Amana Fridge Drain tube update

[Sue]

So an update on the amana fridge with the bottow drawer freezer.

Encouraged by Jeffs diagrams, I yarded out the fridge and removed the panel + found the drain tube. It wasn't plugged on the bottom. It turned out that the hole at the top was completely plugged with ice.

so plugged that I didn't even know where it was (but since I knew where it was on the bottom, I could find its approximate location on the top). I waited 'til the fridge had finished a defrost cycle and then emptied the freezer and turned the hair dryer and some warm water on the area. it seems to be fine now.

of course you have to wonder why it filled up in the first place. I think we spilled an ice cube tray in the area and that might account for it. of course that may be just wistfull thinking.

[George E. Cawthon]

I'll bet you did spill something liquid on it, or something slipped over there and continued to melt a while at then end of the defrost cycle.

Here's a hint if the problem comes back. Put a 12 gauge copper wire in the drain tube with a curl at the top to keep if from falling thru; the bottom end of the wire should protrude about an inch (not hit anything) from the bottom of the drain tube. The wire will carry heat up to the top of the drain and should keep it from freezing, but the amount of heat it moves will be so small as to not affect operation.

[Appliance Repair Aid]

Hi,

If it comes back.....blast some hot water down the drain hole and tube with a turkey baster....and something here may help as well....

jeff. Appliance Repair Aid

[Hell Toupee]

I hope you don't have any more trouble with it, but...several years ago Amana had a known problem with their top freezer refrigerators whose drain plugs choked with ice in the freezer compartment. Their 'solution' was to install a thicker styrofoam block in the freezer floor. It didn't work, and they didn't stand behind their product. Owners had to take apart the freezer floor every few weeks to thaw out the clogged drain.

I got rid of my Amana fridge because of this and will never buy the brand again, because that problem was due to sloppy design, and their 'fix' was worthless. If they can't build a decent product I can't be persuaded to buy it.

HellT

[Stormin Mormon]

You did a great job. Glad you posted dthe follow up.

[Stormin Mormon]

I worked on a fridge about six time, top freezer. Kept puddling and freezing. I tweaked the little alum drain pan severl times. Musta got it, finally.

[Sue]

yeah I know. as soon as I googled Amana and drain tube it was apparent. It worked fine for over a year though, so maybe it's an aberation (crosses fingers).

we bought based on the consumer reports review, of course it wouldn't have occured to us that this might have been a problem. oh well. just have to see.