Primo Water Dispenser - Cold Water Failing To Dispense - Freezing Reservoir Fix
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- Опубликовано: 21 авг 2024
- Primo Water Dispenser cold water stopped dispensing. Reservoir was freezing causing cold water not to dispense. No thermostat on the unit but it does have a temperature sensor. Replaced the temperature sensor for a $2.00 and working again. Easy, inexpensive fix.
Here is the part at Amazon:
DROK 10K Temperature Sensor Probe, 5pcs 1 Meter Waterproof Temp Sensor Probe, Stainless Steel 3950 NTC Temp Sensor Probe, Digital Temperature Transmitter Extension Cable
I’m convinced these units are designed to fail after 1 year. Every primo I’ve owned does this and you’re the first person to have an answer. Feels like class action material.
I’m with you there I think we should all collectively file a lawsuit
Class action lawsuit. Interesting. Now we need to find a law firm.
@@zzotto21ill sign on
I'm having the exact same issue after a year. No cold water dispensing but the hot water is fine. Could all just be because of a temperature sensor?
Yes. Open it up and check to see if the reservoir is frozen. Or…. Turn it off for a day and see if the water starts to flow. Pretty easy to figure out if it is the sensor. And good luck!
Wow...Thank you...please note, my Avalon A14 wayer dispensor had the same issue, I called support they basically said buy a new one....well this video was the saving grace! My water dispensor is back up and running for less that $10 vs buying a new dispensor for $300. Thank you teo thumbs up!
I am glad it worked for you! Thanks for the comment.
I’m so glad that this was a sub $20 fix. I didn’t want to go out and buy another $200+ water dispenser. You saved me money! Thank you for posting and being very informative!
Thanks for the comment and glad it helped you.
Wait until I ask everyone to write me in for President of the United States, lol… I am Everyman - tired of things breaking, throw away society, etc. I am fiscally conservative and socially liberal. I want to save money and I don’t care what you do in your bedroom!
Bobby Pin 2024!
Now go fix something else and save even more money!
First, my dispenser started freezing water, so I turned off the cold water switch on the back panel overnight. But after a couple of months, the green light started flashing and the water stopped dispensing at all. I realized the problem was with the thermostat. All the videos on RUclips aren't about this problem. Only your video helped me to fix it. You saved me $250+ (Primo Smart Touch). Very informative video. Thank you so much!❤
You are very welcome! Glad it helped you out.
Did all the water stop dispensing or just the cold or got? My hot dispenses but the cold won’t . I took the lid off and the button works it’s just no water flow for the cold
I’m thinking maybe the cold gets too cold and freeze because of the broken thermostat. I’m going to unplug it for a few hours then try the water again. If it works it’s the thermostat
If you open the lid to the tank you may not realize that the water is frozen on the bottom of the tank. Mine was and the ice was so clear I could not tell. I put my hand down and tried to touch the bottom of the tank but. There was solid, crystal clear ICE! And the ice was what was preventing the cold water from flowing.
Thank you for the comments.
And no thermostat. My unit has the thermal sensor, plugged into the control board.
Thank you for the video. It was very helpful locating the temperature probe. Excellent explanation. The styrofoam around the tank is split into halves and the halves are secured by tape. Once the tape is cut, you can kind of separate the halves enough to reach the probe. The way I accessed it was by removing the grill, top back plastic panel and removed the stainless steel box located on the right rear side. I removed the connections on the circuit board. Take of picture of the connections on the board inside the box, so you know where to reconnect them at. Now you are able to get in to where the probes are at more freely. I removed the probe first before ordering the probes from Amazon. I just wanted to make sure I could get it out first before spending money on the probes.
Thank you for letting us know how you did it! Great job.
Did you have to remove the front panel?
