The short answer
Water around the RMS family is nearly always water the cabinet made itself, so the question is not where it came from but where it failed to go. 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 only after a defrost — On a manual-defrost cabinet the meltwater has to be managed by someone, and a large volume arriving all at once is expected behaviour rather than a fault.
- 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.
- 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.
- NEAR MISS - water and the cabinet is also warm — Water plus a warm cabinet usually means the cold surface has iced and is now releasing, and the cooling failure page for this family is the better starting point.
Causes, most likely first on this platform
- The cabinet is tilted the wrong way — 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.
- Meltwater with nowhere to go — Second on this platform. The drain stays on the list until it has actually been looked at, because a partial blockage produces an intermittent puddle that looks like almost any other cause.
- A fitting, a valve or a line at the back — Third here. On a plumbed model the supply is always worth eliminating, because a slow weep at a fitting behind the cabinet can run for months before anyone sees it.
- A door that is not closing properly — 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.
- A defrost the cabinet was overdue — 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 2 entries below sit on 2 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
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 RMS family
Reference| Model number | Family key |
|---|---|
| RMS550PS | avanti:refrigerator:rms |
| RMS551SS | avanti:refrigerator:rms |
When to call a technician
Call once the drain runs clear, the cabinet is level, the seal passes the paper test and the water still comes back, because what is left needs a panel off. Call immediately, without further testing, if water has reached a socket or a connector, or if a plumbed fitting is weeping where you cannot isolate it, since both of those get worse in a way a puddle does not.
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.
