Refrigerator compressor line frost and melting water on floor?

Question

The line coming off the compressor (very cold when running) frosts up heavily, then drips onto my wood floor when off. The unit is about 13 years old, and this just started about 3 months ago. Any ideas what might be wrong? Or how to fix? Thanks.

Answer 1

bikerbob is close, but in the wrong direction...you arent LOW on refrigerant, you have too much, assuming you had a sealed system repair done at some point, the tech who fixed put too much refrigerant in, which is why it is frosting up BEYOND the evaporator. If a refrigerator has the correct amount of R134A, or R12 on an older model, the suction line on the compressor, the thicker and colder of the two connected lines (a third is usually present as well, but has been closed permanently and it leads to nothing, this is how it is charged at the factory) Now the suction line also runs along a thin capillary tube, which is a tube that gets very hot as this is the high pressure side of the system. These two are attached along their lengths to keep frost building up on this section of the suction line, and sometimes this is also insulated with a foam tube insulation piece.

If you have any sizable clump of ice, turn the unit off for a while to let the ice melt NATURALLY!!!  If  you can insulate the section of tubing well, it will prevent it from frosting up again because you are insulating the cold surface from the warm air, which causes the condensation, or frost, which melts slightly because of the warm air, and freezes as ice.

or stick a small aluminum baking tray under the build up of ice.

Answer 2

Clean the coils and condenser. In otherwords, unplug the fridge and vacuum it out. Your problem may go away.

Answer 3

not to tough its low on freon(or what ever it uses)

lower volume equals lower pressures making it colder

causing it to frost up .

call sears to come out to fix the leak and charge it .

the new energysaving fridges might be able to save a lot of money over the 13 yearold one

Answer 4

Does the fridge still cool normally?  Has this just started since hot/humid weather?