The short answer
A water complaint on the BC family is usually condensate that has been sent somewhere other than the drain, and only rarely supply water, since not every model in the group is plumbed at all. There are only two kinds of water complaint on a cabinet like this: meltwater that has gone the wrong way, and supply water on the models that are plumbed. Establishing which one you have takes a minute and saves everything after it.
What you observe on these models
- Damp, a musty smell and no visible puddle — Water that has gone under the cabinet rather than in front of it produces a smell long before it produces a puddle, and floors suffer quietly in the meantime.
- A slow drip that stops when the compressor stops — Water that tracks the cycle is condensate. Water that arrives regardless of whether the machine is running is supply water on a plumbed model.
- A puddle on the floor at the front — Water at the front has usually run forward along the base, which means either the cabinet is tilted the wrong way or it has overflowed something at the back.
- NEAR MISS - the water is warm, or it is coming from a wall fitting — That is household plumbing rather than the appliance, and the appliance is only where it happens to be pooling.
Causes, most likely first on this platform
- A machine standing nose-down — These cabinets are designed to sit level or very slightly back, so that water inside runs toward the drain and the door pulls itself shut. A unit tipped forward sends the same water out under the door instead, and nothing inside has failed at all. Several distinct bases means several cabinet depths, and depth decides how far forward a machine has to be tipped before meltwater leaves by the door instead of reaching the drain.
- A blocked or frozen defrost drain — Second on this platform. The drain stays on the list until it has actually been tested, because a partial blockage gives an intermittent puddle that mimics nearly every other cause here.
- A fitting, a valve or a line at the back — Third here. On a plumbed model the supply is always worth eliminating, since a slow weep at a fitting behind the cabinet can run for months unseen.
- Warm humid air getting in past the door — Fourth. Air leaking past the door keeps producing water no matter what else is fixed, so it is worth a paper test even when the drain turns out to be the culprit.
- Ice that has finally let go — Last. Heavy frost releasing is worth ruling in early on any cabinet that has not been defrosted in a long time, because it explains a single large puddle that never comes back.
Check in this order, and why
- Find the drain and check that it runs — There is usually a small opening at the base of the cold surface. A little warm water poured in should disappear; if it backs up, you have found the fault. The 9 entries below sit on 8 different bases, so confirm your own code before carrying a neighbour's result across.
- Pull it out and look behind — Check the drain pan for a crack or an overflow, and, where the model is plumbed, run a dry hand along the line and every fitting. A weep shows as a dark line rather than a drip.
- Put a level on the top of the cabinet — Level or very slightly back is right. Tipped forward sends meltwater out under the door and stops the door pulling itself shut, and it is adjusted at the feet in a couple of minutes.
Before you open anything
Safety
Isolate the machine at the plug or the breaker before working behind it or drying underneath it. Where the model is plumbed, close the water shutoff before touching a fitting rather than after. Never push wire or a screwdriver into a drain opening to clear it - the tubing behind the liner is thin, and warm water does the job without the risk.
Models in the BC family
Reference| Model number | Family key |
|---|---|
| BC-160OD | avanti:refrigerator:bc |
| BC-46 | avanti:refrigerator:bc |
| BC-47 | avanti:refrigerator:bc |
| BC-50 | avanti:refrigerator:bc |
| BC-65 | avanti:refrigerator:bc |
| BC-70 | avanti:refrigerator:bc |
| BC-71 | avanti:refrigerator:bc |
| BC-90DAN | avanti:refrigerator:bc |
| BC-90OD-DC | avanti:refrigerator:bc |
When to call a technician
Drying, levelling, clearing a drain with warm water and straightening a supply line are owner work. A cracked drain pan, a failed valve or a heater in the drain path is not. Go straight to a call where a breaker has tripped, where the water is warm and clearly not the appliance, or where the floor under the cabinet has started to lift.
Other faults covered for these models
Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 12 years experience
Experienced technician with 12 years specializing in washing machine and dryer repairs across all major brands.
