Cleaning A Fridge Defrost Drain

Refrigerators will sometimes get water leaking from the freezer compartment. This is caused by a clogged or frozen drain line. Ill show you how to fix this problem. You will have to forgive the stupid theme at the bottom of the screen. This is my first video with iMovie. I should have watched a how to video on movie making first.

[@RoseSpinelli]

Sure would help if you removed that graphic thing at the bottom of the screen that's blocking our vision.

[@DanielHeap60Cubits]

I agree - this was a pretty lousy video. I'm getting much better results these days.

[@nikon0iT]

@@DanielHeap60Cubits she meant for this video...

[@paulmoisan8748]

What's the point of a video if you're going to cover it with a stupid graphic? Jesus

[@murphygaylord]

Yeah it seemed like such a Good video but that beginning graphic was awful!!!!!

[@HawkFest]

2:56 : it helps avoid ice accumulation in the drain hole and consequently in the fridge compartments themselves. My LG refrigerator had the exact same problem you depict : not only was the fan a bit weak, but also ice accumulated and blocked the drain, which ended up building cool (but useless and space eating) ice igloos in my fridge... What I did is : One- Replace the fan ; Two (and there's the trick)- Run an unfolded metal coat hanger (except aluminum because it's non conductive), down the drain hole, with one end attached to the resistance (which is originally "designed" to help remove any ice from the drain - the passing current heats up the hanger). Now my fridge is even more efficient than when it was brand new ! Correct temparature regulation, and no accumulation of humidity inside the fridge, even less ice.

[@whitebranch]

This is a great video. Thanks for posting it. It encouraged me (literally 'gave me the courage") to attempt to fix the drain in my fridge's freezer compartment (it's a side by side). I suspected that a plastic bag of rice had broken and some grains of rice had fallen into the drain at the bottom, and plugged it up. The bottom of the freezer was covered with ice, and the drain hole was full of water (not draining). When I looked in the back of the fridge, unfortunately the tube for the drain was fixed pretty firmly in place with a wire hose clamp, and actually ran behind the compressor in a couple of bends before emptying into a tray behind the fan. I didn't want to have to take all that stuff out, so I took a turkey baster and some hot water (after unplugging and defrosting) and pumped water into the drain from inside the freezer compartment, flushing it the best I could. Then I looked back in the drain tray. Voila! Lots of hard grains of rice!! Flushed it a couple of more time with the pressure from the turkey baster, and then mopped up the water out of the tray with paper towels. Thanks for explaining how this drain works. It was actually pretty simple repair, but I wouldn't have attempted it without seeing your video.

[@DanielHeap60Cubits]

Thanks! It's really a pretty bad video, but I'm glad it helped you. I think it's really important that people understand how things work so that they can handle what turns out to be pretty simple repairs. Check my website for more videos and help. Let me know if there is a problems I can try to help with. www.60cubits.com

[@wblewis1]

Thank you!!! My fridge has been leakin water from the bottom abut twice a month and we couldn't figure out why. Finally, I said enough and was going to figure out how to fix it. About gave up until I came across your video. No other videos I found walked through how to clean the drain on an older fridge. Thanks again!!

[@robp123451]

Nice little video thanks Dan. You probably know (later) that there wasn't anything stuck in that line, rather it was that small metal extender that came loose from the heater and ice than formed and blocked that drain. But I like that air pressure idea.

[@nicalenakonstas2152]

Hi,that wire inserted in the drain hole does desperse the heat into the hole to try to keep the water from freezing in the hole..It's been shown in other videos.It also does stay connected to the coils.

[@mmewhiteville]

Just tried it! Here's hoping it worked! Didn't have an air compressor though so I only used hot water to melt the ice (that was in the way) away.

[@binovucinic]

wtf is wrong with that overlaid white wavy thing

[@ramonarenteria6813]

I know right

[@DanielHeap60Cubits]

Thanks Nicalena - I noticed the same thing when I researched this after finishing this work. Good reminder to make sure this wire is securely wound to the coil to carry heat.

[@robertrubisa9653]

Clear and helpful video which is much appreciated.

[@Litteulisa]

Great tip! Now, how often should we do this or verify, to prevent this to freeze and block again?

[@lacyl332]

Thank you so much! Didnt want to bug my landlord over something so minor. Task complete!

[@g3user1usa]

Pretty informative. I'm going to check to see if my defrost drain is clogged because I had a problem where the coils got iced up even after the repairman replaced the defrost thermostat. My freezer also has that wire in the hole hooked onto the coils. I thought that wire was there to stop the coils from moving or something. I have some flexible bicycle brake cable I could run down that drain to see if anything is blocking the hole. I could try using the cable or the cable housing if that hole is a larger enough diameter. Anyway it's worth a shot. Thanks for the tip.

