I have condensation coming off the refrigernt tube that runs from condenser to freezer also ice build up on inside to the point of tearing the metal on inside back panel. What causes this ?

condenser goes out isde, evaporator goes inside this makes the cooling

Try removing the strap holding the drain hose underneath that drains into the pan. Otherwise it acts like a p-trap and holds water that then insulates the upper part of the tube. Condensate water eventually freezes high up in the tube and backs up everything pushing the condensate water into the bottom of the freezer where it freezes into sheets. Leaving the drain hose down keeps air in the tube all the way back up into the freezer area. This seems to keep the condensate water flowing freely into the bottom pan. The air in the open condensate tube does not seem to have an ill affects. Also, you can add some stranded bare copper wire around the heating element just above the drain tube inlet and then push the tail off the copper wire down into the drain tube hole. This helps keep any water in liquid form flowing down the drain pipe.

Possible causes are many
Things to check

• If air cooled, is the condenser coil clean and is the condenser fan running when in ice production ? Is the area extremely hot where the ice machine is located? If water cooled, is there adequate water pressure and is the water regulating valve set properly?
  

• When the system switch is in the off position is there any water running ( if so the inlet water valve may be stuck open)

• When in ice production, is the small tube that feeds from the hot gas solenoid hot? This tube comes from a valve at the back of the unit and feeds over the compressor and into a tee near the insulated Tx valve. This line should be hot during harvest and cool shortly after harvest.
• Has the float switch assembly been cleaned. this is a cylindrical unit beside the water pump,It can get plugged with minerals and not initiate harvest
• The system may have a refrigerant charge problem (short) or the compressor may be weak, at which point diagnosis would need to be done by a refrigeration tech

Hope this helps

If you replaced your door gasket and your absolutely sure that its sealing properly, then it might not be coming from your door. Ice builds up when warm air enters the fridge and the condensation freezes inside the freezer. The biggest suspect for warm air entering into the fridge is a faulty door gasket. However there can be another cause. If you remove the back panel of your freezer you should be exposed with the wires that come into the freezer and power the different components inside. The entrance point were the wires come in is insulated with a type of clay that prevents moisture from entering. However if this clay becomes loose it is possible for moisture to enter and start icing up. If you can remove the panel yourself safely without hurting yourself or damaging the fridge i recommand trying this first. If you don't feel comfortable doing this i recommand having a service technician taking a look at it. Hope this helps.

James Memije
Head Technician
Accufix Appliance Service Centre

You need to check the Condenser coils, these are copper coils of tubing usually located on the back of the unit near the ground. They need to be free of all dust and grease to work at maximum efficiency and it is recommended to clean them every 6 to 10 months. If they are or have recently been cleaned then make sure the inside fan (if there is one) isn't being blocked by anything and make sure there is adequate airflow throughout the refrigerator.Also you need to make sure the copper coils behind the fan aren't freezing up either. If they are then there is probably a problem with the defrost element. The condensate drain may also be the cause of the problem. To find the condensate drain, remove the panel from where the cold air is coming out and there should be a tube or a hose that allows the condensate to drain out.
If none of these seem to be the problem then you may have a refrigerant leak and you need a certified technician to take a look at it.

Check to condenser coil and make sure it is clean and the fan near it is running when the compressor is on. Check for ice build up in the freezer. If the evaporator coil is iced up the box will run warm. It may be a defrost problem, a dirty condenser, or a refrigerant issue.

Your evaporator coils frost up in normal use and every eight hours or so the entire unit shuts down and the defrost heater comes on to melt the frost. This cycle last about 20 minutes. The melted frost drips into a drain pan and through a drain tube to the drain tray under the freezer/refrigerator where it's evaporated by the condenser fan.


Your drain tube may be stopped up with ice at the upper end because it drains too slow because it's stopped up at the lower end in the evaporator pan under the unit at the floor. It can get dust and mold in it. Once you get the ice out at the top a little pressure with a turkey baster will usually clear it out. Flushing it out with hot water and clorox may help

if self defrosting model check frozen drain in freezer

HI,

If the refrigerator isn't cool, you need to answer some questions, then see if the compressor is running.

First, answer these questions:

• Is the refrigerator completely dead? If so, see “It's stopped completely.”



• Is the thermostat knob turned to the proper setting? If not, reset it.

Next, see if the compressor motor is running

The compressor is a football-sized case with no apparent moving parts. It's on the outside of the refrigerator at the back near the bottom. If it is humming or making a continuous noise and your refrigerator is still not cooling, there may be a more serious problem with one or more of several different components, we recommend contacting a qualified appliance repair technician for further help.

If the compressor is not running but you do have power to the refrigerator, there may be a problem with one or more of these:

• The compressor



• The Thermostat



• The overload, relay, or capacitor



• The defrost timer



• The condenser fan motor

Cooling is poor For an overall understanding of how refrigerators should work, read about refrigerators in the How Things Work section of our website. A refrigerator or freezer that is cooling, but cooling poorly, may have a problem in one of several areas:

Evaporator coils
Condenser
Poor cooling is often the result of a heavy frost build-up on the evaporator coils or a condenser that is clogged with dust, lint, and dirt.

Evaporator coils Poor cooling is often the result of a heavy frost build-up on the evaporator coils. You can't see these coils without removing a panel on the inside of your freezer. A sure sign that there is a build-up is the presence of any frost or ice build-up on the inside walls, floor, or ceiling of the freezer. Such a frost build-up usually indicates a problem in the self-defrosting system or damaged door gaskets.

The refrigerator is supposed to self-defrost approximately four times in every 24 hour period. If one of the components in the self-defrosting system fails, the refrigerator continues to try to cool. Eventually, though, so much frost builds up on the evaporator coils that the circulating fan can't draw air over the coils. There may still be a small amount of cooling because the coils are icy, but with no air flow over the coils, cooling in the refrigerator compartment is quite limited.

Here's an inexpensive, though inconvenient, way to determine if the problem is with the self-defrosting system. Remove all of the perishable food from the refrigerator and freezer, turn the thermostat in the refrigerator to Off, and leave the doors open for 24 to 48 hours. (Be sure to have several towels ready in case the melting frost and ice causes the drip pan to overflow). This allows the refrigerator to defrost "manually." When the frost and ice build-up has completely melted away, turn the thermostat back to a normal setting. If the refrigerator then cools properly, it indicates a problem with one of three components in the self-defrosting system:

• The defrost timer



• The defrost thermostat (also called the bi-metal switch)



• The defrost heater

If it still does not cool properly, there may be a problem with the refrigerant level or the compressor. You may need to consult with a qualified appliance repair technician to further diagnose the problem

Condenser Self-defrosting refrigerators all have a set of coils and a cooling fan, usually under the refrigerator, that need to be cleaned regularly. If these coils get coated with dust, dirt or lint, the refrigerator may not cool properly. The coils may appear to be a thin, black, wide radiator-like device behind the lower kick-panel. To clean them, disconnect the refrigerator from the power source, use a refrigerator condenser brush (see the Appliance Accessories section) and your vacuum cleaner to clean the coils of any lint, pet hair, etc. You may not be able to get to all of the condenser from the front, it may be necessary to clean the remainder of the condenser from the rear of the refrigerator.

The door seal is at fault. Regardless of the small tear it is not sealing well.
Take a dollar bill and close it in the door. Then pull on the bill to feel resistance.
You will find it pulls easily in some place. That is where your air leak is that is causing the condensation.
Do this about every 6 inches all the way around the seal.