Jake thank you! I'm just seeing this link a year later. As I told Marie mine was JUST starting to show frost coming out of the top 2 slots of the cover. (mostly top right) Do you think this is what's wrong with most of these refrigerators? WHERE does the thermostat go?
Hey jake we have a Samsung side-by-side refrigerator it’s a rs 265tdbp I watched a bunch of your videos ours is doing the usual keeps freezing up I have to keep taking it apart using the hairdryer on the coils it’s a pain in the ass at least twice a month I was wondering I know you said in one of your videos you were going to have a solution for that I didn’t know if you came up with anything To fix that?? Any help would be greatly appreciated
@@user-cj2vu4jn7v Got a RS21hduts. I got same problem. I couldn't find an exact solution. There is a hidden menu on fridge that has a forced defrost(fD) mode. Rather than removing the cover I use fD mode. There are some upgrade kits on ebay for side by side samsungs but didnt try one. Samsung keeps producing and selling the same under engineered frosting no-frost fridges for years although they know about the problem very well.
Spent all day watching Samsung refrigerator fixes, but this one was the best. And the comments are hilarious 🤣! Bottom line, we all got screwed by Samsung, found numerous videos on thawing out this piece of $hit, and a Facebook group of haters and a Class action lawsuit: Yikes!! Bought mine 4 years ago and had a repair man fix it at 7 months. I guess I should count my self lucky that I got three years out of it before today’s tear down to defrost. I might add that I had a perfectly working Whirlpool that was 14 years old that I replaced just to get a better “looking “ stainless steel refrigerator. One thing quite a few people have said to do after the defrost: get a 6” piece of copper wire to attach on the black heating wire near the drain hole, exstending 1-2”” into the drain hole. Apparently the fact the water freezes the hole up causes the water to drain into the refrigerator under crisper trays & then cause condensation that creates the freezing of the coils and fan ice to form. Do I get an A?
*The amazing thing is this problem has been going on since before 2010 and Samsung kept denying AND making the exact same crap so do yourself a favor and junk these lemons you'll be much happier.*
Hey Jake, I really appreciate you taking the time to try and help us all out. I have one of these suckers I'm dealing with the first time at my 90 year old Moms house. I called Samsung and asked it they were aware of a problem, but they denied it, and suggested I pay someone to look at it, FYI.
I put a copper wire through the drain..hooked it TO the heating element and NO MORE problems! I pushed almost 2 feet into the drain hole. I don't know if that much was necessary but it worked! This is after I paid 2 repairmen to come out who did nothing other than to thaw the ice out with MY blow dryer. Thank you all on RUclips who told me how to do it! PS I'm a woman...nothing stops me! It's been 6 months and it's working perfectly. I did clean out the rubber tube that comes down in the back to the drain pan since I had the frig pulled out but I do NOT think that was the problem. I did a "chat" w Samsung and asked if the copper wire would work and they said yes. It did!
@@mariec1439 14 or 16 gauge?? I figured the bigger the more heat it would conduct. I will say that mine started showing frosty ice coming out of the top 2 holes of the cover a month or so ago. I shut it down, cleaned all the pet fur off of the coils underneath and used the blow dryer on the cover wo removing it this time. Sadly it is already beginning to come back. If I can figure out where to put the thermostat I'll try that next. But 2 years was pretty good! I'm so glad you messaged me because I had forgotten Jake shared the link!
Thank you for this diy fix. I watched all of the videos and did get my fridge to work again. Fortunately I didn’t have the trial and error you had to go through to get this fix. With COVID and being laid off I can’t afford to replace this fridge. You saved me big time, more then you know. Take care and let’s all hope for a better 2021. Thanks again.🇨🇦
This is a permanent solution, so seat tight and enjoy my analysis. The root cause of the problem is ice built up and then clogged up the cold air vent holes and jammed the fan. There are multiple reasons for ice build up: 1. Where did the ice come from? To minimize the ice we need to keep moisture inside to the minimum, which means covering up glasses of water, milk, opened sod cans, soup, cut open water melon, mango, fruits, wet vegetable, raw meat, etc. . The humidity inside the refrigerator is quite low, and so anythings that can be dried up will release moiture and this will form ice, and too much ice will out win the defrost heater short heating cycle (short cycle to achieve the Energy Star) and the net result is a slowly ice build up. 2. The other moisture source is the bottom Pantry tray that collected water. You need to pull out the pantry and clean this bottom tray every month or so, or after a spill from trays above. Any liquid spill not cleaned up will ended up as ice inside the fan box -- no magic about this. 3. The bottom drainage hole is clogged up with ice. Once this happened, every degrost cycle will release the water down into the bottom Pantry and pool there. This water then evaporate and form ice inside the fan box eventually. (Hint: to melt the drain hole ice fast, fill up the "pond" above the hole with water then place a 15 watts soldering iron hot tip into the water and make sure to keep the hot tip from directly touching the plastic part. Add more water if the "pond is dried up. The hot water will melt the ice and clear up the drain hole. You need to keep an eye on this and remove the iron as soon as the hole is cleared. So how do we solve these problems? It is unrealistic to have zero moisture inside the refrigerator, but if we can keep it to the minimum as I pointed out in (1) above, and with a modification to the design that prevents the drain hole clogged up then the problem will be eliminated permanently. To solve the problem (3), I used a 6 inches long, 3mm diameter copper (or aluminum) wire, wrapped around the black heater pipe (just above the drain hole and running across left to right) 3 turns, and extended the wire down into the drain hole. If you don't have large gauge wire then just use two smaller gauge wires, wrap them on the left and right side of the heater pipe and extend the wires down into the drain hole about 1.5 to 2 inches. I used to fix the iced up fan every year, but after implementing the 3 steps above, it has been running over 2 years and still no problem. My unit is RF266AB. Brian
Brian, Seems like you figure you got these baby's figured out... This fridge (and many Samsung's) suffer from multiple problems . One is the drain tube extension wire. This covers the frozen water below trays. Now frozen coils that stop fan and air flow and fail to cool Fridge. If one manages to eliminate moisture sources (as you suggest) , no defrost problem ! Not realistic, (I'm an Engineer, must be tolerant of real conditions ,not hide from) fridge should be tolerant of moisture and handle it. It did when new. Thanks for Guitar Man getting folks thru short term MELT DOWN . SAVE YOUR FOAM defrost with water then fix the REAL problem I have read post/video several times or the last 2 years as my RF265 began to warm (frozen Evap like you) Getting tired of breaking out coolers,etc. Done 5x in 2 yr I must say thought I've got it down to a couple hours. For Defrost, water (hot from hose best) heat transfer of even cold water beats Hot air several x) I can get cover off safely in ten minutes. Have 10 towels on hand. Plug drain to below, or be ready to turkey baster out the water from pan out back. I see all the effort in insulating coil. Paper on real Hot coil ?? Maybe fiberglass. wonder why I got 5 Yrs without this problem (had freeze up on bottom drain fixed with longer tang)and now this,what changed ?? bought new. Searching web and service tips, I thought I would measure voltage of sensors in operation. Not too hard, PC board on back of unit. I forced a Manual defrost (press 2 buttons at once) rd, and did not hear more than a slight tick from expansion. When Unit froze up, again. I expect sizzle of water on hot coil. NOT So I read, if defrost sensor fails, it could think Temp met right away, and end defrost in 90 sec (said to 68 F for Refridge ends defrost) OK and run ONLY 90 seconds. Barely a sizzle. I Measure voltage on the sensors (cn30? on PCB blue wire to gnd)) and it looks like 80 F (per chart) to Computer (when surround by ice ) !! And must have been wrong for 2 yrs. Have you checked/tested your Defrost Sensor ? I replaced sensor and held in ice to test (reads like 33 f) , now it goes longer that 90 seconds and I hear the sizzler of water on the hot element ! Back together may for last time !!!!! let you know on a few months. Let me know when you see this, I can help you troubleshoot if needed.. Mark fingers crossed in Ohio *************Update 10 Months WITHOUT problems**********
Excellent analysis Brian. Wish I read this before today, would have saved me lots of time. I fridge completely froze over - took me over an hour to safely defrost with a heat gun to remove the cover. Then another hour with heat gun to carefully remove all the ice. I moved the thermistor sensor as some suggested. Not sure if it helps any. Finally discovered the iced up drain tube. Another hour with boiling water, sucking out (with a small liquid pump), to totally clear that drain. Then I used a 12" #8 gauge wire wrapping 2 times around heating element and sticking 6-8" of length into that drain tube. Hope I didn't overkill it :-) Will see how long this lasts. Really like your analysis about keeping moisture down and regularly cleaning / drying bottom of trays. I've never did this before until today. What a mess.
Mark Carney , the reason the drain tube freezes is simple. Everyone tends to complicate it. Sure, a heat sink is needed due to the defrost element warping. The will warp away from the drain hole and are too far to keep it thawed. The heat sink, or wire added to element and the other end is in the drain will correct that problem. It won’t correct the problem of the water freezing up inside the tube. When the drain tube fills with water and freezes it causes water to leak out the refrigerator/freezer. You’ll notice water frozen under the drawers and leaking out the front onto your floor. This will not cause a “no cool” issue. The unit will cool properly. The only complaint is water on the floor. Every owners manual has a maintenance section. It will tell you to clean the condenser coils at least once a year. These coils are in back by the compressor. They pull air in from under refrigerator, over the condenser coils and across the compressor. This does several important jobs. It cools the compressor, condenser and keeps the refrigerant at a proper temperature. Too hot will cause the refrigerant to not liquify properly or the compressor to over heat. This also causes copper lines to erode, flake and leak. If the coils aren’t cleaned, the dust and dirt and pet hair will clog in the coils. This restricts the air flow that is needed. This also leaves no where for the dust and dirt to go. The fan is pulling in the air and it’s trying to find a place to go. The dust and air will travel to places they aren’t designed to go. Dust will be sticking to vents, getting stuck on the water valve and other components underneath. The dust will also make its way in the drain tube. Every refrigerator that I’ve serviced that has a leaking refrigerator due to a frozen drain has been caused by a restriction inside the tube. This restriction is dust/dirt that had no where else to go. Clean the coils at least once a year, more often if you have inside pets, and this problem won’t happen.
Hi to all you Samsung refrigerator owners. For the past year or two my coil has been freezing up about every 2 to 3 weeks. I have found that the heater is working and sending water down under my crisper. Now after this melting of the coil water builds up at the bottom of the coil and then freezes because the little metal piece is not long enough to keep the drain hole open. What i did is loosen the heater coil and pull it all the way down to the bottom of the metal cover at the bottom. The coil is touching the metal cover at the bottom and the little metal piece is now deep in the drain hole. I have not had any water under the crisper for 3 weeks now and no fan noise. Also not sure this made a difference but i took the white sensor an attached it to the pipe to the left of the original position. Good luck Samsung frig owners. Jimmy
Thank you JakeGuitar, we were thinking about buying a new frig. then checked out your videos. We emptied out the fridge and a few hours later no ice and put it all back. It runs fine and all is good. Thank you.
I sympathize with your efforts on this poorly designed Samsung refrigerator. One note that needs to be taken seriously. Do not use paper towels to insulate the cooling coils input line. It is a fire hazard and may restrict air flow. However, I did tightly wind foil tape around the input/output of the first two feet of the input coil, which seemed to help slow down (too early to tell if it eliminated) ice buildup. The biggest thing that may help, providing that your defrost elements and sensors are working correctly, and the fuse for the defrost heater is good, is to move the white thermistor sensor, located upper right but outside of the cooling coils, directly to the input/output of the cooling coils at the top and right, otherwise noted as the point of the greatest/first ice buildup. If the programming is working properly, then it should automatically defrost until that ice is gone, hopefully. I also noticed there was a change in the white thermistor sensor at the right side of the coils to the after market black sensor you referenced at Amazon. Did that help?? Also, I did extend a thick gage copper wire wrapped around the heating element and down to about an inch into the drain hole to keep it ice free. Thanks to those that recommended that fix.
Just wanted to give a update and just did this yesterday and the Samsung did just what you said. Took a lot of ice off the thermostat and upper coils. The Fridge took some time to adjust( over night)... Thankyou cause I thought seriously we were going to have to spend a few thousand for another one. The only thing I didn't do is the paper towel wrap. Thought I would check every few months for condition. Thankyou so much.
Thank you for the info.. I have insulated the lines that you did but did it with insulated foil tape and zip ties. Wish I could show my pics of the work.. my refrigerator actually seems like it's cold and like the temp gauge is working now to.. it uset to just say 34 at all times even with the door open for a while. So far.. it's been a week..
Hello Jake and thank you for the videos on the repair of the Samsung fridge. I have "fixed" my girlfriends fridge which has not worked properly for 2 1/2 years. I have to say that I am trying some different things to stop the icing problem and will update you if they do. Thanks again for the help with the refrigerator.
