Fridge leaking water......... ????

[RanCarr]

Our RV has a Norcold fridge. Just this past week or so we're finding water in the crisper on the bottom. I'm talking a good 1/8". The veggies and fruit was all wet. Also there is water under the crisper and on top of the fridge door as if it came from the freezer door above. Mold was already growing on the fridge door so it must have been leaking for some time. We just hadn't noticed it. Where is this water coming from? We keep the fridge at about 35F. This is another issue we didn't have with the other 3 RVs. We can't take it into the shop because we're down here in FL until April 1st. Our warranty is about to run out.

 

[Ray LeTourneau]

The first thing that comes to mind is a blocked drain for the rear fins. As the fins condensate and this melts, it drips into a tray in the rear. The drain for that tray should go out the rear vent opening on the outside wall behind the fridge. It's normally a black flex tube about a 1/2" in diameter.

 

[brianharrison]

I would check Ray's suggestion out first. Then I would look at the freezer and fridge door seals. If the seal around the freezer door is not sealing, it may be allowing cold air to escape and condense the humid trailer air between the upper and lower door. You can test your seal by putting a sheet of paper between the frame and door seal, closing the freezer and pulling the paper out. If the paper "drags" the seal is OK, if the paper slides out without drag the seal may be gone and need replacing. THis is my simple test to determine how my door seals are working.

Brian

 

[JohnDar]

Check the manual for your model of Norcold refer. In my Dometic manual, they mention a 12V Climate Control System in many models that functions to evaporate moisture during high temperatures and humidity. This feature can be turned on or off by you, via a small switch inside the door frame. Might check that if it's been humid down there in Floorida.

 

[RanCarr]

The first thing that comes to mind is a blocked drain for the rear fins. As the fins condensate and this melts, it drips into a tray in the rear. The drain for that tray should go out the rear vent opening on the outside wall behind the fridge. It's normally a black flex tube about a 1/2" in diameter.

OK, I just looked. The tray that supposed to catch that water is full of ice! Does this mean it needs to be defrosted? The drain tube from this try may be blocked but I don't know where it is or how to remove it to clean it. The water is overflowing the ice in the tray and running down into the crisper and fridge bottom.

 

[RanCarr]

Check the manual for your model of Norcold refer. In my Dometic manual, they mention a 12V Climate Control System in many models that functions to evaporate moisture during high temperatures and humidity. This feature can be turned on or off by you, via a small switch inside the door frame. Might check that if it's been humid down there in Floorida.

There is no button to turn this fridge on or off - no climate control button. There is a sticker on the door frame. It does say to drain off excess water from the drain tube into a bowl, but I can't see any drain tube that can be reached from the fridge. And how would I know there's excess water when the catch tray freezes over? Even not frozen over I don't see how I could tell if it contains excess water. It's in the back behind everything. This looks like a basic least expensive fridge that came with this TT.

To complicate matters the fridge and freezer are full of food as we just did the weeks shopping. It's a bad time to be pulling everything out of the fridge. I guess I'll have to remove all the food tomorrow and see if there's a drain hose of some kind that I can reach and clean. Unloading the fridge every day or other day to try and get the water out and in to a bowl isn't going to work too well. I'm already having to deal with the smell kitchen drain issue every other day.

 

[TeJay]

If you think this is going to be an issue call HL and get your concern documented. When you get back home, even if you're out of the warranty they will still fix it because it was documented before your warranty ran out. I did just that same thing. We were getting ready to head toF L and I noticed a water leak. I could not get it looked at before we left so I called HL, had it documented, took down the guys name and record number. When we get back I'll take it to my regular guy and they will contact HL for warranty authorization. TeJay

 

[hoefler]

Sound like the fridge is a little colder than 35*. I would check it with a thermometer, the thermostat in the fridge could be off. If you have a temp gun, check different areas in the fridge.

 

[brianharrison]

A hair dryer blowing on the tray in the back will melt the ice.

The drain tube may be connected to the tray behind the back wall of the fridge; I have seen trays that have a plasitc connection that protrudes through the back wall of the fridge and the tube is accessible from the fridge heat vents (lower) that are on the outside of your trailer. These come off with a quarter turn of the tab on the heat vent. The easist was I check is to blow back up the tube into the fridge - if I do not see any drips of water coming out of the tube. Note - this tube should have a bug screen on it to prevent the little critters from nesting up in it - and it should be directed to drain outside of the heat vent by inserting the end into one of the vents when you reinstall the vent.

