just purchased an Engel MR040 fridge/freezer based on the companies' reputation and consumer reviews of Engel. Product looks very durable and cools quickly and relatively quietly.

I bought the unit to install in the cuddy of my boat, to be fixed mounted with the Engel transit slide mount.

Following the instructions that came with the transit slide mount I removed the rubber corner protectors and installed the 4 round mounting feet.

Problems -

The problem is that on the compressor side of the unit the round feet come in contact with bolt heads on the bottom of the unit, and the round feet will not sit flush against the bottom of the unit. I fixed that by notching the feet so that they would clear the bolt heads.

Also, one of the bolts that secures the round feet the unit on the compressor side when tightened makes contact with something inside the unit causing a loud noise from the fan (since the rubber corners were removed I could see that the head of the bolt was touching something inside the unit so I removed that foot and the noise went away so I inserted a spacer between the bolt head and the foot and secured the foot to the unit and now the foot is secure and not contacting the compressor and the fan noise went away.

Engel needs their tech guys try to put together the MR040 with the transit slide so they can address these problems.

The fix could be prenotching the round feet and supply shorter bolts to attach the round feet.

I am not so impressed that I had to re-engineer the fridge, since I spent a lot of money for it, and I'm sure that other not so "handy" buyers would not been able to figure out how to do what I did.

Thursday, August 29, 2013

Maytag MSF25C2EXM: Side-By-Side Refrigerator with Store-N-Door &reg; Ice System

Maytag MSF25C2EXM: Side-By-Side Refrigerator with Store-N-Door &reg; Ice SystemWe bought this fridge primarily because we wanted a lot of ice and this had a good ice generation rating. BUT

The ice dispenser continuously dropped cubes on the floor and we had a number of slipping incidents. I ended up putting a small rug by the fridge to catch the ice and prevent slips to fix that. Minor problem. But ...

Within a week or two of installing the fridge, the ice dispenser jammed up. I took a look and discovered a block of ice had formed, from the dispenser chute into the removable ice bucket inside the door. I could not remove the bucket to get at the blockage because it was "glued" to the door with ice.

I ended up having to defrost the freezer to get the ice out. Within two weeks of doing this the same thing happened. For several months I developed a weekly routine of using a blow dryer to get the ice bucket out, dumping out all the ice in the bucket to melt out the block of ice at the bottom of the bucket, clearing the jam out of the chute, drying everything off and reinstalling. Takes about an hour each time.

I had assumed there was some sort of installation mistake. Turns out not. It is a known design flaw.

I finally called a Maytag repairman after a shelf broke in the refrigerator ( which appear to be cheaply made) and decided to have both taken care of while under warranty. The repairman explained this is a known design flaw and that what I had been doing weekly is considered the "routine maintenance" to take care of the problem. It's due to moisture and water building up in the chute each time you dispense ice. They recommend doing it every two weeks, although in our case we must be "heavy" ice users because we need to do it weekly. He said done properly you can do it in 20 minutes or so rather than the hour I've been taking.

However, he spend well over 20 minutes trying to remove the ice bucket and gave up. So I think his 20 minute estimate is optimistic.

He pointed out that they note this procedure in the owners manual. I pointed out you don't see this until after your purchase the fridge and I certainly wouldn't have purchased a fridge requiring this level of "routine maintenance."

Additionally, a plastic part had broken off in the dispenser apparently unrelated to this problem, according to the repairman, that requires replacement of the door. This is under warranty currently but is going to be an expensive problem if it recurs out of warranty.

I called Maytag directly and they confirmed that it is a known design flaw and the solution is the "routine maintenance" I am already doing. They said they are no fixes nor are they correcting the problem by offering a replacement ice maker.

So if you consider spending an hour a week on an ice maker "routine maintenance", Maytag is your company.

Water Filter Housing Replacement O Ring For 4 1/2 Inch Housings RGAP801-AP802

Water Filter Housing Replacement O Ring For 4 1/2 Inch Housings RGAP801-AP802Perhalps it was my fault, but I ordered this o-ring thinkin it was 4 1/2 inches. but what I received was an o-ring about 8 inches. not sure who's fault.

Frigidaire 5303918344 Icemaker Kit for Refrigerator

Frigidaire 5303918344 Icemaker Kit for RefrigeratorThis icemaker is very good except for the automatic flap shut off valve gets pinned in the down position so ice continues to overflow. All that we do is shut off the ice maker until we need more ice. Also the switch is horizontal and our ice maker cover the switch is vertical.

