What's up with this fridge here?!?

[Billbill84]

Hi all. So lately I've noticed a calcium build up spot on the tray catch lid on our Samsung fridge. Today I noticed it's much bigger now so I shine the flashlight on the tray on through the holes i can see the little catch under the lid was completely full and about ready to run over down and onto the floor. Looks like the little line that dispenses the water will drip about a small drop every few minutes.
Is this a sign of a potential failure of the cilenoid valve? I've never seen a tray on any fridge fill so high before evaporating so I'm thinking it might be time to just kill that water supply to the fridge it's about 10yrs old and something just doesn't seem right with this.

 

[Snoonyb]

Looks like a maintenance problem, how often do you clean it?

 

[Billbill84]

Looks like a maintenance problem, how often do you clean it?

The stain is not what concerns me it's the fact that the tray was so full which tells me that the tap will continue to drip after water is dispensed. I've never heard of anyone having to remove the grate to soak up water usually whatever goes in the tray will be so minuscule that it evaporates.

 

[Snoonyb]

Same responce.

 

[Flyover]

I'm not a plumber and I don't know how those water dispensers work exactly, but here's what I'd do:

First, clean it. Then figure out a way to troubleshoot it. Make sure nobody uses the water dispenser for a day or two, to eliminate the possibility that someone in your household is just using it in a sloppy way. Try and sit and watch it for as long as you can stand, to detect a drip. You might be able to set something under there that will make a loud noise when water drips on it, like a desk bell (or an excitable child). If you see/hear it drip, then you can look into the question of why it's dripping. I would get in there and take things apart to figure out how it works (or see if you can find a video online where someone else does this for you) so you can identify possible failure points. Then work your way "backward" (against the flow of the water, basically) to each point and clean/fix as you go.

 

[Billbill84]

I'm not a plumber and I don't know how those water dispensers work exactly, but here's what I'd do:

First, clean it. Then figure out a way to troubleshoot it. Make sure nobody uses the water dispenser for a day or two, to eliminate the possibility that someone in your household is just using it in a sloppy way. Try and sit and watch it for as long as you can stand, to detect a drip. You might be able to set something under there that will make a loud noise when water drips on it, like a desk bell (or an excitable child). If you see/hear it drip, then you can look into the question of why it's dripping. I would get in there and take things apart to figure out how it works (or see if you can find a video online where someone else does this for you) so you can identify possible failure points. Then work your way "backward" (against the flow of the water, basically) to each point and clean/fix as you go.

Copy, sounds like a good starting point. Thanks!

 

[Sparky617]

Try putting a cup there for several hours to catch any drips. A folded paper towel would also work. This may involve taping it to the door to keep it in place. If there are drips I believe the solenoid is the only control for water to the dispenser. The catch pans typically have a heater in them to evaporate any water that hits them. If you have hard water getting a mineral build up wouldn't be unusual. Water can drip from the ice dispenser particularly if you use crushed ice as some sticks to the chute and drips into the pan as it melts. That is part of the reason the pan exists in the first place.

Vinegar or CLR will help clean off the build up on the pan.

 

[Billbill84]

Try putting a cup there for several hours to catch any drips. A folded paper towel would also work. This may involve taping it to the door to keep it in place. If there are drips I believe the solenoid is the only control for water to the dispenser. The catch pans typically have a heater in them to evaporate any water that hits them. If you have hard water getting a mineral build up wouldn't be unusual. Water can drip from the ice dispenser particularly if you use crushed ice as some sticks to the chute and drips into the pan as it melts. That is part of the reason the pan exists in the first place.

Vinegar or CLR will help clean off the build up on the pan.

Thank you. I've been monitoring everyday and have not seen much water in there so I'm thinking maybe you're right about the crushed ice run off theory! The wife is obsessed with crushed ice lol