Jeff, Thank you for having the courage to cut open the back of the fridge and creating the informative video. I and others I know have been dealing with this issue for years and I knew it was the line running internally causing the freeze up. It is simply a flawed design and this may be the only fix, GE will never admit it! I too tried the longer defrost tab as well as the copper wire, with no permanent results. I followed your lead and started removing the thin metal 48 inches up, removed insulation until locating drain hose, and cleared it out around the line for approximately 6 inches following the line to the right side (from back of fridge), the foam was frozen likely from condensation build up over the years . Cut a few inches out of the drain line with some cable cutters and took it to the folks at the local hardware store that helped me find a PVC line that would fit over the main defrost line, I also added the threaded adapter and 5/16 line straight to the drip pan, there is enough room at the right of the bottom panel to route the line to the pan. I found heating the line in hot water and stretching it with needle nose pliers helped slide it on the main line. I also drilled a small hole in the top of the drip pan to secure the 5/16 line w/ a small zip tie. I now see water in the drain line nearly every day after defrosting and no more water/ice under deli tray. PROBLEM SOLVED!!! No more defrosting/cleaning/mopping up water and wasting my time!!! Thank you Jeff!!
Wow, thanks for the detailed reply! Yes, the tips you added are great (softening the tube in hot water, etc.). Glad it worked out for you, I hope everyone or even "out of the box" repair techs try this solution before getting rid of the fridge. The way I looked at it was that the fridge was junk since I had to defrost it constantly so I couldn't make it worse and doing this fixed it for me! I ran into the same thing as I cut it open - the foam was soaked and frozen. Thanks again, I'm glad this fixed it for you!
@@jeffvalley67 UPDATE. Another month with no mopping up water, removing ice or defrosting required. My wife and I now like the fridge again, might love it in a few more months...LOL. Thanks again Jeff!!
After getting all the food out, the whole job took me 20 minutes. Just opening up a few inches of the insulation I could hear the drain tube pouring out the retained water. The heat behind the refrigerator and the hole should keep my unit working. Good call on cleaning up the coils and the evaporation tub. Working excellent. Thanks for your help 👍
For anyone trying this, you can eliminate a possible additional point of failure if you skip the hose barb transition and just run plastic tubing directly from the tube you cut. The only disadvantage is that the stiffer tubing is more difficult than the smaller and more malleable 5/16" refrigerator water line tubing when trying to get it into the bottle behind your fridge. You want 5/8" clear vinyl tubing and you will need to stretch it out in hot water and with some plyers to get a tight fit. Also - if you don't want to try this fix yet, another thing to check are the two grey soft plastic drain tubes. Remove them and check the ends of them where the tube angles and forms a "duck bill." This can fuse together from the heat of the coils, and cause water to back up. If this has happened, just cut the tube above the duck bill or pull it back open. You can safely cut 1/2" from the bottom and still have enough length to fit into the seating.
I agree with this comment. The main reason that I went down to a smaller size tubing was to reduce the possibility of room air going up the larger drain pipe into the fridge. But yes, it is simpler if you use 5/8 tubing. I think the logic in having the "duck bills" in the original drain line is maybe to keep warm air from going up the drain line. Whatever you can come up with to not have to throw out the whole refridgerator is a good solution. Thanks for the comment!
Thanks for this video Jeff, i’ve also found it overtime this puts strain on the coils in the freezer as it continues to have moisture in the freezer and you end up blowing your compressor start relay and capacitor, GE should really take care of all this this is a serious design flaw again thanks for the help and if anyone is having issues with their fridge cooling switch out the start relay and capacitor on the compressor, I don’t have a link to that but you can find a video on UA-cam on the porch
Oh my! I have been trying to figure out how to fix this issue for 6 years! So tired of having to defrost my fridge so I can push the drawers all the way in and close the doors. Such a pain! Tried the copper wire in the drain hole trick. Didn't help. Based on all my research, I don't think there's a better solution. Now I just need the courage to cut a hole in the back of my otherwise nice fridge. Thank you for figuring this out and sharing!!! What a terrible design, yet they continue to make them this way.
Thanks for the feedback! You can do it! Let me know how it works out. Mine has been working great, I run my drain line into a plastic bottle and empty it about once a month. My fridge is at the end of my cabinets so I always have easy access to the back of it but because the plastic bottle gets water in it, I know that the thing is defrosting and draining and not backing up into the inside of the fridge!
Jeff, thank you for a concise, alternative solution to this problem! The fridge came with the house we bought and it's only a few years old. I'm too frugal (cheap) to buy a new fridge when this one seems to work fine except for this issue. I'm waiting to hear if user zq was able to resolve without cutting the line although I suspect your method would be better as it wouldn't compromise the cooling of the freezer. I'll report back. Thanks again for a great video. 2 thumps up! Rob
Thanks! Yes, if you do go this route, let us know if it works and solves the problem. It sounds scary to try this, but if you are ready to junk the unit because you constantly have to defrost it, this is something toi try before you shop for a new fridge. Mine works great since I exposed the bottom of the drain pan and the drain line (by re-routing it).
My bottom freezer GE Profile does this as well. It builds up a sheet of ice on the bottom of the refrigerator compartment, underneath what is labeled the "produce tray". Once that ice sheet builds up high enough the water seeps down the left side onto the floor. As for what to do...I have just resigned myself to periodically pull out the bottom tray and break out all the ice. I have to do this about every two months. My next fridge will not be a GE. Thanks for the video.
Thanks for passing along your tale of woe! I think that GE and Samsung are the same unit, so be careful what you buy! I was there with you a few years ago and I went to the drastic step of cutting the back open and adding a new drain line. For me, it fixed it, so if you do try my suggestion, good luck and let us know if it works for you! For what it's worth, I doubt I'll ever buy a GE appliance again and my fridge, microwave, and range are all GE Profile.