Great replacement for the original ice maker that never worked correctly. The only down side to this one is that the arm comes out a little further than the unit that came in the fridge. I can't use the shelf that fits over the ice bucket because of this but I'm happy I now have ice.

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I have all thumbs with repairs but this one is so simple to do. No kidding ... loosen 2 screws unplug and put new one in the same way. and then it worked!! no hoses no taking other stuff off it is simple and works great and i would have paid 2x that for a plumber i bet

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Ice maker works. Was slow to process from Appliance Parts Pro, but once shipped received quickly.

Doesn't fit my Electrolux Perfectly, but works none the less.

The shut off bar doesn't fit my hopper exact and the on off switch has a different orientation. I could modify my hopper and upper tray if I need too.

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Works great.It is not a perfect fit as the switch on my old one was vertical and this one is horizontal making shutting it on and off a little more difficult. But a minor inconvenience for the value!

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Sundanzer Solar-Powered Freezer - 8.1 Cubic Ft

Sundanzer Solar-Powered Freezer - 8.1 Cubic Ft
  • Requires 215 Watt solar panel, 300 Ah battery and 15 Amp charge controller
  • Ideal for off-grid solar homes or applications where grid electricity is not readily available
  • Uses environmentally-friendly CFC-free refrigerant
  • Includes baskets for food organization

Installed this unit about 2 years ago in southern Michigan so it's been through two winters now. My installation is powered by 300 watts of solar panels, which is more than needed but I don't have a good sunny spot in the back yard. Unit is operated at 24 volts using four 6-volt golf cart batteries in series that were purchased from Sams Club. A cheap charge controller was bought on eBay. This combination works fine but the freezer does not keep things as cold as a normal freezer. It stays around 15 degrees F, which I monitor with one of those cheap indoor/outdoor wireless temperature gauges from ABC Warehouse. This temperature is measured near the top of the freezer so should be about the warmest spot. I tried using 130 watts of solar panels and it did not do the trick maybe if I cut a tree or two and adjusted the panel vertical angle seasonally it would work with the 130 watts?

11/29/12 Update

Recently the freezer's control unit died and freezer would not work at all. I contacted Sundanzer (915-821-0042) and spoke with "Billy". He was very helpful and, even thought the freezer is out of warranty, he shipped me a replacement controller at no cost. Replacement was easy and the freezer is now functional again. I did learn that Sundanzer has gone to a different manufacturer for the controller (and compressor?). The controller in my unit was made by ACC in Italy. I'm not sure what kind of service I will receive in the future as it is my understanding that Sundanzer no longer uses this manufacturer. The controller Billy sent me was one of only six they had in stock and they were not able to test it before sending it do me. Billy attempted to test it with the only compressor they had in stock that was compatible with the ACC controller, and none of the six controllers they had in stock would work with that compressor. Thus it would appear that the only compatible compressor Sundanzer had in stock was defective. I also asked Billy if there was some way to make my freezer operate at a lower temperature and he responded that he would also send me the "ice cream thermostat" for my freezer. Again, replacement was a snap but it did not seem to make much of a difference in the freezer's temperature. I concluded that I probably did not have enough solar panels to keep my 24 volt battery fully charged and added another 124 watts of solar panels, making a total of 424 watts in panel output. The freezer now maintains a temperature consistently around 2 degrees F toward the top of the unit and a degree or two lower at the bottom. mkwalker16@hotmail.com

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

GE WR55X10942 Refrigerator Main Control Board

GE WR55X10942 Refrigerator Main Control BoardIf you are reading this, odds are your GE Profile fridge is quite warm on a Sunday night. You are desperately trying to figure out what's wrong. This board may solve your problems. It is a recalled part so you may be able to get it from GE for free. After what we went through, I hope amazon leaves this review up as a service to their customers. In return, the customers can spend their money on other amazon items.

The problem was as follows. We have a GE Profile fridge, Model PSC23NGSA (from 2005) with the vertical side by side doors. (I think these are called "French doors".) Neither the fridge or the freezer was staying cool. The fridge was making a clicking

sound. Opening the doors, the display on the front was flashing "HRS".

We did some basic troubleshooting. Put the food into coolers to try and save it as well as clear the vents. We unplugged and plugged the fridge back in. We made sure it was not in demo mode. The thermostat had been replaced in the past so that rules that out.

Doing some web searches showed that this has happened to others as well. The original board was recalled by GE on November 7, 2006. There was a letter that was sent out to technicians about this but not to customers. We called GE at 18003861215, option 3. We stated what the refrigerator was doing. We brought up the recall and stated we wanted this part.

