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HiTekRedNek
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Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: 44.56024"N 15.307971E
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Finding Refrigerator Gasket Leak the Easy Way

02/05/2018 11:47 AM

I 've been having trouble finding a gasket leak in my SamSung French door refrigerator.

The normal methods of pulling a piece of paper through the gasket and door did not detect the problem.

So I developed a different way to detect leaks ore accurately and precisely:

Obtain apice of 1/4 inch flexible tubing,about 3 feet long,and a small piece of silicon medical tubing,1/4 inch ID.

Attach the tubing to the drain tube under the refrigerator,using the medical tubing as a coupling between them.

Now blow into the tubing and check for leaks around the gasket using kid's bubble blowing liquid.

Any leaks will become easily detectable.

See this link for making leak detector.

https://www.thoughtco.com/bubbles-that-dont-pop-recipe-603922

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SolarEagle
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Join Date: Mar 2007
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#1

Re: Finding refrerator gasket leak the easy way

02/05/2018 11:55 AM

Just change the gasket....

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Brave Sir Robin
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Hobbies - DIY Welding - Wannabeabettawelda

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Location: Annapolis, Maryland
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#11
In reply to #1

Re: Finding refrerator gasket leak the easy way

02/05/2018 5:46 PM

Last time I checked, a replacement gasket was well over $100 for one of my older fridges. I decided I can waste a little energy instead. Yeah, I know the fridge is usually consumer #3 in most households, right behind air conditioning and heating water.
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HiTekRedNek
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#12
In reply to #11

Re: Finding refrerator gasket leak the easy way

02/05/2018 6:21 PM

The wasted energy was not a real concern,it was the excess frost buildup in the auto-defrost,causing the drain pipe to freeze,which allowed water to run down the back of the inside cabinet,and into the crisper drawers in the bottom.

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Brave Sir Robin
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#14
In reply to #12

Re: Finding refrerator gasket leak the easy way

02/05/2018 6:34 PM

Ok, sounds like your gasket leak is a lot worse than mine.

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Jpfalt
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#16
In reply to #12

Re: Finding refrerator gasket leak the easy way

02/06/2018 10:56 AM

You could move to Arizona. The humidity is lower there and frost buildup would be minimized.
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HiTekRedNek
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#13
In reply to #1

Re: Finding refrerator gasket leak the easy way

02/05/2018 6:29 PM

I know how to change it,I am just too frugal to buy one if it is not needed.

Heating the gasket with a hair dryer or heat gun will soften it and allow a better seal to form.Do not overheat or you will weaken the magnetic seal material.

I have seen many commercial refrigerators with the door sealed damaged because sticky liquids had dripped over the edge of the door,onto the seal area.This eventually pulled the gasket loose from the door.

I always make sure the sealing surface stays clean,which is good maintenance advice for home owners as well.

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Rixter
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#2

Re: Finding refrerator gasket leak the easy way

02/05/2018 12:24 PM

Here is one way that comes to mind. Paint the seal all the way around with bubble soap. Get a bottle of compressed air, crack the valve, put it in the refrigerator, shut the door, and look for bubbles where it leaks.

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PWSlack
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United Kingdom - Member - Indeterminate Engineering Fields - Control Engineering - New Member

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Location: In the bothy, 7 chains down the line from Dodman's Lane level crossing, in the nation formerly known as Great Britain. Kettle's on.
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#3
In reply to #2

Re: Finding refrerator gasket leak the easy way

02/05/2018 12:45 PM

...and if it doesn't leak then stand really well back when opening the door!

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lyn
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#4

Re: Finding refrerator gasket leak the easy way

02/05/2018 12:52 PM

Thanks. I'd probably have just lighted a roadside flare and thrown it in.

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Doorman
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Hobbies - DIY Welding - Don't Know What Made The Old Title Attractive... Popular Science - Weaponology - New Member United States - US - Statue of Liberty - 60 Year Member

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#5
In reply to #4

Re: Finding refrerator gasket leak the easy way

02/05/2018 1:34 PM

101 possible captions for this, I suppose.

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JE in Chicago
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Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Chicago
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#7
In reply to #5

Re: Finding refrerator gasket leak the easy way

02/05/2018 2:09 PM

An eternally burning tire..

An appropriate memorial.

Thank you..

(Play taps)

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JE in Chicago
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#8
In reply to #4

Re: Finding refrerator gasket leak the easy way

02/05/2018 2:18 PM

Just last week I used a tiny smoke bomb to find out if there was indeed a draft coming into the basement through the wild animal entrance under the front porch.

There was was indeed.. and it smelled like the fourth of July.

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PWSlack
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#9
In reply to #8

Re: Finding refrerator gasket leak the easy way

02/05/2018 2:20 PM

What? The <...wind animal...>?

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JE in Chicago
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#6

Re: Finding Refrigerator Gasket Leak the Easy Way

02/05/2018 2:02 PM

That sounds a little low tech redneck.

But I like it.. just remembered to blow in the tube and not the other way around.

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JE in Chicago
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#10

Re: Finding Refrigerator Gasket Leak the Easy Way

02/05/2018 4:29 PM

Wild animal entrance. (A skunk dug under the wall)

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tonyhemet
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#15

Re: Finding Refrigerator Gasket Leak the Easy Way

02/06/2018 1:53 AM

I was thinking that you could just use a crane and lower the whole fridge in a giant vat of water and after it was submerged you could see the bubbles and know where the leak was.
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Users who posted comments:

Brave Sir Robin (2); Doorman (1); HiTekRedNek (2); JE in Chicago (4); Jpfalt (1); lyn (1); PWSlack (2); Rixter (1); SolarEagle (1); tonyhemet (1)

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