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Old 04-18-2016, 11:47 PM   #1
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THOR #1469
Even us long timers screw up

Well lesson to self, when you create a check list follow the check list.

I was de-winterizing the Challenger today and as I began the fresh water sanitation process I noticed water running out from under the area of the fridge. This occurred after I turned on my water pump and I was extending the kitchen slide at the same time. Upon investigation I got the distinct smell of a high concentrate of chlorine like that in a 1.75 cups of chlorine to 6 and 2/3 gallons of water. Yep it was my sanitizing solution leaking onto the floor of the coach.

After pulling the bottom kitchen cabinet drawers the best I could determine was it was coming from the ice maker line. I shut off the ice maker water valve and the leak stopped.

Then it hit me. The question of a lifetime why was the ice maker valve open and the line still attached to the valve? Answer, this dumbass forgot to winterize the ice maker and now I get to fix the problem.

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Old 04-19-2016, 02:02 AM   #2
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Dave,

We live, we learn, and we make mental notes along life's journey.
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Old 04-19-2016, 02:18 AM   #3
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Well one camping trip I did the "mistake the brake for the gas pedal" thing and backed the pickup into the 5th wheel. Crushed the tailgate--did nothing to the 5th wheel! LOL.

It could be worse
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Old 04-19-2016, 02:31 AM   #4
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The older I get the better I used to be....
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Old 04-19-2016, 03:02 AM   #5
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Yeah lesson learned.

Now what I may get to do is build a couple of supports that will be 4 inches high, 6 inches wide and about 4 feet long so I can roll the fridge out of the cabinet to replace the ice maker water line. I looked at the fridge and it is on 4 rollers so building the support boards will eliminate the need to lift it off and back on the slide floor. Now I need to figure out how Thor attached the upper mounting plates to the fridge. It looks like they used some type of padding and adhesive on the bracket to fridge side and then screws into the cabinet. The bottom brackets are screws into the fridge and cabinet.

This week I am going to research if I can get the line into the freezer by removing the ice maker and then use the old line to fish the new one in for installation. I may call Whirlpool customer service and ask this question. Before I do anything, I may also find an appliance store that has this model fridge on the floor so I can take a look at the back side of it to see how the ice maker line is installed and/or attached.

Then there is always my wife's suggestion, plead with the dealer for an appointment in the next two weeks.

If all that fails, for the first trip out I can clean the cob webs off the cooler and buy a bag of ice.

Heck, now that I think about it this is becoming a low priority. I'll disconnect the line and cap off the valve and then go to the party store and buy some reusable ice balls and load them in the ice bin in the freezer.
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Old 04-19-2016, 10:48 AM   #6
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On the side of my fridge is a wall and a mirror, the outer board and mirror are removable I have seen before. Maybe yours is about the same and you can just reach up in behind that way.... Just a thought...
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Old 04-19-2016, 10:50 AM   #7
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before starting any of it call the tech guys at Thor, I am sure they will tell you how it is done...
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Old 04-19-2016, 11:54 AM   #8
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Don,

Thanks.

On mine the refrigerator is surrounded by cabinet. To the left is the right wall of the kitchen cabinet with drawers on the bottom, counter space in the middle and upper cabinet on top. I looked at all areas and there are no removable access panels. On the right of the fridge are the pantry (top) and trash can drawer (bottom). Again no access panels in either. To the rear is the slide wall. On the top is the ceiling for the slide. There is about a 8 inch gap between the front edge of the slide ceiling and the top molding for the cabinet but it does not allow enough reach to get behind the fridge.

I have two questions when I talk to Thor. The first is to ask if there is a hidden access panel somewhere that I am missing and the second is how the top mounts are secured to the refrigerator without screws.

This is one that has to be done right. I would hate to screw something up and have a refrigerator roll out of a cabinet when making a sharp left turn.

Here is one of the drawbacks of having a residential fridge. The mechanical side of things are not accessible through an outside panel like they are with an RV fridge.
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Old 04-19-2016, 08:46 PM   #9
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What about underneath it? Mine sits on top of the heater and there is a vent grill on the front of that. Maybe if you were to take that off and on the underside just might be some screws, locks, pins or something like that that might just allow you to release a slide and the hole fridge comes forward. Has to be something fairly easy....
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Old 04-19-2016, 09:14 PM   #10
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My fridge is in a cabinet inside the slide. There is no access from below because of the slide floor. The best I can see if remove the four brackets and roll it out of the slide. I just need to determine what they used to attach the top brackets too the fridge. I sent Ron Baker at Thor and email asking the question and I'll see if he responds.
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Old 04-20-2016, 03:44 PM   #11
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I have had an email exchange with Ron Baker at Thor and he is providing input on accessing the ice maker line. I have attached a picture of the fridge and one of the two top mounting brackets. I have asked Thor what type of adhesive pad is used to attach the top bracket to the fridge. According to Ron Baker it is "just a sticky foam pad to keep it from scratching the fridge, nothing special."

