Fridge Repair

A couple of years ago the water dispenser in my refrigerator started leaking.  At the same time I also found that ice was plugging up the chute that allows water into the ice maker; whenever water was dispensed into the ice maker it would hit the ice plug in the chute and shoot water all over the freezer.  So that was fun.

After a bit of quality time spent with Lady Internet, I found that these symptoms point to a bad solenoid valve where the water comes into the fridge.  Basically, the solenoid slowly goes bad which lets a small amount of water leak out of the water dispenser and into the freezer compartment which slowly freezes and plugs up the water inlet to the ice maker.

So I jumped on my favorite appliance parts website Appliance Parts Pros, and ordered this part.

This part was pretty cool in that it came with an info sheet from the manufacturer that showed exactly how to install it.  That was a pleasant surprise since usually you're left to your own devices in figuring out how to replace the part.

I got it installed in about 30 minutes and then my water dispenser started working again.  I still had to remove the ice maker and thaw out all of the ice that had accumulated everywhere, but after some work chipping away the ice and re-installing the ice maker I had that working too.

I also came away from this really impressed with the design of ice makers.  They're compact and efficient and are really ingenious.  Here's an article that talks about how they work (almost all ice makers use the same design).  The article also has a really cool animation that shows how it works graphically.

Closeup of the old solenoid valve

Aren't these awkward angles great? This is the bottom back corner of the fridge where the water solenoid lives

Washing Machine Repair

Not long ago my washing machine stopped working.  When I pressed any buttons on the control panel it would just beep at me and do nothing.

After some internet research I came across a service manual for my model of washing machine, a Whirlpool Calypso.  The manual had a nice troubleshooting guide showed me how to check the control panel with a multimeter to see if there was a button out.  The manual also showed how to get access to the control panel (shove a putty knife in the crevice where the control panel meets the body of the washing machine and pop the spring clips).

I ohmed out the control panel according the to the service manual and sure enough it was bad.  I ordered a new one from Appliance Parts Pros. It was kind of expensive, but much cheaper than a new washer so I decided to roll the dice and order it.

The service manual was really good about having procedures for testing things and had procedures for replacing many components like the control boards and motors and things but it didn't have a procedure for replacing the control panel.  

The hardest part was removing the old panel.  First I had to wrestle witht he plastic end caps that bookend the control panel.  Then I found that the bar which holds up the circuit boards you can see in the picture below was glued to the back of the control panel.  I pulled out my trusty putty knife again and used it to pry the control panel free.  Luckily it wasn't very strong glue and it came free pretty easily once I got it started with the putty knife.

Once I had the old panel removed putting the new one in was as simple as putting the end caps back on, connecting a ribbon cable to the control board, and reversing the rest of the disassembly.

And luckily the washing machine started working again as soon as I re-connected power.

The inside of the control panel after a bit of disassembly

Back side of the new display panel

Good as new

Droid Incredible Repair

A few months ago the screen on my wife's Droid Incredible got cracked.  Rather than invest in a new phone I decided I'd try and replace the touchscreen with something like this.  I watched a YouTube video on how to do it here and jumped in.

I was nervous as hell while I did it; it really felt like I was performing surgery.  In the end I was successful and saved a bundle of money in the process.

Here's some tips I learned that seemed to help:

1. Use a hair dryer to heat up the adhesive that attaches the touchscreen glass to the phone's frame.  It helps it peel off much more easily.
2. Use powder-less rubber gloves when handling the screen since this will help avoid getting fingerprints between the touchscreen and the LCD where you can't clean them off after reassembling the phone.
3. Work on a clean flat table and have some container to put all the tiny screws and other parts so they don't roll away and get lost.
4. Take your time.

Custom tools made from wood

Recently I was trying to debug my dishwasher.  It was leaving crusty deposits of food particles and leftover detergent on all the glasses.  It was pretty nasty.

I wanted to eliminate the possibility that there were just some leftover bits in the dishwasher that kept getting re-deposited on the dishes, so I took apart as much of the dishwasher as possible to clean out all the nooks and crannies.

When I got to the spray arm I was able to unscrew the whole thing by twisting the bottom post counter-clockwise.  But this took the entire spray arm assembly loose and I couldn't really get to the inside of the arm where I could see there was plenty of caked-on dishwasher detergent.  I'll spare you pictures of the gunk since it's kind of gross.

I noticed that the central top portion of the spray arm looked like it should detach but there was nothing that would allow me to grip it except for 4 small plastic posts.  I knew if I tried to grip these with pliers or something I would just shred the plastic and ruin it.

So I thought I might be able to fashion something that would act as a custom wrench of sorts.  I decided to try it with wood since I have lots of scrap wood available and the tools to work it.

I started by putting some blue chalk dust on the ends of each of the 4 plastic posts, then I pressed a chunk of 2x4 against the posts to transfer the marks.  Then I went to the drill press and drilled holes where the chalk marks were on the 2x4.  I noticed that there's a raised area in the middle so I used a forstner bit to drill out a recess in the 2x4 to fit.