Thank you for this! I cut the tape on the foam and i could shimmy it off enough to get to the probe then it just popped back together. I was about ready to figure out a new solution for cold water because primo just wants people to buy new units,luckily there’s guys like you out here showing people how to do stuff 🤘🤘🤘
There is another fix for this by using a 10A.Inkbird ITC-308 Digital temp control. It’s a little easier to do for someone not wanting to mess with wires. You just drill a hold in the lid of the reservoir to drop the probe into, set your temp and once it hits the temp it shuts power off to the unit. It’s more expensive and not as good of a fix but it’s another option.
Thank you for the comment and the second fix! Hopefully, both of ours solutions will help others save a few bucks and get cold water.
This video was perfect. Saved me from buying a new machine. I found them on Amazon just as he explained and replaced it. Once the ice was melted inside, the machine worked just as it should. Perfect temp waters, and going strong now even a week later.
Thanks for your video 🙏🏼
Glad it helped you out. And Thank You for the comment.
This is my second water dispenser and I feel they break down every year but this time man you save me a bunch of money and a lot of diagnosing and Time thank you so much I just ordered the sensors I hope that will fix my issue the dispenser keep calling to the point where it freeze the water doesn’t stop
Good luck and let us know if the fix works. Thanks for the comment.
@@zzotto21 I can tell you you saved me at least $200 it’s working perfect and I thought it’s very difficult but I just took the control unit partially and pull the sensor out the other sensor back with some heat shrink on the connectors
@@saifaldeen2005 I am glad it worked for you! Thanks for the comment.
Thank you so much bro! Came home to frozen water in reservoir .. going to get this part and do the exact same. I love fixing stuff around the house and saving money ultimately. Cheers 🍻
Hope it works for you as easy as it did for me. Thanks for the comment.
Thank you so much for putting this video together! We were able to get our unit working again! We have a different model that actually made it easier. On our model the control board is higher and easier to get to. So we were able to unplug the cable from the control board. We did have a little trouble plugging the new one in, but figured out the new one had a little lip that the old one didn't have. Once we trimmed that with a utility knife, it went right in.
Great job explaining everything!! You saved another unit from being junked!
@@laurasocks5250 You are welcome. I am glad it worked for you as well!
Great information, I saw other video where the guy just unplugged the unit until ice melted but never mentioned why that happened. So as your water dispenser, mine does not have temperature regulator even is a different model. In other video the guy tested the thermostat sensor with an ohm's meter noticing the resistance failed. So, it makes a lot of sense to buy a new sensor and avoid all that checking. Thanks for sharing the sensor information.
You are welcome. I wish I could have found just one sensor instead of five. It would have been great to say I fixed it for $2.00!
Hope you are successful with the repair. Let us know?
What model is yours? Is it the 601088? And where is the sensor for yours?
King: My model is 601256. The sensor runs from the control board (blue plug, plugged into the board) and runs to the lower right, low, of the tank, as you are looking at it from the back. Look for the two (2) black wires going into the tank area, through the styrofoam insulation.
And thank you for your question.
I bought my mom a Primo similar to yours and it has the same issue. I think you did a great job with the video. Thanks for your insight. It’s great DYI Information👍🏾
Well, thank you! But again, I think I found the answer on a Reddit post. I really can’t remember. But hopefully you may dive in and fix it for your mother! She would like that and then she can brag about how smart and helpful her child is…..! Oh, and take all the credit for the repair. Claim you figured it out and may do a RUclips video to help others. She would definitely love that!
Our primo dispenser was experiencinh the same problem. Like an idiot though, I just went out and bought a new one.
Think what I'll do is order the sensors like you did, and then try to make the fix. If it works out perhaps I'll sell it or maybe I'll just give it to my neighbor.
Anyway, for not being a "videographer" I think you did a really nice nice job with your sense of direction and flow through the video plus your camera work. It was no fluff, no wasted time, directed and to the point which I really enjoy.
Hey who knows, maybe you missed your calling as a videographer 😅
Thank you for taking the time to share this with all of us. You probably helped a great many people save a buck or two and boost our egos along the way. Great work!
