253.23024104 Upright Kenmore freezer floor icing up

[Smed]

Model Number

253.23024104

Brand

Sears Kenmore

Age

More than 10 years

Recently our Kenmore upright freezer in the garage had temperature a little high and food not solidly frozen. Found ice covering inside floor on freezer. Took everything out. The ice had built up enough to almost cover the inlet slot at bottom of coil cover. After thawing the floor ice enough, I was able to remove back cover and found the attached ice pattern. Apparently, the defrost heater must be working to some extent. My theory is that the ice prevented air flow across the coil. After thawing out the drain hole which was frozen up I went around back to check the drain line and found that the drain line is about an 18" corrugated tubing into a holding bucket. I removed the line and cleaned it out best I could and didn't find much, so doubt it was clogged, but seems like an long line that could hold drain water for awhile and possibly back it up into the freezer. The path of the hose created somewhat of a U trap. We often have the freezer fairly full, so one of my theories is that the full freezer prevented air flow from top to bottom and minor thawing at bottom froze up on the floor or from humidity from warm air let in when freezer door is opened. This has happened before.

Appreciate other thoughts. Could it be a bad sensor that is improperly running the defrost heater?

 

[jeff1]

Hi,

Kinds looks like the drain is clogged or restricted. Flush that out for sure.
Confirm the heater works/is ok and if it is I'd try another defrost thermostat as it might be cutting out a little too soon.

LINK> Defrost Thermostat

jeff sr.