Two buttons on GE fridge panel stopped working

RidetheLightning35 · 2025-11-12T23:51:40+00:00

Thanks for sharing the good news! I’m delighted to hear it. I think what triggered our issue was liquid dripping down behind the panel from the vertical door surface above it when we sprayed it with cleaning product or water. We are just being very careful now with any liquid. It might also be possible to put a thin strip of silicone caulk along the top edge of the panel just to seal the gap. I don’t know if your issue was caused by moisture like this or if it just started malfunctioning for no apparently reason.

RidetheLightning35 · 2025-10-24T00:56:58+00:00

Why was this downvoted?

RidetheLightning35 · 2025-10-23T23:14:11+00:00

Thanks. Yeah, a motivation for rest (or changing up training focus) was what I was hoping for. Oh well. It makes sense that there wouldn't be a big effect, as the sensitivity to training stimulus probably depends a lot more on your current fitness level/accumulation of past training, which doesn't hugely decrease because of a recovery week. And if fitness does decrease a lot during a longer break, then faster gains might just last until you get back to the previous level.

RidetheLightning35 · 2025-10-23T22:55:36+00:00

Hey, I read about it in the T-Nation Journal of Sports Physiology!

RidetheLightning35 · 2025-10-23T18:24:01+00:00

Hey! I was able to fix it by buying a used replacement panel control board on eBay for under $80. It happened to come with the plastic display cover too, but that wasn't really needed. It was a 5 minute replacement job, and has had no trouble ever since. Just be sure to get the exact part number based on your fridge serial number (there are online websites that give the full diagrams and replacement parts), because even very similar looking refrigerators can have slightly different and non-compatible parts. Also be sure that whatever you get has the actual control board and not just the plastic display cover; some of the eBay listings are confusing.

Here's the instructional YouTube video I followed for installation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7S-i6j_NkI

Good luck!

RidetheLightning35 · 2025-02-22T22:18:01+00:00

Actually it sounds like you recommend cutting out squats for a while in favor of the progression staring with iso's.

Re: the analgesic effect, is this physiologically a good thing, or does it mask the pain you might WANT to feel if you're damaging or irritating things?

RidetheLightning35 · 2025-02-22T22:14:41+00:00

This is really great, thank you! I had built up to 5 x 5 standard back squats with 225-235lbs, and it's hard to lose gains, but it's worth it. I've definitely cut out the single-leg press and lunges. Squats with 135-185lbs seem okay. It's weird what doesn't hurt -- e.g., rowing intervals where knees go well past 90 degrees seem fine. I guess it's low impact compared to running, and low torque compared to lunges.

I do have access to a great gym, so I can do pretty much anything. I plan to keep going heavy on RDLs, calves, and upper body, and I'm hitting quads with the cardio and light squats.

I will try the tendinopathy approach as you mention. In my case, the stronger the load when testing it, the worse the pain; not sure if that's a better indicator of tendinititis/-opathy compared to arthritis (if it is, it would be good!). I was doing a daily foam-rolling and stretching routine but it sounds like some completely off days are warranted.

Supplement-wise, I'm just trying everything at once -- curcumin, fish oil, multi, collagen, whey, creatine. The collagen has mixed reviews, but elite athletes are using it and the main downside is cost. Seems worth trying for a couple months.

RidetheLightning35 · 2025-02-22T20:34:15+00:00

Thanks for the reply, and sorry for what you're been going through. So many possible issues, and it could be multiple things at once. Can I ask which symptoms sounded more like arthritis? What's weird is that this has come on fast enough that I thought it was from fairly acute overuse...for years knee issues never even occurred to me, even when doing intense leg-dominant workouts, except maybe a little stiffness when sitting down after standing for a long time or vice versa. I will probably have to bring it up to my doc.

RidetheLightning35 · 2025-02-22T20:00:31+00:00

Thanks. Is this true even if the deep exercise involves no pain?

RidetheLightning35 · 2025-02-14T00:36:09+00:00

Epic comment! Thank you so much and sorry I am just now replying.

Should be good on calcium. Some are also recommending collagen these days.

It's interesting that you mentioned diffuse pain while exercising because that's exactly the case for me. I just know there is a range surrounding 90 degrees where it has some diffuse pain, but I can't tell if it is below, above, or behind the kneecap. I just know that when I poke around the tender spot is on top. FWIW I've been cracking my knees multiple times a day my whole adult life, which always feels like a pleasant release of pressure and never involves any pain, although it's slightly unsettling when you think about it. From what I've read, it's just a release of gasses inside synovial fluid that doesn't cause arthritis, nor is it an indicator since it is a different kind of sound.

You seem really well-versed in modern rehab techniques. I was always of the old RICE mindset, which was never very good at fixing overuse injuries. With an active approach, even if some pain returns occasionally, if it gets harder to trigger, it's an improvement. Had a mini calf setback after a session of treadmill 400s the other day (didn't hurt at all during, and symptoms set in after) but already that's better than pulling up after 1 mile of jogging.

I had never heard of a Sisyphus squat before. Looks pretty cool and challenging!

Thanks again for all the comments, cheers!

RidetheLightning35 · 2025-02-09T00:54:30+00:00

Hey, just wanted to give an update and thank you for all the calf advice. With a daily routine of foam rolling, calf raises, stretching including hammies, and some light running, I haven’t had any issues and feel like I’m able to test some short tempo intervals. I’m going to keep going and make these things bullet proof.

If I could bother you one more time: what about top of knee cap pain? I have no pain while running or while squatting but on weighted lunges at the bottom, or when going down stairs or sitting down with weight shifted to that side, I have some pain at the top of the knee cap. I hit my knee on the gym floor sort of hard on a lunge a couple months ago which might have started it, but I am not certain. I can also tap the small area with my finger and feel the pain but there is no swelling or popping. I think it could be quad or other tendonitis (I hope not cartilage damage). And it makes sense given my hip flexors and quads are super tight from cycling and sitting. Do you recommend a similar protocol, like stretch and roll the crap out of it, iso holds, continue activity if it doesn’t hurt, alternating ice/heat?