You are not an idiot. But if you are, we should buy jackets and have meetings! I have done that with so many things that it is the reason I started trying to fix more and more things. I am so done with stuff breaking…
Thanks for the comment. And I hope you get it working. Your neighbor will appreciate it! lol….
Great video!! I bought the same part from Amazon and was able to cut the connecter just a bit and it fit right into the board. It doesn't lock in place like the origonal but since the dispenser never moves, I do t see a problem. Thank you for the fix!!
Glad it worked for you!
And thank you for the comment.
To be sure, just place a small piece of electrical tape and it'll hold everything in place.
Mine has lasted us maybe going on 3 years. And I believe may be the issue now. I’ll have to take it apart and take a look too. I do have a different model but is a bit similar. I’m happy to have found this video. I really didn’t want to get rid of this machine
Keep us posted on the repair. Thanks for the comment.
Suggest using a sharp box cutter to cut through Styrofoam insulation, but otherwise, you can use any type of good insulation to cover missing pieces and tape over as you did. Also, did you take off the side panel for better access to the probe? Splice job will work for that job. You fixed it. Nice job. On mine, so far so good after about 2 years
I will do it better the next. If there is a next time!
Thank you for the comment.
Hi Robert. It's wonderful that I happened to view your clip of possible solution for my same issue. My water col/cool/hot dispenser had this same problem, on the cold side. I unplugged over night, then plugged back. Cold water flows again. But it only worked for a few days. Then cold water stop flowing, that was ok, because I needed hot water more often. But then cool, hot water also not flowing. My unit is only 18 months old. If, it's over 2-3 years, I probably would replace without troubleshooting. But I liked this unit because hot/cool/cold all flow at the same central point. I dont like hot flows on hot side, cold flows on cold side. So, I started search you tube. Few other fixes didn't make sense, until I found your clip. It make sense. I opened op the unit, and felt ice outside the water holder. I unplugged overnight, now hot/cold side flows again. So, I ordered the same temperature sensor you posted. Let's wait to see it this will permanent fix the water flow, which I feel it will because it made sense. This sensor stopped working, thus it continues making cold water, and unknowingly so cold, it becomes ice. and thus no water flow.
I'll bookmarked this clip, and will come beack for my update after I replaced this tem sensor.
Tony: thanks for the comment!
I hope the fix works for you. Not sure if you read the other comments but someone indicated that the white grease substance was probably “thermal paste.” I would order a small tube of that and put it on the new sensor before inserting into the hole and then pack the hole with some of the thermal paste before putting the styrofoam insulation back on.
Good luck with the repair and please let us know if it worked for you.
Bob
How did it go?
Hi. Very informative video. I just replaced my temperature sensor and it looks to be working! Thanks to all your warnings I only broke off one small piece of styrofoam. Thank you so much!
@@erniej17 I am glad it helped you.
All the best.
i am back to confirm that this also worked for me. my dispenser was freezing the water and none would dispense. i got he 5 pk from amazon and replace the sensor and cooler working like new. i just wish i could make it a bit colder but im ok with the chilled water
I am glad it worked for you! Thanks for the comment.
Thanks for this. I've got the same thing going on with mine freezing up. Like you, I am also sick of things breaking.
Maybe we should start a club. DWAWTFT - “Dude’s Who Are Willing To Fix Things!” In the last month, I fixed the water cooler, our water softener, and a few other things. My favorite has been the $2.00 water cooler fix but I also rebuilt the valves on the water softener - $72.00 instead of a $350.00 service call. And these fixes take me less than 30 minutes! Really getting tired of getting ripped off…..
Man, I was just about to open that red cap when I decided to look online. Lol, thanks for posting the video. This seems like a super common problem, but primo never mentions it in their borderline useless troubleshooting page.
@@thomascoates3091 I took one for the team on that one.
Hello Robert this video was very helpful but I have a question. Do I just pull out the sensor probe from the tank or is there a certain way to do it?
