GE SxS Water Leak

[quads]

Could sure use some help here... The unit is just about 3 yrs old... I'm having trouble with water leaking inside both the freezer side and fresh food side... but mainly the fresh food side right now...

Observations:
1. Started having sporadic water coming from the front water dispenser.  Meaning sometimes the water will flow... and then a little later it won't.  It is not leaking from the dispenser... it's just sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't... when it doesn't work, you can hear it trying to work... but no water flows.  I replaced the water filter... hoping that might help, but it didn't.

2.  Wife has been complaining of food freezing in the bottom compartments of the fresh food side.

OK... so I started pulling everything out of the freezer...

3.  The ice tray was full... it also had a lot of frozen solid ice in the bottom of the tray... so much so that the auger in the tray wasn't able to turn...

4.  I had huge icicles in the back of the freezer... literally from the top shelf down to the bottom of the freezer.  I've pulled everything out... cleaned up the ice tray... and reinstalled... it's been a couple of days and it doesn't seem like I have a huge leak, but I have noticed some ice droplets on the back wall...

Then... I started pulling everything out of the bottom bins on the fresh food side and also pulled the shelves and bins...

5.  I discovered frozen ice and water in the bottom of the fresh food side... a lot of water and large sheets of ice... I'm surprised it wasn't pouring out the front door of the unit...

I dried and cleaned everything up and tried to figure out the leak...

6.  With the door to the fresh food side open, I filled a glass of water from the front water dispensor (on the freezer door)... it worked... it looked like everything was OK, I started seeing a lot of water leaking in the fresh food side from the water tank... or at least this area... if you think of the water tank looking like a 'W'... the water appeared to be leaking on the left side or the first bottom point of the 'W'...

7.  There is no leak when it is just sitting there... only when you go to get a drink...

8.  The top of the water tank is covered / protected with a piece of plastic that is held in with thumb screws... it also looks like there is foam between the plastic cover and the tank... I am currently having trouble getting those thumb screws out and the plasctic cover off (it also looks like it is glued in there) to see if i can see a hole in the tank.

I know I have a bunch of issues here... what all should I be checking?  

Model PSS26LSRF
  

[Repair-man]

There's always any uiderrlying reason for everything.

Here's my theory:

A board or other component has cause the tepmeratures to go haywire, freezing the water reservoir in the FF section and causing it to rupture. Now when yu draw water, it leaks. The tank is behind the lower veggie crispers in back.

This is a very complex refrigerator to diagnose, what with thermisters and boards and such. Without technical expertise, you should call in someone who is familiar with the product.

[quads]

Dangit... that ain't the answer I was hoping for... but I do appreciate the thoughts...

I just got home and looked at the freezer side... bone dry, which is good.

What do you think about myself replacing the water tank?  Seems like that would be doable if I can get to it.

[quads]

I'm gonna tack on another question here... how come when I do a specific search with google or at the GE site for my model... pss26lsrf... I can't find it?  I can find one this model number, buts that about it...

[Repair-man]

The most common model is PSS26LGRW, and the parts are the same, so use this for now. Google is not the solution for everything



To answer your question about the water tank, you can easily replace it, but kleep in mind there is an underlying problem with overcooling. You wouldn't want a repeat episode any time soon.

Start by placing a thermometer in the fresh food section for a day or so and get the readings. The target temp is 38 degrees F. Let us know what shows up.

Water Reserrvoir-



I highly suggest that you study a Service Manual for these models to familiarize yourself with the controls and diagnostics:

GE SXS Manual

[quads]

Thanks Repair-Man!!

I was looking at that service manual on this site earlier today, but I got concerned because my model number didn't seem to match up with it... even though it is for PSS models... since '26' wasn't specified on the cover, I guess I shy'd away.  I'll let you know how I come along with it...

I know Google ain't the be-all-end-all... but it's how I found you... 

[quads]

OK... with the thermometer in the bottom of the fresh food section, I've gotten readings ranging from 20 degrees F to 38 degrees F.

I've also started getting water leaking back in the freezer and leaking from under the outside water dispenser on the front of the freezer door.

The ice in the tray is freezing up again so the auger won't turn.

I'm having trouble getting into the self diagnostic mode described on page 33 of the service manual.  I can get both displays to illuminate 5, but when I press and hold all four temp adjustment buttons, I never get the flashing 0 in the displays.  Is there a trick to this that I'm missing?

Anticipating I eventually get into the self diagnostic mode, to start a test is says to press the HOLD button... Where is this HOLD button?  I don't see anything that says HOLD.

[Repair-man]

Your best bet is to replace the main board in back, then take off the freezer panel and clear the blocked condensate drain hole located below the evaporator coils. The manual at least shows you how access the evaporator.

A blocked defrost drain will cause water to leak onto the freezer floor and out the bottom of the door.

[Repair-man]

I forgot to address your question about the Hold button. Of course, there is no "hold" button as they suggest.  This was a typo on behalf of GE...the directions sould have said, "Enter the Diagnostic Code on the Freezer and the refrigerator displays according to the chart. The display will begin to flash meaning it has accepted the code for that event. To begin the test, hold down any button for at least 3 seconds"

[quads]

Sorry I disappeared for while... Thanks for the clarification on the hold button...

I ordered the main board and a water tank today (3/2)... both should be here in a couple of days... I'll let you know how it goes...

[quads]

OK... so, I've got the new main board... here's my dumb question... On the right side of the new board, there are two extra plugs or jumpers that are not available on the old board... The locations are J14 and J5.  Those two locations on the old board are just flat... meaning there is just solder where the pins should be.  The fridge has plugs that currently aren't being used with the old board that would fit on the new board...

So, the question is... should I use those two locations (J14 and J5) on the new board... or leave them 'unplugged'?

[quads]

I gone ahead and plugged the main board back up the way it was... meaning I don't have anything plugged into J14 or J5.  Hopefully, you'll let me know if I need to do anything else.

Now, on to the water tank... I can see that the leak is from the tank as opposed to one of the lines feeding to/from the tank... Question is... can I just replace the tank itself using the lines that are already in place?  The new tank came with new lines... but I'm a little unsure about feeding them to there connections under the fridge.

[quads]

Nevermind the water tank question... that's a negative...