My DW discovered that some ice is building up on the bottom of our residential refrigerator making difficult to open the freezer which is the lower part of it. It's a Samsung residential one. Does any one has an idea what might be causing it? Any suggestions?
Ice buildup in fridge
- Thread starter RVRAC
- Start date
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Hossrod
Well-known member
Ours has done that a couple of times. It was from the door not closing all the way (in our case due to something inside hitting the door). Condensation will build up, sealing up the small gap, then would freeze. It was tough to find since sides looked sealed up fine. I put a flashlight inside and closed the door, could see a bit of light coming out on the bottom.
It also happened on one of my old freezers when the seal was old and had ripped a bit, causing same issue.
It also happened on one of my old freezers when the seal was old and had ripped a bit, causing same issue.
Tom
Administrator
- Joined
- Jan 13, 2005
- Posts
- 51,898
Hossrod has the most likely cause.
Rene T
Site Team
After you thaw out all the frost/ice, Using a dollar bill, close the door on it and see if you can pull it out. You should have some drag when trying to pull on it. Do this all the way around the door every 3 or 4 inches.
Gary RV_Wizard
Site Team
Sadly, there is another fairly common cause for this problem in newer fridges. If the condensation drain in the back wall gets clogged with food residue, the water builds up and freezes rather than draining. If you determine you do not have the air leaks described above, this is likely your problem. Sometimes it can be fixed by shutting off the fridge for 48 hours so everything inside can thaw and drain, but sometimes the inside rear wall has to be removed and the internal drain line cleaned. Or it may be possible to insert a wire up the drain tube from the rear outside to break loose the clog.
Newer "energy star" fridges use rubber check valves in the drain line to eliminate outside air entry via the drain, but sometimes spillage or food drips inside the fridge puts enough sticky stuff in the drain that it clogs up.
Newer "energy star" fridges use rubber check valves in the drain line to eliminate outside air entry via the drain, but sometimes spillage or food drips inside the fridge puts enough sticky stuff in the drain that it clogs up.
B
bucks2
Guest
We have a Samsung in the S&B and it did/does the same thing. The blocked drain, middle rear of the freezer will stop up on a whim. I've never found any debris in the drain. I turn off the fridge and use a hair dryer to heat the drain for about 10 minutes with hot air until I can push a plastic wire tie thru the drain again. Wiggle it good up and down and it's good for another year or so.
Ken
Ken
John From Detroit
Well-known member
Long story: The Frost Free Residential Fridge in my residence had issues.. For one thing the drip line between the freezer and the fridge (Condensate) kept clogging, Finally the fan that circulates air in the freezer broke.. Called Refrigeration Specialists (A company that fixes this kind of thing) and they fixed it.
Turns out that there is a heater in there as well as a cooler (May seem strange but it's there) it runs briefly after the compressor shuts down to melt frost off the cooling coils. It had failed and allowed ice to build up to the point where the fan blades it the ice and shattered.
Ice makers cause ice build up (Frost turns to ice) in freezers as well.. one of the reasons I don't have one any more.
Finally... There is the suspect list above.. It's a good one too. (Previous replies).
Turns out that there is a heater in there as well as a cooler (May seem strange but it's there) it runs briefly after the compressor shuts down to melt frost off the cooling coils. It had failed and allowed ice to build up to the point where the fan blades it the ice and shattered.
Ice makers cause ice build up (Frost turns to ice) in freezers as well.. one of the reasons I don't have one any more.
Finally... There is the suspect list above.. It's a good one too. (Previous replies).
Alfa38User
Well-known member
- Joined
- Oct 4, 2007
- Posts
- 6,678
My solution is to clean that drain out from time to time by removing the tiny bug preventer plug stuck in the end of most of them, and then flush it using HOT water from a long necked container (like those used for watering plants) and replacing the plug when finished.
Folks, I need more help. I looked around and cannot find any drain on this Samsung frost-free fridge. I knew where my Dometic gas/electric drain was in my previous TT but cannot find anything on this one. Thus, I need some more help on where to look for it. Thanks,
B
bucks2
Guest
Mine is in the middle of the floor of the freezer, 2/3 of the way from the front, towards the back. It's a round plastic disc, about 2" in diameter with a 1/4" hole in the middle set into the floor of the freezer.