Why even bother fixing it yourself ?. You should just let SamSung warranty service a chance to do their job !. We have the same problem with our SamSung SRF639DSS model after 4.5years working fine for our Sydney's hot climate. I called SamSung Australia explained the situation, mentioned about a few youtube video questioned the quality of SamSung's fridges. I also mentioned the fact that we use lots of SamSung house hold products including diswasher, mirowave oven, washing and dryer machine, etc. SamSung advised that it should just be a simple fix as they are standing behind the quality of their products. The operator asked me to find the original purchasing invoice, which dated January 2012. She then sent me the repair authorisation form to sign for the repair technician on the day, and booked for us a warranty repair service for free the next day on 27 Dec 2017. As it turned out, the auto defrost system was not working because of the blown fuse. I am happy and quite surprised and impressed with SamSung's warranty services.
By laying paper towel or any insulation along the top of the evaporator or along the bottom you restrict airflow over the refrigerant coils. They need to be clear. Wrapping the lines above the evaporator where they enter and exit the cabinet is acceptable. Putting a combustible anywhere near the defrost element is clearly asking for a fire.
As a 45-year technician, I can promise you that using a hair dryer will dissolve the liner in Samsung, LG and most other brands when it comes to thawing the evap. Always use a steam gun t avoid replacing a refrigerator due to wall damage
Hi Jake Good on you for getting stuck in and save everyone who has this problem a lot of money and saving the planet from Scrapped Samsung Fridge Freezers filling up land fill LOL.....I was going to jump in after part 1 but decided to watch all the Videos first...Anyway I am an ex Factory Trained Hotpoint Service Technician and have worked on Thousands of Fridges and Freezer units both Domestic and commercial and it's fairly obvious why they are having this problem you actually hit on the answer with your Nebulizer LOL Here in the UK we tend not to get many problems with ICE build up due to the fact there are very few houses that use or need Airconditioning this being the main cause of Moisture in the air making it Humid If you have ever seen how a dehumidifier works it's basically a fridge with a very large surface area condense which the moisture in the air condenses onto then gets collected in a bucket or goes down a drain. Because of the Higher Levels of Humidity in American homes then there is 100s of molecules of water more in the Atmosphere which condenses on anything Cold so the Fridge Ice builds up and the Defrost heater cannot remove this amount of moisture...The only permanent fix would be to fit more defrost heaters they are very low wattage and 3 connected in parallel or maybe even 1 extra would fix this problem once and for all....also 1 last thing moisture condenses on cold metal more than plastic we don't have metal plates and silver foil all around our condense her just plastic..... Good Luck and very well done great effort....Regards Steve Liverpool UK
Steve, you have the right analogy, but you've somehow managed to arrive at exactly the opposite conclusion from reality. Air conditioned homes are LESS humid than the ambient air, for exactly the reason of your analogy - an air-conditioner work like just like a dehumidifier. Moisture in the air condenses on the cold coil of an air-conditioner. The condensate flows to a drip pan and drain line, and out of the building. The higher humidity levels in many US homes vs UK homes is for the simple reason that much of the US *is* more humid than the UK. London sits some 400 miles north of the entire continental US. And Jake in Florida is about 2,000 miles south of you, surrounding by swamps and an ocean of bath-temperature water. About 1/3 of the continental US has a subtropical climate, with summer temps typically 35-40º C, and humidity ambient humidity well over 90%. So yes, Jake is dealing with significantly higher humidity than you do, but not because he has air-conditioning
Exactly so Jeff. The only exception that I can think of is when the air conditioner is of the swamp box design. They are made for hyper dry locations such as Arizona perhaps. I actually had one 35 years ago and all the guns did rust. I was, shall we say due to "charity that begins at home", ill informed.
Michelle & Oscar I'm so upset that this refrigerator leaks the ice maker doesn't work the fan isn't working now I have Frost in my freezer I am out of my mind trying to fix this thing so it doesn't cost me an arm and leg is my husband died and I'm a widow I don't know what to do I don't know how to get it from centigrade back to Fahrenheit it's just crazy
Excellent! Great idea ! I will do this next time. First time I did this it lasted a year. The second time I did it , it lasted 18 months. I did it again two weeks ago and it only lasted two weeks this time 😳🙄 so I will try that tape next time . Thank you so much for sharing! That was a great video
I am dealing with this right now. Purchased this Samsung refrigerator in 2016. Your fix is not a “fix” it is a temporary solution to a major design flaw. I don’t think the average person is willing or able to defrost the evaporator coils on this refrigerator every few months. The only reason I know about this is because it started making this gosh awful noise and I did some research. I have already spent $ on trying to get it repaired. I appreciate all the work you put into this video because I now know what the problem is but I will be getting rid of this refrigerator.
This problem fridge came with the house I bought a year and a half ago, so I'm grateful for your video. I removed the cover and the ice has all melted now, but I notice that the styrofoam insulation, covered over with thin foil tape strips, on the back of the cover seems to have shifted partially. I'm wondering if I should replace it, since there surely can't be a good seal now. Or do I need to buy a new cover? Also, some of the fins on the coil are bent or not in line with the others. Does this affect the efficacy of the fan? Thanks for your help.
+Victoria Chatfield ----> Just do your best to straighten the fins by hand. It won't affect the cooling or the fan efficiency. The Styrofoam is probably your bigger problem. Fix it the best you can and seal the perimeter up with tape. It might help a little...it did for me. Your real problem is that this will be an on-going issue with this fridge no matter what you do. What I would do is try to do a forced defrost one time a week by pressing the correct buttons on the control panel. It might save you hours of time in the future.
This is an excellent example of how a little bit of knowledge can be a dangerous thing. The problem is with the heating element not working properly. Replace the heating element. There is apparently a class action lawsuit against Samsung for this problem.
Thanks for the videos! Mine is about to die! I not have to manually defrost every other DAY!!! Do you think I need to replace the whole unit that's behind the panel. or i just going to buy another fridge.
I saw another vid . Where they used spray foam for those areas I saw a comment on another vid to spray the coils with Pam cooking spray to keep it from ice up. Don’t know if it works
On my RF265 , I can select Fd = Fridge defrost.(Top and bottom) rd = Re fridge only defrost (better to save frozen food) . On my unit, the problem was the Defrost sensor for fridge BAD . ($15) . Like with normal operation (defrost after xx hr compressor run), the trouble shoot function (rd Fd ) kicks off a defrost cycle. IF IT IS WORKING, YOU SHOULD HEAR WATER SIZZLE ON HOT COIL AFTER A FEW MINUTES. If not coil bad, or like mine sensor BAD (Open looks like 80 deg F = Defrosted) . So, if sensor bad, Fd or rd will run cycle till sensor on frozen coil > 60 deg and add 90 sec. BUT WHEN SENSOR BAD IT THINKS instantly 80+ DEG F and just runs 90 seconds, not nearly enough. Also , Samsung recommend (on my model) service note moving clip on sensor to other tube near top. Makes it take longer to get to 60 DEG. The 3 Freeze modes are used to test Compressor current/pressures at known drive level. The computer controls compressor motor speed for most efficient operation normally. So theses 3 "Fixed" speeds allow for Technician to make readings at fixed speed. I found service manual online Helpful I am now about 6 Months in without fan noise or rising temps. Thanks Jake for disassembly tips.
Jake when I took my panel apart there was so much ice I didn;t notice the BLACK WIRE with the sensor seen at 4:21 Could you please tell me where this goes? It has two prongs I;m guessing it sits on the coils? I can see part of it in your video Thanks for any info Bernie
Hey mate, a follow up for this repair is to remove the back plate at the bottom of the fridge and you will see some tubes coming down to the drip tray which allows the consation water to evaporate. Just pull those tubes out and clean out the rubber valve. Mine were blocked with dust and was stopping the water from getting out and causing the freezing of the water up higher.
*The opening for water to drip out the ends of these tubes is so small they are easily plugged so I snipped off a corner of the bottom rubber so there is more room for water to drain and not be plugged up, the refrigerator drain is more problematic than the freezer. This is however a separate problem and won't prevent the common freeze up of the drain hole at the bottom in the tray at the base behind the evaporator cover in the upper portion of the fridge...*
Mine just started icing up this week like yours. Have had it for just over 7 years now. Guess I know what I am doing after work today. I think I will try sticking the piece of copper wire down the drain hole trick as well. Seems like that should be a good fix for that hole freezing up. I have watched some other vids that say the heating element may be bad and that is the cause of it. But before going thru that expense, I will try this for no cost, other than my time.
@@rocnloretta It is still working. Haven't had to "de-ice" since then. There is a little bit of ice build up back there now, but nothing like it used to do. I know I will NEVER buy another Samsung appliance though!
Samsung customer service said raise the front to lean 2 degrees out of plum so water will drain properly. After several 6-8 hr thawing processes l raised the front as much as possible with the bottom leveling screws. Hope it works. Note: 2 degrees out of plumb is ridiculous!
Although, I'm not a professional appliance repair man, but I do have common sense, and it tells me that the suggested repair on this video does not seem like its a sensible idea. I would keep searching for other videos to find better alternatives
As an appliance technician i would never recommend putting paper towels over the evaporator lines or near the defrost heater. This can be a potential fire hazard and also pieces of paper towels could possibly work their way down the drain tub thus, clogging it.
@@thehustlersnetworktv1033 To fix the issue properly, one needs to install Second heater - $15 part# SH201 or similar. There is a ton of videos about the repair here on RUclips
Everyone it’s the drain tube check valve causing the air to come in. They sell a new style check valve and sticker kit for the Samsung fridge. He was right about air freezing up through the drain tub through under the evaporator to the drip pan. The check valve tub is behind the fridge take the bottom cover off it’s hanging into the drip pan.
Replaced a Frigidaire (1 mo old) that would not cool below 42F. with a Samsung RF268ABRS in 2011. Have had nothing but issues with the cooling, specially after an electrical power interruption. It would take up to a week for the unit to settle into the suggested -2/38F setting. Had a lot of spoiled food loss over it's lifetime. Shelf placement is terrible, and unalterable. My backup was a 1947 Westinghouse,and a 17 cu.ft Coldspot chest freezer (running a constant -10F. Yesterday I had a Samsung technician in, and have him declare the RF268 not reparable for less than the cost of a new unit! I think Samsung should stickto cell phones!
Hello, used appliance store? Yes I want the old school Whirlpool simple plain old two door frig. Do you have them? Sure do. I'll be right down there. My new $2500 Samsung 3 month old frig is dead.
Thank you so much! I am so over buying Samsung appliances. Where does the water drain to, if it does not freeze. I put warm water in the drain but need to know if I should be checking a drain container somewhere.
In the RF265 side by side it goes down into a hole behind the rear panel under the heating element, then flows in a pipe to the left, then down and out into a flexible tube into an evaporation tray. Unfortunately my Samsung 'fridge drain froze up solid in the drain line due to either a blockage in the flex pipe that dumps into the evaporation tray and/or the undersized metal defrosting probe attached to the center bottom of the defroster element. After having my "eternally frustrating Samsung" apart about 8 times in the tube, I am not convinced it can be fixed. In my case the poor performance spread to the freezer, the display control so that it is now totally unreliable. Makes one want to ventilate this junk in multiple places with a pick axe so that no one tries to pick up on what appears to be a beautiful stainless steel Refrigerator / Freezer, is actually a frustrating piece of unreliable junk. There went a LOT OF MONEY. Will never even look at Samsung products built in Mexico, China or anywhere else. Adios.
You can replace the element that comes with the bi metal thermostat that is attached on the the element. And possibly change the defrost sensor to avoid issue. Trust me that is why is having defrost issue.
Jake, I have read you post/video several times or the last 2 years as my RF265 began to warm (frozen Evap like you) Getting tired of breaking out coolers,etc. Done 5x in 2 yr I must say thought I've got it down to a couple hours. For Defrost, water (hot from hose best) heat transfer of even cold water beats Hot air several x) I can get cover off safely in ten minutes. Have 10 towels on hand. Plug drain to below, or be ready to turkey baster out the water from pan out back. I see all the effort in insulating coil. Paper on real Hot coil ?? Maybe fiberglass. wonder why I got 5 Yrs without this problem (had freeze up on bottom drain fixed with longer tang)and now this,what changed ?? bought new. Searching web and service tips, I thought I would measure voltage of sensors in operation. Not too hard, PC board on back of unit. I forced a Manual defrost (press 2 buttons at once) rd, and did not hear more than a slight tick from expansion. When Unit froze up, again. I expect sizzle of water on hot coil. NOT So I read, if defrost sensor fails, it could think Temp met right away, and end defrost in 90 sec (said to 68 F for Refridge ends defrost) OK and run ONLY 90 seconds. Barely a sizzle. I Measure voltage on the sensors (cn30? on PCB blue wire to gnd)) and it looks like 80 F (per chart) to Computer (when surround by ice ) !! And must have been wrong for 2 yrs. Have you checked/tested your Defrost Sensor ? I replaced sensor and held in ice to test (reads like 33 f) , now it goes longer that 90 seconds and I hear the sizzler of water on the hot element ! Back together may for last time !!!!! let you know on a few months. Let me know when you see this, I can help you troubleshoot if needed.. Mark fingers crossed in Ohio
Hi Jake, I am currently in the process of unfreezing this fridge, 9months after it was left behind by the previous house owner (NO WONDER). What worries me is that I can see some sort of "rusty water" marks/trails coming from the the bottom part of the cover (which is still stuck in ice) all the way down to the bottom tray. Have you ever seen this before? I'll try to keep you posted once I can finally remove the cover =\ OH AND THANKS FOR YOUR VIDEOS
Jake is this fire safe? what about water on the paper towels? Thanks for posting - just got this as a handme down from family and it is starting to give me trouble - like to fix my own so really appreciate your videos!!
