The freezer compartment of my Hotpoint FFA90 (frost-free) keeps icing up. There's about 1-2" of ice on the underneath the bottom drawer. I chiselled it off a few weeks ago but it's come back. The fridge seems fine.

here are lots of things that can cause cooling problems. One of the most common causes of poor cooling in a frost free refrigerator is a defrost system failure. In such a case one or the other compartment may appear to be keeping proper temperature but that too may change in a short period of time. The fridge compartment's temperature rise is usually (but not always) the first to be noticed. Frost" and "Ice"
There is a difference between "frost" (a white, snow-like substance) and "ice" (usually clear and solid). When referring to what is seen during an inspection, please keep this distinction in mind as the possible causes for each are often very different. The Defrost System
Inspecting the (usually rear) wall of the freezer compartment for a frost build up is necessary. (In the case of many GE top freezer models, check the freezer's bottom panel.) If there is a frost coating on it, it is often a sign of excessive frosting beneath it. Sometimes however the evaporator cover panel will actually need to be removed (see the illustration below) before an excessive frost build will visible.
The refrigeration system's evaporator (cooling) coil is usually in the freezer compartment. This evaporator will periodically frost over and have to be defrosted by means of a heating system. When the defrost heating system fails, the frost can accumulate to such a degree that airflow throughout the appliance is hampered. There may be just enough air circulation to cool the freezer section but that will eventually stop too.

Don't think there is a drain on the freezer. Remove the food from the freezer defrost I would also check the seal to ensure that no moister in getting past the seal forming ice at the bottom.

Sounds like a stopped up defrost drain.

I've just had a similar problem. I fixed it by removing the large panel on the back of the inside of the freezer. I found a large build up of ice at the bottom of the freezer which seems to have developed because the drain hole at the bottom of the freezer was blocked. I defrosted the ice, cleared the drain and now the freezer is working fine.

hotpoint ffa90, I have fridge and freezer problem, non of them are keeping the required temperature though the fridge temperature is showing the right temperature but not cold and the freezer is not freezing as it is contstant between -2 to -5 but it should be
-22, the fast freeze bottom does not fridge either, it does not take instruction.

Power off the freezer.

Remove all freezer drawers.

Remove the four screws retaining the ducting at the back of the freezer compartment. Top at the top, two at the bottom

Carefully pull the ducting out - it's located in the guide slots for the freezer drawers, and should pull out without too much drama.

This exposes the air circulating fan, and the evaporator coil (the bit that gets chilled).

In my case, despite a defrost of the frost-free section, the evaporator section was one massive chunk of ice. If you have similar, carefully defrost this, and check the drain hole at the bottom of the cavity.

Re-assemble, as reverse of above.

Mine's been trouble-free since doing this.

Symptoms:
Ice forms at the bottom of the Hotpoint FFA90 Freezer compartment, below the bottom drawer.
Cause:
The drain hole at the back of the freezer compartment is blocked with ice and sludge.
Solution:
This take about 20 minutes to complete.
1. Tools required:
- 7mm socket spinner.
- Phillips screwdriver.
- Clean damp cloth.
- Electric fan heater (optional, but it makes the job much quicker).
- A length of plastic tubing approx 3 ft (1 metre) long with 5mm bore (optional).
- A few inches of fairly stiff but flexible, insulated wire. I used a piece of yellow/green earth wire.
- A torch or inspection lamp.
2. Switch off the fridge and pull out the mains plug.
3. Remove all the freezer drawers. If there is food in them, wrap them in a duvet or something cosy to reduce thawing.
4. Place a shallow tray under the front of the freezer compartment to catch dripping water.
5. Switch the fan heater on to low heat, and let it blow into the freezer compartment from a distance. DO NOT get it too close - a gentle heat is all you need.
6. After a few minutes, use a blunt knife to prise the sheet of ice away from the bottom of the freezer compartment. I managed to lift mine out in one piece! - but it will probably crack into smaller pieces. Mop up as you go.
7. Using the 7mm spinner, remove the 8 self-tapping, hexagonal head screws that fix the back panel inside the freezer compartment. With all the screws removed, ease the panel out gently, pulling from the bottom first. It may stick a bit where ice has stuck to foam rubber inside, so don't pull to fast.
8. Put the panel on your draining board and allow it to thaw out. There will probably be lots of ice stuck to the foam rubber backing. Don't pull the ice off by hand - you may damage the foam.
9. At the back of the freezer compartment, below the chiller tubes, there is a drain hole about 15mm diameter, and this will probably be blocked with ice. Allow the fan heater to continue to thaw the ice in here, mopping up from time to time. Gently ease off any bits of ice with the blunt knife. As the ice thaws, the drain hole will gradually clear.
10. Insert one end of the plastic tube into the drain hole, and blow long and steady through the other. The warmth of your breath will help to thaw the ice in the drainage tube. Keep going until you have cleared about 5cm down.
11. Now use the piece of wire to poke down the hole and clear any further blockage. This should go down about 8-10 cm or so.

OK, that's cleared the drain hole and the drain pipe. Now you have to clear a messy brown sludge from the evaporation tray underneath, at the back.

12. Switch off the fan heater, and pull the fridge freezer away from the wall, so that you have clear access to the back.
13. Vacuum the dust and cobwebs out of the way - you need to see what you're doing!
14. Above the motor is the evaporation tray. Remove the two Phillips screws that fix it to the back of the fridge.
15. You'll need the torch for the next bit. Look between the top of the evaporation tray and the underneath of the freezer compartment. You will see a black, soft plastic tube about 18mm diameter that links the drainage hole with the tray. Use the screwdriver to prise the tube gently upwards and out of the tray. This could be messy with brown sludge.
16. Taking care not to damage or bend the metal pipes, gently remove the evaporation tray. This will probably have a messy brown sludge in parts.
17. Wash the tray clean; it will need a jet of water and a small washing up brush to get this clean.
18. Wipe the black plastic tube clean.
19. Replace the tray. The fiddly bit is getting the black tube back into the corresponding tubular hole in the tray. I had to remove the screw from the bottom left corner of the coolant pipework in order to get my hand in. Bend the black tube double so that the fold is towards you, and ease the end into the tubular hole in the tray; then push the tube down into place.
20. Re-fix the tray and fixing screw for the coolant pipes; then move the fridge freezer back into place.
21. The inner panel should have thawed somewhat. Gently remove any remaining ice and mop it dry. Press the aluminium foil and foam back into place. Wipe both sides clean.
22. Inside the freezer compartment, mop the coolant tubing gently. Mop the circular foam seal around the fan, and press it back into place.
23. Replace the inner panel. DO NOT over tighten the screws, as they are self-tapping into the plastic walls of the freezer compartment, and you might strip the thread.
24. Replace the freezer drawers, and switch on.
You should now be up and running.
I hope this is easy to understand! Good luck.
www.authorgraphic.co.uk

machine has a defrost issue, defrost mi metal or defrost timer

worthwhile checking closer. noisy fan can be due to fan blade hitting ice if there has been a build-up. otherwise needs replacing

The freezer should have a drain hole for the defrost water to flow through. This will drain into a pan outside of the freezer cabinet. If this drain tube becomes blocked it will not allow the water to drain out and it will accumulate in the bottom of the freezer section. You will have to verify that the drain is clear through to the drain pan. this can be done carefully with a piece of stiff wire. There should also be some sort of a water trap on the drain tube to prevent air from entering the freezer compartment through the drain tube.