@timbo1163. I have the same exact issue. Bought my GE cafe fridge 2017 CFE29TSDBSS After they replaced heating element last year I started having this problem and I had to unplug every two weeks to remove the sheet of ice under my produce tray. It’s frustrating.
@@glyndapfundston6050 My thought would be that removing the sheet of ice is not addressing the root cause of the problem,. The ice is from the "defrosted" ice inside the back of the refrigerator not properly draining. I did this as well until I really got sick of it. Replacing the heating element inside the back is a nice idea, but the defrosted water can't go anywhere if the drain line, behind the freezer inside the insulation, is clogged with ice. Why do these refrigerators seem to work just fine for a while then this problem cames up ? I have no idea but perhaps the insulation gets waterlogged and becomes less effective and that leads to the drain line freezing up. The key is having the drain line and bottom of the drain "pan" under the cover at the back of the refrigerator NOT freeze up so the defrosted condensate water is allowed to drain out properly. If it can't drain, it has no place to go except inside the refrigerator, pooling and freezing under the deli drawer. It's a stupid design. Good luck. My solution is an attempt to fix it before you throw away the nice refrigerator because you have sheets of ice every 2 weeks.
Hi Jeff, I have the exact problem with my 6 yr old fridge. This is a great video, it's thorough, clear, and from your results, it prevents the icing-up problem. Mine worked fine for 6 yrs and finally 'something' failed that is causing the icing-up problem. Before i do this, i would like to know if u ever found what failed that "caused" the problem? Please share if u did find the root cause. I will do a little more research to try and find the root cause. Thanks.
Why does a fridge seem to work fine for years then suddenly starts icing up inside? I really have no idea. I firmly believe that the drain line as installed by the factory, since it is inside the insulation and therefore next to the freezer section, simply freezes and then the refrigerator section does not drain correctly and the water backs up inside the fridge. One theory may be that, over time, the foam insulation becomes waterlogged, perhaps from condensation, and is less efficient as insulation. I originally cut open the back of my fridge and only exposed the drain line right where is exited the "pan" inside the fridge. It froze up once more and I realized that the foam insulation was waterlogged and frozen. I defrosted it, again, and removed the insulation about 3 inches on each side of the drain pan, so the entire bottom of the drain pan inside the fridge is now exposed to warm room temperature air. It's been several years since I did this and I've had no freeze-ups and I know that the thing is draining as it should. Again, after screwing around with this and defrosting it over and over, I decided to try this as a last resort before I spent the cash on a new fridge. In doing my research, some appliance repair professionals come to the conclusion that there is no "fix". I refused to accept that! Playing with the defrost tab inside the fridge, etc. etc. does not fix things if it is frozen up a foot below that point in the drain line. This solution worked for me, hopefully it works for you, too!
@@jeffvalley67 I agree, i also do not agree there isn't a fix... Anyhow, this is my thinking: The problem is that condensation is freezing in the drain tube. WHY?: 1) Is the warming drain 'tab' no longer effective? if not, 'why?' is it corrosion between it and the heating element? is it the heating element"? 2) Is the rate of condensation greater now than when new which could mean the drain tube is now constantly full such that it freezes before it exits at the drain pan? if so, 'why'? is it poor 'sealing' of the gaskets around the doors causing excess condensation? is it flow restrictions at the drain pan?...(If 'your' fix was draining into the drain pan, then that would rule out restrictions at the drain pan.) I was informed by GE that the sealing effect of the door gaskets could be improved by removing them and soaking them in hot/warm water for a few minutes. I will try tomorrow. Before using an alternate fix, I'm hoping to find and address the root cause If possible. I am positive that GE knows 'exactly' what the root cause is and how to fix it, but i doubt they will admit to anything for fear of compensation lawsuits.
@@EugeneGonzalez-r2p I don't think that the little heating tab does enough. Believe me, my experience is that the tube is frozen a foot or more down the tube away from the little tab. When I was defrosting the whole thing, I would put a 1/4 inch vinyl aquarium air line down the tube from the inside and suck out the water and only by doing this and then pouring hot water down the drain line multiple times was I able to defrost it so I could pour a cup of water in and get a cup of water out into the pan at the bottom. It's a nice thought that maybe the gaskets aren't sealing well, check the price of gaskets and that will explain why GE would love to have you replace them. Put a dollar bill against the dealing surface and shut the door. If the seal "holds" the dollar in place, you're getting a decent seal. You can try softening the gaskets as they suggested and it may help, please post an update if it does help. You can also try this - unplug it (for safety) then open the back and try shoving an aquarium tube UP the drain line, see how far you get. That will tell you if it is frozen part way up. When I had the drain line defrosted, I could shove the small tube up and have it come out in the fridge. But, a couple months later it was all frozen up again and that's when I went the route of cutting the back open and re-routing the drain line. Good luck with it, please update if you get this figured out! Whatever it is, I love the fridge and it worked great for a few years and then this issue raised its ugly head and I doubt I'll ever buy a GE appliance again.
Great video Jeff. I have an ice maker in the freezer that stop making ice when it builds up under the deli drawer. Do you have an ice maker in your refrigerator? I think the water tube freezes up
I do have an ice maker. As I recall, I did not have a problem with it not making ice cubes when the ice built up under the deli drawer but it is possible that when the drain line stopped working and the condenser coils turned into a block of ice, the water supply line for the ice maker froze also. Maybe follow the water supply line and see if it is near where the ice builds up? Good luck!
Awesome video Jeff. If you can, could you please identify where exactly you made that cut on the back of the frig. I’ve been dogged by this issue for years… would love to fix it for good.
What I suggest (this is what I did) is to take the inside apart and defrost it. Measure where the drain line is, in other words, how high off the floor it is. For mine, it was 44 to 46 inches up off the floor. Once you open up the metal, it's easy to remove the insulation (unless it's frozen) and find the drain line and bottom of the condensate collection pan. Good luck!