Jake has done a great job of defrosting every few months. I did for a while, but was looking for a long term FIX.I bought new and it worked for 6 years without manual defrost.Then this.(see my post) I replace defrost sensor (about $15) and have been good for a few months now. Part can be measured with meter. With bad sensor it thinks 80 deg F. (and only runs 90 seconds then done defrosting ) should be several minutes and you should hear the sizzle of water boiling on hot coil. No ice creeping out of lower holes yet. Fingers crossed in Ohio
Wow there is to way I would ever advise doing this I’ve been in the appliance and hvacr business for about 17 years, this is a fire risk for sure, paper towels are not insulting materials, plus there is a heating element right there at the bottom, I have seen those elements short out down there at the drain pan and all the cooking spray and paper towel are the accelerant, I’m not actually sure what he is trying to accomplish with this video by wrapping those lines, there are work arounds with this type of refrigerator from the manufacturer to fix the freezing issues.
I know right? Wtf? That’s what I said. I also do appliance repair. But just that tho if your insulating the heating element how in the F@&k is it supposed to get the heat to melt the ice which is now gonna be further separated by layers of insulation. Some people shouldn’t try and fix stuff. If they can’t do it properly stop being a cheapskate and call someone who can do it properly. You tube can’t teach you everything or conmen sense apparently for that matter....
I bought all Samsung in January of 2016. So far I've repaired the dishwasher (bottom mechanism quit working), range (both convection fans) and now I'm working on the fridge. The microwave throws codes ever so often too. Yay Samsung!
Did the same mistake 7 years ago. This past year, my washer (clogged water line), dryer (thermostats fuse, which produces the heat), and tonight the fridge (complete icebox, which obstructed the fan from spinning). NEVER doing Samsung again. Go American...
@@jaywebb4992 Probably just as bad from what I hear. a lot of these korean companies get their parts from the same supplier and basically just throw different exteriors and features. ughhh I miss an old whirpool we had, it ran for about 30 years, it started rusting but boy this thing was such a beast and it had water dispenser too.
After reading about 15 comments below, I'm curious if in addition to running heat down the drain tube if running copper/aluminum wires on the heater coils in the upper/mid section horizontally to also distribute heat to the condenser coils would also aid in the evaporation and fan from freezing up helping with ventilation. Not sure how the condenser coils would affect /reduce life of the defrost coil or effect the sensors somehow. Curious if anyone has tried this and found good results.
Jake, airflow analysis using a nebulizer: now, that's genius! Two questions: 1.) Do you think the air gets sucked down into the drain hole, or is it just cold air sinking? 1a) Was the power to your fridge off when you performed the nebulizer experiment and showed air flowing through the drain hole? 2.) What is the normal airflow when the cover is installed? Does the fan pull air upwards, or push air through the drain hole?
Hi. 1. I think its cold air sinking,but it does seem to go right into that drain hole, so I'm not 100% sure if there is not some kind of effect from the freezer which is drawing that air in. 1a. The fridge was back on when I used the nebulizer. 2. The fan has to draw air inside to pass over the coil. Since the cover is so badly damaged, I think that the air flow is all screwed up and is not doing what it is supposed to do anyway. I think it could be getting too much air because of the damage to the Styrofoam behind the cover, which may be the reason why the fridge seems to be getting worse and worse each time I took it apart. Sealing the edges with tape has seemed to help a little bit but has not solved the problem. I may also close off some of those vent holes tonight.
The fan and vent holes are there to circulate cold air throughout the fridge and freezer. Without that air circulation, you could easily see a 20-30ºF temperature differential between the door pockets and the back of the fridge. The increased icing over time is most likely related to your door gaskets. I've got an RF31FME, and functionally, I love the french doors. But from an engineering standpoint, they clearly don't seal as effectively as a single door. Have you checked your door gaskets? While it seems clear that the Samsungs have a problem with defrosting, the moisture for your icing has to come from somewhere. A leaky gasket would allow a continuous flow of humid air into the fridge.
Hey, man. I have the same problem. I'm looking at the defrost coil and wonder how in the world the Samsung designers thought this would be a good design. Heating element is across the bottom but freezing happen from the top down. I need to tear mine apart every few weeks and it's a 15 month old unit. Have you tried to source a heat trace cable that might be suitable? The insulation you installed may help too, but I'm trying to converge on a thin and low power heat trace than I can snake all around, then plug in ever time I hear the fan starting to grind. Let me know if there are tests you want to run, I'm willing to try things.
Thanks for this, but may I make a point? Having turned off the FRIDGE part of the F/F, left it overnight (and even used a hairdryer on it), and removed all the screws holding that big moulding in place, the ice build-up STILL prevented the panel from being removed... I found that the operation of the FREEZER was still cooling the fridge (maybe to a lesser extent?) and keeping the ice frozen. This prevented the panel from being removed. Emptying the freezer and leaving it off (with the door open) overnight led to the panel being easily removable, to try these - and other - cures. NB Remove that panel carefully, as ours had two electrical connections to it; these could be unclipped by squeezing top and bottom - not sides, as it appears...
remove freezer drawers, open doors, install a sm fan in freezer compartment to draw air from top to bottom out the front.. This defrosts the back panel rather quickly.
Thanks for this video series, Jake, and letting us in on your journey with these Samsung (hamstrung?) machines. I tried a copper wire in the drain, then the manufactured (aluminum?) part recommended for the drain - no surprise that neither worked. I'm going to try the aluminum tape, but to me, it makes more sense to add strips of aluminum tape to what I think is the black-colored defrost coil and leave "tabs" of tape hanging from the coil all around. Perhaps this will conduct more heat from the coil into the space behind the panel and melt ice that forms? I'm just not sure. In theory, to me, it doesn't make sense to insulate evaporator coils since my understanding is that those coils are there to dissipate heat ... no judgment here ... just trying to think this through. I hope it works for you. I'll share notes on what I discover along the way.
I dont think your heating element is getting hot, so adding strips of aluminum tape to it and creating tabs will do too much. You can try it though because I dont think it will harm anything. As for insulating the evaporator coil, it is not a permanent solution for me either, although it seem to help. Btw, I think its the condenser coil that you think dissipates heat. That would be on the outside of your fridge, in the back or underneath or something.
The heating element (what I'm calling the defrost coil) behind the back panel inside my fridge was definitely heating up when I re-started it after fully defrosting the unit. Therefore, it was a big mistake to directly apply aluminum tape to attempt better radiation of the heat! The acrylic glue on the tape burned and sizzled and it took a couple hours adding another chemical to dissolve said glue and get back to square one. I consulted an experienced refrigeration repairman, and he suggested adding aluminum tape to other areas behind the back panel: the drain pan and the inside face of the cover itself by extending the metal panel with tape on both its base and sides. We'll see how that works out!
Yep, it gets mighty Hot !! I would not apply tape or paper. Force a defrost and listen for sizzle. Defrost Sensor bad is my thought ... Without good one,. it , 90 second defrost does nothing. Can run for months (like you and I have seen) Mark in Ohio Hope last time I defrost !!!!!
I have read that if you tilt the refrigerator back so that it is not level from front to back (front being higher) that it helps....defrosting mine now...ugh such a pain
The holes are part of the airflow system that allow your refrigerator to get cold. Don't cover the holes!!! If you cover the holes, it will never get cold enough to keep your food fresh. If the thermostat is not working, replace it. Same thing for the heating coil. My problem has been with the cover design. The heating coil is on the bottom and does not generate enough heat to reach the top near the fan. The be covers are designed with stainless steel, not the crappy foil, and carry the heat up the sheet of metal to the coils. It's a real shame that we got stuck with the lemons. It's, also, a shame that manufacturers at knowingly making crap that lasts 7-10 years if you're lucky! My parent's fridge lasted 30 years. The next one lasted 25! They know exactly what they are doing! They raise the price for all the bells and whistles and sell cheaper products with cheap components designed to fail so that we must buy a new one! Simple, cheap, and energy efficient with water and ice coming out of the door: Is that really so much for which to ask?
Hi Jake. The paper towel wrap is a fire hazard. That cal rod heater will, some day cause fire. The cooling fins and tubes help cool the fresh food section. They need to be bear, The defrost system has a drain tube in the back on bottom> check that for clog. the clip you hang on the cal rod heater helps transfer heat to keep the drain tube clear of ice build up during defrost cycle. Gets nice and hot...! tape was a good idea. Thermal Dynamics is a good field. Heat flow, fun subject..
Hello Jake, I watch all your videos on the Samsung. I am in the process of taking the refrigerator apart to defrost the coils. Question, did the insulation work and if so, how long?
Hi. It worked for quite a long time. I was having to defrost the fridge every month and a half. Every time you take that cover off, you destroy it more and more which contributes to the problem. It lasted me at least 6 months after the insulation. This time I put even more insulation on it as you can see from the video. So far so good. Part 8 of this series was made on April 22, and now its May 22. One month good so far.
Jake! Thanks from another guitar-slinging Samsung fridge owning RUclipsr. I just followed your instructions. I noted where the heating element is in my unit just below the bottom of the coils and avoided getting any paper near it. I did use the thicker auto glass towels as they are a little firmer than paper towels. I also found a kit that replaced the piece of tin that melts the ice at the drain hole. I never had that issue again after using that kit. I also saw where you can move the sensor to another tube back there...its s plastic clip-on with a yellow wire at the top - didn't work people...not a fix.
I have only have a picture of that tele on my yt page. I actually have two telecasters. One is a blue Mexican and the newest one is a sunburst american.
@@jakeguitar01 OK - Update: This repair lasted for 60 days with mine. My model number is RF263BEAESR. I can say for sure this is the best fix I've seen yet because the ice would build back un in under 3 weeks previously. TIP: I used a small space heater instead of a hair dry and it was much more efficient. Also, cooking spray tip worked like a charm! We have decided to dump this POS and get a new Whirlpool! I've spent hours. Again, thank you Jake!
I appreciate your comment. For most people, fixing these things is an act of futility. I don't blame you for dumping it. You have to try, but eventually, anyone who values their time will eventually throw it away.
I wonder how it would work to just spray the same areas with low expansion foam insulation, emphasis on low expansion. The down side is it would be difficult to get back off if the need arose.
I know this is old, but thank you 5 years of 4 times a year blow dryer to melt it and such! I’ve tried everything else literally this is my last hope before spending in a new fridge! Obviously not ever a Samsung!
THIS GUY DOESN’T KNOW WHAT HE’S TALKING ABOUT! The evaporator coils SHOULD have frost on them. The air in the fridge needs to pass over the coils. This is how the heat inside is removed from your unit. What this guy is showing you to do is WRONG on so many levels! First, the reason you see moisture going into the drain is due to the drain line. The drain line is a tube that exits the refrigerator. With the door open there is a draft. The air will naturally follow that drain tube. This is normal. Second- NEVER use a blow dryer to defrost a refrigerator! Never! The liner is plastic, a very thin plastic. It melts easily. You will damage the liner and there is no fix. You could try to seal a damaged liner, in my 30 yrs experience, sealants only work for awhile. Plus, it’s not covered by manufacturer and once damaged nothing else will be cover by the manufacturer. Third- NEVER put paper towels on electrical components! HELLO!! Would you wrap paper towels around the bake element in your oven? No, I hope not. The defrost heater in your refrigerator is the same as an oven element. It will glow red hot and any paper near it will burn. If your refrigerator has frost/ice built up on the back wall, there is a component in the defrost circuit that has failed and needs to be replaced. No paper towel is going to fix it.
Loretta if that is your image in your Avatar then all I can say that your beauty is only surpassed by your intellect. Let us not forget that this guy is a typical "RUclipsr". He creates videos about nothing in particular, he is out here for likes and subscriptions, actual substance and quality of content including being correct is the last thing on his mind.
My refrigerator is having a similar issue. I can no longer open the ice maker door to defrost it with the hair dryer. It's frozen over along with the cooling fan compartment in the refrigerator. I use an electronic thermostat to keep a check for the actual temperature in the refrigerator and freezer. The refrigerator is at 50 degrees and there is water pooling under the deli tray. The water then spills onto the floor and I have to remove the deli tray to clean the water out. All of this happened to me in 2017 and I now have the same issue. I've call Samsung and they refuse to acknowledge that they have a manufacture defect on the refrigerators. They told me since this is out of warranty that I would have to pay for repairs. Well the ice maker has been an issue for me for years. I have to defrost it with a hairdryer about once a month and here I am again in 2020 having to get the same repair that was performed in 2017 which tells you all they did was put a bandaid on the problem without addressing the real issue which is this thing can not be fixed. Of course, I've requested a refund and they deny that they are at fault and will not give me a refund. I have filed a complaint with the BBB.
