# Chest Freezer Leaking



## LS-6 (Nov 26, 2019)

See if you can remove the access panel and see if there's condensation on or around the compressor.


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## de-nagorg (Feb 23, 2014)

On some units in high humidity areas, they will condense, and then freeze water, on the outside lines, near the cooling coils .

This signifies that the valve that keeps the refrigerant inside is failing at times, and allowing the cold refrigerant out to the coils, instead of hot gas.

You may need a repairman to check it out, unless you know what to do.


ED


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## maxw72 (Jun 8, 2020)

I'm in a very dry climate, Utah, so we typically don't have an issue with humidity.


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## de-nagorg (Feb 23, 2014)

maxw72 said:


> I'm in a very dry climate, Utah, so we typically don't have an issue with humidity.


Same here, but occasionally we get wet, has it been rainy there lately?


ED


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## maxw72 (Jun 8, 2020)

de-nagorg said:


> Same here, but occasionally we get wet, has it been rainy there lately?
> 
> 
> ED


We had a decent storm come through a week or so ago, and I believe it was pretty close to when I noticed my chest freezer was leaking. The freezer is in our unfinished basement so I don't see it every day and notice how it is running.


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## AllanJ (Nov 24, 2007)

Probably nothing is wrong.

Either there is provision for condensation (normal) on the cold coils (in one or more freezer walls, not in the compressor area with the vent grill) to melt off and drain somewhere (self defrosting) or the condensation freezes and stays frozen and you need to manually defrost the freezer.

There may be a pan underneath that collects the water and lets it evaporate. It is possible for the pan to overflow if it is too humid, or if the pan is missing then the drippings get all over the floor and seep out where you can see them.


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## 123pugsy (Oct 6, 2012)

I'd say you're having good luck. Consider it broken and get a freezer that you can actually see what you have.
Sorry, but I've had a chest freezer and finding stuff is so not worth the aggravation. Added bonus is extra floor space.


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## de-nagorg (Feb 23, 2014)

@AllenJ has a point. 

I remembered earlier that most have a self defrost system, with a catch pan underneath to catch any defrost water, and evaporate it.

If your pan is missing, cracked or overflowed there might be where the water is from.


ED


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## de-nagorg (Feb 23, 2014)

123pugsy said:


> I'd say you're having good luck. Consider it broken and get a freezer that you can actually see what you have.
> Sorry, but I've had a chest freezer and finding stuff is so not worth the aggravation. Added bonus is extra floor space.


Proper organization is the key to finding things in that big hole. :devil3:

Besides they are great secure storage boxes to store things that attract vermin.

You can store things outside behind a shed, or outbuilding.

After they are discarded by being broke, that is. 


ED


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## maxw72 (Jun 8, 2020)

Well after putting the 2 year old to sleep my wife and I got our coolers out and started unloading our food into the coolers. As we get to the bottom my wife says "wait a minute, the plug is out". We are guessing that sometime in the winter the rubber plug came loose when we were trying to find something and during the cold winters here in Utah and the cool temperature of our unfinished basement, it wasn't an issue but once it started warming up here it became an issue. I still unplugged the unit and let all the frost thaw and cleaned the freezer. Plugged it back in yesterday morning and I still had a dry cement floor this morning when I went and took a look!


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## maxw72 (Jun 8, 2020)

Well, I spoke too soon! Went down to do some painting on my sons power wheel and I have quite a bit of water. I popped open the access panel and everything looks fine, no condensation. I’m fairly certain this model is a manual defrost. What’s odd is I can hear it running, green and red light are on, so where should I start. Unfortunately buying a new one isn’t an option. The odd thing is as well this unit is just over two years old so I feel like it should still be running.


























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## NeoHawk (Jun 13, 2020)

When I had a puddle forming under a fridge/freezer, I corrected the problem by getting a 6 inch piece of solid copper wire, thick gauge, bent it into a "U" shape and suspended it over the drainhole by hanging it from one of the self-defroster heating coils. There was no insulation. The heat conducted down the drainhole to prevent ice build up that blocked water draining, causing a water trickle to form on the floor. Your particular configuration is probably different, but the general concept might apply. Hope this helps.


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## 123pugsy (Oct 6, 2012)

Check any cold refrigeration tubes that are not insulated. They will sweat and drip quite a bit as humidity levels are beginning to skyrocket now.


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## maxw72 (Jun 8, 2020)

123pugsy said:


> Check any cold refrigeration tubes that are not insulated. They will sweat and drip quite a bit as humidity levels are beginning to skyrocket now.



We don’t have humidity here in Utah and to the eye they looked very dry.

Probably will check the pan once my son goes to sleep 


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