Customer Support 7 days a week

Welcome Guest! To enable all features please Login or Register.

Notification

Icon
Error

New Topic Post Reply
Options
Go to last post Go to first unread
musikman  
#1 Posted : Sunday, September 11, 2011 6:48:43 AM(UTC)
Quote
musikman

Rank: Member

Groups: Registered
Joined: 9/11/2011(UTC)
Posts: 2

Hello,

I have a very old Roper refrigerator. When I lost power during hurricane Irene, my fridge was off for about 5 days. Prior to that it was working fine, except for quite some time I had been getting dripping water into the fridge from what looks like two vents or holes, one on each side of the ceiling part of the fridge. I was advised to use a turkey baster with warm water to clear the drain hose in the back of the freezer. I figured since the fridge was now empty and off for a few days, it was a good time to do it. I took off the floor plate of the freezer and saw the hole for the drain in the rear, so I sent some hot water down and it seemed to go all the way to the drain pan fine, problem solved.

Now it's been working fine for about two weeks (no dripping water), now I just noticed the fridge isn't cold now for the past couple of days, but the freezer is staying cold. I took the food out of the freezer and removed the bottom panel again, and I see quite a bit of frost buildup mostly on the back end/bottom edge of the freezer, where the drain is, but the drain is not plugged with ice, it's more along that back bottom edge and a little on the back wall. The freezer fan is working, I can feel the cold air, but I don't think it's getting to the fridge anymore because I don't feel any cool air blowing into the fridge section. In this model I can't really see to follow where the air channel runs from the freezer to the fridge, even with the freezer floor cover off.

Should I unplug it and defrost it all over again? If the air channel is somehow blocked, how can I clear it if I can't get to it?

I have also read the sticky posts in this forum about the defrost thermostat, heater, and timer.I believe I did find the timer and thermostat, but haven't found the heater yet. (The diagram doesn't exactly show where the heater is mounted or located, or maybe I just can't tell from the picture.) My model is a RT14DKXAW01. When I go to the diagram it looks like the defrost timer and thermostat are located in the box that is mounted to the top of the fridge where the light is (light hasn't been working for quite awhile now either, and new bulb didn't do the trick, new light switch didn't fix it either). I will try removing that cover to get to the timer to stick a screwdriver in there and turn it. In the sticky it mentions "Wait about 10 to 15 minutes, open the freezer door and see if you can hear a sizzling noise. If you can, then the problem is the defrost timer which has to be replaced." Would that "sizzling noise" be the fridge/freezer beginning to defrost? If so, I should also eventually see water dripping into the drain pan, correct?


Even though I was getting the leaking, at least before the power outage the fridge was staying cold. Now I have no leak, but a warm fridge, frustrating!! Unfortunately I don't have a volt meter to do the other recommended test.

I noticed there is a 3x3 plate on the back left side of the back freezer wall, and has one screw plus what looks like a white round cap as well, but I don't know what that is. Sorry, I'm not mechanically illiterate, but just not very experienced with appliance repair. Any help would be appreciated, thank you!

-MM
Sponsor
See inside of your appliance - diagrams and part photos for virtually every model.

powered by AppliancePartsPros.com
 
musikman  
#2 Posted : Sunday, September 11, 2011 10:27:36 AM(UTC)
Quote
musikman

Rank: Member

Groups: Registered
Joined: 9/11/2011(UTC)
Posts: 2

UPDATE FROM ABOVE POST: Ok, I've just turned the center piece on the timer clockwise, and the fridge shut off. So I think it went into defrost mode. The only problem is when it was in defrost mode, the water began dripping into the fridge again instead of dripping down to the drain pan. I assume the defrost heater is working properly and just the timer needs to be replaced then? After about 15 minutes the fridge started up and running again.

Should I remove the freezer floor again and use the turkey baster with hot water method again to clear the hose that runs from the back of the freezer floor down to the drain pan, or do I have another issue altogether?? I thought I had cleared it last time when the fridge was down for five days, the water I shot in there went down to the drain pan, but now that the fridge is running again the pan is dry and in defrost mode the water began dripping into the fridge again.

Any suggestions?? If the hose is not clogged with dirt or algae, could it be getting clogged with ice maybe? (btw, if I move the wire that goes to the light, it comes on, but I can't get it to stay on. As soon as I release the wire it goes out again)

Thanks

-MM
Quick Reply Show Quick Reply
Users browsing this topic
New Topic Post Reply
Forum Jump  
You can post new topics in this forum.
You can reply to topics in this forum.
You can delete your posts in this forum.
You can edit your posts in this forum.
You cannot create polls in this forum.
You can vote in polls in this forum.