Stinky Refrigerator update

russotto · 08-02-2002, 02:13 PM

Way back in Fridge thread, I told the story of my stinky refrigerator and attempts at solutions for it. The story is finally (hopefully) complete.*

I did manage to find a filter housing and plumb it into a new plastic supply line. Unfortunately, chlorine-shocking the water supply didn't do the job. I then took apart the entire water supply system. I found out that the filter housing and bypass (not meant to be disassembled)** were contaminated with mildew. Also the plumbing leading into the solenoid was filled with scale, copper bits, and possibly mold. I decontaminated the housing and scraped out the plumbing. STILL stinky.

Finally I bypassed everything else and ran clean water into the coil in the fridge. Let it sit. Tested: stinky. The coil of plastic tubing which serves as a reservoir had absorbed enough fridge odor to contaminate the water! A new coil runs $50, which seemed ridiculous, so I went over to Sears Hardware in Norristown, picked up 60' of tubing and some cable ties (about $18), and coiled it myself. Not as neat, but it got the job done. Did that last night, ran a bunch of water through it to get any new tubing taste out, and tested it this morning: no stink.

* And yes, I know you don't care, but I'm waiting for a server to start up and I have nothing better to do than bore you.

**Bet you're thinking I couldn't re-assemble it. Nope, actually managed to do it without permanent damage, though it's obvious from the scrape marks that someone was working on it.

elSicomoro · 08-02-2002, 02:16 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by russotto
And yes, I know you don't care, but I'm waiting for a server to start up and I have nothing better to do than bore you.

Actually, that sounds pretty damned ingenious...more than I probably could have done.

Griff · 08-04-2002, 08:59 AM

You don't like to quit on projects, do you? Cool.

08-02-2002, 02:13 PM	#1
russotto Professor Join Date: Jan 2001 Posts: 1,788	Stinky Refrigerator update Way back in Fridge thread, I told the story of my stinky refrigerator and attempts at solutions for it. The story is finally (hopefully) complete.* I did manage to find a filter housing and plumb it into a new plastic supply line. Unfortunately, chlorine-shocking the water supply didn't do the job. I then took apart the entire water supply system. I found out that the filter housing and bypass (not meant to be disassembled)** were contaminated with mildew. Also the plumbing leading into the solenoid was filled with scale, copper bits, and possibly mold. I decontaminated the housing and scraped out the plumbing. STILL stinky. Finally I bypassed everything else and ran clean water into the coil in the fridge. Let it sit. Tested: stinky. The coil of plastic tubing which serves as a reservoir had absorbed enough fridge odor to contaminate the water! A new coil runs $50, which seemed ridiculous, so I went over to Sears Hardware in Norristown, picked up 60' of tubing and some cable ties (about $18), and coiled it myself. Not as neat, but it got the job done. Did that last night, ran a bunch of water through it to get any new tubing taste out, and tested it this morning: no stink. * And yes, I know you don't care, but I'm waiting for a server to start up and I have nothing better to do than bore you. **Bet you're thinking I couldn't re-assemble it. Nope, actually managed to do it without permanent damage, though it's obvious from the scrape marks that someone was working on it.

08-04-2002, 08:59 AM	#3
Griff still says videotape Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 26,813	You don't like to quit on projects, do you? Cool. __________________ If you would only recognize that life is hard, things would be so much easier for you. - Louis D. Brandeis

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