This is the second time my freezer is leaking
water. The first time it was the ice maker, over flowing. That was
a time when the metal tube to the ice maker became frozen with water.
Most of the water spilled to the side, the rest freezing on the bottom
of the freezer. I cleared the tube and cut a V at the drip edge
(suggestion from another web site) That fixed it that time.
Another time a number of years ago, water dripping from the bottom of
the freezer door (side by side). I finally found out (from the
internet) the Frost Free freezers actually melt the ice every few weeks
via a heat coil by the cooling fins. The melting water drips to a
bottom catch tray and tube which goes to a hidden tray to evaporate.
So checking around for my model (Whirlpool from the 90s) there is a big
aluminum cover with 6 screws (t-20) that shield the cooling fan and
coils. You have to take out your sliding trays. Put the
frozen food off one side, take one side of the rails off (phillips),
most likely the last bottom rail can stay. The refrigerator side
is not touched. This dripping happen again several years later.
This time I figured I should post this.
UNPLUG YOUR FRIG ! there are live
wires behind this shield.
With a T-20 star driver (that
what I had on mine) there are some 6 screws visible (see photo). They
are in plastic and aluminum holes, so they should come out very easy.
Carefully remove the aluminum shield (there is a plastic edging on it,
watch the sharp edges)
You will see the bottom frozen (hopefully) and
there is your problem. (see photo)
With a hair dryer (again..
water and electricity) start to unfreeze that metal water collector.
You will see the coil that heats up and defrosts the unit.
The top of the metal water collector will defrost quickly. Use a
large towel to dry it.
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You should see in the center of that metal
collector plate a plastic hole. It will be frozen, again the
problem. Get rid of the water, then keep the hair dryer on that
tube and the ice just under that metal collector plate. Find
something you can carefully poke into that hold. Do not drop it in that
hole ! It can take 5 min to defrost that tube. You'll know
when it's defrosted when you can poke something 3 inched down it. That
tube goes to a tray underneath the frig and is on top of some compressor
tubes. Those tube get warm, and evaporates the water that goes
into the tray from the defrost mode.
When you think that tube is
clear of ice. Get a cup of HOT water, pour it down there.
It should drain very fast.
Then, you fixed it. Put back the
metal cover, align all the holes first (don't want to put a screw into
one of those cooling tubes !) then the T-20 screws back. Put
back the sides (make sure the screws go back in the correct holes).
Replug in the Frig. Put back your frozen food. It took
me some 20 min. Check in 10 min and you should have a cold
freezer. This may be a time to quickly clean that area with things
un-frozen.
Backing plate with
T-20 screws removed.
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With backing removed you see the
fan, coils and
bottom collector tray is frozen.
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Hair dryer melting
that ice.
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Now, melt the ice in
the drain tube.
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You can carefully
place something long in the tube.
Then pour hot water down it, it should
go very quickly.
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- NJ.