What?s this hose for?

[Jey]

Hey guys

There?s a white hose attached to the back of my fridge (see photo) but wasn?t attached to anything else

Upon moving it so I could pull the fridge forward it fell apart in my hand and half snapped off.

Can someone tell me what this hose is for?

Thanks!

 

[Back2PA]

The hose is supposed to protrude from the fridge vent to let frost melting off the interior fins drain on the ground. That hose attaches to the drain pan you can see under the fins

 

[Arch Hoagland]

Back2PA gets the cigar. 

 

[regval]

As mentioned by Back2PA, the condensation tube has either broken or become detached.

Here is helpful video.  https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2olgFfBEAuo
There is a part 2 if interested.

 

[Rene T]

As mentioned by Back2PA, the condensation tube has either broken or become detached.

Here is helpful video.  https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2olgFfBEAuo
There is a part 2 if interested.

That open ended hose you have is probably why the floor behind the fridge was rotted. Here is part 2 and is also very informative.  It shows you how to change out the hose and what to use so you won't have to do it again.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYKpZdAex8w

 

[JudyJB]

You also should have some sort of drainage system inside your refrigerator that connects to this hose.  In my refrigerator, there is a tray at the back, underneath the cooling fins.  When the refrigerator is turned off or gets warmer, the ice on the fins melts.  It drops onto this tray and runs downhill to one side into a tiny hole.  That is what connects to the hose you are looking at. 

And, as others have said, if you don;t have this hose connected or the tray draining on the inside, melting water will run down into the floor, either inside or outside, and rot your floor.  It should be an easy fix, but make sure you also have that inside tray positioned so water drains to the outside and that hose.

 

[cerd]

I have a really old refrigerator. I haven't seen a hose in the back of mine at all, nor a tray under the fins. Does that mean that I don't have a drain? Normally when it melts, it just drips inside of the refrigerator, so when we head back home, I just put a towel on the bottom of the fridge for a day, then wipe it dry.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Old or very small fridges may not have an interior drain. The larger fridges can produce a lot of condensation, but the small ones not so much. Plus its a cost factor for the fridge.

 

[Bill N]

Not an expert but not all hoses drain to the outside.  Mine has a catch tray behind the fridge that the tube drops the drain water into.  It seems large enough to allow the drainage to evaporate before overfilling the tray.  I thought this was a common system.

 

[Chakara]

Your right Bill N - - plus it's warm in there which helps with the evaporation.  Of course I live in NM and it's dry here.  Not sure if I might modify that in a humid environment.

-Kyle

 

[Jey]

Thanks everyone for the help!

I?ll need to locate a new hose as this one is shot. I imagine I can find one on ebay

 

[ClassyC]

I?ve seen it suggested to go to a hardware store and buy clear plastic flexible tubing 3 ft long with 1/2? ID as a replacement.  People expect that to last longer than replacement hoses.