- This topic has 10 replies, 5 voices, and was last updated 22 years, 1 month ago by
.
-
Posts
-
I have a Whirlpool/Firenzi fridge Model RF920/1
Pools of water appear on the floor every couple of days.
What I take to be the condensor tray at the bottom of the fridge is full of water and overflows. There is no water leakage inside the fridge.
This is an under unit appliance and is fitted next to a washing machine against an outside wall in the kitchen.
I have read the articles concerning blocked tubes etc and this doesn’t seem to be the problem as the water is flowing away.
Could this be caused by incorrect fitting/location ??
Any thoughts advice would be appreciated.Re: Fridge Leaking Water
When you say the condenser tray, do you mean the plastic tray on top of the compressor (the big black unit at the back) ? If so. it may just be that it positioned too far away from the compressor, which generates heat and causes the water in it to evaporate. Frigidaire had a similar problem with a couple of models, and all that needs doing it to reposition the tray so that it is sat nearer the compressor.
Hope this may help.
Dave.
Re: Fridge Leaking Water
Dave. Thanks for your quick reply.
At the base of the unit , behind a black cover and next to a fan on the right hand side (looking from the front) is an area which is where I assume the water after it has defrosted collects and is meant to evaporate from ???
Sorry about tyhe crude description, I’m an electronics engineer but don’t have any experience with fridges…
I have put a quick sketch at the following URL to see if it explains any better.http://www.eee.bham.ac.uk/techsupp/fridge.htm
Steve
[/img]Re: Fridge Leaking Water
Steve, yes you are correct, the water should evaporate from the tray, this is a slightly different type than I described previously but the principal is the same. The tray should be warmed by a pipe coming from the compressor carrying “hot” gas. Unfortunately these types of fridges do tend to suffer with slow internal gas leaks, thereby the gas may be insufficient to warm the tray enough to cause evaporation.
Is the fridge actually cold enough ? Is the motor running for long periods without cutting out ?
If either of the above are suspect, the fridge may be low on gas.
Dave.
Re: Fridge Leaking Water
Dave, many thanks for the help, I’m begining to get a picture of what is happening.
The fridge is only 6 months old and still under Warrenty, unfortunately I’m having a bit of a wrangle with Magnet Kitchens over various other issues concerning the kitchen and the builder who fitted it , whirlpool have told me it will cost £70 callout charge if it is a fitting problem, magnet who will have to pay for the swollen base units if it is proved to be a problem with the fridge don’t want to know and the builder says it is nothing to do with him!!!
I’m just trying to get my facts right before I call anyone else in.Could it be a fitting problem, i.e. if the door is not closing quiet enough ( The false door front does seem to be about 1mm out at the top) or because the kitchen floor is stone and it’s against an outside wall and too cold ??
Steve
Re: Fridge Leaking Water
Ah, I didn’t realise it was only 6 months old, which rather changes you’re options here.
Ultimately you will need to ask Magnet’s advice, they may require Whirlpool to call out if only to ascertain whether the fridge or the installation is at fault, either way it will not be you’re financial problem, if the fridge is faulty, Whirlpool Service will sort that out and if it is an installation fault, it will be down to Magnet to rectify.
Dave.
Re: Fridge Leaking Water
Dave_Conway wrote:Ah, I didn’t realise it was only 6 months old, which rather changes you’re options here.
Ultimately you will need to ask Magnet’s advice, they may require Whirlpool to call out if only to ascertain whether the fridge or the installation is at fault, either way it will not be you’re financial problem, if the fridge is faulty, Whirlpool Service will sort that out and if it is an installation fault, it will be down to Magnet to rectify.
Dave.
We have had a few cases of this build up of “defrost water” in the last couple of years. We are certain the cause is, the compressor “run times” are too short to build up a sufficiently high temperature in the compressor, hence the water is not evaporated to atmosphere.
These cases have been on R600 systems and may be associated with low ambient temperatures in the dwellings.
Come back defrost heaters, all is forgiven. There is a possible solution by arranging a permament feed, via a Diode, to the internal lamp.
This will allow the lamp to operate, at half power, with the door shut.These cases were not on Whirlpool appliances.
Shane.
Re: Fridge Leaking Water
LIEBHERR Have a problem with some of there sysytems with the same fault which has been over come by fitting a heater underneath the tray so when the compressor switches off the heater comes on therefor making evaperation continuos,personally this makes a mockery of the efficiency rating scheme as does the diode within the light assembly(liebherr again).
The only option is to have a engineer look at it and put these points to him whislt he is on site(oops ) 🙄 god help the engineer who turns up.. 😈bryan
Re: Fridge Leaking Water
I agree entirely with the advice given.
To add some more information. The usual ISO testing for “built in” refrigeration appliances is in well insulated rooms and also with the appliance boxed in to simulate kitchen conditions. The appliance is usually placed on a wooden base some 30cm from the floor with an air gap under, i.e. not on a stone floor or against an outside wall. Whirlpool (or whoever brands these appliances) may not have tested in conditions similar to your description…
However your appliance is rated for a particular room temperature, and not the floor or wall it is placed on or against! As long as the room is within this temperature then the appliance can be expected to work OK. You can find the rating “SN, N, ST, T” on the rating plate (usually inside the fridge).
SN +10°C to 32°C (Extended Temperate)
N +16°C to 32°C (Temperate)
ST +18°C to 38°C (Sub Tropical)
T +18°C to +43°C (Tropical)My guess is that your fridge will be rated N.
You mention that the door might not be fitting properly, if this is the case, then more air than usual will be entering the fridge – and this air is relatively humid and this will cause more ice to build up on the back wall than usual, and hence more defrost water.
Your diagram shows a fan, I assume that this is running with the compressor… in addition to a warm condenser tube under or in the collector tray, it might be (it’s not always) that your appliance is designed so that the air-flow is blown across the collector tray in order to help evaporate the water, if this is the case there should also be some sort of venting in your kitchen units so that the fan has a good air supply and there is somewhere for the air + evaporated water to go?
Good luck with the Magnet and Whirlpool.
Peter
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.