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Re: Smelly Ice
I would suspect, as I said, that there may something in the pipework or supply. But I’d be far more suspicious of the water that’s actually getting to the ice.
Do you know if the machine is fed from a direct mains supply or not?
Not being an expert on water, other than knowing it’s wet, follows Newtons Law of Gravity and a few other bits and bobs I don’t know if there’s anything that could be in the water that’s perhaps reacting. But, you have think that, if it’s been working for so long just fine, suddenly this odour appears, all the parts that get wet have been replaced, then what remains?
Could there be something in the water that’s reacting with the components in the machine? The ice tray is (from what I can see of mine) cast aluminium, so inhert, but hit with the right chemical it may not be so. Frankly I don’t know and I don’t know what concotion of chemicals is in the water.
The only factor that is a variable is the water supply, the parts and the pipes won’t suddenly change composition, degrade or even magically introduce something that was not there from new. So, in short, something has changed in the four or five years since the machine was installed to cause this. Since the machine is pretty much ruled out you have to look elsewhere I think.
K.
Re: Smelly Ice
NickRCarter wrote: I’m not sure whether this has any bearing but just before the smelly ice started, the same engineer was called as the lower fridge compartment kept freezing up, so the fed in from the freezer side was blocked.
Now I think there may be some relevance here, but again I’m just guessing?
My Admiral GS2326 caught fire on the evening of Sept 11th 2001 (911 as they call it in the USA 😯 ) and here is the proof : –
In fact what had happened (though Maytag never confirmed it and kept it hush hush) was that the automatic defrost heater overloaded and caught fire! I contacted Maytag Ltd and the then Service Manager Debbie Selby quickly arranged to take my burnt out admiral away and in fact supplied me with a brand new one (just 2 days later!)….. 😯
They seemed to be terribly concerned that an Admiral F/F had caught fire and they assured me they would investigate all possibilities here in the UK and then ship it back to the USA for even further tests! 8)
I never heard a word from them since but was happy to accept their sincere apologies and an enormous bunch of flowers from Interflora that came the very next day signed (Friday Sept 14th 2001) signed : from Debbie Selby. Manager, Maytag UK Ltd.
So since then my new Admiral has been very admiral thank you 😀
I just thought I would throw that one in for you to ponder?
Re: Smelly Ice
OK, back to water – just because it’s what I know about. Has you local water works changed from Chlorine to Chloramine over the past couple of years? It’s highly underpublicised but it is happening all over the UK, and despite it being quite dangerous to aquatic life in particular not much national press coverage has been given to what is probably one of the biggest changes to our water supply in the last 50 years.
Also it’s a low rainfall year, so dissolved organics may be in higher concentrations than normal as resevoir levels drop.
The reason I ask is because Chloramine is rumoured to attack nitrile based rubber seals (very common), especially those used on washing machine type hoses, and potentially valves and/or plastics used within your refrigerator. It’s not an instant degradation by any standards, but it might be a ‘potential’ explanation of contamination.
When Anglian tested your water did they test the tap water OR did they test the ice itself which had been melted? (That is the best way to check for contamination further down the line, although the water board would be fully within their rights to charge for that GIVEN what happens on your domestic property is basically your problem, not theirs).
Re: Smelly Ice
Actually Anglian water were very good, they tested the tap water and also took away some of the ice. Which makes it more difficult as nothing “extra” showed up with the ice contents.
I’m interested in what you said about the degradation of the washing machine type pipes though. As far as I remember, this pipe was not changed by the engineer.
Nick
Re: Smelly Ice
Interesting update received in the post this morning in a letter from the Warranty Company who state they have been in contact with Maytag who are aware of such problems ocurring with this model. The Warranty Company have therefore washed their hands of the problem by stating it is a Manufacturing fault!!!
Nick
Re: Smelly Ice
“The Warranty Company have therefore washed their hands of the problem by stating it is a Manufacturing fault!!! “
If you believe the warranty company know more about this problem than any of the adviser’s from the post’s above then i’m affraid no amount of ‘good’ advice will help you Nick. Your complaint is not unusual by any means but if you think this is a ‘Maytag’ problem you are wrong. Any style of fridge/freezer with an internal icemaker can suffer from this.
You stated that the transfer passage at the base of the freezer has been blocked, are you sure of that?, if it is then get it unblocked, it’s there for a reason, this is an ‘air return’ to the freezer, air circulates in a clockwise motion, the evaporator fan motor sends air up and around the freezer, a small amount enters a vent/damper mechanism allowing air into the fridge section, this air is returned to the freezer via the air return at the base, it needs this to be efficient, this leads to the fact that unless foods are properly wrapped or sealed the aroma gets dumped on the ice, even if it is, ice after several days will become tainted anyway, dont forget that the air that enters the vegatable draws has to come out too. as an earlier suggestion, feed it to your plants. Here’s a list of suggestions that will should help.
