Title: Frozen water on top shelf in refrigerator (top-mount)
Model: ET1FTKXKQ06
Age: 1-5 years
Whirlpool Top-mount refrigerator, model number ET1FTKXKQ06, no ice-maker
A few weeks ago I noticed a thin sheet of frozen water on the top right shelf in the refrigerator section. I thought that it must be the water that forms during the defrost cycle and normally drains down through a tube in the back into a pan beneath the refrigerator. This all started when we had a particularly cold 10 days in February when the temperature in the kitchen often went down at night into the mid to low 40’s. Unfortunately this part of the house does not have heat apart from a gas stove which we turn off at night. I noticed that the manual recommends operating the refrigerator in an area that is maintained at 55ºor higher.
QUESTIONS
- Could the drainage tube be blocked because of being filled with frozen water?
- Are there temperature settings for the freezer/refrigerator sections that should be changed when operating in a colder environment?
Ever since I first noticed the frozen water in the refrigerator, I’ve kept a bowl on the shelf in the location just below where there appeared to be an overflow hole. The bowl stays dry for 3 days then on the 4th day contains a frozen disk of water about 1/2 inch thick which melts down to a volume of 1/4 to 1/3 cup. (I always wondered how often the defrost cycle runs; at least in winter it seems to run once every 4 days).
Worst case I’ll unload the freezer and take off the back and bottom to defrost the drain. Any other suggestions?
Well I finally emptied the freezer and took off the back panel. It actually wouldn’t come off at first because all the water beneath the defrost heater which should have been draining out the drain hole was frozen into one solid block of ice. I used a hair dryer to melt the ice (took a while - be patient) and then took off the panel.
To melt all the rest of the ice in the drain tube I used a turkey baster and kept putting down hot water until I heard water making it down to the drain pan beneath the refrigerator.
Also made this modification to prevent the problem from recurring (at least that’s the hope): Wrapped a piece of wire (unbent a large paper clip) around the defrost cycle heater and stuck it into the drain hole. The theory is that the wire will heat up every time the defrost cycle runs and will keep the drain hole from freezing shut.
Any comments?
Pat
A follow-up on my previous post…
I called Whirlpool to see if they had any record of people calling about this problem and they said no. My impetus for calling was that my previous refrigerator - also a Whirlpool top-mount - chugged along for 30 years without ever once having a problem draining away defrost water because a drain tube was blocked by ice.
I took a look at the parts list for my refrigerator to get the correct terminology. The drain pan (or drip pan) is what they call the pan directly below the defrost heater. The defrost water collects in this pan and drains out a drain hole through a tube to an evaporator tray below the refrigerator.
What I noticed in doing the defrost was that the water in the drain pan (below the defrost heater) did not drain well. It seems as though it is not properly slanted on either side of the drain hole so that water would naturally flow into the hole. This seems to be a design or installation flaw which I reported to Whirlpool.
Others should call Whirlpool about similar problems so that they can no longer say “we don’t have any record of such problems”.
I am having the same problem. I see that you first tried the turkey baster method on the 14th. I assume that it had defrosted at least once by the 18th. Is it still working properly.
I have to do something myself.
The refrigerator and freezer seem to be working very well. The temps in both compartments are great. There has been no more water overflowing out of the freezer into the fridge. I’m glad I went through all the work to get at the problem and with any luck it won’t happen again.
Good luck!
Pat