[@DanielHeap60Cubits]

I'm interested to know if the bicycle brake cable worked. That's a great idea. Check out my website or my channel for more videos. www.60cubits.com

[@sjcrosby2625]

+Daniel Heap I can totally confirm that using a bicycle cable worked for me! Melted all the ice, but the water wouldn't go down. My fridg (GE) had no obvious way to access the drain trap since the back was all sealed up. I pushed the cable down and suddenly all the water gushed out. I was able to get the cable all the way to the bottom in the drain pan where there was a puddle of water in the pan and on the floor.

[@vincespell]

WHAT'S WITH THE BORDER????

[@HandWriting1966]

Thanks Daniel! Your clear and informative video saved my Samsung Fridge! Best Aiden

[@kentmont]

my fridge doesnt have the wire. do you think I should rig one up? if so, what should it be made of?

[@5star141]

You missed the important part to show how all the plastic components(Panels) come off to get to the clogged drains?(in the be That way people will not break them off accidentally. (In the beginning to shoe the components)

[@deetkc]

I absolutely agree! almost broke mine but kept repeating his words: Slow and easy!

[@shikhachand9442]

my fridge freezer appliance model no is hotpointFUFL 1810 G. it has a continuous flashing light of super cool and super freeze. i have tried reset them but not working. super cool knob is working but super freeze knob is so loose i think its not working. help

[@otakugami3470]

I have that exact same fridge but dont know the name or model of it . any chance you could let me know . ive been looking for the location of the defrost timer but no luck

[@marcgioglio6262]

This is literally the first video I have seen that addressed the problem I was having, answered the questions I had and successfully anticipated questions I would have further down the line. I also think this is the first video I have commented on. Good job.

[@lunes-1]

Good vídeo,muy frifge is licking water underneath. I have to empy the fridge and check all On the back.

[@naamon4788]

Thank you so much!! It solved the problem!!

[@DanielHeap60Cubits]

Glad it helped

[@DebbieVillalobos]

hi thank you so much for your video. I'm having this problem. so i started defrosting by unplugging it my refrigerator has the freezer on top ice maker and water inside the fridge so. i need tho ask you. do you know how to remove the ice maker without messing it up.

[@imajeepster]

I think mine is doing that...i keep getting water coming down from the freezer. I think it's the defrost drain clogged with ice but I can't fix it myself. Crap!!

[@mberge1]

you must be an engineer to figure this out. I have to clean out this refer, it leaks all over the floor in the summer

[@janiceohara7667]

Seriously, dude? Why is that wavy graphic thing there at the bottom of the video?

[@LynxStarAuto]

Lol read the description. His first time using a video editor, and he wasn't familiar with it.

[@VANEPS7]

That white wavy thing blocks the view and is totally stupid.

[@DanielHeap60Cubits]

JOHN MENUIS Hilarious - I know that video was seriously lame. I've gotten a lot better in the last year. Check out my website or my youtube channel and let me know what you think of my newer videos. No more terrible wavy thing!

[@divaddogs7372]

Bad camera work.

[@lndyhpr]

Thanks Daniel. I had a slightly different problem, but likely for the same reason. I had ice build up under the evaporator fan, causing the blades to catch on the ice and stop spinning. As a result, cold air would not circulate into the fridge compartment. Ice built up clogged the drain. My biggest problem was not being able to find the outer drain pan. I could not have imagined that the drainage went right out to the compressor. Thanks for your video.

[@MrMac5150]

The coat hanger in the drain, is suppose to be warped around the heater defrost wire, so when you go into defrost mode, the wire heats and prevents the icing up in the drain hole.

[@deetkc]

If you're able to attach a follow up video on how to carefully remove the back panel in the freezer, that would be soooooo helpful. But thank you very much for this well made video!

[@stephaniec9134]

Thank you so much for this video. Incredibly helpful! You clearly explained the problem. Was able to take everything apart and put it back together. Ice seemed to be the culprit with my defrost drain. Undoubtedly saved me the cost of a repairperson coming to fix a simple problem. Thanks again.

[@doodieroper]

thanks alot for the tips. my fridge is working like a champ again.

[@tamarakennedy4976]

I hope you unplugged that sucker...

[@kathlyntylka13]

Do you keep the fridge plugged in when you are doing this????

[@pwife4]

+Kathlyn Tylka No, you need to unplug it.

[@46GarageUSA]

I'm trying to figure out why the wire going in to the drain hole would be originally hooked to the coil and not the heat element ???

[@mrhow2712]

Video would have been pretty useful if you would have stood back so we could see where this stuff actually is Give us a full view of the inside

[@armstr47a]

Awesome video. Thanks.

[@RonyJoseph-ho3sq]

great video -- thanks for doing this!!