@@OfficialMRX1 Once I located it, I just pulled it out. It came right out. The white stuff on it is, apparently, thermal paste. You may want to look at a few other comments here about that but next time I fix it, if I have to fix it, I will put the new sensor end in with thermal paste. Don’t ask me why, but apparently that is what we are supposed to do.
Best of luck!
Mine has lasted us maybe going on 3 years. And I believe may be the issue now. I’ll have to take it apart and take a look too. I do have a different model but is a bit similar
@@Victoria-kk3ez I hope it works for you as well. Good luck.
I'm having the same problem with mine. 😠
Off topic, I thought you snuck in my house to record your video. We have the same Primo cooler, same dining set, and pretty close if not the same flooring. Lol.
Anyway, thanks for the video!
That is too funny! Great minds think alike? That is what I am going with, anyway.
Appreciate posting this and breaking down. Unfortunately it didn't work on my bottom load dispenser, cooling light just flashes green now and while water comes out it's not cold. Compressor seems to not be getting any power whatsoever.
@@michaeld.fuller7884 Sorry it didn’t work for you. It sounds like a bigger issue.
Good luck!
I just turn off the cool button or unplug it every so often. If there's ice inside the water should still be cold with the cool button off.
@@jonvodo That is one way to deal with the problem. I did that for aw little while.
@@zzotto21i did that for a week but now water isn’t coming out at all!! hot,cold and room temp..non of these work! I don’t know how to fix that😓
It's not lithium grease, it is thermal conductive paste. Extremely sticky paste. I use Kryonaut.
Thanks. That is what I have learned since posting the video. I never knew a specific brand however.
Thanks again.
hey robert, do you think its not a hole that the sensor is in, but actually a foam pad on the side of tank that the sensor lays along and is sandwiched into by the foam and the tank?
Actually, I do not know! I assume it was a hole because I could get my hand down there and I thought I felt a hole where it went into. But to be honest, I am not 100% sure.
Thanks for the video. I dislike throwing things away that can be fixed and i sure wont be buying any more primo water dispensers.
You are welcome. Hopefully you will be able to fix your water dispenser.
I called them and they basically told me to throw the machine away and buy a new one. Thanks for this video I think mine is freezing because it starts working after I shut it off for a while lol.
yes - that is how mine was working. I shut mine off every night - it is on a timer plug - and every morning it was working. Until the flow stopped. Thanks for the comment.
@@zzotto21 So I took it apart and changed this thermostat and now it works again. The male connector didn't fit I had to shave some plastic off with a razor blade. Overall I'm happy that I didn't need to throw it all away.
5:52 I got hit with hot water too with that lmao 😂😂 also, water all over the floor
LOL! You never heard anybody say: “I learned that the easy way!” Thanks for the comment.
Great video
Thanks! I appreciate it. Hope it helped.
First of all if you read this i wanna let you know that you are not a really good video editor wich to me dont matter i could be nice but the importance of the video is great that you took the time to fix your unit, ill try to fix mine everything else works fine ours has a 3 light model 601 44it frezzes water even if i dont turn on the switch in the back thank you so much for the video
Lol….. You are pretty funny - yes I know I am not a good video editor. I am not even a video editor! I hope the fix works for you. Thanks for the comment.
Thanks to your video i fix my water dispenser i just removed the sensor desconected to make sure was the same process and walla conected back and still working may work for someone else thanks
@@sweethomedrywall-bh9mk Fantastic! Glad it worked for you. Thank you for the comment.
My avalon froze over. I'm going to try this thermostat replacement. All I lose is $10 and an hour.
Hope it works for you, as well.
Was your hot water dispensing? Or was it just your cold water not dispensing?
Yes, the hot water was dispensing, but we caught it pretty quickly and our unit shuts off at night as we have it on a WiFi receptacle that is on a schedule. So only the cold was the issue. Maybe it never completely froze?
Robert, u r the man. I don't know what to say ..u should be voted for president 😂😂😂😂
Reggie: That is my next act - Bobby Pin for POTUS!
Thanks for the comment and hope it helped.