I have seen the tray freeze before when the fridge is crammed full - the thermal circulation around the fridge is less with a full fridge and the back and sometimes lower area gets colder and can freeze. I have seen a battery powered fridge fan (sits on shelf) to help with this. I'll go look on the internet and post if I can find it...... Found it --> Battery Powered RV Fridge Fan

For the Canadians on here (like me) --> Canadian Tire RV Fridge Fan

Hope this helps.

PS - I found the one that hangs on the fins on the back, and connects to the 12v light inside --> Ebay Norcold RV Fridge Fin Fan. If you are OK with a little wiring work, this would be my choice.

Take care,
Brian

PS - Marv (SmokeyBare) posted some pics of him replacing his drain tube on his Dometic a number of years ago. The pics should show you how the drain tube is connected to the tray and routed out the back of the fridge.
Link to drain tube replacement pics (courtesy of SmokeyBare)

 

[RanCarr]

If you think this is going to be an issue call HL and get your concern documented. When you get back home, even if you're out of the warranty they will still fix it because it was documented before your warranty ran out. I did just that same thing. We were getting ready to head toF L and I noticed a water leak. I could not get it looked at before we left so I called HL, had it documented, took down the guys name and record number. When we get back I'll take it to my regular guy and they will contact HL for warranty authorization. TeJay

Thank you. I would not have thought about doing that. We've already replaced the kitchen faucet and leaks around the kitchen sink since getting here. Since we bought this unit, brand new, there have been endless issues with it. Most we fixed ourselves, but it's starting to get tiresome. We didn't bother to go through the rigamarole to get the cushions for the dinette replaced since they would only replace them with the same kind and poor quality. They would need replacement every few months. Now we need to try and find good ones and pay for them ourselves. We would have been happy to pay a few thousand dollars more for this TT to get good quality without all these headaches... I'm sure you can tell I'm getting a little tired and frustrated with all these problems.

 

[RanCarr]

Sound like the fridge is a little colder than 35*. I would check it with a thermometer, the thermostat in the fridge could be off. If you have a temp gun, check different areas in the fridge.

OK, I have a gauge in there I bought at some store. It ranges from 33 to 36 in different areas of the fridge. I just turned it up one notch warmer. That should bring it up to around 40 F or slightly above. I don't know how accurate this store-bought fridge gauge is. It may be off a few degrees. We've always kept it at #3 without a problem. I'll see what happens with #2. Thanks for that suggestion.

 

[RanCarr]

A hair dryer blowing on the tray in the back will melt the ice.

The drain tube may be connected to the tray behind the back wall of the fridge; I have seen trays that have a plasitc connection that protrudes through the back wall of the fridge and the tube is accessible from the fridge heat vents (lower) that are on the outside of your trailer. These come off with a quarter turn of the tab on the heat vent. The easist was I check is to blow back up the tube into the fridge - if I do not see any drips of water coming out of the tube. Note - this tube should have a bug screen on it to prevent the little critters from nesting up in it - and it should be directed to drain outside of the heat vent by inserting the end into one of the vents when you reinstall the vent.

I have seen the tray freeze before when the fridge is crammed full - the thermal circulation around the fridge is less with a full fridge and the back and sometimes lower area gets colder and can freeze. I have seen a battery powered fridge fan (sits on shelf) to help with this. I'll go look on the internet and post if I can find it...... Found it --> Battery Powered RV Fridge Fan

For the Canadians on here (like me) --> Canadian Tire RV Fridge Fan

Hope this helps.

PS - I found the one that hangs on the fins on the back, and connects to the 12v light inside --> Ebay Norcold RV Fridge Fin Fan. If you are OK with a little wiring work, this would be my choice.

Take care,
Brian

PS - Marv (SmokeyBare) posted some pics of him replacing his drain tube on his Dometic a number of years ago. The pics should show you how the drain tube is connected to the tray and routed out the back of the fridge.
Link to drain tube replacement pics (courtesy of SmokeyBare)

Thank you, this information is also most helpful. Between all the replies, DH and I should have this problem solved today.