Help with Leaking Fridge (I think)

[Bewell]

I have had my 2016 Bambi Sport for less than a month and we just turned on the fridge. It cooled down quickly, but I think it is leaking. I say think because it's the only thing we used -- we haven't run water yet or used the bathroom. However, the fridge had been on for about 5 hours, we noticed a big puddle of water under the dinette table. We couldn't locate the source and just thought perhaps it might have been from wet shoes because it was raining. So, we wiped up the puddle and thought nothing of it. However, we we woke up in the morning, there was another puddle under the table -- pretty much in the same spot.

Has anyone experienced this? Do you have any idea of what it might be?

Thanks for your help.

[jcanavera]

While you can get moisture on the refrigerator coils, those normally drip into a tray which is connected to a small drain hose that goes through the refrigerator compartment. A refrigerator only running 5 hours most likely will not get cold enough to be condensing much moisture on those coils. Especially when you noted that it was a big puddle under the table.

The question at hand was weather you had filled the fresh water tank or were you connected to a city water hookup? If the answer is no, then the fact that it was raining might be something to be concerned about.

Another question is whether you were using the air conditioner during this period of time. That unit can condense quit a bit of water on the coils which can be a problem if the drain tube is not dispensing that water to the outside.

Jack

[Bewell]

Thanks for getting back to me. We were not using the air conditioner. We were using the fresh water tank. However, tt has rained very hard before we had the puddle and we were absolutely fine. It has also rained very hard today and and there no water. So, the only thing that we did differently the day that we got the puddles was turn on the fridge -- which is why we thought it was the fridge. The weird thing is the puddle of water just seemed to come out of nowhere...meaning there was no trail to show where the water could have come from.

[jcanavera]

The fact that you were using the fresh water tank would lead to suspicion that you have some type of plumbing leak. Either in the water piping or the drainage system. If you leave the pump switch in the on position, did you hear the pump cycle when you weren't using water? A pump doing an occasional cycle when you aren't using water might indicate a leak.

Jack

[HeavyMetal]

Leak in front floor area 2008 Safari - this may not be your problem but here's my story... We live in the rainy pacific northwest and in 2010 I discovered a very similar leak in our AS. The problem did occur after heavy rains. At first I though a leak around my AC may be finding a way down inside the walls? Nope - instead it ended up being leaks in the frame around both refrigerator vent doors. Water would pool along that edge on wet days. When the trailer was built, a literal hack-job was performed in this area. The top was was taped as shown in the photo, the bottom one was taped and gobs of white sealant surrounded it. Once opened up I discovered up to large, long gaps in both of them. I thoroughly cleaned the areas, siliconed the gaps and it has held perfectly now for 5 years. See the photo. Hope this helps!

[mrsmup]

Wow, those pictures are disappointing. The more I read, the more I am concerned with the quality of AS. These are the same type of half a**ed problems found while reading about other manufacturers. That tape was just a cover up. Scary.

[PurdueMom]

May I suggest you check inside your refrigerator for what is probably a thin piece of white tubing intended to divert the refrigerator's condensation to the exterior of your Airstream? Although ours is not a Sport, we suffered a problem that sounds similar to your own on our new 2015 only weeks ago. We had a puddle of water in the bottom of our refrigerator. We were alarmed but resolved the problem within a short while.

Back to the piece of tubing....The white tube was too thin for the exit port plus too short to accomplish getting the condensate out of the refrigerator. Instead, we could see the liquid dripping right back into the appliance resulting in quite a lot of excess moisture in the bottom of the refridge.

Resolution: After a bit of thought, my spouse remembered...in the satchel of documentation and appliance manuals received for our Airstream was a Ziplock-type plastic bag, in which was a black rubber plug/gasket. My hubby decided it was intended to fit into the exit port. Well, if that's not what it was for, at least it did the trick! The tubing fit perfectly into the black gasket and the gasket into the body of the refridge at the condensate exit location.

I hope yours is as easy a fix as was ours. There were a few other parts in the bag for which we haven't a clue, bringing to mind an old Far Side cartoon with a surgeon having a few leftover parts sitting beside the patient after the surgery is complete. 😳 Good luck with resolving your problem quickly. Hope this helps.

Allyson