Initially, GE was going to ship the part out in 3-5 days. My wife ordered them to overnight it. With President's Day, we got it the following day due to the post office.

Installing it was fairly straightforward for me. Below are the steps I used. Your experience may be different.

Tools required: socket wrench, SAE socket set, needle nose pliers, light

Steps:

Unplug fridge from wall outlet

Move it to where you can get at cover plate

Remove cover plate using the socket wrench

Make a diagram or take pictures of which connectors went to what locations on the board

Unplug connectors. You may have to use the pliers.

Remove old board. It rests on these plastic standoffs

Put in new board

Plug in connectors into new board.

Move fridge back in to place

Plug into wall outlet

I found a parts diagram online. If you've ever swapped a motherboard in a computer, you can definitely do this. The instructions will walk you through it. If you have the model with the freezer on the bottom, one would cut some wires before installing. The instructions go over that as well. After you are done installing the board, it will take about 2 to 3 hours to get back cool. This even in an empty fridge.

I've had it installed for just over a week now. The fridge is back in service. My wife says the freezer seems to be colder. Overall, frustrating, but resolved now. Hopefully this will help someone else out there.

I got a free main board replacement PN: WR55X10942 on Aug 22, 2012. The customer service person was aware of the main board issues and asked for my model and serial number refrigerator to see if it was covered. My fridge is a stainless steel 25 cubic foot side by side, model GSH25JSRF SS with a ship date of Mar 2006. I was informed that the main board was covered, but because it was outside of the 5 year replacement period I was told that the board would be provided free and that I would be responsible for the $100 service call to replace it. I am a mechanical/electrical engineer and feel very comfortable replacing the board myself (as should anyone reading this) I told the GE representative that I have read several posts on the internet where people have opted out of the service call and installed the board themselves. I asked to opt out of the $100 service call and fee, requested them to ship the board to my house, and told him that I would install it myself.

The board could not be any easier to install just 2 screws to remove the cover on my model and 5 or so connectors to remove and plug in on the new board. Here is a how to install it on a different model fridge

My fridge had the following symptoms:

The Water dispenser stopped working and would not dispense water about 4 months ago (this is related to the main board from what I have read)

A week ago the fridge would start clicking with a frequency of about 1 click per second for hours on end until the compressor kicked in and the unit ran. This cycle repeats every few hours. During this clicking I noticed the interior refrigerator lights dim, a weird buzzing sound coming from the box in the top left side of the fridge (defroster unit?) and the fan for the condenser would jerk and turn about 10 degrees, and the compressor and condenser cooling fan would not run. The clicking seemed to be coming from relay largest relay on the board. The relay is manufactured by Omron and has a part number G8P-1C4P. It has a 12VDC coil and a NO ( normally open) contact rating of 20A and 250V.

During my google searches attempting to find the root cause of this mode of failure, so I could attempt to fix the board on my own, I found this letter advising technicians of the main board recall. It was sent from the National Service Manager, Richard Zutterman, dated Nov 7 2006In my google searches, calling home depot, and calling GE I had about six 1-800 phone numbers to call. I decided to try and call the National Service Manager Rickard in the above mentioned letter and got his voicemail. On his voicemail he asks people calling about the main board issue to call 1-800-749-6629. He must hate that people posted that letter on the internet. I called that number. Several people on the internet have commented that GE customer service was very good. I was shocked because dealing with them over my front load washing machine back in 2007 was a nightmare. I work with a lot of very bitchy ladies that had to take customer service training as a department in response to complaints from other departments in the company that had to work with them. I am happy to report that my interactions with the GE customer service today were "A+" quality. It could not have been any better and I am being very critical about that.

I think our customer service consultant would agree, the GE customer service person I talked to was outstanding.....simply perfect. I am not just saying that because I got a free board.....but it does help I got exactly what I wanted.

If you have a dishwasher manufactured between Dec 2006 and 2010 then do not call GE about it to see if it is under recall. It is locking up their phone lines right now (I was on hold for 20-30 mins) go to

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My 2 year old bottom freezer refrigerator started to have the classic symptoms, not always cooling, one second clicking sound when not cooling. Some times the refrigerator cooled but not the freezer part. Sometimes neither part cooled while the fridge started to click. (Clicking is from relay noise).

I ordered this universal board for my fridge from Amazon.com. I took advantage of the FREE shipping. It arrived quickly in a timely fashion. It was a sealed GE factory board and not a brand X board. First class! The board came with clear instructions to be used for your particular refrigerator.