Maybe. If I just bought a new one, I'd keep this in mind. If you start having water and ice inside the fridge and under the deli drawer, try defrosting it and making sure the drain tube is clear. It seems like you have a few years before the problem crops up - mine was fine for years then things went sideways. If you have to do it a couple times over a year, before you throw the whole thing away, try my suggested solution. I basically like the fridge but I have had issues with other GE Profile appliances we own. The other issue I had with this fridge recently was the "paddle" that activates the ice and water dispenser broke and I had to replace it. GE said I had to replace the whole assembly for about $220 (just for the part). I take stuff like this as a challenge and my wife and I replaced just the plastic paddle for about $15. I will do a video on that also because again, it's just bad design. Good luck with the new fridge!
@@jeffvalley67 thank you again! They should be ashamed and called out for built in obsolescence👌and upgrade these things immediately! I live in the unreal world😂👍
This was a thoroughly informative and wildly entertaining video. 10/10 would spend 9 minutes to watch again. I have this fridge, came with the house. Right now I shop vac the water out every so often, but thats super annoying. Gonna defrost, clear the line, and eventually I am sure i'll end up doing what you've illustrated here. Great job and thanks for taking the time to make this. Got here from this video that you commented on: ua-cam.com/video/IiPRhr6nk54/v-deo.html
nice video. how do u know thet it wasnt a broken heater rod? i think there are aftermarket heater rods that are longer to prevent ice buildup in the drain
Do you mean the aluminum tab that clips around the tubing and goes into the drain tube? I tried cutting a longer piece of aluminum and I also tried a long (6" I think) piece of copper wire, hoping it would conduct the heat from the tubing down into the drain. It didn't work. I did try an aftermarket heater but it didn't work (I don't recall details on that, it's been a few years.) When I decided to make sure the drain line was completely open, I used plastic aquarium tubing as a straw to suck out the water down the tube, then I put hot water down the tube to defrost it and repeated the process until the drain line was open and when I poured hot water in the top, it came out the bottom. That was when I knew that the only mechanical plug in the line was actually ice. The ice continued down the drain line over 12 inches. My proposed solution is not perfect or guaranteed but I am saying that it is something actually simple to try before you get sick of defrosting your frost-free refrigerator and throwing it away. Yes, there may be other things that are broken or don't work and that's why they sell parts. In my case, I became convinced that the drain line was freezing and the simple solution to get it warm was to get it outside the fridge into room air. Why does it work for a couple years then start freezing? I don't know, perhaps the insulation starts to get waterlogged due to condensation. The insulation is not hard "closed cell" insulation but is very soft, kind of like "oasis" that is used in floral work what absorbs water. Good luck, try anything you can think of. I haven't touched my fridge in years except to open the doors to put food in and out, it has not frozen up again and I can see water coming out of the drain line so I know it's clear (my fridge is at the end of my cabinets so I have access to the back of it).
@@jeffvalley67interesting, so even though the heater/defroster can melt the ice, it freezes back up as it goes down the drain? definitely a design flaw. thx again for the video
@@lexi-conby That appears to be the case to me. I believe that the drain line freezes as it goes down inside the insulation next to the freezer. If / when you defrost the refrigerator, see if you can defrost the drain line so when you pour water in the top, it comes out the bottom, that will answer the question. If you don't have easy access to the back of the fridge, you should be able to pour water into the drain at the top and have it go away (that's the point of a drain line, right?) Yes, based on how many people apparently have this problem, it is a huge design flaw! Does GE / Samsung or whoever actually makes these things care? I doubt it. I do know that I will not buy a GE anything again and I have a GE Profile microwave, electric range, and this refridgerator. I have had continuing problems with the range, the microwave so far has been ok. The fridge is fine except for this issue and this is a huge issue.
@@jeffvalley67 based on some stuff i read, GE appliance division before it was bought out by haier in 2016 had outsourced their french door fridges to samsung so i think it is a re-badged samsung...which is probably why it had so many issues...which makes sense because samsung had a class action lawsuit against them. i went to the store recently and the GE french door fridge was made in china (instead of either kentucky or mexico). i have to say though, the new GE profile with the LED-wall looks really amazing. for me, i think the key is to stay away from french-door style with dispensers on the outside. keeping the ice in the freezer drawer and water dispsense in the fridge section seem more reliable but a slight inconvenience since it requires opening up the fridge more frequently
I have the same model as you (GFSS6KKYESS) and purchased that 3" metal extender which worked for a couple years. My damper motor died recently and I'm replacing that, but need to fix this while I'm at it. Considering my only other option is buying a new fridge, I don't care about cutting the back anymore. Once you've routed the house out of the back of the fridge, do you cover up that cut out portion any or just leave that large section and the insulation exposed to your ambient temperature?
I left it open, even exposing the "pan" to each side a bit. I had tried covering it back up by making a "dam" out of light plywood and putting in expanding foam but it froze again once after that. By leaving the drain pan under the coils exposed to ambient temperature, it can't freeze and it drains right out. This is not a perfect solution but it's a last resort before you curse GE (again) and buy a new fridge. I have not had to defrost my fridge in several years since I did this.
@@jeffvalley67 Fantastic. I might have overdone it as I removed enough insulation that I could see the plastic shelf liner and got worried I took out too much, so I added some insulation back with spray foam. I may have to go back and remove it as I can feel it getting wet already. Was worried if the shelf liner was exposed and there was no insulation, the compressor might have to work overtime and die quicker.
If you're digging into the insulation, go slowly and carefully so you don't hit anything important. I literally used a spoon and it worked great! Good luck! (unplug it first also) With anything broken around my house my feeling is "Is is broken, can I make it worse?" No, it's already broken so I'll go for it. I don't mess with power feeding the circuit box but other than that I'll give it a shot. I just replaced the "paddle" on the ice dispenser on this fridge and I will post videos when I have a minute. I was told that I had to replace the whole assembly that cost $220. The bride and I replaced just the plastic paddle for $15.
