FIXED LG Refrigerator LFXS24623S Drip tray removal

[drewb0y]

Model Number

LFXS24623S

Brand

LG

Age

1-5 years

We have an LG LFXS24623S fridge that is driving us bonkers. There is a lingering smell that we can not seem to get rid of. What we think happened is that defrosting meat released some juices that got down into the drain system. The smell is not inside the refrigerator compartment at all.
What we have done so far -
Flushed the drain and drain tube with hot water and bleach solution
Sucked out all fluids from the drip tray with a wet/dry vacuum and flushed with hot water and bleach solution
Tried adding vanilla extract in the drip tray
Used an odor "sponge"

What I think will fix it is removing the drip tray and cleaning it thoroughly. I have the factory service manual but it does not say how to do this properly. I can remove the screws holding in the evaporator coils but can only pull it out a bit to give more cleaning space. I have only tried this through the rear access panel. Under the evaporator coils are the copper lines that feed into and out of the coils. These copper lines are stuck in a hard waxy like substance which doesn't dissolve easily with hot water and we can't really access it to clean it properly.
Is this normal or should those copper lines be free floating? If we remove the freezer compartment and open that access panel, will it help to clean further. I'm afraid to pull too hard on the tubing or evap coils and turning a cleaning job into an expensive repair.
How do you completely remove the drip tray or is it even possible?

Thanks in advance for any advice. The first pic is from the service manual. Our unit has the evaporator fan to the right of the coils. Second pic is a diagram also from the service manual of how ours is layed out.

 

[jeff1]

Hi,

JMO!

Take the unit outside and use a power washer to clean out the tray and underneath.
Once the tray is screwed to the base and the hot condenser coils, condenser fan motor and compressor are mounted above the tray is really not meant to come off.

jeff sr.

 

[drewb0y]

Thanks! I do have a pressure washer fortunately. I'll give that a try next and post results.

 

[jeff1]

Great, please do let us know how you made out with it.

jeff sr.

 

[drewb0y]

Well I put it off as long as I could but finally had to bite the bullet and just do it. Took the fridge out the back door and removed the rear access plate. Alternating between blasts with the pressure washer and sucking water out with the shop vac. Finally got every last bit of the nasty stuff out. There were some small strips of white padded material on the inside of the drip tray which get soaked and hold water so they were removed. I did leave the drip tube attached to prevent any water going back up into the fridge. Completely dried it out when done and added some baking soda in the pan. The only gotcha was now that every thing is all buttoned back up and up against the wall, the fan is occasionally knocking against the drip tube. I will pull it back out and fix this by using a zip tie to secure it to the evaporator coil.

Things that would have made this job easier:
- a drip tray that was designed for easy removal and cleaning
- drain holes in the bottom plate so any water overflow could just go out
- a better design by LG in general!

End result - the smell is now completely gone and I know how to do it again if there is a next time : )

 

[jeff1]

- a better design by LG in general!

Agreed!
Thankx for the update.

jeff sr.