Seems like I have the same issue with my brio. This is helpful
Why'd you have to splice the wire and tape it back together?
Can you not just replace the sensor probe entirely?
I could not get my hands in far enough to get to the thermal sensor plug on the control board. It was easier for me to leave the sensor plugged into the board and just splice the new sensor onto the wires.
Thank you for your comment!
@@zzotto21 got you. I just ordered my ordered my probe from Amazon. Guess I'll have to ask my wife or kids to pull the old one out the control panel
lol. Or…. Just splice it in! Whatever works for you.
My cold water button keeps blinking, I returned machine off then on and did cleaning still no cold water and red light keeps blinking. Anyone know what’s wrong!
@@TheKimichan No idea, but if I find out why, I’ll post here.
Hi. Your video is wonderful. I am having the same issue. But my machine is mideia. I cant see the termostate either. I am in mozambique and have no idea how to get this sensor.
Hello! I am sorry your dispenser is not working but I have no idea about your make/model. Remember, I am just some guy tired of things breaking! What I would do if I were you is open your dispenser up, after unplugging it of course, and looking for wires that go to the holding tank. And look for 2 wires that run from the control board to the side and down on the tank. Then, explore! See if you can open up the insulation in the area where the wires go and then feel around. You may be able to pull on the wires and see if a thermal sensor comes out. You will know what it is because it will have what looks like a stainless steel end - sort of like the part of a thermometer that goes into your mouth - only larger.
And the other problem will be what thermal sensor do you need, if you do find it. I am not sure the one I used will work for you, but who know?
Anyway, you may want to explore before throwing it out. And do not forget the thermal paste, if you do find the thermal sensor and will try to replace it.
Thanks for your comment and good luck!
Hi. Is this just to fix a freezing problem or do u think cud fix problem of water not cooling anymore
I am not sure but it may apply to both issues at it is a temperature sensor for the cold water. Best of luck.
Hi i saw your comment on this issue did you check your compressor is running if it is not running there's your problem replace compressor relay.
Company where I buy delivered 5 gallon water said bottom dispensers are the worst. I’m on my third one. Won’t replace it this time.
Hopefully, I will not have to replace it anytime soon. The bottom loaders are easier, however.
Hey, did you defrost the ice first or did it defrost by itself with the replaced sensor?
I shut off the cold water using the switch. The ice has melted in less than 24 hours.
Maybe there were some screws to completely remove the metal casing? anywho, this is hapening to my ex's water cooler, have it with me now, and ordered on eBay the sensor, thanks!
Not sure, but probably. If you figure it out, let us all know?
Good luck and thank you for the comment.
Same thing is happening to mine. Only a little over a year old!
I encourage you to try to fix it using one of the sensors. But if you do, also use the thermal paste as suggested in a previous comment. Maybe just put the paste around the sensor, insert it in the hole, then put more of the paste in the hole before putting the styrofoam insulation back?
Anyway, good luck!
The white stuff, is thermal grease, same used for transistors when they are put together with a heatsink to keep them cool...in this case to have the sensor make better thermal contact with that metal tube that goes into the tank
Thank you. Next time I open up the unit, I will put some in.
And thank you for the comment!
Where can you buy it? Does regular thermal paste for a PC work?
@@lakerphan17 I am not sure if all thermal paste is created equal. I did not use any when I installed my sensor - just hoping there was enough left in the whole - as I did not thermal paste existed when I fixed mine.
Thanks.
@@zzotto21 still working fine?
@@lakerphan17 Still working fine! Cold water and all…..
Since there are two wires coming from the connector, how did you know which wire to splice with.
Joe: I cut the entire sensor off. I unplugged the water dispenser before doing any of this, of course. Get the sensor out of the hole. About 3-4 inches from the sensor, cut both wires going to the actual sensor - not the connector side. I left the connector of the original sensor plugged into the board in the water dispenser. Then I cut the connector off the new sensor, about 3-4” from the connector side. I did this so I had plenty of wire on both the old sensor and on the new sensor. Actually, I then had way too much wire but that makes it easier to splice the new sensor onto the old sensor’s wires that is still connected to the board. Then I stripped the 2 wires on the new sensor and I stripped the 2 wires from the old sensor (being still connected to the board), and then I simply connected one at a time, taped each wire with electrical tape, then taped both together. 2 wires to 2 wires.