@@jeffvalley67lol I replaced mine a couple years ago. The hinge area broke and I used a paper clip and some glue. Yeah the whole assembly was like 160.
To be honest, I don't remember. I used a garden hand shear to cut about 2 inches of the original tubing out and went to the hardware store with it, putting pieces together that connected to the refrigerator line and reduced it to I think a 5/16 vinyl tube that I ran down the outside and back into the pan under the fridge. I am fortunate in that I can always access the back of my fridge so I usually run the 5/16 drain line into a plastic bottle and by doing this, I know that the thing is draining. I simply empty the plastic bottle every few weeks and if I go away, I put the 5/16 tube into the pan. But, I never have to move the fridge to do this. If your unit is between cabinets, I would suggest putting the end of the 5/16 tube back into the original pan under the fridge. Good luck!
I have the same fridge with the same problem, do you think removing the insulation like you did and not cutting the line will help fix the freezing issue? I don't mind the water running into the tray and evaporating. Of coarse I just spent 300 bucks replacing the defrost heater line and 2 other sensors before I found your fix lol. Makes sense that it's insulated well and there is not enough heat to keep the drain line open.
@@RandallTreas Removing insulation around the drain line may fix it. But, if my theory is correct, the drain line is freezing where it runs against the back of the freezer, so you may have to cut open the back of the fridge and remove insulation , following the drain line, all the way down the back of the fridge / freezer. I chose to get the drain line out of the insualtion, leaving the insulation on the back of the freezer intact.
I didn't think the issue is with the design as most people's works fine for at least a few years before this starts happening. Not sure what the cause is but if it was the design or would happen in the first few months. Edit: Ok RepairClinic has all potential causes of this issue: 1. Burned out defrost heater 2. Malfunctioning defrost thermostat 3. Faulty defrost timer 4. Defective defrost control board 5. Failed main control board
Unless it has something to do with the insulation changing over time. That is the only reason I can think of why the problems would start after a few years. When I cut into the foam insulation where the drain line is, under the pan that collects the condensate at the back of the refrigerator section, it was waterlogged and frozen. Wet insulation doesn't work well, it's like a frozen sponge. The insulation used in these refridgerators seems to act like a sponge and absorbs water. I have not cut open the back of the freezer section but perhaps it gets waterlogged from condensation over time, becomes less efficient and the problems start. I do believe that if the drain line ran outside the back side of the freezer (in room temperature air) instead of inside the insulation and near the freezer, it wouldn't freeze, which leads to ice under the deli drawer. That's bad design. So, is the solution to start replacing one or all 5 of the parts listed? Perhaps. When I was researching this several years ago some people commented that they had repair techs look at their fridge and simply say that sometimes it can't be fixed. But, that's why they sell replacement parts and why my first disclaimer was that my suggestion may not fix it. I'm sure that heaters, thermostats, etc. fail and may lead to this problem. All I know is that I went with moving my drain line to the outside and my fridge has been working fine for several years now. If it was a failed heater, timer, etc., I would think that I would still be having problems. In addition, if the coils weren't defrosting properly, there wouldn't be water that would flow down to underneath the deli drawer where it freezes. When I emptied my fridge and opened the back several times (before I moved the drain line), the cooling coils were not encased in ice but the drain line was frozen several inches down behind the freezer, so that ice blocked the defrosted condensate from draining. There is a 6th potential cause, which is the drain line not working properly.
@@jeffvalley67 I totally agree with this assesment Jeff, the foam isullation was frozen and dripping water as it came in contact w/ the ambient temperature. I have known so many people with this style fridge GE or Samsung and all had the same issue, unfortunatley most have been put to the curb. After moving the line outside of the freezer the issue has been eliminated, and over all operation of the fridge seems to be improved. Unless it has something to do with the insulation changing over time. That is the only reason I can think of why the problems would start after a few years. When I cut into the foam insulation where the drain line is, under the pan that collects the condensate at the back of the refrigerator section, it was waterlogged and frozen. Wet insulation doesn't work well, it's like a frozen sponge. The insulation used in these refridgerators seems to act like a sponge and absorbs water. I have not cut open the back of the freezer section but perhaps it gets waterlogged from condensation over time, becomes less efficient and the problems start. I do believe that if the drain line ran outside the back side of the freezer (in room temperature air) instead of inside the insulation and near the freezer, it wouldn't freeze, which leads to ice under the deli drawer.
What I can't stand is GE's stupid excuses as to why your deli meat and cheese freeze up not to even mention the condensate tube freezing up causing the deli drawer to get imprisoned in ice. You have too much product in the drawer oh you don't have enough product in the drawer to absorb the cold air, give me a damn break. It's a piss poor design and they know it. They should be made to fix everyone they made or give the buyers back their money. There I vented
Sorry but I'm laughing at your comment because I felt exactly the same way! I couldn't agree more! I haven't looked at the back of a new one of these lately to see if they have changed the design. If my theory is right, all they have to do is move the drain tube outside the box so it stays warm. But then the thing would work well and last longer - I wonder how many people get a new fridge because of this problem? I know that I was on the verge of throwing mine away! I hope venting a bit made you feel better (it always makes me feel better) - have a great day!
Jeff, Thank you for having the courage to cut open the back of the fridge and creating the informative video. I and others I know have been dealing with this issue for years and I knew it was the line running internally causing the freeze up. It is simply a flawed design and this may be the only fix, GE will never admit it! I too tried the longer defrost tab as well as the copper wire, with no permanent results. I followed your lead and started removing the thin metal 48 inches up, removed insulation until locating drain hose, and cleared it out around the line for approximately 6 inches following the line to the right side (from back of fridge), the foam was frozen likely from condensation build up over the years . Cut a few inches out of the drain line with some cable cutters and took it to the folks at the local hardware store that helped me find a PVC line that would fit over the main defrost line, I also added the threaded adapter and 5/16 line straight to the drip pan, there is enough room at the right of the bottom panel to route the line to the pan. I found heating the line in hot water and stretching it with needle nose pliers helped slide it on the main line. I also drilled a small hole in the top of the drip pan to secure the 5/16 line w/ a small zip tie. I now see water in the drain line nearly every day after defrosting and no more water/ice under deli tray. PROBLEM SOLVED!!! No more defrosting/cleaning/mopping up water and wasting my time!!! Thank you Jeff!!
