21694A Admiral Refrigerator - Instructions

evaporator coils were frozen solid and air wasn't flowing across them

read all directions first, then consider which steps you'd like to take

in any case...
- check for blockages in the upper and lower air vents that allow air from freezer side to cool the fridge-side
- inspect that the fan in the freezer side is actually turning and not blocked


- if no blockages and air is flowing between the sides...

- unplug the unit
- remove all goods from freezer and fridge
- remove freezer side racks
- remove rear panel on freezer side using philips screwdriver (note that the ice-cube tray motor housing must be freed by removing its screws. it can be pull out a bit to get to a single screw holding the top of the rear panel in place)
- allow the evaporator coils to evaporate all ice off, checking the drain pan under the fridge frequently - accelerate the process using a hair dryer or paint stripper (heat gun)
- disconnect the white wires from the connection block located about 2/3 of the way up the rear wall and check resistance using an ohmeter (see specs on back of fridge on circuit diagram)
- if you get a very high resistance reading, the heater element is likely broken. if so...
-- remove the 2 metal shields located horizontally across the evaporator coils (behind them are the two series-connected defrost heater elements)
-- visually inspect the elements - if they are discolored green or black, remove and inspect more closely (most likely they are blown, just like a light-bulb filament that shows black on the glass)
-- if you see nothing, remove them anyway (since high reading) and check connectors
-- replace them (likely only $30 to $75, depending on type)

- if coils seem ok, or if not suspect, check the defrost thermostat WHILE IT IS STILL IN A WORKING/COLD FREEZER.
- get the defrost thermostat into a coil chamber (other freezer or bucket of ice?) and check resistance using an ohmeter. It must be WELL-BELOW 40F to test it. When it is truly immersed in cold (as it would be in a working freezer), test the resistance. it should be 0-ohms when <<40F and some much higher resistance (>200KOhms) when > 40F.
- if not, replace it

-lastly, if neither the defrost heater elements are bad nor the defrost thermostat is bad, open up the defrost timer
-- the defrost timer is located in the fridge side, likely with the fridge thermostat knobs/controller
-- it is a 5-pin part that cannot be repaired. If all else is checked, most likely the defrost element is never coming on because the timer is not turning it on

removed old and instaslled new. biggest problem was getting to one of the screws.

I watched the repair video on the web site a couple of times just to get comfortable with what to expect. (i.e. pressing tabs on wiring harness to remove, placement of lift arm for removal and installation) These instructions were a big help...I had the removal, modifications and installation completed in less than 30 minutes. Ice cubes (without the extra icicles) in 1 hour...

The plastic fill cup part is also used to hold one end of the wire “one/off” switch that is manually activated or activated when the ice tray is full. This wire piece fell out because one end, that is part of the plastic fill cup, broke off. The wire switch was fine.

The video demos show you exactly what to do. The repair man showed me a trick to speed up the testing process. The trick is to insert a wire jumper cable to actuate the ice maker and make it rotate. But this isn’t necessary.

Hardest part of this fix is emptying the freezer (bottom with a slide out door) and removing the door.

Why this part is so expensive is beyond me. But I’m happy it was available for a 24yo fridge that still works!!

I have a Maytag Refridgerator with lower freezer and ice maker. Stopped making ice. Noticed the unit would fill up and freeze but the tray wouldn't rotate to drop the cubes into the tray. Cleared the frozen trays to see if it was just stuck but same thing happened. Replaced unit, not difficult with the exception that the top tray is ridiculously hard to get out. Never did do it, just worked around it. Working perfect now.

I watched the video regarding the instillation of this ice maker a few times and then followed it exactly. It was incredibly easy. We had ice cubes about two hours later and no longer had a leak making icebergs!

Removed top drawer from freezer. Unplugged the ice maker. Uncrewed the bottom screw. Loosened the two top screws. Removed old ice maker. Removed all the parts that didn't come with the new ice maker and installed on new ice maker. Reinstalled the new ice maker. Started making ice with no leaks in about 3 hours.

Turned refrigerator and freezer controls to off, removed icemaker bin, unplugged icemaker plug and removed two screws holding icemaker in place and removed icemaker. removed screws holding auger motor and freezer compartment light plate, unplugged and set aside. Remover screws holding freezer coil cover in place and removed cover. Allowed coils to defrost completely and then removed screws that hold the two defrost heater coil mounting plates in place, unplugged the two wires that connect the defrost heater coils to the connector block that is located above the freezer coil. Remove the entire defrost heater by working the connecting wires out from along side the freezer coil. Remove the clips that hold the old defrost heater elements to the mounting plates. Install new heating elements into the two mounting plates with the clips. Reinstall the two mounting plates to brackets on freezer coil and reinstall connecting wiring up to connector block and reconnect them. Reinstall freezer coil cover, icemaker auger motor and freezer compartment light plate, and icemaker and bin to complete job. Due to the confined space in the freezer compartment, reinstalling the freezer coil cover and light plate was difficult as I could only use one arm at a time resulting in many dropped screws.

it went good

remove all tray,remove back panel,cut out out old heater adn replace with new heatger,refitted back panel and alll tray.

Repair done according to video and instructions. What you need to know is myself and my husband are adverse to all kinds of "simple" repairs because they never go well and we are not handyman kind of persons. This, I must say, was a delightful change in our typical experience of attempting to make our own repairs.
Thanks
Sandy

removed screws, pulled element out, and put new element in

Disconncted power, pulled plug on disconnect, loosened 3 ice maker attach screws, removed ice maker. carefully removed old broken part, to understand reasembly. Reinstalled new water fill & bearing part.. hung icemaker and tightened attach screws. Reattached electrical plug.. turned on power, it all worked. .took about 45 min to remove, 15 min to reinstall. Right tools needed re disassembly AND ASSEMBLY

First i used a nut driver to remove the bottom screw, the unclipped the two top clips by leaningthe bottom of the unit outwards. I used a mirror to see the two top clips as i could not see inside. Then i removed the wiring harness from the refrigerator. The unit came right out, i transerred the needed parts, and re-installed. Not too bad - about 45 mins. It works great!

unscrewed the 3 nuts, took off the electrical connection. Then put new one on. One problem, the ice maker had a hole on the side for the hose, mine needed one in the back. I used tape to hold it in place going over the part that was in the wrong place.