[kah5683]

I have a Kenmore Elite fridge 795.77554600 with freezer on bottom, a water dispenser on the door, and ice maker in the freezer.


Water line busted a year ago and too busy to fix until this lockdown. Water to fridge shut off all this time. Installed new water line and I bought a new water filter, but I got to thinking maybe I should be cleaning everything out with the lines to the dispenser and ice maker?


Saw an article on cleaning water lines: https://www.discountfilters.com/blog/refrigerator-filter-maintenance-clean-fridge-water-lines/


The article talks about using vinegar to clean line to water dispenser, which I understood. Another youtube video said to take water filter out and run water to the water dispenser. Can you do that with the water filter out?


With the ice maker, the directions in the link above were more confusing. How would you clean the line to ice make and the ice maker itself (I can clean the tray, talking about the ice maker). The article also talks about cleaning the reservoir too.


IF the article makes sense, can someone clarify how to clean the ice maker? If the article is overkill or wrong, I am all ears for a better way.


Just want to start using the water dispenser instead of buying all the plastic water bottles and have ice, but making sure it is clean water.


Thanks!

 

[Druidia]

I had an under the sink water filter (3M Filtrete 3US-MAX-F01)connected to a copper tubing behind the wall, connected to a simple particulate water filter, connected to a John Guest quick connect tee fitting. The second port of the JG tee fitting was connected to a quick connect valve with a stopper. The 3rd port was connected to a PE tubing, then connected to the ice maker solenoid valve, then connected to a tubing whose other end sits over the IM mold inside the freezer.

The reason why I had another filter and a PE tubing between the copper tubing and the solenoid valve was because, over time, the copper tubing would degrade and bits of oxidation products would find its way through the solenoid valve and into the ice maker/ice. How do I know this? When I replaced the solenoid valve (not broken, just old), it was gunky green.

Whenever I change filters or was away from home for a long time, I flushed the copper tubing and the filter. That’s the purpose of the valve attached to the second filter. It allows me to easily pull out the stopper and insert a tubing so I can flush the copper line and filter for 5 min.

I also flush the PE tubing by using a jumper wire on the ice maker module. I don’t remember which two points, it should be on the instructions that came with the IM. You energize the solenoid valve so it goes through filling up. I hook up a bigger tubing to the tubing end inside the freezer so that water goes into a separate container instead of to the ice maker mold.

From time to time, I clean the last tubing (the one whose end is over the IM mold). It’s a clear tubing so I can see when it’s dirty. I use a very thin testtube brush for this).

The IM mold also needs to be cleaned a few times per year. Surprisingly, even though it’s inside the freezer, it does get dirty.

 

[BayouRunner]

You can remove the filter while you flush the lines. There’s also a test button on the icemaker itself where you could keep pushing it to flush the lines. You would have to have a towel or something below the icemaker as it’s going to overflow each time you push the test button. Just a small square button on the icemaker itself

 

[lavsman]

Hello