Wow, thanks for the detailed reply! Yes, the tips you added are great (softening the tube in hot water, etc.). Glad it worked out for you, I hope everyone or even "out of the box" repair techs try this solution before getting rid of the fridge. The way I looked at it was that the fridge was junk since I had to defrost it constantly so I couldn't make it worse and doing this fixed it for me! I ran into the same thing as I cut it open - the foam was soaked and frozen. Thanks again, I'm glad this fixed it for you!
@@jeffvalley67 UPDATE. Another month with no mopping up water, removing ice or defrosting required. My wife and I now like the fridge again, might love it in a few more months...LOL. Thanks again Jeff!!
@@BK-fp3dl Great news, thanks for the update! I hope that more people try this before they get rid of the fridge!
I'm immediately opening up the back of my GE unit. I hope this works for me, too. Thanks for your efforts 👌
Good luck! Let us know how it goes.
After getting all the food out, the whole job took me 20 minutes. Just opening up a few inches of the insulation I could hear the drain tube pouring out the retained water. The heat behind the refrigerator and the hole should keep my unit working. Good call on cleaning up the coils and the evaporation tub. Working excellent. Thanks for your help 👍
For anyone trying this, you can eliminate a possible additional point of failure if you skip the hose barb transition and just run plastic tubing directly from the tube you cut. The only disadvantage is that the stiffer tubing is more difficult than the smaller and more malleable 5/16" refrigerator water line tubing when trying to get it into the bottle behind your fridge. You want 5/8" clear vinyl tubing and you will need to stretch it out in hot water and with some plyers to get a tight fit.
Also - if you don't want to try this fix yet, another thing to check are the two grey soft plastic drain tubes. Remove them and check the ends of them where the tube angles and forms a "duck bill." This can fuse together from the heat of the coils, and cause water to back up. If this has happened, just cut the tube above the duck bill or pull it back open. You can safely cut 1/2" from the bottom and still have enough length to fit into the seating.
I agree with this comment. The main reason that I went down to a smaller size tubing was to reduce the possibility of room air going up the larger drain pipe into the fridge. But yes, it is simpler if you use 5/8 tubing. I think the logic in having the "duck bills" in the original drain line is maybe to keep warm air from going up the drain line. Whatever you can come up with to not have to throw out the whole refridgerator is a good solution. Thanks for the comment!
Great Job Jeff!! Ive been dealing with this problem for years. Problem solved!! Thanks.
Thanks for this video Jeff, i’ve also found it overtime this puts strain on the coils in the freezer as it continues to have moisture in the freezer and you end up blowing your compressor start relay and capacitor, GE should really take care of all this this is a serious design flaw again thanks for the help and if anyone is having issues with their fridge cooling switch out the start relay and capacitor on the compressor, I don’t have a link to that but you can find a video on UA-cam on the porch
Oh my! I have been trying to figure out how to fix this issue for 6 years! So tired of having to defrost my fridge so I can push the drawers all the way in and close the doors. Such a pain! Tried the copper wire in the drain hole trick. Didn't help. Based on all my research, I don't think there's a better solution. Now I just need the courage to cut a hole in the back of my otherwise nice fridge. Thank you for figuring this out and sharing!!! What a terrible design, yet they continue to make them this way.
Thanks for the feedback! You can do it! Let me know how it works out. Mine has been working great, I run my drain line into a plastic bottle and empty it about once a month. My fridge is at the end of my cabinets so I always have easy access to the back of it but because the plastic bottle gets water in it, I know that the thing is defrosting and draining and not backing up into the inside of the fridge!
Jeff, thank you for a concise, alternative solution to this problem! The fridge came with the house we bought and it's only a few years old. I'm too frugal (cheap) to buy a new fridge when this one seems to work fine except for this issue. I'm waiting to hear if user zq was able to resolve without cutting the line although I suspect your method would be better as it wouldn't compromise the cooling of the freezer. I'll report back. Thanks again for a great video. 2 thumps up! Rob
Thanks! Yes, if you do go this route, let us know if it works and solves the problem. It sounds scary to try this, but if you are ready to junk the unit because you constantly have to defrost it, this is something toi try before you shop for a new fridge. Mine works great since I exposed the bottom of the drain pan and the drain line (by re-routing it).
@@jeffvalley67 Definitely will let you know.
My bottom freezer GE Profile does this as well. It builds up a sheet of ice on the bottom of the refrigerator compartment, underneath what is labeled the "produce tray". Once that ice sheet builds up high enough the water seeps down the left side onto the floor. As for what to do...I have just resigned myself to periodically pull out the bottom tray and break out all the ice. I have to do this about every two months. My next fridge will not be a GE. Thanks for the video.
Thanks for passing along your tale of woe! I think that GE and Samsung are the same unit, so be careful what you buy! I was there with you a few years ago and I went to the drastic step of cutting the back open and adding a new drain line. For me, it fixed it, so if you do try my suggestion, good luck and let us know if it works for you! For what it's worth, I doubt I'll ever buy a GE appliance again and my fridge, microwave, and range are all GE Profile.
@timbo1163. I have the same exact issue. Bought my GE cafe fridge 2017 CFE29TSDBSS After they replaced heating element last year I started having this problem and I had to unplug every two weeks to remove the sheet of ice under my produce tray. It’s frustrating.