In my case, I removed the small rear panel on the back side of the fridge to expose the board. You then unplug the fridge, pull out the connector plugs from the board, remove the ground wire under a screw, remove the board off of 4 plastic standoff spacers, install the new board onto the spacers and then plug in all the wire connectors onto the new board. My new board had many more parts on it then the old board. You cannot plug the wrong connector into a wrong socket. Each connector has a different number of pins on it so any one plug will fit into only one socket.

In some cases a wire needs to be cut on one of the plugs per the instructions, but for my model this was not neccessary. Also, for BOTTOM FREEZER refridgerators, you need to take the lower panel off exposing the compressor and check if you have a start capacitor on your fridge. (The diagram shows you where the start capacitor would be located if you have one). If you have one, you need to cut a ground wire off a plug. In my case no wire needed to be cut as I had no start capacitor on my fridge. In short all I had to do was to swap out boards on the fridge and then put the panels back in place with screws.

For tools I needed a Phillips screw driver, but to remove the old board a pair of needle nose plyers helped removing the old board off the stand off legs as they needed to be squeezed before the board could be lifted off the standoffs one at a time. There are 4 plastic standoff legs holding the board in place. I didn't need to cut any wires but if you did need to cut one or two a small wire cutter would be handy. Otherwise a pocket knife would do the job.

If you follow the clear instructions you won't make a mistake. In my case I could replace the board again now that I did it once in less then 5 minutes. Doing it the first time, so you don't mistake, should take you no more the 15 to 20 minutes being very careful.

One last thing, THE BOARD FIXED THE REFRIGERATOR! (Please understand after reoplacing the board and turning the fridge on again, once plugging it back into the wall, will require hours of operation before the fridge and freezer are cold enough to turn the compressor off. In my case, with an empty fridge, I got tired of waiting to see if it would turn off after three hours of operation watching it. When I checked the next day, it was cold and not running. Everything was working just fine. It took a long time before it shut off even when the fridge was empty. (So be patient).

You can do the repair yourself and save a lot of money! The part from Amazon cost about half the list price of the board, no tax, and I also saved the cost of the repairman's labor. In my case I had actually called a repairman, two weeks later he had the board but never showed up on his appointment. I fired him and did the job myself quicker and for less money.

Lee

Houston,Texas

Read Best Reviews of GE WR55X10942 Refrigerator Main Control Board Here

Had a problem with my GE fridge, not cooling and acting erratic. After some online research pinpointed the problem to this board..... Ordered from Amazon. Received part faster than expected and as described in the listing it was a Brand New Original GE part still Sealed in the box. Instructions were easily understood and installation was a snap.

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Purchased a GE side-by-side refrigerator in 2007. Thing started moaning, howling and we've put up with it for 2 years. Finally pursued a fix by researching online. Turns out the main control board by the OEM (original equipment manufacturer), a subcontractor for GE, used boards that made the fan in the freezer section run at either the incorrect frequency or what I interpret as a variable frequency. Took a chance and purchased the card based on some posts on separate websites about the issue. Card was a success, easily installed with a pair of needle nose pliers and a 1/4" socket wrench. Board came double-boxed with bubble wrap as well. Official GE instructions were included. Quiet has been restored.

By the way, GE was no help in this matter. Despite seeing posts online about GE possibly providing new boards, three separate calls to GE were unfruitful. GE asked the standard questions: when did the warranty expire, did I have an extended warranty. The troubleshooting line was not prepared to perform analysis beyond the most basic of issues. The entire GE interaction was disappointing to say the least.

If you have a GE fridge and it moans or howls, consider a main circuit board replacement. Any price under $125 is an easy beat of the prices GE will offer from their own sources.

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Frigidaire 242015101 Nameplate Label for Refrigerator

Frigidaire 242015101 Nameplate Label for RefrigeratorProduct originally delivered was badly damaged. Contacted Amazon customer service over the phone and they replaced it immediately. Great customer service!!

Note: The product was damaged prior to shipping. Product was NOT damaged due to shipping. Appears that original damaged product was shipped intentionally.

Electrolux EI26SS30JS 25.9 cu. ft. Side by Side Refrigerator, Stainless SteelE

Electrolux EI26SS30JS 25.9 cu. ft. Side by Side Refrigerator, Stainless Steel
  • EI26SS30JS

The best refrigerator purchase we have ever made, everything about it is high quality and classy, we loved it so much we also purchased a washer and a dryer of the same make.

