Fix your Kirkland/Whirlpool refrigerator leaking from inside
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- Опубліковано 20 лип 2016
- Do you have problems with water dripping from the top back of your fridge? I've fixed this several times now and have found what I believe to be the most efficient method. Hopefully this saves others some time.
This issue affects Whirlpool/Kirkland model ST21HPXLQ02. - Навчання та стиль
Thank you for sharing your time, knowledge and consideration in helping others.
If there are more people like yourself, the world would be a better place.
Many thanks 🕊
Thank you for finally explaining exactly how and why I am getting a sheet of ice in my Whirlpool freezer.
Worked perfectly. I did the repair a year ago, and still no leaks! Thank you!
Thank you for making this video. I have the exact Whirlpool refrigerator. In my basement.
I have this very exact same fridge with the same exact problem. I cleaned out the drain tube one time. The second time I cleaned it again except i fixed the root of the problem. It works like a champ like new. First i replaced the fan/motor behind the cover of the freezer and i took it off a old general electric fridge sitting in my backyard which i had to customize to adapt it to fit. Second i replaced the defrost thermostat. Total repair cost $7 and about 2.5 hours of my time.
Thank you so much! Really helpful video. I was finally able to fix this. Crossing my fingers I don't have to do it again .
Great video!!! I'm in the process of trying this right now and it was helpful to know what to take apart. Now I'm just waiting for some water to boil. Loved hearing your cat meow at the end -- my cat is losing her mind trying to figure out what the heck I'm doing 😂
Great job! Thank you for the video! We fixed our fridge because of you! Merci😀
Awesome, saved us snowbirds $500 to get a new fridge that my wife was pushing for which is actually about $50000 in Canadian dollars with the current exchange rate. You've made me her hero, Thanks Pal.
Thank you for the detailed video. Although my refrigerator was not the same model as the one in your video, the process you describe worked great.
Take a small copper wire and wrap it around the heating element. Let it stick down into the drain hole just a little bit, it will keep the hole from freezing up. You should change or clean the grommet on the bottom of the drain tube from the back panel where the frost melt drains to the evaporation pan.
Thanks for the video! 👍
Do you know if you can use a drain gun to blow out any debris in that drain pipe?
Thanks! Your video really helped. 🙏🏽
awsome. Thanks for the video tip, very clear. I am about to do it for mine. I read that if you have a 6in copper coil around the heater and stick 2 in of it into the drain hole, the heat will be transferred there more efficiently, and therefore prevent the future ice blockage. Wonder if it works. Will try now :)
Yes I did that 8yrs ago never clogs since.. the newer models have a stainless thin strip about 2" which attaches to defrost line and sits in drain go figure major flaw in these Whirlpool Kenmore Amana
Yes, I had read that trick. The other thing is, the drain tube does get clogged over time. So maybe run some CLR into the drain tube.
Good video, but I have an attached ice maker in my Kenmore and I'm not sure how to get the back panel off with that in the way.
Could you use a Heat Gun to defrost the ice buildup faster than chipping at it??
Well done indeed.
My GE PTC22MFMARWW top freezer fridge ls periodically discharging water onto the floor. No water inside. All waterline connections and hoses are dry. No apparent access to lower drain pan!
Partial clogging of the plastic tubing is probably the root cause, as you suspected near the end of your video. You mentioned around 4:39 that the water collection pan at base of the refrigerator is gross looking. That is probably sediment, bacteria, or scum growing inside the plastic tubing and collecting in the pan, and partially clogging the tubing. The plastic tubing is about 4 feet long. You might try cleaning the tubing by getting and inserting 6 or 7 feet of 1/4" vinyl tubing down the drain hole until it comes out of the exit. There should be a cardboard access panel in the back at the bottom of the refrigerator. You might try cleaning the tubing either from the bottom, from the bottom access panel, or from the top, going down the drain hole. The tubing is hard plastic, so most likely it is bent but does not have any sharp turns. Take a look at another video "Refrigerator Repair - Water Dripping (Puddling) Inside - Whirlpool Roper": ua-cam.com/video/G6TNv1FC82w/v-deo.html
You mentioned around 4:39 that the water collection pan at the base of the refrigerator is gross looking and not to clean it. I would suggest you clean the water collection pan, which is behind the grill, and check it once in a while to see if the water is either clean or dirty. If it is dirty, most likely the plastic drain tube needs to be cleaned somehow.
All he needs is a drain pin that heats up with the heating element
Excellent!
I was just watching this video, as my fridge clogged with ice again about 14 month after the previous unclogging. After I cleared the blockage again just now, I probed the drain tube from the bottom and got blockage about 3-4” from the hole in the freezer. So I probed from the freezer hole and it feels like there’s a rubber valve about 3-4” from the opening of the hole. I’m guessing this is the cause of the clog. Mine was clear with no debris or grease or anything that my probe can drag back. Of course, you can’t get to it unless you take the whole fridge apart. I pushed thru the valve with a thick probe, hoping that will loosen the valve and let water drops drain. I also flushed it quite a bit by forcing water thru with a turkey baster. I’ve previously replaced the heating element thinking maybe that was going bad, and this time I also replaced the defrost bimetal-and the top part of that was lifting slightly so that might have been the culprit.... Fingers crossed. Next time it blocks, I’m going to install the Heat-Probe.