@@glyndapfundston6050 My thought would be that removing the sheet of ice is not addressing the root cause of the problem,. The ice is from the "defrosted" ice inside the back of the refrigerator not properly draining. I did this as well until I really got sick of it. Replacing the heating element inside the back is a nice idea, but the defrosted water can't go anywhere if the drain line, behind the freezer inside the insulation, is clogged with ice. Why do these refrigerators seem to work just fine for a while then this problem cames up ? I have no idea but perhaps the insulation gets waterlogged and becomes less effective and that leads to the drain line freezing up. The key is having the drain line and bottom of the drain "pan" under the cover at the back of the refrigerator NOT freeze up so the defrosted condensate water is allowed to drain out properly. If it can't drain, it has no place to go except inside the refrigerator, pooling and freezing under the deli drawer. It's a stupid design. Good luck. My solution is an attempt to fix it before you throw away the nice refrigerator because you have sheets of ice every 2 weeks.
Hi Jeff, I have the exact problem with my 6 yr old fridge. This is a great video, it's thorough, clear, and from your results, it prevents the icing-up problem. Mine worked fine for 6 yrs and finally 'something' failed that is causing the icing-up problem. Before i do this, i would like to know if u ever found what failed that "caused" the problem? Please share if u did find the root cause. I will do a little more research to try and find the root cause. Thanks.
Why does a fridge seem to work fine for years then suddenly starts icing up inside? I really have no idea. I firmly believe that the drain line as installed by the factory, since it is inside the insulation and therefore next to the freezer section, simply freezes and then the refrigerator section does not drain correctly and the water backs up inside the fridge. One theory may be that, over time, the foam insulation becomes waterlogged, perhaps from condensation, and is less efficient as insulation. I originally cut open the back of my fridge and only exposed the drain line right where is exited the "pan" inside the fridge. It froze up once more and I realized that the foam insulation was waterlogged and frozen. I defrosted it, again, and removed the insulation about 3 inches on each side of the drain pan, so the entire bottom of the drain pan inside the fridge is now exposed to warm room temperature air. It's been several years since I did this and I've had no freeze-ups and I know that the thing is draining as it should. Again, after screwing around with this and defrosting it over and over, I decided to try this as a last resort before I spent the cash on a new fridge. In doing my research, some appliance repair professionals come to the conclusion that there is no "fix". I refused to accept that! Playing with the defrost tab inside the fridge, etc. etc. does not fix things if it is frozen up a foot below that point in the drain line. This solution worked for me, hopefully it works for you, too!
@@jeffvalley67 I agree, i also do not agree there isn't a fix... Anyhow, this is my thinking: The problem is that condensation is freezing in the drain tube. WHY?: 1) Is the warming drain 'tab' no longer effective? if not, 'why?' is it corrosion between it and the heating element? is it the heating element"? 2) Is the rate of condensation greater now than when new which could mean the drain tube is now constantly full such that it freezes before it exits at the drain pan? if so, 'why'? is it poor 'sealing' of the gaskets around the doors causing excess condensation? is it flow restrictions at the drain pan?...(If 'your' fix was draining into the drain pan, then that would rule out restrictions at the drain pan.) I was informed by GE that the sealing effect of the door gaskets could be improved by removing them and soaking them in hot/warm water for a few minutes. I will try tomorrow. Before using an alternate fix, I'm hoping to find and address the root cause If possible. I am positive that GE knows 'exactly' what the root cause is and how to fix it, but i doubt they will admit to anything for fear of compensation lawsuits.
@@EugeneGonzalez-r2p I don't think that the little heating tab does enough. Believe me, my experience is that the tube is frozen a foot or more down the tube away from the little tab. When I was defrosting the whole thing, I would put a 1/4 inch vinyl aquarium air line down the tube from the inside and suck out the water and only by doing this and then pouring hot water down the drain line multiple times was I able to defrost it so I could pour a cup of water in and get a cup of water out into the pan at the bottom. It's a nice thought that maybe the gaskets aren't sealing well, check the price of gaskets and that will explain why GE would love to have you replace them. Put a dollar bill against the dealing surface and shut the door. If the seal "holds" the dollar in place, you're getting a decent seal. You can try softening the gaskets as they suggested and it may help, please post an update if it does help. You can also try this - unplug it (for safety) then open the back and try shoving an aquarium tube UP the drain line, see how far you get. That will tell you if it is frozen part way up. When I had the drain line defrosted, I could shove the small tube up and have it come out in the fridge. But, a couple months later it was all frozen up again and that's when I went the route of cutting the back open and re-routing the drain line. Good luck with it, please update if you get this figured out! Whatever it is, I love the fridge and it worked great for a few years and then this issue raised its ugly head and I doubt I'll ever buy a GE appliance again.
@@EugeneGonzalez-r2p Did you try the modifying Jeff's solution? ie Just digging out the insulation all the way down and seeing if that works?
Great video Jeff. I have an ice maker in the freezer that stop making ice when it builds up under the deli drawer. Do you have an ice maker in your refrigerator? I think the water tube freezes up
I do have an ice maker. As I recall, I did not have a problem with it not making ice cubes when the ice built up under the deli drawer but it is possible that when the drain line stopped working and the condenser coils turned into a block of ice, the water supply line for the ice maker froze also. Maybe follow the water supply line and see if it is near where the ice builds up? Good luck!
Good discussion!
Awesome video Jeff. If you can, could you please identify where exactly you made that cut on the back of the frig. I’ve been dogged by this issue for years… would love to fix it for good.
What I suggest (this is what I did) is to take the inside apart and defrost it. Measure where the drain line is, in other words, how high off the floor it is. For mine, it was 44 to 46 inches up off the floor. Once you open up the metal, it's easy to remove the insulation (unless it's frozen) and find the drain line and bottom of the condensate collection pan. Good luck!