LG 5231JA2002A-S NSF Certified Refrigerator Water Filter, Certified Green, Made in North America 2

LG 5231JA2002A-S NSF Certified Refrigerator Water Filter, Certified Green, Made in North America 2 PackThis product at first gave off a strong chlorine taste to the water. Shortly after, it had cleared up and it works great. We havent had to change it yet, so we don't know the life span, but so far so good. I would definitly order more..

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

KitchenAid Architect Series II KUWS24LSBS 24 Under-Counter Wine Cellar, Left Hinge

KitchenAid Architect Series II KUWS24LSBS 24 Under-Counter Wine Cellar, Left Hinge
  • Easy to use temperature control knobs
  • Wrap around stainless steel door for modern look
  • Features auto defrost
  • LED temperature display
  • Interior light to view bottles clearly

Kitchenaid refers to this as a "dual temperature zone" wine cellar. It is not. I've had mine running for a few days and the difference between the upper and lower zone has never been more than 3 degrees. So either I keep my white wine's too warm, or my red's too cold.

Also, the racks aren't deep enough to fit certain types of bottles, and I'm not talking about rare shapes, but mainstream 750ml bottles.

Buy KitchenAid Architect Series II KUWS24LSBS 24 Under-Counter Wine Cellar, Left Hinge Now

With the temperature control dial set to maximum cooling, and the ambient room temperature at 67 F, the coldest temperature inside the (empty) unit is 56 F after waiting 48 hours. There is no relationship between the temperature control knob and the interior temperature. The appliance store is telling us that this is somehow normal but we're asking the builder to bring the unit back to the store.

Whirlpool Refrigerator Compressor Start Device Kit 8201799

Whirlpool Refrigerator Compressor Start Device Kit 8201799OK here is all the info you need but could not find about this kit. This is an "ERP Exact" kit. Its not the FPS "official" Whirlpool box. BUT it appears to be identical and the price is great. The photo shown is incomplete; this kit contains the Embarco cover, jumper, relay, two thermal overloads, and the instruction sheet. The jumper is just a simple wire with male and female spade-lug connectors that allows the existing small female connector on your refrigerator wiring to adapt up to the larger male terminal on the new relay "white wire" contact without crimping on a larger terminal. Nothing special, just simple. The overload protectors are both Klixon just like the OEM kit. I did not notice a brand on the relay but the fit, finish, and installation were perfect.

Installation is trivial for anyone with a basic set of "repair skills". I fully respect that many people just cringe at the thought of repairing a refrigerator but seriously if you have gotten to the point that you have decided you need this part based on hands on diagnostics, then you can replace it.

Diagnostics, internet research, and disassembly, took about 2 hours. Re-installation of the new parts took 3 minutes. Installed Aug 15, if it fails I will add more. If I don't post again, its running fine.

This item was very easy to install,I saved so much money sears wanted $80 dollars to send someone out to look at my fridge to tell me it;s not getting cold,repairs not included. I had to do some investigating on a few forums to learn about possible causes for fridge not getting cold, After learning how a fridge works I was able to isolate my particular problem which was the starter not triggering the compressor. I ordered the starter for my model number fridge plugged the correct wires(3)into the new starter,plugged fridge into wall.The compressor started up right away and now my fridge is ice cold.

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I wasn't sure if this was going to fix my whirlpool side by side refrigerator. It was running but was not cooling.

I knew the relay was bad after pulling it off,but half expected the compressor to be bad also.

I ordered it over memorial weekend knowing it wouldn't be processed till the Tuesday.

Well it is Friday afternoon and the fridge is up and running. Even if it hadn't fixed the problem that is

A pretty fast turnaround. I paid the extra couple of bucks for the 3to7 days delivery, the mrs will be happy when

She gets home.

The kit consisted of 1 ptc star device, 2 overloads (you only need one of these) one is for 20 to 22cu ft fridge the other

Is for a 25 to 27 cu ft. A wire jumper and a electrical cover. There are also instructions.

I went on the Internet to diagnose the problem and low and behold I was right. I can't always say that.

Have a great weekend everyone, I know ours has just got better.

Read Best Reviews of Whirlpool Refrigerator Compressor Start Device Kit 8201799 Here

had my refrigerator go out, removed the old compressor start device and it was broken inside (rattled). Replaced with this one and the refrigerator has been going strong since.

Want Whirlpool Refrigerator Compressor Start Device Kit 8201799 Discount?

Saved me hundreds of dollars. Great product. Follow directions carefully. Make sure you use the correct part for your size of fridge.

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