I just did mine. I hope this works. These samsungs are garbage. the dishwashers suck too. ended up throwing it away. Looks like I might have to do the same with this ridge.
Question pls. refrigerator flushed all lines, works fine after cycle gauge reads vacuum again, applied heat to the capillary joints by the evaporator coil could hear refrigerant rushing worked fine until cycle, what could be the problem?
PLEASE READ!!! Had to do this every 6 months until I read that if you spray "Pam" on the coils it will prevent ice buildup. So I tried it and haven't had a problem since. 5 years and still no ice build up!
Try this my freezer has been freezing up for over a year so one day I was cleaning behind the refrigerator and I pull the cover off on the bottom and the coils were full of lint I got my air compressor out and cleaned it problem solved no more freezing up
I would be careful and not do what you did. I measured the temp. of the heater element at the bottom (where you put paper towels) and the hottest spot was a whopping 300F. I entered FD, forced defrost mode with the cover off. I believe these high temps are fairly typical for short periods of time. I don't think 150F would do much against all that ice. It can get so hot it glows. Also, paper towels can absorb humidity. Manufactures use foam sparingly, as needed. Second, that tape probably has a cancer warning on it. You are introducing a lot of it inside the fridge. Also when it gets hot, it can off-gas into the fridge even more...where you might have liquids, veggies, etc., that can easily absorb those fumes- then you eat them. At that point, the temperature of your orange juice is the least of your worries.
I fixed mine a different way. Found out the defrost element reached over 400F, any melting ice dripped on the defrost heating element and instantly evaporated. This caused high humidity in the refrigerator, and thus contributed to once again icing up the coils, rather than the water dripping into the hole. My fix was to add a $3 drok temp control to the 12v line that turns on the defrost heating element, and set it to cycle off and on to keep the element closer to 200F. Now humidity stays 40% to 60% vs 80 to 100%. The coils stay defrosted without build up, and it stops the viscous high humidity cycles that end up freezing to the fan. I hope someone makes a video how to do this, i am glad to help but not good at making help videos.
Is there a way to make the evaporator fan run full time even when the compressor is cycled off. The continuous airflow might melt frost during the off cycle of the compressor and further prevent freezing.
Don't know, I am not an appliance tech, but I do have common sense and it tells me that placing paper towel and covering it up with AC tape just doesn't seem right. There must be another way or a much better approach.
To put a Samsung refrigerator into forced defrost mode you need to press a few button sequences: -Press both the “Power Freeze” and “Fridge” buttons at the same time. -Hold both buttons in until display beeps and goes blank. -To force fridge defrost element to come on, press “Freezer” button a second time. -To force defrost on both the refrigerator and freezer sections, press the “freeze” button a third time.
hello jake greetings from holland, i have a qeustion mine samsung fregiator wont cooldown it stays on 16 celcius but the freezing secion its working fine. model:RS23FASM
If there is a class action suit about this problem, we will be a part of it. We also have a Samsung side by side experiencing the same issue. Repair people have been out multiple times, replaced the fan and the mother board and the coils still freeze over. We won’t buy any more products with the name Samsung on it
I’m an appliance repair man. People please do not do this! This will cause a fire. Not only that but he is blocking the natural needed airflow to cool the fridge. Without the air flow properly venting into the fridge the fridge will not cool to proper temperature. The thing he is right about is that this is a common problem with Samsung fridges however the easiest and professional way to fix it is unplug it for 48 hours with all doors open to allow it to completely and naturally defrost by replace the fan if needed and replace the defrost sensor which will be either a thermostat embedded somewhere in the styrofoam near the coils or a bi metal thermistor that attaches directly to the coils. If it is a bi-metal thermistor u can test the bi-metal thermistor for continuity with a multimeter if it beeps it’s good if not it’s bad. Anyway, those two parts and the other part that could be bad would be the defrost heater itself. And lastly the tab that goes to the drain hole! .....it is not sufficiently long enough and Samsung knows this and there is a replacement tab that can be ordered that is significantly longer. Installing that tab replacement does in fact fix the icing issue of the drain plug. In my experience the thermostat is usually fine and the heater is usually ok as well.....oh and another this do not bend the fins on the evap coil they are there for a reason....anyhow it’s usually the tab that doesn’t defrost the drain. So the fam gets iced over after while and because the motor on it is trying to go anyway but not moving it burns out the fan motor. U can check fan motor by plugging it in to its slot and if u look up at the door frame of the fridge you should see one or two little switches those tell the fridge the door is closed press them in and hold them with your hands and fingers wait a few seconds and fan should start to spin if it spins it’s good if it doesn’t then replace it. To keep moisture to a minimum do not line the walls of fridge keep a 1 inch gap between sidewalls and back wall and all the groceries to allow proper air flow around everything. Also, do not put anything in your fridge without an airtight lid on it. Any fruits and veggies need to be in drawers and any meats that are wrapped and thawing should be also left on a plate and covered or in a Tupperware with a lid. If you take things out to clean make sure they are thoroughly dried before putting them back inside (shelves, drawers, etc.,,) all these factors play the most significant roles in why your fridge would be icing up a and my message should give you a self explanatory information on how by fix the issues. Please do not do this paper towels thing. This is very dangerous and cooking spray can add to the danger of starting a fire. No offense to the user who posted the videos but this is very irresponsible of a video to post without doing your due diligence.
Hi Mikey, thanks for your detailed, expert advice! I'd like to ask you... on my RS275, ice builds up around the fridge fan, and the water reservoir freezes. If I force defrost the fridge a few times, the problems go away temporarily. Do you think it is the refrigerator temperature sensor? Thanks for any help!
I think you fixed it somewhat by slowing down the defrost circuit. The sensor was covered by the insulation you put in. A few others had the same solution with relocating or adding a 2k resistor.
Have had my fridge 2 years and was told by a "Samsung" tech yesterday to stay away from their appliances. They do not know how to build one....they are an electronics company. Judging from all the reviews on your site, I'd say I'm not alone in what I'm going through. Almost $3000 for this piece of shit!! Samsung should be held responsible! Now I have to convince my husband to get a GE and not waste time & money fixing what will inevitably break again! Everyone should post a review under Comsumer Affairs too....if nothing else lets stop Samsung from making so much money off of us!!!!!!!
so we fixed ours about 2-3 years ago and now today we are defrosting the back again. It is frozen up again. Any one have a repeat? We added the coil to extend the heating 2-3 years ago. Samsung RF263beae is nothing but junk
This coil freezing in French-door-style Samsung Refrigerators has been resolved several years ago. The problem is in the alignment of the refrigerator. The front of the refrigerator needs to be a bit higher than the rear of the refrigerator. This allows the proper self-defrosting and draining. See us.community.samsung.com/t5/Kitchen-and-Family-Hub/Evaporator-Fan-freezing-RF263BEAESR-French-door-refrigerator/td-p/63478
Mine stays higher in the front because my floor is uneven. It still froze up under the crisper. I did the copper wire into drain and it gave me 2 more years. Starting to ice again.
Noooooo!!! you are creating a fire risk!!!! If the heater gets hot, it could ignite the paper tissue and set alight to plastic lining , ultimately causing a potential explosion of the refrigerant gas. Never ever do this!!!
Most manufacturers have a kit for this icing issue. Many French door units experience an icing issue. With a little searching there is usually a service bulletin with part numbers needed. Manufacturers also are producing videos on how to install these I have seen the Samsung one here on RUclips. Please be careful when re engineering an appliance I've repaired appliances and seen some very scary and dangerous things done by well meaning people. Not saying this repair is right or wrong just saying look to see if there is a service bulletin or an alert first and try to get professional advice before repairing anything. Have a blessed day
I agree never add what is not intended but a good thought also mine has the same problem but anytime the top has a problem the bottom must be addresses at the same time doing the same thing they due clog up on the drains very easy and the bottom is the problem that messed up the top?
I have the same problem, even though Samsung has an ongoing situation with defective coils and ice-maker, but they don't want to assume the defect. I even suggested to pay partially for the repairs but their answer was no.They basically said go buy another one. Disappointing customer service, don't buy this crappy brand.
*The amazing thing is this problem has been going on since before 2010 and Samsung kept denying AND making the exact same crap so do yourself a favor and junk these lemons you'll be much happier.*
jakeguitar01 man you gave me confidence to do this today it took me 2.5 hrs but Mr panel was frozen on I had to heat it up a lot to get it unstuck. I'm pretty sure you helped us save at least $400 or more on the diy fix. Awesome!!!
Great. With any luck, it will give you a few months of use before it freezes up again. Try to defrost it from time to time. Check out my video on manual defrost mode.
I just had to rip mine apart again this morning. This time it only made it maybe 3 weeks before it was already starting to drastically ice up and not cool the food as well. I did the paper towel trick, but forgot to buy the foil tape, so we will see how well it insulated without the tape :( Also forgot about the bottom coil as well, I think I was too afraid to bend those bottom coils. I did however notice that the heating coil does not seem to even bother to get hot (likely causing it not to defrost the ice) so I am curious if it would be a good idea to buy a new heating coil or maybe it is a thermostat that causes it to heat up?
Parts: amzn.to/3b5a2sX
Jake thank you! I'm just seeing this link a year later. As I told Marie mine was JUST starting to show frost coming out of the top 2 slots of the cover. (mostly top right) Do you think this is what's wrong with most of these refrigerators? WHERE does the thermostat go?
Hey jake we have a Samsung side-by-side refrigerator it’s a rs 265tdbp I watched a bunch of your videos ours is doing the usual keeps freezing up I have to keep taking it apart using the hairdryer on the coils it’s a pain in the ass at least twice a month I was wondering I know you said in one of your videos you were going to have a solution for that I didn’t know if you came up with anything To fix that?? Any help would be greatly appreciated
@@user-cj2vu4jn7v Got a RS21hduts. I got same problem. I couldn't find an exact solution. There is a hidden menu on fridge that has a forced defrost(fD) mode. Rather than removing the cover I use fD mode. There are some upgrade kits on ebay for side by side samsungs but didnt try one. Samsung keeps producing and selling the same under engineered frosting no-frost fridges for years although they know about the problem very well.
Spent all day watching Samsung refrigerator fixes, but this one was the best. And the comments are hilarious 🤣! Bottom line, we all got screwed by Samsung, found numerous videos on thawing out this piece of $hit, and a Facebook group of haters and a Class action lawsuit: Yikes!! Bought mine 4 years ago and had a repair man fix it at 7 months. I guess I should count my self lucky that I got three years out of it before today’s tear down to defrost. I might add that I had a perfectly working Whirlpool that was 14 years old that I replaced just to get a better “looking “ stainless steel refrigerator. One thing quite a few people have said to do after the defrost: get a 6” piece of copper wire to attach on the black heating wire near the drain hole, exstending 1-2”” into the drain hole. Apparently the fact the water freezes the hole up causes the water to drain into the refrigerator under crisper trays & then cause condensation that creates the freezing of the coils and fan ice to form. Do I get an A?
*The amazing thing is this problem has been going on since before 2010 and Samsung kept denying AND making the exact same crap so do yourself a favor and junk these lemons you'll be much happier.*
Hey Jake, I really appreciate you taking the time to try and help us all out. I have one of these suckers I'm dealing with the first time at my 90 year old Moms house. I called Samsung and asked it they were aware of a problem, but they denied it, and suggested I pay someone to look at it, FYI.
I know. They told me the same thing, that they are unaware of any freezing-up issues with their refrigerators. Hilarious!
Never purchase any of these products samsuck or lg (load of garbage).
Check out who makes what before you buy a new one
@@rusty-ole-boomstick1268 made in Korea!
@@nmbr1son64 Neah, i did fix alot of samsucks , All samsucks parts made in china . I'm always advice to the peoples never buy samsucks and lg ...
I put a copper wire through the drain..hooked it TO the heating element and NO MORE problems! I pushed almost 2 feet into the drain hole. I don't know if that much was necessary but it worked! This is after I paid 2 repairmen to come out who did nothing other than to thaw the ice out with MY blow dryer. Thank you all on RUclips who told me how to do it! PS I'm a woman...nothing stops me! It's been 6 months and it's working perfectly. I did clean out the rubber tube that comes down in the back to the drain pan since I had the frig pulled out but I do NOT think that was the problem. I did a "chat" w Samsung and asked if the copper wire would work and they said yes. It did!
Can I ask what gauge copper wire you added? Also a woman doing things by myself.
@@mariec1439 14 or 16 gauge?? I figured the bigger the more heat it would conduct. I will say that mine started showing frosty ice coming out of the top 2 holes of the cover a month or so ago. I shut it down, cleaned all the pet fur off of the coils underneath and used the blow dryer on the cover wo removing it this time. Sadly it is already beginning to come back. If I can figure out where to put the thermostat I'll try that next. But 2 years was pretty good! I'm so glad you messaged me because I had forgotten Jake shared the link!
