I stared into the tiny hole. I used the flashlight on my phone to see if I could get enough light to see inside of it. Each time I moved the light where it illuminated the interior, the phone obscured my vision. I tried to use the video function of the phone to get a “live look” but it was too dark without the light. I then took repeated photographs forcing it to use the camera’s flash. This is the best of them. I got out several pairs of reading glasses, all with different magnifications, to look at the image. I still could not recognize what I was seeing.
Last week, a puddle developed on the floor behind and under the refrigerator. I knew at once it was related to the water pipe feeding liquid to the ice maker. I was in a hurry and headed to Dallas, so we pulled out the fridge, dried the area, and turned off the water until I could try to make repairs.
It was apparent that water was leaking out of the top of the fridge where the water tube entered the back panel. I took off the tube and was confronted by this tiny dark hole. I went around to the front and stared into the freezer. I took the ice maker mechanism apart and found the other end of the hole. It was a white pipe that slanted up and to the back. I could see nothing.
I used a tiny, but strong wire and began to see if I could find an obstruction in the pipe. I did not know what was inside the pipe. Was it a valve that opened? Was it a filter that could not be penetrated by my wire? From both sides, I kept reaching an obstruction. I consulted google. I watched videos of people replacing this tube assembly. I dug up schematics making certain that this really was just an empty tube. Finally, I got a wooden kitchen spoon and gentle tried to push the white pipe out to get a better look at it. Gentle pressure did not work. I popped the end with my hand and something cracked.
I thought to myself, “Awesome! Now I will have to call the repairman and explain myself to him and buy a new part which will cost extra.” I stopped attacking the problem from the inside and went around to the back. An ice core about the size of a short golf pencil was perched on the edge and about to fall on the floor. The ice was nearly transparent, almost no bubbles. For years the hole has stayed open, but I imagine that the cold water coming into the house from the city was just cold enough this time to freeze it closed.
I reassembled the project and it has been working since. We are keeping an eye on the floor just to make sure. Now that I know what I am looking at, I can see the ice core in the picture.
Sometimes problems are hard to detect. Things that used to work do not work any longer. I believe we can solve most problems through effort, through trying. We might break some things in the process, but in the end we will see the way forward.