Thanks for the comment and good luck!
@@zzotto21 Thank you, so I guess it doesn't matter which wire to connect to.
@@bigbullit1 I really don’t know but you will know instantly. If your cold water compressor turns off and the water is cold, you know it works. If it doesn’t;t run at all or if it does not shut off, well, you know it actually does matter. Maybe I got lucky?
Please let us know if you make the fix.
@@zzotto21 thank you. I called Brio and they will send me a new cooler, so I won't have to do it. Thanks for your help and video.
Is there a neg/pos on those wires so I'll know how to reconnect them properly?
Not that I am aware of. Good luck with the fix.
@@zzotto21 I was able to remove the styrofoam and get to the temperature probe so I'm going to remove the whole thing. No need for splicing.
My machine seemed to be leaking from the hose to the left ( one can see the hose when you open the water reservoir unit at the bottom.
Any clue as to what I need to do to change that hose? It does go up into the top. Thanks
Sorry, I have no idea. I would start off simply, however. Did you try. Cinching it where it connects to something using a zip tie? Or a small hose clamp? Hopefully, the hose is not cut or does not have a pinhole leak. But I would check the connections first.
Maybe someone else reading this has another suggestion? If so, please comment.
Mine not heating the water. The light kept flashing. Cold water work fine
I am not sure if the thermal sensor works for both the hot and cold. Sorry.
But thanks for checking in
I have same problem. My dispenser is different brand.it working on brio water cooler? Please help me with this problem please 🙏🏻 Thank you.
If I were you, I would open up the unit, after unplugging it of course, and see if the tank is frozen. If so, then you know you have a thermostat or thermal sensor issue. Because it is a different maker/unit, beyond that, I do not have any advice. You may want to let us all know what make and model your unit is and maybe someone else can help with more insight?
I have been getting small white particles in the bottom of my glass when using a similar type of dispenser, does anyone has or herd this situation before?? Hopefully its not small plastic pieces from the dispenser. I don't see any on the bottom of the 5 gallon glass bottle, it happens when I use the dispenser to fill my glass.
I am not sure what those white particles are. Have you tried to open the unit and look in the tank? Maybe try to clean it out?
Why not unsrew top front remove lid then unplug wires and remove Styrofoam.?
You definitely could do that. Thanks for the comment.
@@zzotto21 np when i looker at mine styrofaom is in parts so depends on model and how new it is. As for the overload switch im still having issues looking for a new one. But ty for the sensor switch.
My model has a brass screw on the left side and I would like to know if it's supposed to be adjusted, please help
@@josefigueroa2616 Unfortunately, I have no idea. But,…. If I were to guess, my guess is that it will not do anything elated to the temperature of the water.
White grease could be food grade grease
@@josefigueroa2616 I have been told it is thermal paste.
Was it thermo paste?
Well, I had no idea what “thermo paste” was until your post. I looked it up and found “thermal paste.” I have no idea what the substance I found was but my guess is you are correct - thermal paste!
Remember, I am just a retired Dude fixing things around the house that I think I can handle. I am “handy,” but I had never heard of thermal paste before.
And thank you for commenting.
My primo dispenser stop cooling down
@@josefigueroa2616 It may be the sensor that I replaced , as in this video.
Wouldn't it be easier to just return it to Walmart?
I had mine for more than 2 years. So it was either buy a new one or fix it. I chose to fix it.
Thanks for comment!
What did you replace the white grease with?
@@lakerphan17 Nothing. I thought there was enough in there and I just stuck the probe back into the hole. But others here have now told me that the white grease is actually thermal paste.
@@zzotto21 yeah I used some seems to be working fine thanks