Water inside refrigerator

[EMD360]

We just returned from a 3 week trip to high humidity Indiana. It was in the 90’s our first two weeks but cooled a bit the last week. We had a very wet refrigerator inside. I had to soak up the water with paper towels. The fins seemed to be self defrosting. We were parked in the shade. We were always level. I have a small circulating fan I bought for the heat and used that. I even bought damp rid and a small dehumidifier for the coach and we ran the air conditioner. Was the refrigerator just fighting the heat and humidity? It stayed cold inside and the freezer worked without the excess moisture.

[dougrainer]

garyemunson wrote:
Put that little plug back in and be sure to regularly clean it. It's primary purpose is to block insects who smell the food and take the highway to it...

You mean the insects go up the drain tube and get inside the refer? If so, NEVER happens. I have 43 years as an RV tech and I have NEVER seen Insects in a refer. The drain plug on a Norcold, is to stop air from migrating back up. The Drain hose insert on a Dometic is kind of the same. BUT, the drain hose on a dometic if installed correctly(I would say less than 1% are) is supposed to have a P trap by looping the hose and then route outside the access door. This P trap will have drain water in it and insects cannot get to the refer. This is why the Dometic drain hose is so long. Doug

[wa8yxm]

Note on Dometic the drain tube is supposed to be extended out via a hole in the outisde vent so it drips. drips, drips on the ground.

There is a device in the end of the tube to prevent insects from crawling in and up. it can clog. Remove it from the tube and clean it.. you might also need to "Snake" out the tube.. Be sure to replace the "plug" and put it out via a hole so it drips drips drips on the ground. not INSIDE the compartment.

[garyemunson]

Put that little plug back in and be sure to regularly clean it. It's primary purpose is to block insects who smell the food and take the highway to it...

[EMD360]

I found the drain from the tray to the tube.

And it’s location.

[EMD360]

That seems to have been the problem. When I removed the plug water streamed out. The plug has a small hole that lets water into the cup. It was clogged. I cleaned it out with running water and a paper clip end and blew into the pipe. I cleaned out the cup which had mud in it and dusted out the compartment. Won’t be using the fridge for awhile but I bet that fixed it. Thanks!

[dougrainer]

EMD360 wrote:
The tray is not draining. I don’t see the drain opening inside but I’ll check the tube. Thanks.
The dehumidifier is tiny and damprid is already solid next to the stove. I bought refill but probably won’t need it until we go back East!

The drain check is from the OUTSIDE. You remove the outside access door and you will see the drain tube next to the burner flue. Doug

[EMD360]

The tray is not draining. I don’t see the drain opening inside but I’ll check the tube. Thanks.
The dehumidifier is tiny and damprid is already solid next to the stove. I bought refill but probably won’t need it until we go back East!

[dougrainer]

stevenal wrote:
Check the drain. Water should collect in a tray under the fins inside the fridge. From there it runs outside through the lower vent.

Bingo, the Only brand refer that has a self defrosting evap fin programming is Norcold. The fins defrost every 48 to 54 hours if the refer is in continous operation. The refer just shuts down for a few hours and this allows the fins to thaw and drain the ice build up. ICE is an insulator and degrades cooling performance. The volume of water is significant. Norcold's, the drain tube goes to a small cup beside the burner flue. The END of that tube has a very small check valve that prevents warm air to migrate up the tube to the interior of the refer. THAT check valve usually gets clogged over the years and does not drain hence the water backs up and overflowed into the refer. This link shows the hose and that very small black check valve on the one end is what you need to check. Doug

https://tweetys.com/norcold-622392-refrigerator-drain-tube.aspx?utm_term=&utm_campaign=&utm_source=a...

[stevenal]

Check the drain. Water should collect in a tray under the fins inside the fridge. From there it runs outside through the lower vent.

[Matt_Colie]

EMD,

I would agree with your supposition. The reason you did not (yet) have the same issue with the freezer section is only that it is open so much less often.

Damp Rid does work, but it can easily get over loaded.

If the dehumidifier you are running is the typical refrigeration type, did you notice that it rejects a lot of heat? It is sort of cross-purpose to run this and the A/C (that also dehumidifies) at the same time.

Matt