Ok… thanks again
Brilliant!❤. I just bought this profile frig! I guess i sadly will have to deal with this? $2600!!!!! Pgh pa
Maybe. If I just bought a new one, I'd keep this in mind. If you start having water and ice inside the fridge and under the deli drawer, try defrosting it and making sure the drain tube is clear. It seems like you have a few years before the problem crops up - mine was fine for years then things went sideways. If you have to do it a couple times over a year, before you throw the whole thing away, try my suggested solution. I basically like the fridge but I have had issues with other GE Profile appliances we own. The other issue I had with this fridge recently was the "paddle" that activates the ice and water dispenser broke and I had to replace it. GE said I had to replace the whole assembly for about $220 (just for the part). I take stuff like this as a challenge and my wife and I replaced just the plastic paddle for about $15. I will do a video on that also because again, it's just bad design. Good luck with the new fridge!
@@jeffvalley67 thank you again! They should be ashamed and called out for built in obsolescence👌and upgrade these things immediately! I live in the unreal world😂👍
Probably not the same. GE sourced his fridge from Samsung. You most likely have a different design.
This was a thoroughly informative and wildly entertaining video. 10/10 would spend 9 minutes to watch again. I have this fridge, came with the house. Right now I shop vac the water out every so often, but thats super annoying. Gonna defrost, clear the line, and eventually I am sure i'll end up doing what you've illustrated here. Great job and thanks for taking the time to make this. Got here from this video that you commented on: ua-cam.com/video/IiPRhr6nk54/v-deo.html
nice video. how do u know thet it wasnt a broken heater rod? i think there are aftermarket heater rods that are longer to prevent ice buildup in the drain
Do you mean the aluminum tab that clips around the tubing and goes into the drain tube? I tried cutting a longer piece of aluminum and I also tried a long (6" I think) piece of copper wire, hoping it would conduct the heat from the tubing down into the drain. It didn't work. I did try an aftermarket heater but it didn't work (I don't recall details on that, it's been a few years.) When I decided to make sure the drain line was completely open, I used plastic aquarium tubing as a straw to suck out the water down the tube, then I put hot water down the tube to defrost it and repeated the process until the drain line was open and when I poured hot water in the top, it came out the bottom. That was when I knew that the only mechanical plug in the line was actually ice. The ice continued down the drain line over 12 inches. My proposed solution is not perfect or guaranteed but I am saying that it is something actually simple to try before you get sick of defrosting your frost-free refrigerator and throwing it away. Yes, there may be other things that are broken or don't work and that's why they sell parts. In my case, I became convinced that the drain line was freezing and the simple solution to get it warm was to get it outside the fridge into room air. Why does it work for a couple years then start freezing? I don't know, perhaps the insulation starts to get waterlogged due to condensation. The insulation is not hard "closed cell" insulation but is very soft, kind of like "oasis" that is used in floral work what absorbs water. Good luck, try anything you can think of. I haven't touched my fridge in years except to open the doors to put food in and out, it has not frozen up again and I can see water coming out of the drain line so I know it's clear (my fridge is at the end of my cabinets so I have access to the back of it).
@@jeffvalley67interesting, so even though the heater/defroster can melt the ice, it freezes back up as it goes down the drain? definitely a design flaw. thx again for the video
@@lexi-conby That appears to be the case to me. I believe that the drain line freezes as it goes down inside the insulation next to the freezer. If / when you defrost the refrigerator, see if you can defrost the drain line so when you pour water in the top, it comes out the bottom, that will answer the question. If you don't have easy access to the back of the fridge, you should be able to pour water into the drain at the top and have it go away (that's the point of a drain line, right?) Yes, based on how many people apparently have this problem, it is a huge design flaw! Does GE / Samsung or whoever actually makes these things care? I doubt it. I do know that I will not buy a GE anything again and I have a GE Profile microwave, electric range, and this refridgerator. I have had continuing problems with the range, the microwave so far has been ok. The fridge is fine except for this issue and this is a huge issue.
@@jeffvalley67 based on some stuff i read, GE appliance division before it was bought out by haier in 2016 had outsourced their french door fridges to samsung so i think it is a re-badged samsung...which is probably why it had so many issues...which makes sense because samsung had a class action lawsuit against them. i went to the store recently and the GE french door fridge was made in china (instead of either kentucky or mexico). i have to say though, the new GE profile with the LED-wall looks really amazing. for me, i think the key is to stay away from french-door style with dispensers on the outside. keeping the ice in the freezer drawer and water dispsense in the fridge section seem more reliable but a slight inconvenience since it requires opening up the fridge more frequently
I have the same model as you (GFSS6KKYESS) and purchased that 3" metal extender which worked for a couple years. My damper motor died recently and I'm replacing that, but need to fix this while I'm at it. Considering my only other option is buying a new fridge, I don't care about cutting the back anymore. Once you've routed the house out of the back of the fridge, do you cover up that cut out portion any or just leave that large section and the insulation exposed to your ambient temperature?
I left it open, even exposing the "pan" to each side a bit. I had tried covering it back up by making a "dam" out of light plywood and putting in expanding foam but it froze again once after that. By leaving the drain pan under the coils exposed to ambient temperature, it can't freeze and it drains right out. This is not a perfect solution but it's a last resort before you curse GE (again) and buy a new fridge. I have not had to defrost my fridge in several years since I did this.
@@jeffvalley67 Fantastic. I might have overdone it as I removed enough insulation that I could see the plastic shelf liner and got worried I took out too much, so I added some insulation back with spray foam. I may have to go back and remove it as I can feel it getting wet already. Was worried if the shelf liner was exposed and there was no insulation, the compressor might have to work overtime and die quicker.
Bro I’ve been looking for cut away of fridges.
Thanks for the video.
Mines not French doors but I’m sure it’s a similar designs.
If you're digging into the insulation, go slowly and carefully so you don't hit anything important. I literally used a spoon and it worked great! Good luck! (unplug it first also) With anything broken around my house my feeling is "Is is broken, can I make it worse?" No, it's already broken so I'll go for it. I don't mess with power feeding the circuit box but other than that I'll give it a shot.
I just replaced the "paddle" on the ice dispenser on this fridge and I will post videos when I have a minute. I was told that I had to replace the whole assembly that cost $220. The bride and I replaced just the plastic paddle for $15.