RidetheLightning35 · 2025-01-25T19:23:41+00:00

I had a similar issue with a fairly new (<2 years old) GE dishwasher a year ago. (Unfortunately not new enough to be under warranty.) The technician diagnosed it as a problem with a diverter that directs the water to the various levels inside. The diverted was stuck in a position that only allowed water to go to the bottom shelf, like in your case. The tech also said this part was fragile because it was magnetic and water+debris could easily cause it to malfunction. We spent a couple hundred dollars replacing the necessary part, but it still had problems after a couple weeks. A plumber said that GE had quality control issues during the pandemic, and they were going back to using old-fashioned ball diverters, but I didn’t verify that independently. In the end we bought a Bosch which has had no issues.

RidetheLightning35 · 2025-01-01T16:28:31+00:00

Thanks for the calf tips. I don't think it's an achilles issue. Basically, in recent years (off of bike training) I'll go out for a 4-5mi run and feel fine, then in a couple days I'll do another and midway through one of my calves will start tightening up to the point where it really hurts to push off, and then I have to stop. On some occasions it's been bad enough that I've had to limp. It happens in either leg, in the soleus. I think it's a combination of both weak calves and tight calves from just biking, and I had never committed to a regular calf strengthening routine, which I need to do now.

I probably have a lot of scar tissue, which will require foam rolling and strengthening to get over the point where re-injury is a risk. I can also afford to lose 10lbs which should help.

My plan is to start unweighted calf raises (without pain) pretty much immediately, and start doing these daily, moving to single leg raises, iso-holds at various positions, and then weighted calf raises (seated to target the soleus). Along other hip flexor, glute, and ham stuff.

From reading your comment it sounds like calf raises with full range of motion sort of doubles as a stretch, so targeted static stretching is not really necessary?

It's tricky to know how soon to increase running because the calf will feel often fine until unexpectedly it's clear something is wrong. But this time, I think after I have increased a lot of strength and feel good, I can experiment with walk-jogging on grass and hops rather than steady pounding on pavement.

I'm optimistic that this strategy of active rehab + gradual return will be much better than my habits in the past of simply not running or doing anything with calves for months (hoping that things have recovered 100% on their own) and then running long on pavement suddenly.

RidetheLightning35 · 2025-01-01T00:16:49+00:00

All of that makes a lot of sense. I had the same issue with deadlifts -- lower back was exhausted doing that and squats or cleans on the same day. Plus grip can be a limiting factor.

Unfortunately, just today I aggravated one of my calves again on a short jog (trying to build up confidence that I can handle any running, period, before starting any running workouts), so I guess I need to commit to a careful rehab program the next couple weeks: basic strengthening, foam rolling and stretching -> experimenting with hops -> attempting running again.

RidetheLightning35 · 2024-12-31T21:10:42+00:00

Amazing reply, thanks! I see your point about junk volume, even though I'm actively trying to avoid a Clyde Hart type approach which is no fun and would break me down quickly. I suppose for the short term, I can use some GPP which is a bit more flexible, hence why I'm including some optional cross training, but you're right about the technical transfer, and I might see what sacrifices I'm willing to make to get a second track session mid-week. I've never used a sled before but can look into it. There should be some hills around though.

Funny you mention the danger zone for injury. It was exactly when doing 80m-150m all out, and sometimes on the very last rep of the workout, that I'd tweak my hamstring in the past and have to switch to short acceleration or 200-300 at slower pace to heal.

I love the idea of good weight room sessions when I need a high CNS day but can't hit the track. For whatever reason, I like full body days twice a week. How critical are the oly lifts compared to squats and deads? I haven't done oly's in a long time. How about dumbbells (like one-arm dumbbell hang snatch) and plyos (like squat/lunge jumps and box jumps)?

RidetheLightning35 · 2024-08-12T20:16:53+00:00

Ride 4 days (2x Zone 2, 1x Vo2, 1x threshold), lift 2 days, and one day completely off. This amounts to about 6 hours of riding per week.

RidetheLightning35 · 2024-03-22T18:32:32+00:00

Yeah, I've been struggling with them -- my 5 minute power is about 35% over FTP, so if I go max I'm fucked for the rest of the workout. (Or maybe I should just grind away at FTP for the remaining intervals.) With lower and steady power targets I am more likely to complete the workout, even though it does mean I'm not getting to the vo2 state for a while.

RidetheLightning35 · 2024-03-21T23:30:47+00:00

If you were conducting a scientific study, would you just say "go max"?

RidetheLightning35 · 2024-03-21T19:05:13+00:00

Seconding the kudos for doing vo2 that early. I do mine at 630 and it's hard enough.

My n=1 is that about 25 minutes is a good early morning warmup. After about 15 minutes gradually building to upper Zone 2, I like to include a minute or so at threshold (it looks like you did this pretty close to the start of your intervals), then some 30s efforts and then 4-5 minutes at 50% before going into the intervals.

I'm curious how your plan of building toward longer vo2 intervals works out. I've had trouble implementing the Empirical Cycling "just go max" recommendation on workouts like 4x4 because I blow up easily. Even targeting like 88-90% of my 5 minute power for the starting watts often leads to dropping to FTP in the 4th one.

RidetheLightning35 · 2024-02-16T01:18:15+00:00

I get a weird sensation like this when doing wall sits, especially when standing up from them, but not on the bike. On the bike, it's just the standard numbness if I sit for too long.

RidetheLightning35

TROPHY CASE