EV188NYWQ02 Whirlpool Freezer - Instructions

After ordering the ice-maker, but before it had arrived, I installed a valve in the pex water line in the room right below the fridge. I had to rent a pex clamp kit from Home Depot. It cost $8 for 4 hours and came with the crimpers and band cutters. I then ran a poly line to an in-line filter which I mounted to an exposed stud and fished the line up the wall and out a small hole I drilled behind the fridge. When the ice-maker came, it took less than 30 minutes to install and start my first batch of ice. With the in-line filter, the ice forms with practically no sediment flakes. Part Select was the only place I could find a replacement ice-maker. In addition to the parts in the ice-maker kit, I had to buy 12 feet of poly water line, a ball-valve, the in-line filter and a compression fitting. A total of $20 at my plumbing contractor store.

Installation went smooth - only three hex-head screws (one below unit and two above. After removing 3 screws, unit comes loose in your hand but is still connected by a plug leading 4 wires to a connector visible through a slot in back panel of freezer compartment. New unit goes in easily (making sure spout from pump that protrudes from back wall fits through opening on icemaker) but there's not a generous amout of wiring harness and the 'female' of the electrical connection is recessed and loose inside a cutout in the rear panel so you can't get a good grip on it nor can you feel if it plugs securely. I plugged new unit into connector and then secured it with the 3 screws, waited the 12 hours per instructions, but no ice. Removed unit and guessed that the plug had not seated fully (not plugged in.) I took a short piece of a wooden paint stirrer and put it on back edge of plug and tapped it into place so it seated fully. Immediately, the pump cycled and water came from the filler spout, so I surmised that it was now properly plugged in - it began making ice in a couple of hours and has operated perfectly ever since. Lesson learned is to make sure you get the electrical connector fully in place - mine did not 'snap' or 'click' into place and I wrongly assumed it was plugged in correctly.

My husband tackled the job....but before this repair he had to replace ours at home so he had some experience at it....although...on this fridge he had to hook up the water line and all...but basically was not too hard...and the ordering of the part and delivery was excellent...

I completed the ice maker installation but the bracket the automatic water valve was attached to in no way would fit my Whirlpool fridge. The one showed in instructions sent with the ice maker was different than the one Partselect sent me. I had to grind both sides of the bracket off and just hot glued it to the spot where it was supposed to go. I can see how this could be a real issue for some.