So it looks like the two lower brackets keep the fridge from rolling out of the cabinet while to two top brackets keep it from bouncing up and down.

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Now that is interesting. The pictures have the proper orientation on my computer but were rotated when attached.
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Old 04-20-2016, 08:47 PM   #12
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Old 04-23-2016, 03:19 PM   #13
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Well this was an 80.00 mistake. Turns out the ice maker line didn't bust but rather the refrigerators water solenoid valve broke.

The part in question

Click image for larger version

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If you look at the lower left side you will see one of the two cracks.

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My appliance dealer will order the part and have it for me Tuesday afternoon.

The hardest part about pulling out the fridge was getting the top brackets off the top of the fridge. What ever that sticky pad is that Thor uses is good and it sticks very well.
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Old 04-23-2016, 03:37 PM   #14
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Originally Posted by mustang94@hot.rr.com View Post
before starting any of it call the tech guys at Thor, I am sure they will tell you how it is done...
Do you happen to have the number to the Thor techs
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Old 04-23-2016, 05:08 PM   #15
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THOR #3510
Awning extension and retraction

Note to self...remember to retract the awning correctly so the debri/discolaration from rain does not mar the underside of awning. Ugh !
One of those things you do often without a problem !
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Old 04-23-2016, 07:51 PM   #16
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The heck with my appliance dealer. I found the part in stock at the Sears Parts Warehouse in Richmond. It was even 30.00 cheaper. It was a 50 mile drive and 1.5 hours of time but well worth it. The part is now installed on the refrigerator and the ice maker is turned on with the fridge pulled. In a couple of hours after a couple of cycles of cubes I'll make sure it isn't leaking and then put the fridge back in its travelling spot.

There is a newer version of the part that does not have two threaded adapters for the tubing. The only one threaded now is the water feed coming in. The line going from the solenoid to the ice maker is no longer threaded and the tube slips into the solenoid until it clicks. In the picture I posted about the blue threaded area is no longer on the part.

Total time to replace (not counting the time to fetch the part was less than an hour.
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Old 04-23-2016, 09:40 PM   #17
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You likely could have got it delivered from Amazon and saved the drive too! I am glad you fixed it.
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Old 04-23-2016, 11:26 PM   #18
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Since I drive a Lincoln Hybrid I spent about 2.00 for gas and the part was ~63.00 on Amazon. Besides that the drive got me out of unloading the monthly groceries since my wife got home from shopping before I got back from Richmond.

Also, I am reevaluating the cause of failure. When the ice maker dropped the first and second load of cubes they were pink slush indicating I had winterized the ice maker and antifreeze is still in the internal water line. The third load of cubes came out with the smell of the sanitizing solution so the residual in the lines has sanitized the ice maker.

Well, at least its done and there is no longer a leak. On to the next project which is replacing the Seiki TV with the Sharp Aquos 46 inch that just got replaced in the house.
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Old 04-23-2016, 11:49 PM   #19
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Originally Posted by dstankov View Post
Since I drive a Lincoln Hybrid I spent about 2.00 for gas and the part was ~63.00 on Amazon. Besides that the drive got me out of unloading the monthly groceries since my wife got home from shopping before I got back from Richmond.

Also, I am reevaluating the cause of failure. When the ice maker dropped the first and second load of cubes they were pink slush indicating I had winterized the ice maker and antifreeze is still in the internal water line. The third load of cubes came out with the smell of the sanitizing solution so the residual in the lines has sanitized the ice maker.

Well, at least its done and there is no longer a leak. On to the next project which is replacing the Seiki TV with the Sharp Aquos 46 inch that just got replaced in the house.
You sound like me, when I want something, I want it now! I actually enjoy the maintenance that goes along with owning a coach. Nice work.
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Old 04-24-2016, 12:45 PM   #20
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Note to self...remember to retract the awning correctly so the debri/discolaration from rain does not mar the underside of awning. Ugh !
One of those things you do often without a problem !
Not sure about Carefree awnings but my prior coach had a Dometic. On it the cleaning procedure was.

1/4 cup bleach to one gallon water. Spray it on the underside of the awning. retract the awning and let it set for 15 minutes. Extend the awning and rinse it down. Allow to dry before retracting.

I would perform this procedure at the beginning of each season and whenever we camped during periods of extremely wet or humid weather. Generally one or two times a season and my awning always looked new.

Note - when you do this wear safety glasses. That concentrate of chlorine will burn the eyes if you are not careful spaying overhead.
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