Thank you for this diy fix. I watched all of the videos and did get my fridge to work again. Fortunately I didn’t have the trial and error you had to go through to get this fix. With COVID and being laid off I can’t afford to replace this fridge. You saved me big time, more then you know. Take care and let’s all hope for a better 2021. Thanks again.🇨🇦
This fix creates a possible fire hazard. See Thor Thumb's comment above.
This is a permanent solution, so seat tight and enjoy my analysis.
The root cause of the problem is ice built up and then clogged up the cold air vent holes and jammed the fan. There are multiple reasons for ice build up:
1. Where did the ice come from? To minimize the ice we need to keep moisture inside to the minimum, which means covering up glasses of water, milk, opened sod cans, soup, cut open water melon, mango, fruits, wet vegetable, raw meat, etc. . The humidity inside the refrigerator is quite low, and so anythings that can be dried up will release moiture and this will form ice, and too much ice will out win the defrost heater short heating cycle (short cycle to achieve the Energy Star) and the net result is a slowly ice build up.
2. The other moisture source is the bottom Pantry tray that collected water. You need to pull out the pantry and clean this bottom tray every month or so, or after a spill from trays above. Any liquid spill not cleaned up will ended up as ice inside the fan box -- no magic about this.
3. The bottom drainage hole is clogged up with ice. Once this happened, every degrost cycle will release the water down into the bottom Pantry and pool there. This water then evaporate and form ice inside the fan box eventually. (Hint: to melt the drain hole ice fast, fill up the "pond" above the hole with water then place a 15 watts soldering iron hot tip into the water and make sure to keep the hot tip from directly touching the plastic part. Add more water if the "pond is dried up. The hot water will melt the ice and clear up the drain hole. You need to keep an eye on this and remove the iron as soon as the hole is cleared.
So how do we solve these problems? It is unrealistic to have zero moisture inside the refrigerator, but if we can keep it to the minimum as I pointed out in (1) above, and with a modification to the design that prevents the drain hole clogged up then the problem will be eliminated permanently.
To solve the problem (3), I used a 6 inches long, 3mm diameter copper (or aluminum) wire, wrapped around the black heater pipe (just above the drain hole and running across left to right) 3 turns, and extended the wire down into the drain hole. If you don't have large gauge wire then just use two smaller gauge wires, wrap them on the left and right side of the heater pipe and extend the wires down into the drain hole about 1.5 to 2 inches.
I used to fix the iced up fan every year, but after implementing the 3 steps above, it has been running over 2 years and still no problem. My unit is RF266AB.
Brian
REPLACE THE DRAIN TUBE WITH THIS ONE . W10619951 Whirlpool Refrigerator Tube-Drain
Brian,
Seems like you figure you got these baby's figured out... This fridge (and many Samsung's) suffer from multiple problems . One is the drain tube extension wire. This covers the frozen water below trays.
Now frozen coils that stop fan and air flow and fail to cool Fridge. If one manages to eliminate moisture sources (as you suggest) , no defrost problem ! Not realistic, (I'm an Engineer, must be tolerant of real conditions ,not hide from) fridge should be tolerant of moisture and handle it. It did when new. Thanks for Guitar Man getting folks thru short term MELT DOWN .
SAVE YOUR FOAM defrost with water then fix the REAL problem
I have read post/video several times or the last 2 years as my RF265 began to warm (frozen Evap like you)
Getting tired of breaking out coolers,etc. Done 5x in 2 yr I must say thought I've got it down to a couple hours.
For Defrost, water (hot from hose best) heat transfer of even cold water beats Hot air several x) I can get cover off safely in ten minutes. Have 10 towels on hand.
Plug drain to below, or be ready to turkey baster out the water from pan out back.
I see all the effort in insulating coil. Paper on real Hot coil ?? Maybe fiberglass. wonder why I got 5 Yrs without this problem (had freeze up on bottom drain fixed with longer tang)and now this,what changed ?? bought new.
Searching web and service tips, I thought I would measure voltage of sensors in operation. Not too hard, PC board on back of unit.
I forced a Manual defrost (press 2 buttons at once) rd, and did not hear more than a slight tick from expansion. When Unit froze up, again. I expect sizzle of water on hot coil. NOT
So I read, if defrost sensor fails, it could think Temp met right away, and end defrost in 90 sec (said to 68 F for Refridge ends defrost) OK and run ONLY 90 seconds. Barely a sizzle.
I Measure voltage on the sensors (cn30? on PCB blue wire to gnd)) and it looks like 80 F (per chart) to Computer (when surround by ice ) !! And must have been wrong for 2 yrs.
Have you checked/tested your Defrost Sensor ?
I replaced sensor and held in ice to test (reads like 33 f) , now it goes longer that 90 seconds and I hear the sizzler of water on the hot element !
Back together may for last time !!!!! let you know on a few months.
Let me know when you see this, I can help you troubleshoot if needed.. Mark fingers crossed in Ohio
*************Update 10 Months WITHOUT problems**********
Excellent analysis Brian. Wish I read this before today, would have saved me lots of time. I fridge completely froze over - took me over an hour to safely defrost with a heat gun to remove the cover. Then another hour with heat gun to carefully remove all the ice. I moved the thermistor sensor as some suggested. Not sure if it helps any. Finally discovered the iced up drain tube. Another hour with boiling water, sucking out (with a small liquid pump), to totally clear that drain. Then I used a 12" #8 gauge wire wrapping 2 times around heating element and sticking 6-8" of length into that drain tube. Hope I didn't overkill it :-) Will see how long this lasts. Really like your analysis about keeping moisture down and regularly cleaning / drying bottom of trays. I've never did this before until today. What a mess.
@@markcarney1106
Mark,
Would love to visit with you about Samsung side by sides...
Scott T Armstrong
936-825-4735
Mark Carney , the reason the drain tube freezes is simple. Everyone tends to complicate it. Sure, a heat sink is needed due to the defrost element warping. The will warp away from the drain hole and are too far to keep it thawed. The heat sink, or wire added to element and the other end is in the drain will correct that problem. It won’t correct the problem of the water freezing up inside the tube.
When the drain tube fills with water and freezes it causes water to leak out the refrigerator/freezer. You’ll notice water frozen under the drawers and leaking out the front onto your floor. This will not cause a “no cool” issue. The unit will cool properly. The only complaint is water on the floor.
Every owners manual has a maintenance section. It will tell you to clean the condenser coils at least once a year. These coils are in back by the compressor. They pull air in from under refrigerator, over the condenser coils and across the compressor. This does several important jobs. It cools the compressor, condenser and keeps the refrigerant at a proper temperature. Too hot will cause the refrigerant to not liquify properly or the compressor to over heat. This also causes copper lines to erode, flake and leak.
If the coils aren’t cleaned, the dust and dirt and pet hair will clog in the coils. This restricts the air flow that is needed. This also leaves no where for the dust and dirt to go. The fan is pulling in the air and it’s trying to find a place to go. The dust and air will travel to places they aren’t designed to go. Dust will be sticking to vents, getting stuck on the water valve and other components underneath. The dust will also make its way in the drain tube. Every refrigerator that I’ve serviced that has a leaking refrigerator due to a frozen drain has been caused by a restriction inside the tube. This restriction is dust/dirt that had no where else to go.
Clean the coils at least once a year, more often if you have inside pets, and this problem won’t happen.
Hi to all you Samsung refrigerator owners. For the past year or two my coil has been freezing up about every 2 to 3 weeks. I have found that the heater is working and sending water down under my crisper. Now after this melting of the coil water builds up at the bottom of the coil and then freezes because the little metal piece is not long enough to keep the drain hole open. What i did is loosen the heater coil and pull it all the way down to the bottom of the metal cover at the bottom. The coil is touching the metal cover at the bottom and the little metal piece is now deep in the drain hole. I have not had any water under the crisper for 3 weeks now and no fan noise. Also not sure this made a difference but i took the white sensor an attached it to the pipe to the left of the original position. Good luck Samsung frig owners. Jimmy
Moving the sensor worked for me.
@@tracyhegr9950 Where did you move the sensor?
Thank you JakeGuitar, we were thinking about buying a new frig. then checked out your videos. We emptied out the fridge and a few hours later no ice and put it all back. It runs fine and all is good. Thank you.
I sympathize with your efforts on this poorly designed Samsung refrigerator. One note that needs to be taken seriously. Do not use paper towels to insulate the cooling coils input line. It is a fire hazard and may restrict air flow. However, I did tightly wind foil tape around the input/output of the first two feet of the input coil, which seemed to help slow down (too early to tell if it eliminated) ice buildup. The biggest thing that may help, providing that your defrost elements and sensors are working correctly, and the fuse for the defrost heater is good, is to move the white thermistor sensor, located upper right but outside of the cooling coils, directly to the input/output of the cooling coils at the top and right, otherwise noted as the point of the greatest/first ice buildup. If the programming is working properly, then it should automatically defrost until that ice is gone, hopefully. I also noticed there was a change in the white thermistor sensor at the right side of the coils to the after market black sensor you referenced at Amazon. Did that help?? Also, I did extend a thick gage copper wire wrapped around the heating element and down to about an inch into the drain hole to keep it ice free. Thanks to those that recommended that fix.
Just wanted to give a update and just did this yesterday and the Samsung did just what you said. Took a lot of ice off the thermostat and upper coils. The Fridge took some time to adjust( over night)... Thankyou cause I thought seriously we were going to have to spend a few thousand for another one. The only thing I didn't do is the paper towel wrap. Thought I would check every few months for condition.
Thankyou so much.
Thank you for the info.. I have insulated the lines that you did but did it with insulated foil tape and zip ties. Wish I could show my pics of the work.. my refrigerator actually seems like it's cold and like the temp gauge is working now to.. it uset to just say 34 at all times even with the door open for a while. So far.. it's been a week..
Hello Jake and thank you for the videos on the repair of the Samsung fridge. I have "fixed" my girlfriends fridge which has not worked properly for 2 1/2 years. I have to say that I am trying some different things to stop the icing problem and will update you if they do. Thanks again for the help with the refrigerator.
Why even bother fixing it yourself ?. You should just let SamSung warranty service a chance to do their job !.
We have the same problem with our SamSung SRF639DSS model after 4.5years working fine for our Sydney's hot climate. I called SamSung Australia explained the situation, mentioned about a few youtube video questioned the quality of SamSung's fridges. I also mentioned the fact that we use lots of SamSung house hold products including diswasher, mirowave oven, washing and dryer machine, etc. SamSung advised that it should just be a simple fix as they are standing behind the quality of their products.
The operator asked me to find the original purchasing invoice, which dated January 2012. She then sent me the repair authorisation form to sign for the repair technician on the day, and booked for us a warranty repair service for free the next day on 27 Dec 2017.
As it turned out, the auto defrost system was not working because of the blown fuse. I am happy and quite surprised and impressed with SamSung's warranty services.
Thomas Ellis you're like a Slavic bitch
By laying paper towel or any insulation along the top of the evaporator or along the bottom you restrict airflow over the refrigerant coils. They need to be clear. Wrapping the lines above the evaporator where they enter and exit the cabinet is acceptable. Putting a combustible anywhere near the defrost element is clearly asking for a fire.
As a 45-year technician, I can promise you that using a hair dryer will dissolve the liner in Samsung, LG and most other brands when it comes to thawing the evap. Always use a steam gun t avoid replacing a refrigerator due to wall damage
Oh yes. I learned this the hard way.
Hi Jake Good on you for getting stuck in and save everyone who has this problem a lot of money and saving the planet from Scrapped Samsung Fridge Freezers filling up land fill LOL.....I was going to jump in after part 1 but decided to watch all the Videos first...Anyway I am an ex Factory Trained Hotpoint Service Technician and have worked on Thousands of Fridges and Freezer units both Domestic and commercial and it's fairly obvious why they are having this problem you actually hit on the answer with your Nebulizer LOL Here in the UK we tend not to get many problems with ICE build up due to the fact there are very few houses that use or need Airconditioning this being the main cause of Moisture in the air making it Humid If you have ever seen how a dehumidifier works it's basically a fridge with a very large surface area condense which the moisture in the air condenses onto then gets collected in a bucket or goes down a drain. Because of the Higher Levels of Humidity in American homes then there is 100s of molecules of water more in the Atmosphere which condenses on anything Cold so the Fridge Ice builds up and the Defrost heater cannot remove this amount of moisture...The only permanent fix would be to fit more defrost heaters they are very low wattage and 3 connected in parallel or maybe even 1 extra would fix this problem once and for all....also 1 last thing moisture condenses on cold metal more than plastic we don't have metal plates and silver foil all around our condense her just plastic..... Good Luck and very well done great effort....Regards Steve Liverpool UK
Thanks Steve. I appreciate your insight.
