The water often comes from the grill at the front top of the fridge compartment. Looks like defrost water can't get down to the drainage tube that goes to the bottom. I removed the white rubber connector at the top rear left of the fridge compartment and could freely irrigate down to the pan on the top of the compressor. I'd guess that I have to access that drainage from the freezer compartment, which is above, but I couldn't figure out how to access that drainage tube from the freezer

I'm not sure that I follow your post but it sounds like you are saying that your condensation tube was blocked and now ice has formed inside the tube in the freezer compartment. Melt with a hair dryer.

PS: It will take a lot longer than you think.

You need to remove the screws holding in the panel covering the bottom of the freezer and slide it out. Make sure you defrost it first so you don't break anything. The coil under the panel is very delicate so do not bend anything like the capillary tube bringing Freon to the coils. It's very easy to ruin by breaking it. The drain will be in the rear and you can wash the whole thing out with soap and water. Also, look under the unit if it has coils under the bottom of the refrigerator and clean them well by blowing out dust and spraying the coils off with water, avoiding the fan motor. Make sure to unplug unit before working on it and always replace the rear cover or it will stop working as cover is needed to route air over coils in most refrigerators. DrTom4444

You have to remove the panel covering the coils. Usually you will have two screws on the front lip of that cover and when removed the cover will slide out, but be sure to thaw out unit first. You will then see pan and drain in rear floor behind coils. Do not bend anything on coils. Wash out well with hot water to clean out old food residue. DrTom4444

That will not work since these tubes get blocked with gunk. DrTom4444

could freely irrigate down to the pan on the top of the compressor

Did you read that part?



I couldn't figure out how to access that drainage tube from the freezer

And that part?

Thank you for the quick reply. The top, sides, & bottom of the freezer compartment are a single piece, without screws. There is a 2"x14" grille at the front of the bottom of that single piece which snaps out to reveal a foam block. I see neither ice nor black tubes in the limited view around that foam black. The rear panel of the freezer space looks like it would be snap-in/snap-out. Would the sequence be to allow defrosting,then remove the ice-cube tray shelves that hang by two screws from the top panel, and then see if that rear panel pries off the way the 2x14 grille pried off? Am I correct to suspect that the evaporator tubes are in a vertical plane behind that rear panel?

It's hard to say what you will find without seeing it myself. Almost every time I work on a new refrigerator it's a new experience, but I'm not afraid to do it because I have been to HVAC/ refrigeration school. The thing is that they cannot teach you everything; you have to check things out yourself and getting repair manuals is almost impossible. The cover over the coils has to have air vents somewhere if it's on the rear. If the coils are on the bottom then there is a rear panel with air vents that ties into bottom compartment holding coils. Just check it out and let us know what you find. DrTom4444