Order what is known as a freezer “heat probe” to make this fix permanent. It attaches to the defroster and inserts into freezer drain hole to keep it from freezing. You’re welcome.
can just use a piece of copper wire
Awesome video! I followed you along, pausing as I took mine apart. Funny thing, I found no ice in the tray. Puzzled, I inspected the back of the white panel, and lo and behold, a big chunk of ice actually fell out of shaft of the white column in the middle of the panel. Question - is this the root cause of the water dripping in to the bottom of the refrigerator, or another symptom of a clogged line. How would a block of ice get frozen in the back of the shaft? Weird.
Glad the video could be of some use! I am also puzzled as to how a block of ice could get frozen in that white shaft. As I understand it, there's a fan blowing down that shaft which circulates some of the cold air from the freezer to the fridge. I would recommend following the shaft down to where it connects with the fridge and checking for any blockages there.
Were you having any issues with your fridge temperature being too warm? I would think an ice block in the freezer shaft would prevent cool air from reaching the fridge.
why not using hot salt water ??
thank you.
water drains into the control box inside refrigerator compartment , then goes out the back . remove control box , clean any debris , make sure drain is clear .
Can’t you just unplug the fridge for a couple of hours/days and achieve the same result?
did you ever figure out the cause ? . I have same style fridge and every few weeks it does this
Perry L i think the cause is what is most important. What is causing the ice to buildup making the drain hole useless? Drainage and defrosting is a no brainer but u shouldn't have to do this to a FROST FREE refrigerator
@@tjburr1968
@Perry L
🚨THE PERMANENT FIX!!!🚨
(To prevent the drain from getting clogged with ice, in the first place, causing the problem)
"You need to install a, Thick heavy Gauge Copper wire🧷🛒📎🖇 or (A Wire clothes hanger) into the drain hole 9 or 12 inches. Then bend the wire into a Hook, and clip it directly Onto the "HEATING ELEMENT/The Dark tube running under the cooling finns" (3:35).
:Explanation
"When your refrigerator Cycles through the (AUTO DEFROST MODE) The Heating element will get hot, ♨️ And the residual heat will travel down the "Copper Drain Wire" and this keeps the drain hole just warm enough for all the water to completely exit the freezing section of the refrigerator into the warmer fridge section, thus preventing any buildup of ice to form."💎
Good Luck!
"After I did this to mine, I haven't had to deal with a leaking refrigerator problem since. "ua-cam.com/video/_FqJxMdAi8U/v-deo.html
So, 7:30 mark, did you finally get to the problem of continuous freeze over?
@VS24AT
🚨THE PERMANENT FIX!!!🚨
(To prevent the drain from getting clogged with ice, in the first place, causing the problem)
"You need to install a, Thick heavy Gauge Copper wire🧷🛒📎🖇 or (A Wire clothes hanger) into the drain hole 9 or 12 inches. Then bend the wire into a Hook, and clip it directly Onto the "HEATING ELEMENT/The Dark tube running under the cooling finns" (3:35).
:Explanation
"When your refrigerator Cycles through the (AUTO DEFROST MODE) The Heating element will get hot, ♨️ And the residual heat will travel down the "Copper Drain Wire" and this keeps the drain hole just warm enough for all the water to completely exit the freezing section of the refrigerator into the warmer fridge section, thus preventing any buildup of ice to form."💎
Good Luck!
"After I did this to mine, I haven't had to deal with a leaking refrigerator problem since."ua-cam.com/video/_FqJxMdAi8U/v-deo.html
Hey there - thanks for the video! I managed to unclog once, then it happened again.....so I added in the copper wire feed into the tube....still happening. Any ideas?
Following this.
@@FoyeStender Hey there - I wound up just buying this part and so far it's working great:
amzn.to/2Vk8vKz
No more dripping! If trying copper wire, one strand was definitely not enough. I'd recommend tripling up.
@bbp The bought the part, it's no longer working for me :/ It lasted longer than the copper wire, but still ultimately got frozen/clogged. I literally have a cup in my fridge now that I just monitor and pour out every week or so! I think I need to bring the professionals in but I really don't want to.
My fridge is 15 yrs old. It only started doing this about 3 months ago. Age must play a factor in this issue.
The lines get full of algae and slim from water and cause it to clog up...
The problem is either your defrost timer. Is bad or your heating coil is bad or thermometer is bad
The back of the fridge is not a solid piece of metal. There is a cardboard portion at the bottom to access the compressor and drain area. I thought he was going to show how to replace the defrost switch......
I don't know what model your fridge is, but you should have an access panel on the back, at the bottom. Behind that panel is probably a drain tube sticking down, with a small rubber "duckbill" valve on the end of the tube. It's just a rubber tube with a small slit in the bottom, that lets water out, but minimizes air getting in. That valve is probably clogged, causing your drain water to back up into your freezer. You just need to clean the valve.This youtube video explains it. ua-cam.com/video/Tk24ISRzSRs/v-deo.html
He said his fridge is a sealed panel on the back. It seems like there should be an access panel, though...
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It won't fix the problem unless you attach a copper wire to the heating element and into the drain hole to keep it from freezing as suggested by the poster below.
I tried this, it's still not working :/
Lindsay Saewitz
same here
Nothing I can do will stop the drain line from freezing up. I want to cut a hole in the metal back so the drain tube gets heat from the room. But I won't. Garbage fridge.
Here might be your permanent fix...
ua-cam.com/video/Ey9nL75xiNM/v-deo.html
I ordered the part and will try it later this week... there is also a video on youtube that shows using a copper wire instead of the probe....
good luck!!!
One might think the morons that make these fridges would make an easy acces for a quick fix.
Sorry. Waste of time. Title should say ice blockage from clogged drain. Many times the defroster fan and the thermostat element or element itself is bad. You never mentioned these. The comments below even point this out. No caveats to watchers that this might in fact be the problem. Come on man!