Steve, you have the right analogy, but you've somehow managed to arrive at exactly the opposite conclusion from reality. Air conditioned homes are LESS humid than the ambient air, for exactly the reason of your analogy - an air-conditioner work like just like a dehumidifier. Moisture in the air condenses on the cold coil of an air-conditioner. The condensate flows to a drip pan and drain line, and out of the building.
The higher humidity levels in many US homes vs UK homes is for the simple reason that much of the US *is* more humid than the UK. London sits some 400 miles north of the entire continental US. And Jake in Florida is about 2,000 miles south of you, surrounding by swamps and an ocean of bath-temperature water. About 1/3 of the continental US has a subtropical climate, with summer temps typically 35-40º C, and humidity ambient humidity well over 90%. So yes, Jake is dealing with significantly higher humidity than you do, but not because he has air-conditioning
Exactly so Jeff. The only exception that I can think of is when the air conditioner is of the swamp box design. They are made for hyper dry locations such as Arizona perhaps. I actually had one 35 years ago and all the guns did rust. I was, shall we say due to "charity that begins at home", ill informed.
A $2.000 Refrigertor and breaks after 4 years! GE use to make themfor $100 and lasted over 20 years
Michelle & Oscar
I'm so upset that this refrigerator leaks the ice maker doesn't work the fan isn't working now I have Frost in my freezer I am out of my mind trying to fix this thing so it doesn't cost me an arm and leg is my husband died and I'm a widow I don't know what to do I don't know how to get it from centigrade back to Fahrenheit it's just crazy
My oven and Dryer broke the first 12 months.
look at GE's stock price. this is how wall street makes money.
My samsung fridge 4yrs now fridge frozen.
Michelle & Oscar #
Thanks for the video. I added some insulation around the copper pipe at the top....does that pipe get hot or cold?
Excellent! Great idea ! I will do this next time. First time I did this it lasted a year. The second time I did it , it lasted 18 months. I did it again two weeks ago and it only lasted two weeks this time 😳🙄 so I will try that tape next time . Thank you so much for sharing! That was a great video
Hey jake great video..I understand there is a class action law suite against Samsung, The problem is so widespread
I am dealing with this right now. Purchased this Samsung refrigerator in 2016. Your fix is not a “fix” it is a temporary solution to a major design flaw. I don’t think the average person is willing or able to defrost the evaporator coils on this refrigerator every few months. The only reason I know about this is because it started making this gosh awful noise and I did some research. I have already spent $ on trying to get it repaired. I appreciate all the work you put into this video because I now know what the problem is but I will be getting rid of this refrigerator.
This problem fridge came with the house I bought a year and a half ago, so I'm grateful for your video. I removed the cover and the ice has all melted now, but I notice that the styrofoam insulation, covered over with thin foil tape strips, on the back of the cover seems to have shifted partially. I'm wondering if I should replace it, since there surely can't be a good seal now. Or do I need to buy a new cover? Also, some of the fins on the coil are bent or not in line with the others. Does this affect the efficacy of the fan? Thanks for your help.
+Victoria Chatfield ----> Just do your best to straighten the fins by hand. It won't affect the cooling or the fan efficiency. The Styrofoam is probably your bigger problem. Fix it the best you can and seal the perimeter up with tape. It might help a little...it did for me. Your real problem is that this will be an on-going issue with this fridge no matter what you do. What I would do is try to do a forced defrost one time a week by pressing the correct buttons on the control panel. It might save you hours of time in the future.
what are the "correct buttons". My frig has the same problem and I already unplugged it and waiting for it to defrost.
This is an excellent example of how a little bit of knowledge can be a dangerous thing. The problem is with the heating element not working properly. Replace the heating element. There is apparently a class action lawsuit against Samsung for this problem.
Thanks for the videos! Mine is about to die! I not have to manually defrost every other DAY!!! Do you think I need to replace the whole unit that's behind the panel. or i just going to buy another fridge.
Take the giant piece of shit to the scrap yard
Samsung design engineers get a kick out of these videos & remedys
I saw another vid . Where they used spray foam for those areas
I saw a comment on another vid to spray the coils with Pam cooking spray to keep it from ice up. Don’t know if it works
On my RF265 , I can select Fd = Fridge defrost.(Top and bottom) rd = Re fridge only defrost (better to save frozen food) . On my unit, the problem was the Defrost sensor for fridge BAD . ($15) . Like with normal operation (defrost after xx hr compressor run), the trouble shoot
function (rd Fd ) kicks off a defrost cycle. IF IT IS WORKING, YOU SHOULD HEAR WATER SIZZLE ON HOT COIL AFTER A FEW MINUTES. If not coil bad, or like mine sensor BAD (Open looks like 80 deg F = Defrosted) . So, if sensor bad, Fd or rd will run cycle till sensor on frozen coil > 60 deg and add 90 sec. BUT WHEN SENSOR BAD IT THINKS instantly 80+ DEG F and just runs 90 seconds, not nearly enough.
Also , Samsung recommend (on my model) service note moving clip on sensor to other tube near top. Makes it take longer to get to 60 DEG.
The 3 Freeze modes are used to test Compressor current/pressures at known drive level. The computer controls compressor motor speed for most efficient operation normally. So theses 3 "Fixed" speeds allow for Technician to make readings at fixed speed. I found service manual online Helpful I am now about 6 Months in without fan noise or rising temps. Thanks Jake for disassembly tips.
greeting,
Did this solution work for your refrigerator?
Jake when I took my panel apart there was so much ice I didn;t notice the BLACK WIRE with the sensor seen at 4:21 Could you please tell me where this goes? It has two prongs I;m guessing it sits on the coils? I can see part of it in your video
Thanks for any info
Bernie
Hey mate, a follow up for this repair is to remove the back plate at the bottom of the fridge and you will see some tubes coming down to the drip tray which allows the consation water to evaporate. Just pull those tubes out and clean out the rubber valve. Mine were blocked with dust and was stopping the water from getting out and causing the freezing of the water up higher.
Now You make sense! thanks Bloke
*The opening for water to drip out the ends of these tubes is so small they are easily plugged so I snipped off a corner of the bottom rubber so there is more room for water to drain and not be plugged up, the refrigerator drain is more problematic than the freezer. This is however a separate problem and won't prevent the common freeze up of the drain hole at the bottom in the tray at the base behind the evaporator cover in the upper portion of the fridge...*
Mine just started icing up this week like yours. Have had it for just over 7 years now. Guess I know what I am doing after work today. I think I will try sticking the piece of copper wire down the drain hole trick as well. Seems like that should be a good fix for that hole freezing up. I have watched some other vids that say the heating element may be bad and that is the cause of it. But before going thru that expense, I will try this for no cost, other than my time.
How did it work? It worked for 2 years for me....back to square 1 now.
@@rocnloretta It is still working. Haven't had to "de-ice" since then. There is a little bit of ice build up back there now, but nothing like it used to do. I know I will NEVER buy another Samsung appliance though!
Samsung customer service said raise the front to lean 2 degrees out of plum so water will drain properly. After several 6-8 hr thawing processes l raised the front as much as possible with the bottom leveling screws. Hope it works. Note: 2 degrees out of plumb is ridiculous!
Did it work?
Although, I'm not a professional appliance repair man, but I do have common sense, and it tells me that the suggested repair on this video does not seem like its a sensible idea. I would keep searching for other videos to find better alternatives
You would be correct to do so. This "fix" is bad and dangerous.
Why is this method dangerous? It worked just fine for me!
Veramente pericolosa!!! Rischio incendio con il calore della resistenza di sbrinamento. Bye
As an appliance technician i would never recommend putting paper towels over the evaporator lines or near the defrost heater. This can be a potential fire hazard and also pieces of paper towels could possibly work their way down the drain tub thus, clogging it.
Thanks for your important. So would you mind explaining to us how to fix the issue since your already here?
@@thehustlersnetworktv1033 To fix the issue properly, one needs to install Second heater - $15 part# SH201 or similar. There is a ton of videos about the repair here on RUclips
Everyone it’s the drain tube check valve causing the air to come in. They sell a new style check valve and sticker kit for the Samsung fridge. He was right about air freezing up through the drain tub through under the evaporator to the drip pan. The check valve tub is behind the fridge take the bottom cover off it’s hanging into the drip pan.
Louis, has this fix work for you so far you posted it a month ago, how is your fridge working ?
Replaced a Frigidaire (1 mo old) that would not cool below 42F. with a Samsung RF268ABRS in 2011. Have had nothing but issues with the cooling, specially after an electrical power interruption. It would take up to a week for the unit to settle into the suggested -2/38F setting. Had a lot of spoiled food loss over it's lifetime.
Shelf placement is terrible, and unalterable.
My backup was a 1947 Westinghouse,and a 17 cu.ft Coldspot chest freezer (running a constant -10F.
Yesterday I had a Samsung technician in, and have him declare the RF268 not reparable for less than the cost of a new unit!
I think Samsung should stickto cell phones!
Hello, used appliance store? Yes I want the old school Whirlpool simple plain old two door frig. Do you have them? Sure do. I'll be right down there. My new $2500 Samsung 3 month old frig is dead.
Do they have two I want one also
Thank you so much! I am so over buying Samsung appliances. Where does the water drain to, if it does not freeze. I put warm water in the drain but need to know if I should be checking a drain container somewhere.
In the RF265 side by side it goes down into a hole behind the rear panel under the heating element, then flows in a pipe to the left, then down and out into a flexible tube into an evaporation tray. Unfortunately my Samsung 'fridge drain froze up solid in the drain line due to either a blockage in the flex pipe that dumps into the evaporation tray and/or the undersized metal defrosting probe attached to the center bottom of the defroster element. After having my "eternally frustrating Samsung" apart about 8 times in the tube, I am not convinced it can be fixed. In my case the poor performance spread to the freezer, the display control so that it is now totally unreliable. Makes one want to ventilate this junk in multiple places with a pick axe so that no one tries to pick up on what appears to be a beautiful stainless steel Refrigerator / Freezer, is actually a frustrating piece of unreliable junk. There went a LOT OF MONEY. Will never even look at Samsung products built in Mexico, China or anywhere else. Adios.
You can replace the element that comes with the bi metal thermostat that is attached on the the element. And possibly change the defrost sensor to avoid issue. Trust me that is why is having defrost issue.
Which element do you mean attached to the bi metal thermostat exactly, can you link an example?
i cannot express my gratitude enough for this solution. I swear to god I was this close to throwing my samsung in the dump. Thanks!
You still might have to dump your fridge. These videos will only postpone the inevitable....
Jake, I have read you post/video several times or the last 2 years as my RF265 began to warm (frozen Evap like you)
Getting tired of breaking out coolers,etc. Done 5x in 2 yr I must say thought I've got it down to a couple hours.
For Defrost, water (hot from hose best) heat transfer of even cold water beats Hot air several x) I can get cover off safely in ten minutes. Have 10 towels on hand.
Plug drain to below, or be ready to turkey baster out the water from pan out back.
I see all the effort in insulating coil. Paper on real Hot coil ?? Maybe fiberglass. wonder why I got 5 Yrs without this problem (had freeze up on bottom drain fixed with longer tang)and now this,what changed ?? bought new.
Searching web and service tips, I thought I would measure voltage of sensors in operation. Not too hard, PC board on back of unit.
I forced a Manual defrost (press 2 buttons at once) rd, and did not hear more than a slight tick from expansion. When Unit froze up, again. I expect sizzle of water on hot coil. NOT
So I read, if defrost sensor fails, it could think Temp met right away, and end defrost in 90 sec (said to 68 F for Refridge ends defrost) OK and run ONLY 90 seconds. Barely a sizzle.
I Measure voltage on the sensors (cn30? on PCB blue wire to gnd)) and it looks like 80 F (per chart) to Computer (when surround by ice ) !! And must have been wrong for 2 yrs.
Have you checked/tested your Defrost Sensor ?
I replaced sensor and held in ice to test (reads like 33 f) , now it goes longer that 90 seconds and I hear the sizzler of water on the hot element !
Back together may for last time !!!!! let you know on a few months.
Let me know when you see this, I can help you troubleshoot if needed.. Mark fingers crossed in Ohio
7 Month , running like a Swiss watch..... This was my Long Term Fix
Thanks for the update, mark. I hope it continues...
Still working good. No ice creap out holes. Temp is good.
Hi Jake, I am currently in the process of unfreezing this fridge, 9months after it was left behind by the previous house owner (NO WONDER). What worries me is that I can see some sort of "rusty water" marks/trails coming from the the bottom part of the cover (which is still stuck in ice) all the way down to the bottom tray. Have you ever seen this before? I'll try to keep you posted once I can finally remove the cover =\
OH AND THANKS FOR YOUR VIDEOS
I haven't seen any rust on mine. The parts are made of aluminum back there and should't rust. Let us know what you find back there.
I think your source of rusty water may be from the screws that hold the back panel in place. That's what I've found with my version of Samsung fridge.
Jake is this fire safe? what about water on the paper towels? Thanks for posting - just got this as a handme down from family and it is starting to give me trouble - like to fix my own so really appreciate your videos!!