I then tried it and it slid right over the posts and with a small clockwise twist the central part of the spray arm lifted free.  Pictures of all of this are below.

So it goes to show if you're resourceful you can fashion your own custom tools, even if all you have available is an ugly chunk of wood.

Dishwasher spray arm.  Note the 4 plastic posts on the central portion.  That's what we'll use to turn the  center part.

Here's the "wrench" after machining the holes in the correct locations.

The "wrench" fits right on top

After turning the tool about half a turn clockwise the center portion detaches from the spray arm!

Appliance Repair

At least once a year, I have some kind of appliance break-down: my refrigerator stopped chilling food, washing machine electronics went bad, dishwasher started leaking, icemaker stopped making ice – the list goes on and on. Against my wife’s better judgment, I decided to try and fix these problems myself.

I like the idea of repairing things rather than throwing them out and getting new ones. There are so many benefits, including:

• Saving money by not hiring a repair person and even more money by skipping out on buying a new appliance
• Feeling a big sense of accomplishment when you can find and fix a problem yourself
• Having a great excuse to take something apart and figure out how it works
• Helping the planet by keeping old appliances out of a landfill

6 General Tips for Repairing Appliances

1. Reader’s Digest Fix It Yourself manual

This book is a great resource for troubleshooting and repairing everything in your house including appliances. I received this as a gift years ago, and it has saved me hundreds of dollars in repair costs. The sections on individual appliances are short and sometimes lack the depth required for a complete fix, but they usually have excellent diagrams and troubleshooting guides. I often go to this book first for troubleshooting appliance problems.

2. Learn to use a multimeter

A multimeter is an inexpensive tool that can measure voltages and resistances (and sometimes other electrical properties). You should be able to find a decent one for $10-20. Make sure that it measures AC and DC voltage and resistance, as these will be the most common measurements you will need to make. I would also recommend getting a model with an audible continuity check feature. This will make a beeping sound whenever you touch the multimeter’s probes to something that is electrically connected; this makes it handy to do continuity checks on wires without having to keep your eyes on the multimeter’s display. Click here for a good tutorial on multimeters.

3. appliancepartspros.com

This is a great website for ordering appliance parts. Shipping is inexpensive and fast – the company is based in Oklahoma so parts often arrive in Austin the next day. This site is also a great resource for repair advice. They have extensive forums, and by searching for the model number of appliance you can use an interactive parts diagram help you quickly find the exact part you need.

4. Google search for service manuals

Often appliance manufacturers will create detailed service manuals that they release only to "authorized service technicians." By searching for your manufacturer and model number along with the phrase “service manual” you can usually find online versions of these usually inaccessible manuals. These manuals are great and tend to include very detailed troubleshooting guides and steps on replacing individual parts of the appliance.

5. YouTube videos

YouTube is a great resource for figuring out how to disassemble an appliance, which is often the hardest part of the repair. I start by searching for videos of the exact model of the appliance, but sometimes I find a different model from the same manufacturer. Even if they are not the same model number, these videos are still useful, as manufacturers tend to use the same general design for many different models of an appliance. For instance, if you can find a video that shows how to disassemble one model of Whirlpool washing machine, it will usually still be of help because they tend to put hidden screws or connectors in the same places from model to model.

6. Whirlpool and GE do it yourself repair manuals

I have not used these manuals, but Whirlpool and GE both have a series of repair manuals for the do-it-yourselfer. There tends to be one manual for each appliance type – one for dishwashers, one for refrigerators, and so on.

When You May Need Help from the Experts

Occasionally you might be faced with a repair that’s beyond your abilities, and it is wise to know when to admit defeat and call in a professional repair person. Sometimes a repair costs more than replacing the whole appliance, or the repair requires lots of very specialized equipment – like when the refrigeration system goes bad in a refrigerator. And frankly, sometimes time just is not on your side like when you have a mountain of clothes that need to be washed right away or all your frozen food is in a cooler.

There are also instances when a repair will involve something you are not comfortable doing – for instance, I do not repair things that involve natural gas because it makes me nervous. In those cases, do not be afraid to call a professional repair person. If you do have to take that route, I encourage you to watch and learn from what that repair person does. Generally, if you explain to a repairman that you would like to learn how to make repairs and are genuinely interested, they will not mind if you look over their shoulder as they make the repair. I have found that they will be pleased that you are interested and will explain lots of “insider” tips as they make the repair.

Your friends and family might think you are a little crazy at first for trying to repair your own appliances, but after you have pulled off a successful fix, everyone will be impressed by your appliance repair wizardry.

Disclaimer: The author of this post accepts no responsibility for any injuries or damages that may occur from any advice in this posting.  Doing repairs can be dangerous and if you are unsure of something please consult a professional before attempting a repair.