FIXED Jenn-Air Refrigerator JS48PPDUDB02 - Dispenser water line broke at bottom of door.

[DSDIRECT3]

Model Number

JS48PPDUDB02

Brand

Jenn-Air

Age

6-10 years

Jenn-Air 48" wide with door water/ice dispenser has a cracked (broken off now) waterline where the line comes out of the bottom of the door (actually where it comes out of the gray plastic conduit or whatever it's called - see red circle in pic). I thought the line could be replaced based on other articles/videos I found but it appears the door shells for this unit cannot be separated (at least I can't figure it out). It's odd they cannot separate as there are whirlpool replacement part numbers for the outside and inside shell as well as the insulation in between.

Anyway, a fix that I figured might work is to splice a new line in halfway down inside the gray conduit (blue circle in second pic). Pretty sure there is no room for a John Guest coupler in the conduit so thought maybe try a glued waterline splice (larger poly sleeve over the original poly) similar to the splice suggested in this Kitchenaid thread https://www.applianceblog.com/mainf...perba-water-line-dispenser-replacement.86356/.



Has anyone tried splicing a waterline this way and if so, what glue did you use?

Thanks,

Dave

 

[rickgburton]

there are whirlpool replacement part numbers for the outside and inside shell as well as the insulation in between.

You're not looking at the correct door. The front panel and door liner are foamed together and don't come apart. However, there is a channel for the wires and water line. You should be able to disconnect the water line at the dispenser and pull it thru the door and out. Or attach the new line to the old line and pull it out the top if you have room.

 

[DSDIRECT3]

Thanks Rick. I'll recheck the model number against the parts diagrams.

Are you pretty confident that hose can be pulled out? I tried pulling it from the bottom and got zero movement up at the dispenser I'm a little cautious of pulling too hard as I didn't want the hose to break inside the door and take away that option to repair.

 

[rickgburton]

Are you pretty confident that hose can be pulled out?

I'm not. Most do but some don't. If you can't move the water line at the dispenser then probably not.

I'm a little cautious of pulling too hard as I didn't want the hose to break inside the door

Pull it hard. Just make sure it's disconnected from the dispenser If the water line is going to break, you want to know that now not when it's full of water. I can't break that water line just by pulling on it and I'm a big guy.

I'll recheck the model number against the parts diagrams.

I think I found the confusion with the door. Here's the parts diagram for the freezer door. I removed all the hardware to make it easier to see. The part I marked "Door" is a metal panel and door liner foamed together. The foam is the insulation.

 

[DSDIRECT3]

So gave it a shot - they have this waterline and the wires buried in the spray foam. That waterline is not budging. Bugs me as they could have easily ran them through a conduit to make it serviceable.

Any thoughts on a glue to use to splice a new line in the bottom section?

 

[rickgburton]

I would think 100% silicone should work.

 

[DSDIRECT3]

So I decided to use a John Guest coupler after all. I cut off the end of conduit (grey pipe) by about 3/4" to be able to make room for the coupler there. I routed the waterline independent from the wires after the coupler so the line did not have to turn so sharply (the reason it broke to begin with I'm pretty sure).

We'll see if it lasts.

 

[rickgburton]

That's better than the butt connection. Good job! Thank you for the update. Keep us posted on anything that comes up.