The short answer
Every cabinet in the RMRC family produces water continuously while it runs and has one route for getting rid of it, so this page is about what happens when that route stops working. Every cabinet of this kind produces water continuously while it runs, and it has exactly one route for getting rid of it: the whole of this page is about what happens when that route stops working.
What you observe on these models
- Water at the back, near the wall — A wet patch behind the unit points at the drain pan or at the supply connection where the model has one, and both need the cabinet pulled out to see.
- 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.
- Beads of water on the outside of the cabinet — That is condensation on cold metal rather than a leak, and it travels with high room humidity, a door left ajar, or a seal no longer doing its job.
- NEAR MISS - water arrived with the ice stopping — A failed supply line does both at once on a plumbed model, and the ice production page takes that combination from the useful end.
Causes, most likely first on this platform
- Meltwater with nowhere to go — Every cabinet of this kind melts what it has frosted and sends the result down a drain to a pan, where it evaporates. Block that drain with debris or let it freeze, and the water backs up and leaves by whatever path gravity offers. These entries share one base and therefore one drain path, so what differs between owners is humidity, loading and how the cabinet was set down.
- Ice that has finally let go — Second on this platform. Frost releasing in bulk is worth ruling in early on any cabinet that has gone a long time without a defrost, because it explains one large puddle that never returns.
- The cabinet is tilted the wrong way — Third here. A forward tilt turns a small internal drip into a floor puddle, so it is worth putting a level on the cabinet before assuming a part is at fault.
- Condensation from a seal that is not sealing — Fourth. Air getting past the door keeps making water whatever else gets fixed, so the paper test is worth doing even when the drain turns out to be the culprit.
- A fitting, a valve or a line at the back — Last. 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.
Check in this order, and why
- Do the paper test around the whole door — Close the door on a sheet of paper at several points and pull. Anywhere it slides free is letting room air in, and room air is where nearly all of this water comes from. All 5 entries in the table below sit on one base, so what this check tells you holds for every one of them.
- Dry everything, then watch where it comes back — Inside, under, or out of the front door are three different faults, and an old puddle cannot tell you which one you have. Give it a day after drying before deciding anything.
- 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.
Before you open anything
Safety
Water and electricity share a floor here, so unplug the appliance or switch off its breaker before mopping under or behind the cabinet, and remember a capacitor can hold a charge after the power is off. A wet connection is not something to investigate while it is live, whatever the circuit behind it. Clear a frozen drain with warm water rather than with a tool.
Models in the RMRC family
Reference| Model number | Family key |
|---|---|
| RMRC17X** | avanti:refrigerator:rmrc |
| RMRC17X1B-IS | avanti:refrigerator:rmrc |
| RMRC17X5R-IS | avanti:refrigerator:rmrc |
| RMRC17X6BL-IS | avanti:refrigerator:rmrc |
| RMRC17X7G-IS | avanti:refrigerator:rmrc |
When to call a technician
Bring someone in when the free checks are clean and the water returns anyway, and bring them in sooner if the cabinet is also failing to hold temperature, because those two together usually mean the cold surface is icing and releasing on a cycle. Isolate the machine rather than leaving it running while you wait, and keep the floor dry in the meantime.
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.
