Hi David
In the freezer compartment - under the panel where the water / ice is collecting - towards the back - is a small pan. The pan collects the water when the defroster cycles on to melt ice & frost that collects on the cold coil behind the back wall panel. The pan has an opening with a small tube connected that allows the water to drain out to the larger pan on the floor under the fridge.
If the tube is clogged, the water will not drain and will eventually freeze. Every time the defrost comes on, some of this water will collect under the panel and drip into the fridge compartment if the drain remains frozen.
You will need to clear any obstruction in the drain tube with a short, flexible snake. Access it from the freezer compartment. Remove any built up ice
and make sure the pan has not been bent or damaged in such a way that it
will no longer allow the water to get to the drain tube. If the tube is clogged due to ice, you will have to thaw it out first. Squirt hot water down the
tube to do this quickly - I used a turkey baster and towels in the freezer with excellent results. After the
ice has been cleared - use the snake to make sure the tube is open. Replace /
repair parts as needed.
After clearing, pour some water down the tube to check for flow. If flowing, empty the drain pan on the floor under the fridge. Next, mix up about 6 to 8 ounces of a 10% bleach + 90% water solution to pour into the drain you cleared. This will kill any biological (mold, etc.) blockage in the tube. Empty the drain pan on the floor under the fridge again - but be extra careful as it has bleach in it.
My fridge did this to me several times before I figured out that ice was blocking my drain. I got a piece of #10 copper wire - long enough to hang from something above (coil, heater, etc.) in the coil compartment down about 4 - 6 inches into the drain tube. Doing this allows the warm air from the heated space during defrost cycles to be conducted down the copper wire into the drain tube - making it it impossible to freeze up. It works perfectly! I recommend a #12 or 10 copper wire, but aluminum works well too. I'd stay away from steel or anything that can corrode - because it will.
Good luck!
This video shows a refrigerator with the defrost condensate drain is visible. This will not be the case on most models as you will need to remove the rear panel inside the back of the freezer to get to the drain opening. Frost free refrigerators defrost the ice that collects on the evaporator coil. Your refrigerator defrost on the average about every 8 hours so the water that accumulates during defrost has to go somewhere right? Yes the water is supposed to drain down a small drain line to a pan down near the compressor where warm air from the condenser fan will blow warm air over the water and evaporate the water again an put it back into the air inside your home, office or wherever your refrigerator is located. Over time that little drain tube gets slime, algae and a gooey white paste gunk that fills the drain line sides up stopping the waterflow downward to the condensate pan below refrigerator. If blocked by gunk or ice you will see trails of liquid leaking down the rear wall of fresh food compartment until it reaches the crisper drawers. Gunk is an accumulation of algae slime and just crud that appears from nowhere in a refrigerators defrost condensate drain line. How a refrigerator leaks is not always the same with every model as you may see frozen ice flowing down the rear wall of freezers on side by sides. Here is an example of a ET18PKXGTO Whirlpool refrigerator leaking water into a cup below the freezer compartment. Click here=> Whirlpool Leak Photo taken by TechnicianBrian. TechnicianBrian.com. And in this photo are several parts listed in photo group #1 were it is most likely running down the wall=> MagicChef CTB1921AR fresh food section. If you still have questions please ask and rate me if I was able to explain this well enough. Every refrigerator is made different so these are examples only. The key is to find if ice or just gunk has blocked you defrost drain. Unplug and then remove the rear panel in back of freezer. We need to see if the water is overflowing the condensate drain tray or if the blockage is in the turn the drain leads down back of your refrigerator. Much more on this page=> Leaking Refrigerators! If you run into any problems along the way of repair please let me know, Thanks, Sea Breeze
SOURCE: Kenmore bottom freezer refrigerate leaks
Hello, this sounds like you have a blockage in the drain tube, remove panel back of freezer..you may see ice build up...melt ice with hair dryer/heat gun...you will see a pan below evaporator...melt ice in pan...dry water up in pan with paper towel...now you should see a hole in pan that leads to drain tube...pour some hot water in pan..wait a couple minutes..mop up water and repeat this step 2-3 times....once you have done this find some flexible curatain wire or electrical wire..poke down the hole until you see the water drain..now it is clear..put back panel back and you are good to go. The reason you see water in the Freezer is because the water has been leaking into the freezer instead of running into the drain hole...If you need any further assistance please feel free to comment again. good luck! P.s Please don't forget to rate my solution thanks! Mike.