+Stephanie Cottrell --wrap the coil, not the heating element. Don't wet it. Keep it dry. If you wet it, it will just freeze into ice even faster.
Jake has done a great job of defrosting every few months. I did for a while, but was looking for a long term FIX.I bought new and it worked for 6 years without manual defrost.Then this.(see my post) I replace defrost sensor (about $15) and have been good for a few months now. Part can be measured with meter. With bad sensor it thinks 80 deg F. (and only runs 90 seconds then done defrosting ) should be several minutes and you should hear the sizzle of water boiling on hot coil. No ice creeping out of lower holes yet. Fingers crossed in Ohio
Wow there is to way I would ever advise doing this I’ve been in the appliance and hvacr business for about 17 years, this is a fire risk for sure, paper towels are not insulting materials, plus there is a heating element right there at the bottom, I have seen those elements short out down there at the drain pan and all the cooking spray and paper towel are the accelerant, I’m not actually sure what he is trying to accomplish with this video by wrapping those lines, there are work arounds with this type of refrigerator from the manufacturer to fix the freezing issues.
I know right? Wtf? That’s what I said. I also do appliance repair. But just that tho if your insulating the heating element how in the F@&k is it supposed to get the heat to melt the ice which is now gonna be further separated by layers of insulation. Some people shouldn’t try and fix stuff. If they can’t do it properly stop being a cheapskate and call someone who can do it properly. You tube can’t teach you everything or conmen sense apparently for that matter....
Yall both are thieves if yall are just telling us to call and spend more money 💰 😒 on such a crappy product and not give us an answer of your own.
Bought all new samsung appliances. Fridge, range, dish washer, washer and dryer. Firdge is having this problem. Never buying samsung again.
Nor Kenmore, they use Samsung parts. Mine died after two months.
I bought all the Samsung products as well. Never again . after the first year my dryer broke, oven and fridge.
I bought all Samsung in January of 2016. So far I've repaired the dishwasher (bottom mechanism quit working), range (both convection fans) and now I'm working on the fridge. The microwave throws codes ever so often too. Yay Samsung!
Samsung needs to be sued for manufacturing these defect mechanism and selling them at a very high price
Did the same mistake 7 years ago. This past year, my washer (clogged water line), dryer (thermostats fuse, which produces the heat), and tonight the fridge (complete icebox, which obstructed the fan from spinning). NEVER doing Samsung again. Go American...
I've been fixing appliances for over 42 years and these things are the worst pieces of JUNK ever! "SamDUNG!"
Samsuck
Thank you for your comment Don...What are your top 3 brands to recommend to us getting rid of these SamDungs?
Amen...I cant see his repair to have any weight
I ditched the old Samsu...no, I can't even say the name, it was so bad. Got an LG instead.
@@jaywebb4992 Probably just as bad from what I hear. a lot of these korean companies get their parts from the same supplier and basically just throw different exteriors and features. ughhh I miss an old whirpool we had, it ran for about 30 years, it started rusting but boy this thing was such a beast and it had water dispenser too.
After reading about 15 comments below, I'm curious if in addition to running heat down the drain tube if running copper/aluminum wires on the heater coils in the upper/mid section horizontally to also distribute heat to the condenser coils would also aid in the evaporation and fan from freezing up helping with ventilation. Not sure how the condenser coils would affect /reduce life of the defrost coil or effect the sensors somehow.
Curious if anyone has tried this and found good results.
I just fixed my RS21KGRS by following the steps. It was so easy. 👍🏿👍🏿👍🏿👍🏿👍🏿
Jake, airflow analysis using a nebulizer: now, that's genius! Two questions: 1.) Do you think the air gets sucked down into the drain hole, or is it just cold air sinking? 1a) Was the power to your fridge off when you performed the nebulizer experiment and showed air flowing through the drain hole? 2.) What is the normal airflow when the cover is installed? Does the fan pull air upwards, or push air through the drain hole?
Hi. 1. I think its cold air sinking,but it does seem to go right into that drain hole, so I'm not 100% sure if there is not some kind of effect from the freezer which is drawing that air in. 1a. The fridge was back on when I used the nebulizer. 2. The fan has to draw air inside to pass over the coil. Since the cover is so badly damaged, I think that the air flow is all screwed up and is not doing what it is supposed to do anyway. I think it could be getting too much air because of the damage to the Styrofoam behind the cover, which may be the reason why the fridge seems to be getting worse and worse each time I took it apart. Sealing the edges with tape has seemed to help a little bit but has not solved the problem. I may also close off some of those vent holes tonight.
Did sealing the vent holes help?
The fan and vent holes are there to circulate cold air throughout the fridge and freezer. Without that air circulation, you could easily see a 20-30ºF temperature differential between the door pockets and the back of the fridge. The increased icing over time is most likely related to your door gaskets. I've got an RF31FME, and functionally, I love the french doors. But from an engineering standpoint, they clearly don't seal as effectively as a single door. Have you checked your door gaskets? While it seems clear that the Samsungs have a problem with defrosting, the moisture for your icing has to come from somewhere. A leaky gasket would allow a continuous flow of humid air into the fridge.
Could Damp Warm Air Be Coming In Sucked Through The Drain Tube???
Hey, man. I have the same problem. I'm looking at the defrost coil and wonder how in the world the Samsung designers thought this would be a good design. Heating element is across the bottom but freezing happen from the top down. I need to tear mine apart every few weeks and it's a 15 month old unit.
Have you tried to source a heat trace cable that might be suitable? The insulation you installed may help too, but I'm trying to converge on a thin and low power heat trace than I can snake all around, then plug in ever time I hear the fan starting to grind. Let me know if there are tests you want to run, I'm willing to try things.
Remove the cover and remove the styrofoam insulation an d replace cover without it and mine has been for 8 months so far and still not freezing up.
@@buzzmayes4106 Please follow-up and let us know if it is still helping.
@@TheOnlyGoodCommieIsADeadCommie No problem still working fine
Thanks for this, but may I make a point? Having turned off the FRIDGE part of the F/F, left it overnight (and even used a hairdryer on it), and removed all the screws holding that big moulding in place, the ice build-up STILL prevented the panel from being removed... I found that the operation of the FREEZER was still cooling the fridge (maybe to a lesser extent?) and keeping the ice frozen. This prevented the panel from being removed. Emptying the freezer and leaving it off (with the door open) overnight led to the panel being easily removable, to try these - and other - cures. NB Remove that panel carefully, as ours had two electrical connections to it; these could be unclipped by squeezing top and bottom - not sides, as it appears...
remove freezer drawers, open doors, install a sm fan in freezer compartment to draw air from top to bottom out the front.. This defrosts the back panel rather quickly.
Thanks for this video series, Jake, and letting us in on your journey with these Samsung (hamstrung?) machines. I tried a copper wire in the drain, then the manufactured (aluminum?) part recommended for the drain - no surprise that neither worked. I'm going to try the aluminum tape, but to me, it makes more sense to add strips of aluminum tape to what I think is the black-colored defrost coil and leave "tabs" of tape hanging from the coil all around. Perhaps this will conduct more heat from the coil into the space behind the panel and melt ice that forms? I'm just not sure. In theory, to me, it doesn't make sense to insulate evaporator coils since my understanding is that those coils are there to dissipate heat ... no judgment here ... just trying to think this through. I hope it works for you. I'll share notes on what I discover along the way.
I dont think your heating element is getting hot, so adding strips of aluminum tape to it and creating tabs will do too much. You can try it though because I dont think it will harm anything. As for insulating the evaporator coil, it is not a permanent solution for me either, although it seem to help. Btw, I think its the condenser coil that you think dissipates heat. That would be on the outside of your fridge, in the back or underneath or something.
The heating element (what I'm calling the defrost coil) behind the back panel inside my fridge was definitely heating up when I re-started it after fully defrosting the unit. Therefore, it was a big mistake to directly apply aluminum tape to attempt better radiation of the heat! The acrylic glue on the tape burned and sizzled and it took a couple hours adding another chemical to dissolve said glue and get back to square one. I consulted an experienced refrigeration repairman, and he suggested adding aluminum tape to other areas behind the back panel: the drain pan and the inside face of the cover itself by extending the metal panel with tape on both its base and sides. We'll see how that works out!
Yep, it gets mighty Hot !! I would not apply tape or paper. Force a defrost and listen for sizzle. Defrost
Sensor bad is my thought ... Without good one,. it , 90 second defrost does nothing. Can run for months (like you and I have seen) Mark in Ohio Hope last time I defrost !!!!!
100 % RIGHT PLUS FIRE RISK AND VOID 5YR SEALED SYSTEM. Contains gas under pressure, may explode if heated .
I have read that if you tilt the refrigerator back so that it is not level from front to back (front being higher) that it helps....defrosting mine now...ugh such a pain
The holes are part of the airflow system that allow your refrigerator to get cold. Don't cover the holes!!! If you cover the holes, it will never get cold enough to keep your food fresh.
If the thermostat is not working, replace it. Same thing for the heating coil. My problem has been with the cover design. The heating coil is on the bottom and does not generate enough heat to reach the top near the fan.
The be covers are designed with stainless steel, not the crappy foil, and carry the heat up the sheet of metal to the coils.
It's a real shame that we got stuck with the lemons. It's, also, a shame that manufacturers at knowingly making crap that lasts 7-10 years if you're lucky! My parent's fridge lasted 30 years. The next one lasted 25! They know exactly what they are doing! They raise the price for all the bells and whistles and sell cheaper products with cheap components designed to fail so that we must buy a new one! Simple, cheap, and energy efficient with water and ice coming out of the door: Is that really so much for which to ask?
I fixed mine thanks to you!!! ❤️ hoping for the best!
Thanks, great series of videos. Good explanation. Think I have the same issue, also with a Samsung fridge.
Hi Jake. The paper towel wrap is a fire hazard. That cal rod heater will, some day cause fire. The cooling fins and tubes help cool the fresh food section. They need to be bear, The defrost system has a drain tube in the back on bottom> check that for clog. the clip you hang on the cal rod heater helps transfer heat to keep the drain tube clear of ice build up during defrost cycle. Gets nice and hot...! tape was a good idea. Thermal Dynamics is a good field. Heat flow, fun subject..
How much for this heater system want to try it
Didn't that extra insulation restrict air flow around the coils?
Hello Jake, I watch all your videos on the Samsung. I am in the process of taking the refrigerator apart to defrost the coils. Question, did the insulation work and if so, how long?
Hi. It worked for quite a long time. I was having to defrost the fridge every month and a half. Every time you take that cover off, you destroy it more and more which contributes to the problem. It lasted me at least 6 months after the insulation. This time I put even more insulation on it as you can see from the video. So far so good. Part 8 of this series was made on April 22, and now its May 22. One month good so far.
Jake! Thanks from another guitar-slinging Samsung fridge owning RUclipsr. I just followed your instructions. I noted where the heating element is in my unit just below the bottom of the coils and avoided getting any paper near it. I did use the thicker auto glass towels as they are a little firmer than paper towels. I also found a kit that replaced the piece of tin that melts the ice at the drain hole. I never had that issue again after using that kit. I also saw where you can move the sensor to another tube back there...its s plastic clip-on with a yellow wire at the top - didn't work people...not a fix.
One more thing...Im actually building a seafoam green tele kit guitar as we speak...I swear, the servers know this!
I have only have a picture of that tele on my yt page. I actually have two telecasters. One is a blue Mexican and the newest one is a sunburst american.
@@jakeguitar01 OK - Update: This repair lasted for 60 days with mine. My model number is RF263BEAESR. I can say for sure this is the best fix I've seen yet because the ice would build back un in under 3 weeks previously. TIP: I used a small space heater instead of a hair dry and it was much more efficient. Also, cooking spray tip worked like a charm!
We have decided to dump this POS and get a new Whirlpool! I've spent hours. Again, thank you Jake!
I appreciate your comment. For most people, fixing these things is an act of futility. I don't blame you for dumping it. You have to try, but eventually, anyone who values their time will eventually throw it away.
I wonder how it would work to just spray the same areas with low expansion foam insulation, emphasis on low expansion. The down side is it would be difficult to get back off if the need arose.
I know this is old, but thank you 5 years of 4 times a year blow dryer to melt it and such! I’ve tried everything else literally this is my last hope before spending in a new fridge! Obviously not ever a Samsung!
THIS GUY DOESN’T KNOW WHAT HE’S TALKING ABOUT!
The evaporator coils SHOULD have frost on them. The air in the fridge needs to pass over the coils. This is how the heat inside is removed from your unit.
What this guy is showing you to do is WRONG on so many levels!
First, the reason you see moisture going into the drain is due to the drain line. The drain line is a tube that exits the refrigerator. With the door open there is a draft. The air will naturally follow that drain tube. This is normal.
Second- NEVER use a blow dryer to defrost a refrigerator! Never! The liner is plastic, a very thin plastic. It melts easily. You will damage the liner and there is no fix. You could try to seal a damaged liner, in my 30 yrs experience, sealants only work for awhile. Plus, it’s not covered by manufacturer and once damaged nothing else will be cover by the manufacturer.