@@jeffvalley67lol I replaced mine a couple years ago. The hinge area broke and I used a paper clip and some glue. Yeah the whole assembly was like 160.
I think this may be the only solution! What was the size of the tube you bought that connects into the original drain in the fridge?
To be honest, I don't remember. I used a garden hand shear to cut about 2 inches of the original tubing out and went to the hardware store with it, putting pieces together that connected to the refrigerator line and reduced it to I think a 5/16 vinyl tube that I ran down the outside and back into the pan under the fridge. I am fortunate in that I can always access the back of my fridge so I usually run the 5/16 drain line into a plastic bottle and by doing this, I know that the thing is draining. I simply empty the plastic bottle every few weeks and if I go away, I put the 5/16 tube into the pan. But, I never have to move the fridge to do this. If your unit is between cabinets, I would suggest putting the end of the 5/16 tube back into the original pan under the fridge. Good luck!
I have the same fridge with the same problem, do you think removing the insulation like you did and not cutting the line will help fix the freezing issue? I don't mind the water running into the tray and evaporating. Of coarse I just spent 300 bucks replacing the defrost heater line and 2 other sensors before I found your fix lol. Makes sense that it's insulated well and there is not enough heat to keep the drain line open.
@@RandallTreas Removing insulation around the drain line may fix it. But, if my theory is correct, the drain line is freezing where it runs against the back of the freezer, so you may have to cut open the back of the fridge and remove insulation , following the drain line, all the way down the back of the fridge / freezer. I chose to get the drain line out of the insualtion, leaving the insulation on the back of the freezer intact.
@@jeffvalley67 Thanks Jeff, appreciate the information.
What model fridge do you have ?
Model GFSS6KKYCSS I thought I had that in my original comments and I will add it to the comments, sorry. Good luck!
I didn't think the issue is with the design as most people's works fine for at least a few years before this starts happening. Not sure what the cause is but if it was the design or would happen in the first few months.
Edit: Ok RepairClinic has all potential causes of this issue:
1. Burned out defrost heater
2. Malfunctioning defrost thermostat
3. Faulty defrost timer
4. Defective defrost control board
5. Failed main control board
Unless it has something to do with the insulation changing over time. That is the only reason I can think of why the problems would start after a few years. When I cut into the foam insulation where the drain line is, under the pan that collects the condensate at the back of the refrigerator section, it was waterlogged and frozen. Wet insulation doesn't work well, it's like a frozen sponge. The insulation used in these refridgerators seems to act like a sponge and absorbs water. I have not cut open the back of the freezer section but perhaps it gets waterlogged from condensation over time, becomes less efficient and the problems start. I do believe that if the drain line ran outside the back side of the freezer (in room temperature air) instead of inside the insulation and near the freezer, it wouldn't freeze, which leads to ice under the deli drawer. That's bad design. So, is the solution to start replacing one or all 5 of the parts listed? Perhaps. When I was researching this several years ago some people commented that they had repair techs look at their fridge and simply say that sometimes it can't be fixed. But, that's why they sell replacement parts and why my first disclaimer was that my suggestion may not fix it. I'm sure that heaters, thermostats, etc. fail and may lead to this problem. All I know is that I went with moving my drain line to the outside and my fridge has been working fine for several years now. If it was a failed heater, timer, etc., I would think that I would still be having problems. In addition, if the coils weren't defrosting properly, there wouldn't be water that would flow down to underneath the deli drawer where it freezes. When I emptied my fridge and opened the back several times (before I moved the drain line), the cooling coils were not encased in ice but the drain line was frozen several inches down behind the freezer, so that ice blocked the defrosted condensate from draining. There is a 6th potential cause, which is the drain line not working properly.
@@jeffvalley67 I totally agree with this assesment Jeff, the foam isullation was frozen and dripping water as it came in contact w/ the ambient temperature. I have known so many people with this style fridge GE or Samsung and all had the same issue, unfortunatley most have been put to the curb. After moving the line outside of the freezer the issue has been eliminated, and over all operation of the fridge seems to be improved.
Unless it has something to do with the insulation changing over time. That is the only reason I can think of why the problems would start after a few years. When I cut into the foam insulation where the drain line is, under the pan that collects the condensate at the back of the refrigerator section, it was waterlogged and frozen. Wet insulation doesn't work well, it's like a frozen sponge. The insulation used in these refridgerators seems to act like a sponge and absorbs water. I have not cut open the back of the freezer section but perhaps it gets waterlogged from condensation over time, becomes less efficient and the problems start. I do believe that if the drain line ran outside the back side of the freezer (in room temperature air) instead of inside the insulation and near the freezer, it wouldn't freeze, which leads to ice under the deli drawer.
Jeff, do you smoke the Devil's Lettuce?
What I can't stand is GE's stupid excuses as to why your deli meat and cheese freeze up not to even mention the condensate tube freezing up causing the deli drawer to get imprisoned in ice. You have too much product in the drawer oh you don't have enough product in the drawer to absorb the cold air, give me a damn break. It's a piss poor design and they know it. They should be made to fix everyone they made or give the buyers back their money. There I vented
Sorry but I'm laughing at your comment because I felt exactly the same way! I couldn't agree more! I haven't looked at the back of a new one of these lately to see if they have changed the design. If my theory is right, all they have to do is move the drain tube outside the box so it stays warm. But then the thing would work well and last longer - I wonder how many people get a new fridge because of this problem? I know that I was on the verge of throwing mine away! I hope venting a bit made you feel better (it always makes me feel better) - have a great day!
@@jeffvalley67 Yea it helped for a minute or two. I mean this wasn't a cheap fridge by no stretch of the imagination. It should be a better product.
@@MrTonyPiscatelle Absolutely! Mine has been fine since I moved the drain tube to the outside. Good luck if you try this fix!
@@jeffvalley67 Tell me please exactly what you did to your fridge. And is yours a French door with freezer on the bottom GE?