On Thu 15 Sep 2005 03:17:33a, harold balls wrote in alt.home.repair:

On Wed, 14 Sep 2005 17:17:49 -0400, "Amun"
wrote:


"harold balls" wrote in message
. ..
On Tue, 13 Sep 2005 18:11:06 -0400, harold balls
wrote:

Yellow all,
Wonder if anyone had the same experience. I have a
sears
side by side refrigerator I bought about three years ago. Paid around
$1200 to $1300 for it. It works good but I don't understand the water
filtration system thats on this unit. It has the filter at the bottom
behind the grill. When you open the refrig. door , it has a bank of
led's towards the top. One of them says its time to change the water
filter. This happens about every six months. I just hit reset and it
goes back to "good". I know this is nothing more than a programed
chip telling that light to come on every six months. Here is what i
don't get. I can take the water filter completely out of the unit and
the water dispenser still works! and it does not leak in the
recepticle the filter came out of. Now how in the hell is this
filter, filtering any water? From my experience, When A water filter
starts to "go bad" you will notice a decrease in flow the worst it
gets. I've had the same filter in since I bought it and have not
notice any reducing in flow or any difference in taste. (Sears wants
about $40 for anew filter, but I see you can get them on the web for
about $25.) I called Sears up one time to question them about this,
and the lady said all she can do is send someone out on a service
call to look at it. (which I would have to pay for). I've been
waiting to run into a service guy out and about to cross examine him
about this, but haven't run into any yet.) BTW( i have city water,
which the taste issue wouldn't be as noticable probably). Has anyone
else who has a sears side by side with a water filter noticed or
experienced this situation? Water filter replacement is a big
business. Thanks for any input!!


I suppose most of you guys are probably right, but it just seems a
little fishy to me. The flow rate stays the same with the filter
removed. It must have a by-pass built in. Maybe my water feeding it is
pretty good to start with. I'm going to have to buy a new filter and
then cut open the old one. This might tell me something. Thanks for
all your input


Wait a second here?????

You take out the filter and leave the housing completely open and it
still works fine ?

Or you pull out the filter media, put it back together without it and it
still works ?


AMUN

I can take the filter completely out of the housing and the water
dispenser works like filter was in there. The flow rate out of the
dispenser is the same with or without the filter in. So, something
molded on the end of the filter appearently engages the bypass valve
when you put the filter in the housing. Water comes out of the filter
when I have it in my hand. My whole point about this was this light
that comes on every six months telling you to chnage the filter. If
you do not notice any reduction in flow or how the water taste. then
there is no need to change this filter, no matter what that light
says. Thats what the scam is. That is not some hi-tech filter thats
going to remove every contaminant there is. When the filter starts
going bad you will notice it. After 3 and 1/2 years mine appearently
has not reached this point. good day.


There's no scam, fuzznuts.

The type of filter you're describing is just an activated charcoal filter
to improve water taste. It is not particulate filter which can possibly
cause a slow down in flow if filled with particulates.

If you don't notice a change in water taste, then don't change it. The
properties of activated charcoal do limit its effective life. Normally it
holds up well for a year. The manufacturer is being conservative with 6
months. Higher use can, of course, shorten its effective life.

The manufacturer is probably using an elapsed time circuit because it's
cheaper. Ideally, they would use a volume meter to determine how many
gallons of water has been used. There is an optimal maximum of gallons
where the filter will be effective. A volume meter/circuit would
definitely cost more.

It's the same deal with the Brita water pitchers. There is a resettable
timer on the lid that cycles after 1 month to indicate when to change the
filter. Usage is based on an "average" volume of water. There is,
however, a notation in the instructions stating how many pitcher refills
one should be able to use before changing the filter.

Do what you want, but it is not a scam. I bet there is a similar
statement in the refrigerator operating instructions, if you bothered to
read them.

--
Wayne Boatwright *¿*
____________________________________________

Okay, okay, I take it back! UnScrew you!