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Sabine Deering Posted on Feb 19, 2019
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Water has started dripping from back of freezer turning into ice underneath the bottom drawer. What is the problem?

1 Answer

Chris Huff

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  • Refrigerators Master 6,289 Answers
  • Posted on Feb 19, 2019
Chris Huff
Refrigerators Master
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Joined: Aug 23, 2017
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Defrost drain is clogged.

5 Related Answers

Anonymous

  • 1073 Answers
  • Posted on Apr 12, 2008

SOURCE: Icing up in bottom of the freezer

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

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Anonymous

  • 1 Answer
  • Posted on Nov 12, 2008

SOURCE: FFA 90 ICE BUILD UNDERNEATH THE BOTTOM TRAY

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

Anonymous

  • 1136 Answers
  • Posted on May 30, 2009

SOURCE: water dripping from freezer onto top shelf of fridge with ice buildup back of freezer

Hi, I can help you. The drain is plugged in the freezer section. Could I get the model #?
Some models need an after market drain heat strip added.
Please let me know and I can get you through tis.

Thanks
Vic

Anonymous

  • 1136 Answers
  • Posted on Jul 11, 2009

SOURCE: Water is dripping from the freezer into the refrigerator

Hi, The defrost drain behind the rear freezer panel is plugged. Remove the rear panel and clear the ice away from the drain. Then you will need to flush the drain hole with hot water to make sure it is open.
Some models require an after market drain heat kit.
Please get me your model # and I can look this up to let you know if you need that heat kit.

Thanks
Vic

Anonymous

  • 1 Answer
  • Posted on Jan 04, 2010

SOURCE: water dripping from freezer onto top shelf of fridge with ice buildup back of freezer

the defroster isn't close enough to the drain to be effective. remove the back wall of the inside of the freezer, remove the excess ice. clear out the ice from the drain using hot water and a turkey baster. there is a kit from whirlpool that uses a piece of metal and a screw around the defrost rod, but I found out that a piece of 14 gauge solid core wire with the insulation stripped off works great too. stick the stripped wire into the drain, 2 to 3 inches, and wrap the rest around the defrost rod.

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I have a frost free rangemaster american style fridge freezer and there`s ice building up under the bottom drawer of the freezer it`s just started happening feels like water sitting in vent at the back of...

The drain in the freezer behind back lower panel
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If the drain is clogged with Ice or ? The defrost water
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Run Hot water in the drain until it clears or use a hairdryer.
Also check fan undernearh Ref in the rear
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.I'm including my article on Refrigerator Repair for your help and convenience.;
Please click or copy and paste into browser for Article
http://www.fixya.com/support/r5816737-fix_refrigerator_psychologically
If you need more help GO HERE:

http://www.applianceaid.com/procedures.html

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I have water dripping from the freezer into the refrigerator and refreezing in the drawers. How can I find where the water is coming from and correct the problem?

It is leaking due to a clogged drain line between the bottom-rear of the freezer section and the drain pan underneath the refrigerator. Remove cover in the back of the freezer section. there will be a small drain pan under the cooling coil. Remove ice, defrost with hot water and clean/blow the drain line.
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Ice maker filling with water but not freezing into cubes.

Try swapping the wires on the dual water inlet valve. Then try the water dispenser. The water should go to the ice maker. This will tell you weather or not the ice maker valve is working and if the line is clear.

The water inlet valve on the back of unit opens when the ice maker needs water. If the valve doesn't seal good because of sediment or wear it will continue to drip and when the water reaches the ice maker supply tube it will freeze. You can take the water line off the valve and watch to see if it drips.
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Frosting & water dripping from freezer in Frost free freezer

Hi, You will find that your problem relates to the defrost heater in the freezer. You will need to take the drawers out and remove the back panel to access the evaporator. There is a foil heater that lays underneath the evaporator and it will need to be changed. Along with the klixon that controls it. This will ensure that both parts are good. Your problem will then be fixed no more water!
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Water in bottom of fridge

Thanks to all who spent money or shared their experience to have somebody do this repair, and I really mean it.
I have a Whirlpool TopLoad Fridge (not a side by side).
Things you'll need
30 minutes
Small socket for cardboard panel on lower back and panel inside freezer
Bicycle Pump
4 Towels
Hair Dryer

1. Take everything out of freezer
2. Turn dials off in fridge for both compartments
3. Pull fridge out so you can get behind it and unplug it
4. Be vigilant of ice maker line if installed
5. Pull cardboard panel off on back
On the left side you should see the back of the skinny drip pan and a small line. That line goes from the freezer and is most likely clogged.
6. Blow dry the back of the freezer enough so the ice is thawed at the bottom of the back panel.
7. Remove the two screws on the back panel. You may just be able to pull it toward you enough to get behind it. You'll see the coils and fan, and underneath these you may see some ice sheets and there should be a hole. That is the drain line that is clogged. I heated up some water and poured it over the drain to thaw the line. You may want to remove the crisper drawers and put some towels down there to catch the overflow. Once the ice is thawed enough at the drain. Go to the back of the fridge and place the end of the bicycle pump at the bottom of the drain hose. Apply pressure to get a good seal but keep pumping. You may have to go back and forth between pumping and thawing, but you'll know it is clear when you hear air going into the freezer and then the wonderful moment when water drips into the drip pan as advertised!

Keep those fridges less full so that the door stays sealed and keep the seal clean and also keep your doors from having too much stuff so the weight of the door doesn't pull away.

Okay, put it back together, turn everything on and be careful of your cord and lines when pushing the fridge back. Thank the Lord ours has wheels and man,was it cruddy underneath. Vacuum those coils underneath the fridge too for proper air circulation.

Blessings to you!
tay
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Roper Refrigerator

open the freezer compartment loo for ice build up on floor of frezer especally towards rear behind back panel. sounds like you have a clogged/frozen defrost drain tube. removing back panel of freezer will give you acess to drain trough, melt away the ice with a hair dryer, youll find a drain hole under there somwhere,pouring boiling water down the drain will clear it pretty quickly( i use a steam machine purchased from the infomercials)
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Leaking Whirlpool refrigerator

My Whirlpool fridge had water droplets falling onto all three shelves and pooling unter the crisper drawers. I solved the problem by clearing the ice-clogged drain in the freezer.

In Whirlpool model ET21UM, the condensation drain hole is located directly behind the freezer. To access the drain hole, remove all your frozen items and place them in a large picnic cooler. Notice that the floor of the freezer is basically a large plastic tray fastened by two small bolts. Unscrew the bolts with a wrench or ratchet and remove the plastic tray. At this point you will probably see that water has seeped under the tray and created a mini ice rink on the bottom of your freezer. You can tap the ice lightly with the handle of a screwdriver to break it up. Once it's broken, toss the ice into your sink, or put it in a plastic bag and store into your cooler to keep everything cold.

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