Ken
Ken
I used the hairdryer and was able to remove the ice that built up. However, there is no drainage in the bottom, so I do not know why. I tried the dollar bill and couldn't feel any resistance, so the question is how do I fix this so that there is some resistance and avoid condensation. Thank you for your help.
Rene T
Site Team
RVRAC said:
Is it all the way around the door or just in one area? You might want to contact Samsung. Is this a new fridge?
Neal
Well-known member
RVRAC said:
On our deep freeze, we were having similar trouble. Our drain was at the rear, underneath the defrost heater, covered with a panel, but I think the drain pipe exit was a little too far below the heater element, allowing the defrost water to freeze before it was able to get out of the drain trough. We would wind up with a frozen drain pipe exit, then a solid ice floor in the freezer. After having to empty the freezer, to be able to thaw and remove the ice a couple times, we finally tried something that has "so far" been working.
While we had the cover for the coil & defrost heater uncovered, we took 3 pieces of raw copper wire (12 gauge) and hung the top end around the heater element, then let the two outside ones reach down to the drain pan & follow across it a little way, while the center wire we let extend down into the drain pipe a couple inches. The theory is that the copper wire will transmit enough heat during the defrost cycle to the drain pan and pipe, to keep it from freezing.
I think it has been over a year since.
So far, so good.
Rene, yes this is a year and a half Samsung fridge. The ice is on the bottom inside the fridge.
Neal, I don't know how to get where you talked about since the fridge drawer comes out and impedes me from getting there. Also, I cannot find any draining pipe/conduit.
Neal, I don't know how to get where you talked about since the fridge drawer comes out and impedes me from getting there. Also, I cannot find any draining pipe/conduit.
Neal
Well-known member
RVRAC said:
Mine is not the same equipment as yours, but you might try looking for a hose that empties into a drain pan underneath your frig, then follow that hose up to where it enters the freezer. Probably near the bottom somewhere. Most likely, that point would have to have a panel removed inside the freezer to access the cooling coil, along with the defrost heater. Both should be very close together.
Rene T
Site Team
RVRAC said:
What model is the fridge?
Will this help? http://www.fixya.com/support/t24828623-freezer_keeps_frosting_up
Gary RV_Wizard
Site Team
I've had this ice problem with both a Samsung and a Whirlpool fridge. The drain in both was behind the rear interior wall and getting at it was a major chore - removal of shelves, brackets, air ducts, etc. Not a task for the feint of heart and good DIY skills are needed to find and access all the screws needed to get things loose.
Rene T
Site Team
I wonder if you could do this to prevent the drain line from freezing. Install a short length of heat tape. http://www.morelectricheating.com/default.aspx?page=item+detail&itemcode=WRAPON31003&gclid=CJj3vMXX6skCFdM8gQodcTcGtA
If you could gain access to the entire length of the drain, wrap it with this heat tape and plug it into a timer which would go on 1 hour a day or have it so that when freezing occurs, just plug it in for a couple of hours to melt all the ice. It would take some doing but it may solve the problem. This may also be just a pipe dream.
If you could gain access to the entire length of the drain, wrap it with this heat tape and plug it into a timer which would go on 1 hour a day or have it so that when freezing occurs, just plug it in for a couple of hours to melt all the ice. It would take some doing but it may solve the problem. This may also be just a pipe dream.
Gary RV_Wizard
Site Team
Maybe, but if the problem originates because of a sticky "weep" valve in the drain, heating the tube it is unlikely to help. The freeze up doesn't occur until the condensation water backs up into the trough that collects the drippings, which is in the freezer area itself. If the water doesn't drain away, it will still freeze up when the defrost cycle ends. And once it happens, the next cycle isn't long enough to melt the ice (it takes a really long warm-up period to do so). And the drain may still be stuck closed.
Rene T
Site Team
Gary RV Roamer said:
Those valves are I assume at the end of the drain hose. The liquid usually it empties out in a pan which sits above the heated condenser where it evaporates. You'd have to probably open up that weep hole a little with whatever works and you may have to completely remove it. I seem to remember a fridge I had years ago the valve was right at the bottom of the fridge floor. If that's the case here, you may have to make a slight adjustment there.
