Refrigerator filters - is there some sort of trick to this?

[fixit]

What would I do? 20 years ago, I had a similar "thing" with a factory fridge filter and a box store "will fit" filter designed to replace it.

1, put the old filter back in, see if it leaks. If it still leaks, something happened to the seals in the fridge. If it does not leak, leave it be for long enough to acquire ONE factory original filter.
1a, aliva mentioned that fridge "might" have a bypass plug. If that's the case, install it and see if it leaks. If it still leaks, something happened to the seals in the fridge. If it does not leak, leave it there indefinitely.

2, assuming that your factory filter, or the plug fixes the leak, take the opportunity to not panic, but dig around to see what you can pick up locally for a stand alone filter housing to mount in the supply line. Make sure it's local, not "discount" quality, and the supplier is one that'll be around for a while. The first clue will be that the shelves of filters will be heavily populated with the most common filters that they sell. Don't even talk to a sales critter until you have that bit of information. After you have that information, they might talk you out of it... That's fine if they've got a good case for quality or some other thing you want or need, but make sure you're NOT buying the filter setup that they only keep one filter in stock for... Low volume items go away quick.

So... If you did have to install a brand new factory filter, by putting a (reasonable) quality stand alone filter ahead of it, that one filter in the fridge will outlast the fridge. It becomes zero maintenance. The first filter in line does the dirty work. Fifteen years out of one fridge filter (it outlasted the fridge), and five years in on the new fridge, I am quite happy with my decision to run a "primary" filter externally. Up to and including less than one minute, no "unloading the fridge", mess free filter change.

.02

I AGREE WITH PUTTING THE ORIGINAL FILTER BACK IN AS A TEST

 

[WobblyHand]

I AGREE WITH PUTTING THE ORIGINAL FILTER BACK IN AS A TEST

That filter is long gone, unfortunately.

In my opinion, there's no need for all caps. Makes it seem like you are yelling. Either that or your keyboard is broken...

 

[WobblyHand]

Put in a whole house filter. But find one that is professionally installed.

We put in one of the 5 foot tall sand/media filters. Cleans itself (will backwash itself when needed) and keeps sediment and whatnot out of the water supply. We also have one of the large “rainfresh“ fitters in front of it to do the course filtering.

We’re on well water so it might be a little different if you’re on municipal water…

We have filtered water to our sinks, including my bar sink next to my coffee machine. When all that went in two years ago, we didn't think to plumb in the fridge. Oops. City water, it's not hard, but it's loaded with chlorine.

Will see if I can tee off the existing filtered water. Then there's only one filter to deal with.

 

[ChazzC]

I’m not 100% certain, but I “think” that the O-rings on my Whirlpool are on the filter, not the receptacle, which makes more sense: maybe Frigidaire does this as planned obsolescence? I only replace the OEM filter every couple of years since I have an external filter ahead of the refrigerator.

For once my memory was correct:

 

[hman]

The water here in Chandler, as near as our house is to the treatment plant, is pretty heavily loaded with chlorine. So I installed a taste-and-odor cartridge filter under the kitchen sink. The output goes to three places: (1) a small dedicated gooseneck faucet at the sink (for drinking water), (2) an instant-hot-water tank (for tea and instant coffee), and (3) the refrigerator. Our refrigerator does have a purifying filter inside. But it would only last about 3 months, and keeping them in stock was bothersome. We replace the much larger taste-and-odor cartridge about once a year ... much simpler!

 

[ChazzC]

Well, just now I got a full refund from eBay for these defective filters. Now to find some real ones. And I do have to get a much larger one to put in front of it - that's the only way to make them last.

You may want to check your local appliance parts source - I recently replaced the door hinge cam's on our (20 year old?) refrigerator and the local store's price was less than what Appliance Parts Pros wanted online before s/h, and I had it the next day.

 

[Firstram]

It would seem that the O rings have gone, normally I would recommend some high viscosity silicone grease on the O-rings, as this can help for minor drips. O-rings stiffen and flatten with time, it is also possible something cracked or the filter is just slightly different than OEM. I have a Viking fridge that came with the house, the replacement water filters were over $100 each, since I already have a larger supply filter I just bypassed the water filter in the fridge. Viking made slight changes to the filter mount so that only the OEM will work, despit what eBay vendors quote it will fit. If it were up to me, I would never get a Viking appliance, reliability has been horrible.

At one time, Viking had temperature control issues and the factory fixed it by reducing the passage size with duct tape. The tape fell off, the filter broke when it froze and did $80,000 worth of damage to the house!

 

[fixit]

That filter is long gone, unfortunately.

In my opinion, there's no need for all caps. Makes it seem like you are yelling. Either that or your keyboard is broken...

SORRY

 

[EricB]

I've purchased from filtersfast.com for my Kenmore with good results.

 

[WobblyHand]

You may want to check your local appliance parts source - I recently replaced the door hinge cam's on our (20 year old?) refrigerator and the local store's price was less than what Appliance Parts Pros wanted online before s/h, and I had it the next day.

Not quite for my local place. About a dollar more than buying direct from Frigidaire. Who knows how much shipping is from Frigidaire...

I've purchased from filtersfast.com for my Kenmore with good results.

Just checked, the same as local pricing.