Testimonial: "Greatly appreciate yor help, Mike. Found screws to remove back panel, but the ice maker is plugged into a hole in panel can this be unplugged?"
SOURCE: Water collecting in refrigerator and ice collecting in freezer
sounds like you have a clogged defrost drain tube. removing back panel of freezer will give you access to drain trough, melt away the ice with a hair dryer, youll find a drain hole under there somewhere,pouring boiling water down the drain will clear it pretty quickly( i use a steam machine purchased from the infomercials works awesome, after you clear it and all water drain down tube wrap a piece of solid copper wire around the heater( black heater right above the drain trough) and stick it in the whole maybe an inch or so. now every time the heater comes on to defrost it will prevent the hole from freezing over
SOURCE: excessive frost buildup in bottom freezer section of Kenmore refr
There are several reasons this can be happening...
1. The seal on the door may have a tear or may not be seating properly...this allows excess warm air into the freezer compartment and in its effort to remove the same ...frost appears.
2. There is something call a thermistor that is cycled on and off as needed to remove excess frost accumulation and or ice buildup on the evaporator (freezer) coils...it is a heat strip which actually defrost the frost/ice. if this is not working frost will accumulate and eventually it will become Ice......now the remarkable thing about Ice accumulation is that you would think everything would remain cold or get colder ..however in this case the opposite occurs...it insulates the coils and thereby increasing the temperature...put a thermometer...one that is calibrated properly...(calibration can be set by placing a thermometer into a glass of ice water...the temp of a glass of ice water..after a few minutes setting will be exactly 32 degrees)..if the temperature of your refrigerator is gradually rising over the period of a week...you will need to call a tech or replace the thermistor and or trouble shoot other problems that can occur such as..
3. The evaporator fan may be going out although they usually make a high pitched whining noise of a whirring noise before they go out...not always and if they are intermittently cycling off then frost would build up...do you always here a fan running when you open the freezer...if so that is good...fan is working...but it may be cycling off at times when no one is aware.
P.S. the odds of your ice maker causing this are very, very slim...in 35 years in the industry ..I have never had an ice maker cause frost due to water spray...it will almost always result solid sheets of Ice..if it evers does cause a spray....which like I said is rare...lottery ticket type rare :-)
This should lead you in the right direction...if you need help in finding a reputable service company in your area let us know..I hope this has been helpful..if so PLEASE rate me....thank you... .......The Fang
SOURCE: Kenmore elite - Water dripping from freezer to refrigerator
Your refrigerator has a defrost drain blockage behind the evaporator in your your freezer compartment. Some models like yours have leak in the turns as the water leaves the freezer. I recommend that you unplug and remove the cover to the evaporator and check the defrost condensate tray below the evaporator. A wet vacuum cleaner and poring a solution with clorox in the drain will help you clean locate the leak and where the blockage may be downline.. I do have the manual on yours and can help you solve this. Some times this is a factory defect and I can help you solve the freezing drain problem. Let me know, Sea Breeze
http://fixitnow.com/wp/2009/05/26/the-permanent-cure-for-repeatedly-freezing-condensate-drains-in-whirlpool-roper-kitchenaid-top-mount-refrigerators/
http://servicepartstec.blogspot.com/
SOURCE: Water collects and freezes in bottom of Kenmore
Hello, this sounds like you have a blockage in the drain tube, remove panel back of freezer..you may see ice build up...melt ice with hair dryer/heat gun...you will see a pan below evaporator...melt ice in pan...dry water up in pan with paper towel...now you should see a hole in pan that leads to drain tube...pour some hot water in pan..wait a couple minutes..mop up water and repeat this step 2-3 times....once you have done this find some flexible curatain wire or electrical wire..poke down the hole until you see the water drain..now it is clear..put back panel back and you are good to go. The reason you see water in the fridge is because the water has been leaking down the vent instead of the drain hole...If you need any further assistance please feel free to comment again. good luck! P.s Please don't forget to rate my solution thanks!
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