Freezer leaking water

[Raizinman]

I have an upright frost free freezer about 20 years old in our basement. It has always been a champ for the last 20 years. It doesn't get much use, perhaps we open the door two or three times a month. The food in the freezer is currently rock solid frozen with no frost on anything. All looks good in the freezer.

In the last month or so, we've noticed a small puddle of water in front of the freezer. Clear water. I must assume that this is the defrost cycle water. Does this water mean:

Conditions in the basemert are too humid?
The defrost pan (if there is one) is full of dirt or such and overfills quickly during a defrost cycle?
The defrost timer is bad?

Which is the likely cause or perhaps something else.

 

[herm0016]

steps:

double check pan is in correct position
check for cleanliness
see if the line that goes into the pan is blocked. check the point where it collects the water under the heat exchanger in the freezer.

i like to buy used appliances and had a subzero where the plastic line to the ice maker was damaged and the drain tube was misaligned causing 2 leaks.

 

[Paperdoc]

A few things to check.

1. The pan at the bottom - it is where the melt water goes from defrosting, so it could overflow. Check for dirt accumulation filling the pan, as you suggest, and for position as herm0016 says. Also look for corrosion leak holes in it.
2. Defrost cycle melt water flows from the area right below the freezer heat exchanger down to that evap pan through a plastic hose and fittings. Over the years those parts can become clogged with slow-growing mold or algae deposits. You may have to access it from the back of the unit, and don't forget the very start of this drain system at the back of the pan under the heat exchanger. Maybe run a pipe cleaner or something through some of the short parts.
3. A bad door seal can allow excess heat and room air into the freezer, causing front to build up very quickly. In turn, this can cause very frequent defrost cycles, so frequent that the evap pan at the bottom does not dry out before more water arrives and overflows it. Similarly, something stored in the freezer too near the door can cause it to pop open a little.