Moisture Stains on Floor in front of Refrigerator?

[Ridgerunner3]

I recently removed the floor covering in my 02 Safari. I found the floor heavily stained immediately in front of the frig. The area is dry and remained dry through very heavy rain. I have just bought this AS. It came from the factory with carpet. Are there any known refrigerator problems that may cause this staining? Or is just likely just routine spills? I want to make sure I do not cover up a potential floor rot problem with new floor covering.

[handn]

I have a 2004 Safari.
Mine had a roof leak around the refrigerator vent. Water pooled in front of the refrigerator. It took two tries of caulking around the vent to stop the leak.
Most likely, yours had such a leak that was fixed by the former owner since things are now dry. Lets hope so. I would watch the area closely.

[dkottum]

I have been suspect of that foil tape used during assembly to seal the exterior fridge access compartment seams. Rain or washing will have water in the compartment.

Anyone found this area to be a source of leakage?

doug k

[Wingeezer]

Could it be water defrosting from the freezer and leaking out ?

Brian

[richinny]

i agree with brian. check to see where the defrosted water goes.

[Wingeezer]

Originally Posted by richinny

i agree with brian. check to see where the defrosted water goes.

From past experience!

It happened to us on our last trailer and by the time we realized what was happening it made quite a mess out of the hardwood floor!


Brian.

[Ridgerunner3]

The defroster hose on my old "white box" trailer exited through the outside refrigerator access door to the outside of the trailer. On the AS the hose drains into the metal box behind the outside access door to the refrigerator. So the drain water is required to escape by going under the access door. There does not appear to be a hole for the drain hose to exit the metal box. I assumed this was how the AS was built. What sort of drain hose setup do you guys have on your AS?

[richinny]

my way to fix the hose in my case was to let the catch tray drip into a pan on the inside of the fridge. the freezer gets mopped up with a towel.

i had a drawer under the fridge that caught most of the water. i took a while for it to dawn on me to check where the drain was going.

.....and to give everyone a chuckle......
i thought i found the drain. it was a plastic line with a plug in it. i started unscrewing until i felt it get a small drop of water and stopped. it was pressure line for an ice maker! i stopped before the flood :-)

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Hi, I have seen this and it could possibly cause some problems. People put too much stuff inside of their refrigerators and use the drip tray for a shelf for small items. This could block the drain.

[Ridgerunner3]

Repeat of my previous questions:

Where should the refrigerator drain hose be routed to for the drain water to escape on a 2002 model? My now drains behind the outside compartment door under the refrigerator.

Thanks for any help.

Bud

[RangerJay]

I don't recall the configuration around the venting of a frig comparment in an 2002 25' Safari - but we have an 2002 19' Bambi that had exactly the same symptoms.

Check the frig compartment after a heavy rain - our's was swimming in water and the problem was obvious - it was literally running into the compartment through the vents.

I solved the problem by:

• fabricating an aluminum drip rail for the upper vent (it looks good)
• closing a gap in the framing of the lower vent
• recaulking the compartment drain (original caulking did not allow any water out of the compartment till it was about 1/4" deep.
• replacing the loosely fitting foam strips around the frig with snug fitting foam strips.

This "fix" was done in 2007 and the frig compartment has been virtually dry since - I check it often - usually after every rain - there has never again been a repeat of water "pooling" in the compartment - the worst it might get is moist - but no pooling - and that after driving in a heavy rain. Interior of the trailer is bone dry.

Pictures attached.

Good luck,



Jay

[Ridgerunner3]

Originally Posted by RangerJay

I don't recall the configuration around the venting of a frig comparment in an 2002 25' Safari - but we have an 2002 19' Bambi that had exactly the same symptoms.

Check the frig compartment after a heavy rain - our's was swimming in water and the problem was obvious - it was literally running into the compartment through the vents.

I solved the problem by:

• fabricating an aluminum drip rail for the upper vent (it looks good)
• closing a gap in the framing of the lower vent
• recaulking the compartment drain (original caulking did not allow any water out of the compartment till it was about 1/4" deep.
• replacing the loosely fitting foam strips around the frig with snug fitting foam strips.

This "fix" was done in 2007 and the frig compartment has been virtually dry since - I check it often - usually after every rain - there has never again been a repeat of water "pooling" in the compartment - the worst it might get is moist - but no pooling - and that after driving in a heavy rain. Interior of the trailer is bone dry.

Pictures attached.

Good luck,



Jay

Jay, thank you very much. Good information.

[rodsterinfl]

I have a 2005 Safari 25. About a year ago I replaced the refrigerator. When I took the fridge out I snooped around in the compartment and learned some things. Above the fridge was a small box with one side as an arch. I removed it and found quite a bit of water stain on the top arched side. Water had gotten in from the upper vent. I spar varnished the weak wood of the box and reinstalled it. I resealed the fridge vent area. I do not have water in mine but nonetheless it seems like an area to check.