Third- NEVER put paper towels on electrical components! HELLO!! Would you wrap paper towels around the bake element in your oven? No, I hope not. The defrost heater in your refrigerator is the same as an oven element. It will glow red hot and any paper near it will burn.
If your refrigerator has frost/ice built up on the back wall, there is a component in the defrost circuit that has failed and needs to be replaced. No paper towel is going to fix it.
Correct.... paper towel as insulation lol.
He's using a hairdryer which is not recommended.
Hi do you mean replacing defrost sensor and thermis sensor would fix the problem?
The paper towels are blocking the air flow!
Loretta if that is your image in your Avatar then all I can say that your beauty is only surpassed by your intellect. Let us not forget that this guy is a typical "RUclipsr". He creates videos about nothing in particular, he is out here for likes and subscriptions, actual substance and quality of content including being correct is the last thing on his mind.
Brother, thank you so much! I am about to fix ours using this method. Makes total sense now!
My refrigerator is having a similar issue. I can no longer open the ice maker door to defrost it with the hair dryer. It's frozen over along with the cooling fan compartment in the refrigerator. I use an electronic thermostat to keep a check for the actual temperature in the refrigerator and freezer. The refrigerator is at 50 degrees and there is water pooling under the deli tray. The water then spills onto the floor and I have to remove the deli tray to clean the water out. All of this happened to me in 2017 and I now have the same issue. I've call Samsung and they refuse to acknowledge that they have a manufacture defect on the refrigerators. They told me since this is out of warranty that I would have to pay for repairs. Well the ice maker has been an issue for me for years. I have to defrost it with a hairdryer about once a month and here I am again in 2020 having to get the same repair that was performed in 2017 which tells you all they did was put a bandaid on the problem without addressing the real issue which is this thing can not be fixed. Of course, I've requested a refund and they deny that they are at fault and will not give me a refund. I have filed a complaint with the BBB.
good day sir, my refrigarator is samsung rt29k5132sl,.dual condenser, the upper condenser is freezing but the lower condenser is not.
Hi, in my firdge back panel, that black tape is little melted. What shall i do ?
It’s lousey placement of the heater. There is a retrofit kit that adds an extra heating element to top of evaporator coil.
I just did mine. I hope this works. These samsungs are garbage. the dishwashers suck too. ended up throwing it away. Looks like I might have to do the same with this ridge.
Question pls. refrigerator flushed all lines, works fine after cycle gauge reads vacuum again, applied heat to the capillary joints by the evaporator coil could hear refrigerant rushing worked fine until cycle, what could be the problem?
Awesome video with out a doubt. Solved a lot of issues for me and my Samsung
PLEASE READ!!! Had to do this every 6 months until I read that if you spray "Pam" on the coils it will prevent ice buildup. So I tried it and haven't had a problem since. 5 years and still no ice build up!
Pam?
@@htoobway2079 Pam is Cooking oil- its main ingredient is Canola oil
U are amazing man
Try this my freezer has been freezing up for over a year so one day I was cleaning behind the refrigerator and I pull the cover off on the bottom and the coils were full of lint I got my air compressor out and cleaned it problem solved no more freezing up
I would be careful and not do what you did. I measured the temp. of the heater element at the bottom (where you put paper towels) and the hottest spot was a whopping 300F. I entered FD, forced defrost mode with the cover off. I believe these high temps are fairly typical for short periods of time. I don't think 150F would do much against all that ice. It can get so hot it glows. Also, paper towels can absorb humidity. Manufactures use foam sparingly, as needed. Second, that tape probably has a cancer warning on it. You are introducing a lot of it inside the fridge. Also when it gets hot, it can off-gas into the fridge even more...where you might have liquids, veggies, etc., that can easily absorb those fumes- then you eat them. At that point, the temperature of your orange juice is the least of your worries.
I fixed mine a different way. Found out the defrost element reached over 400F, any melting ice dripped on the defrost heating element and instantly evaporated. This caused high humidity in the refrigerator, and thus contributed to once again icing up the coils, rather than the water dripping into the hole. My fix was to add a $3 drok temp control to the 12v line that turns on the defrost heating element, and set it to cycle off and on to keep the element closer to 200F. Now humidity stays 40% to 60% vs 80 to 100%. The coils stay defrosted without build up, and it stops the viscous high humidity cycles that end up freezing to the fan. I hope someone makes a video how to do this, i am glad to help but not good at making help videos.
Have you tried manual "forced defrost" ? Does it defrost then ?
can you help me fix my ref sir?,.thank you in advance sir
Is there a way to make the evaporator fan run full time even when the compressor is cycled off. The continuous airflow might melt frost during the off cycle of the compressor and further prevent freezing.
Continuous evap fan will not defrost the coil in low temp refrigeration. This is low temp refrigeration.
Don't know, I am not an appliance tech, but I do have common sense and it tells me that placing paper towel and covering it up with AC tape just doesn't seem right. There must be another way or a much better approach.
To put a Samsung refrigerator into forced defrost mode you need to press a few button sequences:
-Press both the “Power Freeze” and “Fridge” buttons at the same time.
-Hold both buttons in until display beeps and goes blank.
-To force fridge defrost element to come on, press “Freezer” button a second time.
-To force defrost on both the refrigerator and freezer sections, press the “freeze” button a third time.
Does it works?
@@htoobway2079 It is not a permanent solution but easier than removing front cover.
Does the aluminum foil on the outside of the unit work then?
Great help terrible fridge!!!
Samsung Refrigerators are the biggest POS - How was this not recalled. Thanks for this video.
hello jake greetings from holland, i have a qeustion mine samsung fregiator wont cooldown it stays on 16 celcius but the freezing secion its working fine. model:RS23FASM
What about spray foam instead of paper towels?
If there is a class action suit about this problem, we will be a part of it. We also have a Samsung side by side experiencing the same issue. Repair people have been out multiple times, replaced the fan and the mother board and the coils still freeze over. We won’t buy any more products with the name Samsung on it
I’m an appliance repair man. People please do not do this! This will cause a fire. Not only that but he is blocking the natural needed airflow to cool the fridge. Without the air flow properly venting into the fridge the fridge will not cool to proper temperature. The thing he is right about is that this is a common problem with Samsung fridges however the easiest and professional way to fix it is unplug it for 48 hours with all doors open to allow it to completely and naturally defrost by replace the fan if needed and replace the defrost sensor which will be either a thermostat embedded somewhere in the styrofoam near the coils or a bi metal thermistor that attaches directly to the coils. If it is a bi-metal thermistor u can test the bi-metal thermistor for continuity with a multimeter if it beeps it’s good if not it’s bad. Anyway, those two parts and the other part that could be bad would be the defrost heater itself. And lastly the tab that goes to the drain hole! .....it is not sufficiently long enough and Samsung knows this and there is a replacement tab that can be ordered that is significantly longer. Installing that tab replacement does in fact fix the icing issue of the drain plug. In my experience the thermostat is usually fine and the heater is usually ok as well.....oh and another this do not bend the fins on the evap coil they are there for a reason....anyhow it’s usually the tab that doesn’t defrost the drain. So the fam gets iced over after while and because the motor on it is trying to go anyway but not moving it burns out the fan motor. U can check fan motor by plugging it in to its slot and if u look up at the door frame of the fridge you should see one or two little switches those tell the fridge the door is closed press them in and hold them with your hands and fingers wait a few seconds and fan should start to spin if it spins it’s good if it doesn’t then replace it. To keep moisture to a minimum do not line the walls of fridge keep a 1 inch gap between sidewalls and back wall and all the groceries to allow proper air flow around everything. Also, do not put anything in your fridge without an airtight lid on it. Any fruits and veggies need to be in drawers and any meats that are wrapped and thawing should be also left on a plate and covered or in a Tupperware with a lid. If you take things out to clean make sure they are thoroughly dried before putting them back inside (shelves, drawers, etc.,,) all these factors play the most significant roles in why your fridge would be icing up a and my message should give you a self explanatory information on how by fix the issues. Please do not do this paper towels thing. This is very dangerous and cooking spray can add to the danger of starting a fire. No offense to the user who posted the videos but this is very irresponsible of a video to post without doing your due diligence.
Hi Mikey, thanks for your detailed, expert advice! I'd like to ask you... on my RS275, ice builds up around the fridge fan, and the water reservoir freezes. If I force defrost the fridge a few times, the problems go away temporarily.
Do you think it is the refrigerator temperature sensor? Thanks for any help!
I think you fixed it somewhat by slowing down the defrost circuit. The sensor was covered by the insulation you put in. A few others had the same solution with relocating or adding a 2k resistor.
Have had my fridge 2 years and was told by a "Samsung" tech yesterday to stay away from their appliances. They do not know how to build one....they are an electronics company. Judging from all the reviews on your site, I'd say I'm not alone in what I'm going through. Almost $3000 for this piece of shit!! Samsung should be held responsible! Now I have to convince my husband to get a GE and not waste time & money fixing what will inevitably break again! Everyone should post a review under Comsumer Affairs too....if nothing else lets stop Samsung from making so much money off of us!!!!!!!
Very helpful tutorial. Thank you.
Hope you are not blocking the air flow by putting paper towel! also it is not water poof ! try use form tape instead! your idea is good!
so we fixed ours about 2-3 years ago and now today we are defrosting the back again. It is frozen up again. Any one have a repeat? We added the coil to extend the heating 2-3 years ago. Samsung RF263beae is nothing but junk
sir how strong should the fan blowing at the bottom door i mean the air duct ends thanks
This coil freezing in French-door-style Samsung Refrigerators has been resolved several years ago. The problem is in the alignment of the refrigerator. The front of the refrigerator needs to be a bit higher than the rear of the refrigerator. This allows the proper self-defrosting and draining. See us.community.samsung.com/t5/Kitchen-and-Family-Hub/Evaporator-Fan-freezing-RF263BEAESR-French-door-refrigerator/td-p/63478
Link says message not found.
Mine stays higher in the front because my floor is uneven. It still froze up under the crisper. I did the copper wire into drain and it gave me 2 more years. Starting to ice again.
Hello, can I just unplug it and let it defrost? Or do I have to actually pull it apart? Help.
It will just keep icing up. That's why there are so many unhappy people here looking for answers.
Noooooo!!! you are creating a fire risk!!!! If the heater gets hot, it could ignite the paper tissue and set alight to plastic lining , ultimately causing a potential explosion of the refrigerant gas. Never ever do this!!!
ON HELL YES IF R500 IS IN SYSTEM CAN WE SAY BOOM
All domestic refrigeration here in Europe uses r600 which is basically butane kerboom time
Most manufacturers have a kit for this icing issue. Many French door units experience an icing issue. With a little searching there is usually a service bulletin with part numbers needed. Manufacturers also are producing videos on how to install these I have seen the Samsung one here on RUclips. Please be careful when re engineering an appliance I've repaired appliances and seen some very scary and dangerous things done by well meaning people. Not saying this repair is right or wrong just saying look to see if there is a service bulletin or an alert first and try to get professional advice before repairing anything. Have a blessed day
I agree never add what is not intended but a good thought also mine has the same problem but anytime the top has a problem the bottom must be addresses at the same time doing the same thing they due clog up on the drains very easy and the bottom is the problem that messed up the top?
Piss off John H. Blah blah blah. There wont be a fire there
I have the same problem, even though Samsung has an ongoing situation with defective coils and ice-maker, but they don't want to assume the defect. I even suggested to pay partially for the repairs but their answer was no.They basically said go buy another one. Disappointing customer service, don't buy this crappy brand.
*The amazing thing is this problem has been going on since before 2010 and Samsung kept denying AND making the exact same crap so do yourself a favor and junk these lemons you'll be much happier.*
Hey I wrapped a small copper wire around the heating element and sent it like 18 inches dow the drain hole to prevent the hole from freezing up again.
Hope it works. Let us know.
jakeguitar01 man you gave me confidence to do this today it took me 2.5 hrs but Mr panel was frozen on I had to heat it up a lot to get it unstuck. I'm pretty sure you helped us save at least $400 or more on the diy fix. Awesome!!!
jakeguitar01 Yeah I'll will provide an update in the months coming to let you know.
Great. With any luck, it will give you a few months of use before it freezes up again. Try to defrost it from time to time. Check out my video on manual defrost mode.
jakeguitar01 Ok I will check out that video and try that soon. I'm sure I will be doing this again sometime. I just subscribed to your channel also.
I just had to rip mine apart again this morning. This time it only made it maybe 3 weeks before it was already starting to drastically ice up and not cool the food as well. I did the paper towel trick, but forgot to buy the foil tape, so we will see how well it insulated without the tape :( Also forgot about the bottom coil as well, I think I was too afraid to bend those bottom coils. I did however notice that the heating coil does not seem to even bother to get hot (likely causing it not to defrost the ice) so I am curious if it would be a good idea to buy a new heating coil or maybe it is a thermostat that causes it to heat up?
Coil or defrost sensor bad my guess.Sennsoe about $15 I''m at 6 Months and still running great.