A-1 Appliance Parts Blog

This applies to 16, 17, and 18 Cu. Ft. refrigerators built by GE (TMNF Models) with a serial number beggining with 7 or 8. Yes, it’s pretty specific… and really I can make it more simple- if your refrigerator came with condenser fan (the fan under the refrigerator) number WR60X10168 then this might interest you.

A lot of customers complained that the condenser fan motor was too loud on these refrigerators. GE came up with the following solution:

In those instances where a consumer perceives the normal condenser fan noise as too loud or objectionable, replace the original WR60X10168 condenser fan motor with the slower RPM WR60X10020 fan motor.

This slower RPM motor greatly reduces fan noise without adversely affecting performance.

Inspect the fan blade and mounting grommets for any abnormalities and replace if necessary. Ensure the blade spins freely without touching the fan shroud and that all brackets are tightened.

This bulletin is specific to refrigerators whose third serial number character is either a 7 or 8 (for example: GH7368754).

GE Service Bulletin

 To order the new WR60X10020 fan motor, click here.

Whirlpool just sent us notice that they will offer technical assistance with repairs for non-authorized repair companies (those who don’t do Whirlpool warranty work). They are offering either a 1 year subscription service for $125.00 per repairman or $19.95 per call.

For more information you can visit their website here: http://www.servicematters.com or you can call them at 1-800-832-7174 between the hours of 8 and 5 Monday thru Friday.

If you’re stuck in a repair on an out of warranty Whirlpool appliance*, $19.95 might be a great investment. I believe this program is just for professional technicians but really, how are they gonna know? All they’re worried about is if your credit card goes through!

*”Whirlpool” now also means: Maytag, Kitchenaid, Jenn-Air, Amana, Estate, Crosley, Admiral and Magic Chef.

I’ve seen a lot of sites promising appliance repair help… some deliver and some don’t and there are many inbetween. Really it all boils down to what you specifically need help with and it’s impossible for any web site to cover all the bases. In fact, it’s a full time job really! Our email and phone support only goes so far (we’re trained to find the correct parts not do the actual repair). That’s why A-1 looked for professional help in this area.

In the beginning (way back in 1997) we worked with a pretty slick guy named Don Vonderburg who gave us some basic tools to plug into the site. This seemed to work ok… but the bar was very low at the time. Today we are sponsering online repair manuals written by Doug Emley- the Cheap & Easy Repair series. Hard to beat that name huh? Cheap and easy! We also host a forum moderated by a very sharp repair tech in Canada (props to Jeff from http://www.applianceaid.com!).

Of course, we also sell repair manuals… so why try and get this information out for free? Because we believe when people are empowered with the knowledge to do their own appliance repairs we all win! We don’t think refrigerators are “disposable”… in fact, we don’t even think microwaves should be thrown out just because the handle broke!

In the future we hope to add more appliance repair help pages (maybe even videos). For now, here’s what we’ve got to offer: http://www.a-1appliance.com/appliance-repair.html

You know, for me the biggest hurdle to overcome on my way to attempting a repair is self doubt. Many times I feel like I don’t know what I’m doing (and many times I’m right) but once I pick up that screwdriver and dig in my fears just dissolve away… um, sometimes they dissolve away into things like anger and frustration… but most often I end up very satisfied and happy to know I just saved us sooo much money!

Oh, here’s something to remember- make sure the appliance you’re working on is unplugged. If you can’t get to the plug (like with a built in oven), shut off the breaker first. I know that reads like a dumb tip but it’s not.

Good luck with your appliance repairs. Figure out how much money you saved and put it away for a well deserved vacation!