SOLVED: Tray full of water

2PawsRiver

Active Member
2019 4270.....Norcold Fridge in the living room slide.....drain tray is filling with water. Pretty sure it is a blockage as I can not even blow through the drain tube. Tried to clear it by running a smaller line through it with no luck, however it is my understanding there is a smaller plug at the end that keeps warm air from coming in.

Pulled the lower cover on the outside of the RV, but I don't see the drain tube or evaporation tray.....(I think it has one)…..which brings up question any idea on how to find the evaporation tray?

All help appreciated, thanks in advance.
 

rhodies1

Well-known member
Re: Tray full of water

The drain tube should be hanging down on the exterior of the condenser in the lower vent opening..it’s 1/4 in white tubing..The evaporation tray is approx 3 in by 4 in and black. It should be screwed to the base of the opening with the hose setting in it. Take a bright flashlight and look up the vent tank see if you can see the drain tube hanging. Maybe it got pinched when the fridge was installed.

You mentioned that you tried to put a smaller line through,, try again and see how far it goes into tube,,measure and use as a guide to see how far down the wall from the outside your blockage is.. you should be able to look up the exterior lower vent with a bright flashlight and see the hose coming out the back of the fridge and hanging down to the tray.

If you cannot find the hose and clear it,, your next step is to remove the shelving inside the fridge and pop the drain tray out of its holder.. the drain tube is on the lower left side and if need be you can pull the hose out that way clear it and re install it back thru the fridge wall to the outside..
Go online and google the Norcold manual for your fridge and it will show you pics of the process for replacing the hose, they do rot after time and also need to be replaced.


Last comment. When you get this cleared and draining..install the hose out through the vent slots and allow to drain to the outdoors like the old fridges did in the past..
The evaporation system is ok if you are stationary. If you fridge does a thaw cycle and fills the tray and you start travelling,,all that water runs into the area in back of the fridge,,causing rot over time and mold..
 

2PawsRiver

Active Member
Re: Tray full of water

Thank you Rhodies1, great information, got it fixed and I see exactly what you are talking about with the "Evaporation Tray".....draining fine now and I will make that change.
 

rhodies1

Well-known member
Re: Tray full of water

Thank you Rhodies1, great information, got it fixed and I see exactly what you are talking about with the "Evaporation Tray".....draining fine now and I will make that change.


Your very welcome. Glad to help and great it’s working. Happy camping
 

Dennyha

Well-known member
Re: Tray full of water

When you get this cleared and draining..install the hose out through the vent slots and allow to drain to the outdoors like the old fridges did in the past..
The evaporation system is ok if you are stationary. If you fridge does a thaw cycle and fills the tray and you start travelling,,all that water runs into the area in back of the fridge,,causing rot over time and mold..
I just saw this post and decided to respond. I had noticed that the OSB below my refrigerator was always wet from the evaporation tray spilling during our moves. I bought some 3/8” ID tubing from Lowe’s, and taped it over the end of the white drain tube, and ran that out to the outside. I feel a little satisfaction every time I see water drip out of that tube.
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danemayer

Well-known member
Re: Tray full of water

I just saw this post and decided to respond. I had noticed that the OSB below my refrigerator was always wet from the evaporation tray spilling during our moves. I bought some 3/8” ID tubing from Lowe’s, and taped it over the end of the white drain tube, and ran that out to the outside. I feel a little satisfaction every time I see water drip out of that tube.
View attachment 64460View attachment 64461
The drain hose comes with an end plug that has holes in it. It allows water to drip out but restricts flow of warm air back in. If you begin to build up ice on the refrigerator compartment cooling fins, or you have trouble cooling the refrigerator compartment, you should look into getting a new plug.
 

Dennyha

Well-known member
Re: Tray full of water

The drain hose comes with an end plug that has holes in it. It allows water to drip out but restricts flow of warm air back in. If you begin to build up ice on the refrigerator compartment cooling fins, or you have trouble cooling the refrigerator compartment, you should look into getting a new plug.
Dan,
I am an advocate against that plug. My “plug” stopped the water from draining from the hose. I found it after finding water all over the floor in front of our refrigerator, doing significant damage to the cabinets where they contact the floor. I found the tray in the back of the refrigerator overflowing with water. When I pulled the “plug” from the bottom of the hose, all the water promptly drained out out the refrigerator tray.

As a “plug”, it was very effective at doing its job. I will never use that “plug” again. This is an example where the cure is worse than the disease.
 

wdk450

Well-known member
Re: Tray full of water

The drain hose comes with an end plug that has holes in it. It allows water to drip out but restricts flow of warm air back in. If you begin to build up ice on the refrigerator compartment cooling fins, or you have trouble cooling the refrigerator compartment, you should look into getting a new plug.

I got 4 right angle tubing fittings to put on the end of the hose to make a plumbing "P" (or U ) trap. The 1st right angle goes back from the hose end towards the rear of the trailer. The 2nd fitting then goes downward, the 3rd transits from down to horizontal, the 4th one comes back up to complete the water trap.
 

Dennyha

Well-known member
Re: Tray full of water

I got 4 right angle tubing fittings to put on the end of the hose to make a plumbing "P" (or U ) trap. The 1st right angle goes back from the hose end towards the rear of the trailer. The 2nd fitting then goes downward, the 3rd transits from down to horizontal, the 4th one comes back up to complete the water trap.
Last night I was thinking about this, and wondered about fashioning some type of P trap in the drain hose. A plug to block air and pass water is a terrible idea. When it fails, it is catastrophic, as I’ve experienced.
 
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