1. start a fresh, turn off and dismantle the whole interior (you do not need to un-screw anything) spillages can hide behind the draw sections, clean the whole cabinet interior and accessories with a watery mix of Bi-carboate soda and re-fit.
2. 2x deodoriser eggs or a tub of bi-carb powder with the lid off will help take out any passing aroma’s, just place on a fridge shelf.
3. do not keep ice for more than a week.
4. A scale inhibiter available from B&Q (£35 approx) will certainly help for hard water issue’s (make sure you get a drinking water type)
5. A standard inline water filter is always a good idea
6. You can actually have the whole system ‘flushed’ with a milton solution that cleans every bit of pipe work including water valves & icemaker by a compotent engineer.
7. write down 100 times “I’m sorry Maytag”
O’l
Re: Smelly Ice
Many many thanks for your complete and full reply. I will undertake to do all the measures you have suggested.
Yes I can confirm the lower passage is blocked as I gave the engineer a cork to block it with!!! This was deemed necessary by the engineer because items in the lower draw in the Fridge kept freezing up.
I like the sound of a full flush, as this was not done by the engineer despite fitting numerous replacement parts.
Regards,
Nick
Re: Smelly Ice
NickRCarter wrote:I gave the engineer a cork to block it with!!!
A Maytag Engineer?????
NickRCarter wrote: This was deemed necessary by the engineer because items in the lower draw in the Fridge kept freezing up.
A Maytag Engineer?????
Unbelievable!!!! :rolls:
Now that is a bodge in every sense affecting the balance between both cabinet liners. If contents the lower meat drawer are too cold (freeze up even) then altering the fridge temp or adjusting the slide damper will solve that problem. Not plugging the hole with a cork for goodness sake!
Re: Smelly Ice
Yes a Maytag approved engineer sent by the warranty company and JTM.
Also I spoke personally to Michael at Maytag(Redhill) their Chief Engineer and during the course of the conversation the use of the cork was talked about as the possible cause of the smell and he didn’t seem bothered by the mod.Nick
Re: Smelly Ice
Hi Nick,
the blocking up or partal blocking up of the very bottom air return vent was to stop food from freezing in the bottom basket when the fridge freezer was left for long periods of no fridge door openings, what would happen is the freeing air in the freezer would fall and vent into the fridge when the evaporator fan was not running, so dont be concerned about this repair, but as for the cork was it a new one or a used wine or vinager cork as that might be the source of contamination, revove it for now and keep your fingers crossed, you can allways replace it later with clean polestyrene.
Bob.Re: Smelly Ice
BobHope wrote:but as for the cork was it a new one or a used wine or vinager cork as that might be the source of contamination,
Oh come on Bob, you’re not seriously suggesting the wine cork used for the Admiral was ‘corked’ are you? 😉
I know you were joking ‘canny lad’ 8)
…and as for the ‘Chloramine theory’ now that is getting far too ‘deep freeze’ in my opinion :rolls:
Perhaps we should get in touch with John Nettles and be done with this already? :rotfl:
Martin, bear in mind that you are not repairing these machines and don’t know them. I also had the bottom drawer in the fridge freezing occasionally and blocking the vent was one of the recommended cures.
K.
Re: Smelly Ice
Older type Whirlpool advised to reduce that vent diameter by grommet and silicon.
Greg
Re: Smelly Ice
Let’s clear up Air return issue.
The air return at the base behind the middle salad draw is for circulation, it has a non return plastic film on it that will only allow the air to exit the fridge into the freezer, it has no bearing what so ever to salad bins freezing, as soon as i read ‘cork’ i think Nick has made a mistake to which vent is blocked, just above the evaporator fan motor on the right hand side is another (round) vent/ducting that leads through to the salad draw to allow it to run cooler ideally +1c. this is not controlled by the fridge thermostat, this is a direct link to the freezer therefore using the slider and adjusting the freezer thermostat slightly warmer will normally cure freezing in the draw.
Note though that the Admiral Nick has has only 1 vent/duct by the fan motor, the Maytag has 2 because the meat draw also has a vent/duct located next to the other, these are the vents that get corked…i know, i know, this sounds like a bodge, i prefer to call it a modification…
The salad bins can suffer condensation problems leading to water being found in the middle draw, this mod normally cures that.
By the way, the base air return is rectangle, this cant be the one blocked as i dont know of any square corks…
O’l
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