Busted water line behind residential fridge.

[TxLoser]

Anyone have this happen on one of the fifth wheels without the exterior fridge door? I can camp without water to the fridge just fine, but I need to get it fixed. I know an appliance guy can fix it, but I don’t think you can pull the fridge out far enough to get back there. So wondering what you’ve done or heard of being done.

Thankfully I already had the cabinets open where the valves are and shut it down quick. Well at least as soon as I heard water coming out of the bottom of the slide. Thankfully the dealer didn’t seal up the hole around the big fridge water line that was recently replaced, and most of it exited there.

[Grumpy]

Originally Posted by TxLoser

Anyone have this happen on one of the fifth wheels without the exterior fridge door? I can camp without water to the fridge just fine, but I need to get it fixed. I know an appliance guy can fix it, but I don’t think you can pull the fridge out far enough to get back there. So wondering what you’ve done or heard of being done.

Thankfully I already had the cabinets open where the valves are and shut it down quick. Well at least as soon as I heard water coming out of the bottom of the slide. Thankfully the dealer didn’t seal up the hole around the big fridge water line that was recently replaced, and most of it exited there.

A couple 2x4"s and a piece of plywood to make an extension of the slide floor and pull the fridge out onto it.

[MartandMillie]

Just had the same problem, over the winter the water inlet valve on the whirlpool fridge cracked when it froze. I could not get it out far enough to get behind it, even with the 2x4's and plywood. I wound up tilting it over until it was against the center island, padded with a couple of towels to prevent damage to the front. With a helper I was able to put a ladder over the top and behind it - I then stood on the adjacent counter top and crawled through the available space, stepping onto the ladder. And then was able to kneel down and change out the valve.

You might be be able to get it out by taking the doors off the fridge, I did not try that approach.

[TxLoser]

And there I was bragging I made it through the Texas deep freeze unscathed…..

Thanks for the suggestions so far.

[TxLoser]

I don’t think I can tilt mine without hitting the area above it. I may call an RV shop this week and see what they think. If it’s a slide removal type thing, bottled water and bagged ice going forward is just fine. Not because of cost, but I fear that slide would never be right again. It’s a little sketchy as is.

[Grumpy]

Originally Posted by TxLoser

I don’t think I can tilt mine without hitting the area above it. I may call an RV shop this week and see what they think. If it’s a slide removal type thing, bottled water and bagged ice going forward is just fine. Not because of cost, but I fear that slide would never be right again. It’s a little sketchy as is.

The fridge should come out with the doors off. A tape measure will tell you real quick.

[jasum]

Originally Posted by Grumpy

A couple 2x4"s and a piece of plywood to make an extension of the slide floor and pull the fridge out onto it.

X2

[jasum]

You may want to use a braided water line when you repair it.

[MartandMillie]

Originally Posted by jasum

You may want to use a braided water line when you repair it.

A braided water line is a good idea, but won't help if the inlet valve freezes and breaks.

[TxLoser]

Is the inlet valve pretty self explanatory once you’re back there? I can’t find a photo anywhere of the backside of the fridge.

[MartandMillie]

Pretty simple, Two screws hold it to the frame of the fridge, you cut the water line off close and the new one has a shark bite-type fitting that you push the water line into. And a two-wire plug that goes from the old to the new. I'm assuming you have a whirlpool residential, although they are all probably similar.

I got a new one made by RobertShaw on Amazon for $29.27.

[Grumpy]

Originally Posted by TxLoser

Is the inlet valve pretty self explanatory once you’re back there? I can’t find a photo anywhere of the backside of the fridge.

This is from Frigidaire, but they are all very similar.

[TxLoser]

Thanks. Give me a sterling point on what to look for when I tackle this.

[MartandMillie]

See how the one in Grumpy's photo is made out of plastic? On mine, that blue plastic broke into 3 or 4 pieces when it froze.

[drwnkw67]

Well it is good to see that I am not the only one who did not winterize the water system completely. I was able to pull the fridge out enough that I could squeeze behind it and replace the valve. You can be that at end of this year I will run the pink stuff all the way to and through the ice maker and have pink ice next spring!!

[MartandMillie]

Originally Posted by drwnkw67

Well it is good to see that I am not the only one who did not winterize the water system completely. I was able to pull the fridge out enough that I could squeeze behind it and replace the valve. You can be that at end of this year I will run the pink stuff all the way to and through the ice maker and have pink ice next spring!!

That's what I am thinking...but can you take the filter out of the fridge without interupting the water to the icemaker (so you don't have to replace the filter)?

[TxLoser]

True statement. Saves a little. I actually ran without mine at times because even with a new filter the flow was excruciatingly slow.

[thelfrich]

When I winterize our residential frig with ice maker and in door dispenser I make pink ice and run antifreeze through the water dispenser, that’s what the Jayco dealer told me to do.

[TxLoser]

I’m the future I will be doing just that. Good advice.

[apgarrett]

I just tried to turn on my water to the Whirlpool fridge for the first time, and had a bunch of water run out from the back...

Looks like I have the same problem. Will build a platform when I’m back from a trip and get the correct replacement part. Guess I will see what I have back there before I order anything.

Bummer, but glad this post was here!